Attaining Six Pack Abs After Tummy Tuck?

This is an area (the midriff) that can have significant deposits of fat that are not addressed during a tummy tuck because it can affect the blood supply to the lower abdomen and interfere with healing. YOu may require and additional session of liposuction to achieve an improvement in this area!

Thank you for your question regarding achieving six-pack abs after a tummy tuck and liposuction. It’s great to hear that you've been dedicated to working out and are seeing progress with your abdominal muscles.

A tummy tuck primarily addresses excess skin, fat, and muscle separation (diastasis recti) but doesn't guarantee muscle definition like a six-pack. Achieving that level of abdominal definition depends on factors like body fat percentage, genetics, and your workout routine. While the tummy tuck helps by providing a flatter, tighter abdominal contour, building visible abs requires a consistent focus on strengthening your core muscles and maintaining a low body fat percentage.

The area you're describing just below your sternum could be residual fat, scar tissue, or natural anatomy. While working out will continue to help strengthen your muscles, if the bulge persists and you're still unable to achieve the desired definition, you may want to consult your plastic surgeon. They can assess whether further procedures like additional liposuction or body contouring would be helpful in refining that specific area.

Keep up your hard work in the gym, and with continued effort and possibly some refinement, achieving six-pack abs may still be within reach.

Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen

One common myth with tummy tuck surgeries is that you’re going to achieve a six pack after surgery.
This is typically not the case. The operation is designed to remove excess skin and the associated fatty tissue. It is a contouring procedure, tailoring the skin to better fit your underlying body.
A six pack requires two things:
A well-formed and defined six pack muscles. If you don’t have those before surgery, then surgery is not going to create them.A very thin fatty layer, or minimal fatty tissue. The thickness of the fatty layer will be proportionate to the other areas in your body. In other words, if your body fat percentage is not down to a “shredded” state before surgery, then it won’t be like that after surgery.
Of course, some of the greatest results after a tummy tuck are achieved not by me, but by the patient, who uses that massive change achieved by surgery as the inspiration and motivation to continue their personal journey of self-improvement and further transform their body by changing their lifestyle – that is, a better diet and exercise.

Healing after a  #tummy tuck will require time. Some patients are out of bed and walking the night of surgery and every hour while awake. I allow my patients to return to work at one to two weeks with 14 days preferred.  However, no lifting or straining.  At three weeks, increased level of activity and full with no restrictions, at 6 weeks. 
As I advise my patients, if your work keeps you sedentary, you may return whenever you feel up to it. If your work is strenuous, wait until your work activity does not cause any superficial pain. Some employers will modify a person’s job duties so they can back sooner, but without physical activity. Our office can provide our patients with a note stating they are not to engage in strenuous activity for a specified period of time. The note will not disclose what procedure they have underwent. Therefore, you may have to request a similar note from your surgeon if you are not independently employed. I recommend avoiding heavy lifting and strenuous #activity for six weeks following your surgery. With that said, it may help you plan your return to work accordingly.
As for heavy lifting and other #strenuous #activities, it should be avoided for until you have clearance from your surgeon. You may, however, do normal activities at any time if they cause no pain or #discomfort. Let your body tell you what you can or cannot do. Aerobic exercise will raise your blood pressure, which could cause late bleeding and harm your result. Once you begin exercising again, start gently and let your body tell you what it can tolerate. Don’t rush!!  If you have concerns about your healing, or pain that you question to be unusual, it is important to call your plastic surgeon to discuss these further asked to be examined.

That's a pretty tough question to answer, first because I don't know what your expectations are so even if you were my patient, I would have to guess whether or not you'd say the surgical outcome was up to your expectations.

Second, I don't know what your current weight is, so even if you were doing exactly the correct exercises to strengthen and define the upper abdominal area, I don't know if your body fat is low enough to allow the muscle definition to be seen.

You have a two prong attack on this project. First you'll need to do exercises specifically for the upper abdomen. You could meet with a personal trainer to give you a list of those exercises and to show you the proper way to do them.

It's essential to concentrate on form when doing abdominal exercises to avoid developing a rounded appearance rather than a sleek, toned look. In that area particularly, lengthening the muscle will help you avoid that rounded look or "pooch". Doing the exercises incorrectly can actually make the muscles protrude more and become more prominent. I'm guessing that's probably not the look you're striving for.

The second part of the attack is to lower your body fat ratio. A nutritionist or personal trainer can also help you with that. Modifying diet is essential to reduce the fat we naturally carry around that covers up the abdominal muscles.

You may in fact already have the muscle strength and tone you need, but there's just some fat hiding it. It's a shame to do all that work and not get to reap the benefits and show it off a bit even if it's only to yourself!

Good luck! I hope you find that flat upper ab you're looking for.