Can I get a skin only tummy tuck?

Hi,Thank you for your question, however, without pictures it is not possible to comment or give advice. Please consider re-posting question with pictures. Below is a link to the effects of pregnancy on a woman's abdominal wall and the best way to repair it. I hope this helps.Best wishes and kind regards,

Hello, thank you for your question. Without seeing photos and examining you #face to face, I suggest you get a couple more opinions from Board Certified Plastic Surgeons. It is possible to have delivered two children and not need any #muscle tightening due to their fitness level. I believe it will ease some of your #concerns to speak to the senior plastic surgeon if you choose to receive care from a resident. Best wishes!

Thanks for your question! The majority of moms with two children need some muscle tightening. On the other hand, I have seen plenty of moms with two children that haven't needed any. You need to be able to trust your plastic surgeon, resident or not. This is seems to be the underlying issue. In a resident surgery, he/she is being watched closely by a senior plastic surgeon. Be sure to get that doctors opinion as well. Or just have another consultation by a board certified plastic surgeon. Best of luck!

Without looking at your photos and a physical exam, it is hard to tell whether or not you could benefit from a mini tummy tuck which you are referring to. If you have a "pooch" or protruding stomach, you most likely have muscle separation caused by pregnancy. This cannot be addressed with a mini tummy tuck.  A full tummy tuck involves the removal of excess skin and fat as well as repair of the stomach muscles so that you achieve a flat stomach. I advise that you seek a consultation appointment with a board-certified plastic surgeon who has had experience doing many tummy tucks in their practice. Good luck with your decision!

Hello Thank you for your question. It is too hard to say without an in person exam/consult. It would be best to get a second opinion in person.Best regards

Without a good set of photos- and the benefit of physical exam it's difficult to comment accurately........

Thank you for your question. It is difficult to make a recommendation without a proper consultation. Tummy Tuck surgery aims to create an abdominal profile that is smooth and firm by removing excess fat and skin and tightening weakened or separated muscle. I recommend discussing your goals with a board certified plastic surgeon.

Hypothetical answers are not meaningful. An exam is needed to determine what each patient needs.  Follow advice given to you or get a second opinion outside residency program. 

It is really hard to
give advice without examining patients with regards to abdominoplasties and the
many permutations and “versions” of them that get offered to patients. It would also be a little easier if you provided some pictures that we could evaluate.  Briefly, if you have excess skin or laxity in
your skin and fat, removal of that tissue would be of benefit. If your muscle contour is not what it used to
be or it not optimal, a procedure to tighten your “core” may be necessary. This is especially important in the
post-pregnancy population as during your pregnancy, your muscles were forced to
adapt to a growing baby inside. Most
times, those muscles don’t go exactly
back to where they were before. Some
come back really darn close, but rarely to their exact pre-pregnancy
position. If you don’t have the
musculature issues addressed, and you only have the skin and subcutaneous
tissues removed, your contour will not be optimal and I believe you will be
dissatisfied with your results. It’s
paramount to fix the foundation (the musculature) before building the house.

The next question to
address is what to do with your belly button.
Depending on the amount of upper abdominal laxity, you may have your
belly button brought through a new place in your skin (belly button stays where
it is on your abdominal wall, but by stretching skin downwards, it needs to
come out in a new place or it would look tethered and not natural) or you may need to leave it where it is or potentially “float” it down
the abdominal wall an inch or two (it actually ends up being lower on your
torso than where it started). Decisions
about pre-surgery position of your belly button and tradeoffs between potential
scar placement vs. keeping your belly button in a naturally-appearing position
are used to determine that.

As you can see, there
are lots to consider when discussing abdominoplasties. You really need to discuss all of these
issues with a board certified plastic surgeon and see pictures of their
results. Who cares if someone does “drainless tummy tucks” if their results do
not look great. Likewise, tummy tucks
that are done overly tight do not look natural and defeat the purpose of having
your abdomen rejuvenated in the first place.
What good is getting a tummy tuck if you aren’t excited to show it
off? Hope this helps!

-JGH

Keep in mind that following the advice from a surgeon on
this or any other website who proposes to tell you exactly what to do without seeing photos and more importantly without examining you, physically feeling the tissue,
assessing your desired outcome, taking a full medical history, and discussing
the pros and cons of each operative procedure would not be in your best interest.
I would suggest you find a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of
Plastic Surgery and ideally a member of the American Society for Aesthetic
Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) that you trust and are comfortable with. You should
discuss your concerns with that surgeon in person.Robert Singer, MD FACSLa Jolla, California