Is there a non-surgical way of getting rid of wrinkles on my tummy? (Photo)

Question

I'm 35, 5'4, 118 lbs and 2.5 years postpartum. I did get diagnosed with diastasis recti. It was a 2 finger gap, but through exercise I've been able to get it down to less then a finger gap. It's just a dent at this point according to my obgyn. I was wondering if there is a non-invasive option to help improve the appearance of my belly? Lasers? Something that would make it look less horrible?

Andrew Ray, DO · Answer

So here is the thing for you. you’re in great shape, there is a lot of motivation not to do anything that will leave a scar, however i have seen patients like you many times. If you go to a medspa they will sell you on Morpheus 8, or M sculpt. This will not improve anything to a degree that will be worth the money invested.  
Possibly combining a microneedling like Morpheus 8 with surgical skin tightening like renuvion or bodytite can do some moderate improvement realistically approx 30-40% improvement in quality. With that being said i have done a lot of consults form woman who have done all the above and havn’t been able to achieve the degree of improvement they’re looking for and eventually settle on surgery.

So being a biased surgeon i would say best bang for your buck is surgery, however if you are motivated and you have a good and frank conversation with your surgeon i believe 3-5 sessions of microneedling along with renuvion skin tightening could give modest improvement but would not remove all the laxity present.

Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD · Answer

Thank you for your question and for sharing your photo. It's great to hear that you've made significant progress in reducing your diastasis recti through exercise. When it comes to addressing wrinkles and improving the appearance of the skin on your tummy, there are several non-surgical options that might help:

Laser Treatments: Fractional laser treatments, such as Fraxel, can help improve skin texture and reduce wrinkles by stimulating collagen production.

Radiofrequency (RF) Treatments: Procedures like Thermage or RF microneedling can tighten the skin and improve its appearance by heating the deeper layers of the skin, which promotes collagen remodeling.

Ultrasound Therapy: Ultherapy uses focused ultrasound energy to lift and tighten the skin, which can be beneficial for reducing wrinkles and improving skin texture.

Chemical Peels: Medium to deep chemical peels can help improve skin texture and reduce wrinkles by removing the outer layers of damaged skin.

Topical Treatments: Prescription-strength retinoids or other topical treatments containing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and peptides can help improve skin texture and reduce the appearance of fine lines over time.

Microneedling: This procedure involves tiny needles that create micro-injuries in the skin, stimulating collagen and elastin production. It can be combined with PRP (platelet-rich plasma) for enhanced results.

It's important to consult with a board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon to determine the best treatment plan tailored to your specific needs and skin condition. They can provide you with a comprehensive evaluation and recommend the most effective non-invasive options for you.

Best regards,

Ryan Rebowe, MD · Answer

While only a tummy tuck or mini tummy tuck will truly tighten the skin and remove the “roundness” associated with rectus diastasis, there are non or minimally invasive treatments available. Noninvasive treatments like RF skin tightening (Morpheus/TriLift) will give you a more variable result that is less dramatic. More invasive treatments, such as BodyTite or plasma models, will give you a bit more tightening but are moderately invasive.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Morpheus 8 is a non-invasive skin and soft tissue tightening treatment that is consistently amazing in our patients. We use the Morpheus to exact fractional induced RF into the skin or tissue in order to tighten collagen and stimulate contraction of the tissue. For acne scars, it is quite useful to build collagen in patients who have atrophic scars but is not very productive for ice-pick scars which require TCA Cross. For tissue tightening, Morpheus is ideal for the face and neck and we often combine it with CO2 laser or Ultherapy to further enhance results. Chemical peels and skin resurfacing should be done at least 5 to 7 days after, but can be performed earlier, depending on treatment severity. Avoid exfoliating skin treatments before Morpheus and expect a period of 2-4 weeks for skin contraction to set in.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Best, 
Dr. Karamanoukian 
Realself100 Surgeon

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

From the photos and description of your concerns your best option is a tummy tuck.  This will remove the excess skin and subcutaneous fat as well as correct abdominal wall laxity.  You can look into other less invasive procedures but you may be disappointed.  See a board certified plastic surgeon near you for a consultation to learn more.

Bradley Hall, MD · Answer

This is a very common problem that I see with patients. From what I can see, I think it's likely that you have excess skin and fat in that region that would be best treated with an abdominoplasty. More non invasive options I not think will sufficiently treat that area as the skin has already been stretched from pregnancy and I don't think the area would contract sufficiently with those options. Those options would also not remove any of the stretch marks. The advantages to having a abdominoplasty in your situation are that they muscles can be repaired below and above the belly button, and excess skin (and some of the stretch marks) can be removed all with a well concealed incision that won't be shouldn't be visible in clothing. That procedure would require you to probably take a week or two off of work. If you were to try non invasive options I think it would honestly probably cost more also as you may not be happy with one treatment and try multiple treatments that would cost more than a mini abdominoplasty and still wouldn't give you as good of a result 
Depending on the laxity of your skin, most or all of the stretch marks below the belly button may be able to be removed and this would significantly improve the contour of your abdomen. In some situations this may require a small vertical incision that is still hid by your clothing, but would be a great option for you.

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