How do I know whether I need muscle repair along with Tummy Tuck?

Thank you for your question. You should have an in person consult with a board certified plastic surgeon. During your exam, they will be able to tell you if you have any muscle separation that would need repaired during a tummy tuck. If you do not have any muscle separation, you can have a skin only tummy tuck. Good luck.

Although the best way to determine whether you have muscle separation is by being examined by a doctor, you can do a test on your own as well. Simply place the tips of your fingers in the mid-line of your abdomen while you’re doing a crunch. If you can fit 2 or more fingers in the space between your left and right abdominal muscles, then you may have muscle separation and a tummy tuck can correct this. If your board certified plastic surgeon examines you and finds that you don’t have muscle separation, then you don’t need to get it corrected during your tummy tuck.

Hello,If you were heavy enough for bariatric surgery, you likely had spreading of your rectus muscles which would require repair. If you have chosen an ABPS certified/ASAPS member surgeon to do your surgery, he can tell you whether he feels it's likely, and would confirm once in operating room; he would not repair something that doesn't need it. Best of luck!

Abdominal muscles are routinely tightened in standard tummy tucks. Occasionally a patient will be in such good shape that their muscles are in good position and strong. These patients do not need additional tightening. This is helpful because it reduces the pain during recovery and generally allows the patient to get back into full activity/exercise in half the time. 

Hello and thank you for your question! Your ab muscles can separate to a varying degree due to many different factors including age and pregnancy to name a few. The fact that you exercise and engage your core is GREAT, however, that will not bring your muscles closer together. The further apart your muscles are from each other or the more they have been stretched out with time the bigger the benefit from muscle tightening. Without muscle tightening I would tell my patients their recovery should be about 1 week. That means 1 week off work and no driving and 4-6 weeks no heavy lifting or strenuous activity. If a patient undergoes muscle tightening then I recommend 2 weeks off work and no driving and 6 weeks no heavy lifting or strenuous activity. That being said...I almost ALWAYS perform liposuction combined with tummy tuck and I very RARELY perform tummy tuck without muscle tightening. If you decide not to tighten your muscle....make sure you are ABSOULTELY sure that's what you want. One of the MOST IMPORTANT factors of a tummy tuck that makes you very nice and flat is the muscle tightening. If a patient needs it and doesn't get that done then it is VERY likely they will be unhappy with the results and then the only way to tighten them is by basically doing everything over again!!!! It is the easiest to tighten the muscles while the surgeon is already there looking at them and it is best because then it is only 1 recovery time. Is it longer....yes. Is it a little more difficult recovery...yes. Do I find that ALL my patients think the recovery is worth their new, sexy, flat abdomen YAASSSSSSSSS!!!!!! I have attached a photo of a patient who doesn't really have much of an abdominal bulge but I tightened her muscles and now her abdomen is SUPER flat!!! Without examining you myself I cant say what will get you the best results and your results will be different in a different surgeons hands but I just want to give you info so you can make the right decision. I hope this helps and wish you the best of luck! please make sure you are being evaluated by a board certified plastic surgeon!!!

After having children and or losing a significant amount of weight a muscle repair most likely will be needed to achieve a flat abdomen. In my 15 years of practice I have seen only ONE patient (body builder one child) who did not need a muscle   repair. How do you know? Lay down flat and raise your head, loosening your muscle,  if your abdomen protrudes, your muscle is loose. Another test: If loosening your muscle in front of mirror your abdomen looks protruding and after sucking in, becomes flat, you will need muscle repair. 
I'm particularly aggressive with muscle repair as it´s also a great opportunity to achieve a more defined waistline and fat abdomen  of course it will add some recovery but it will be totally worth it  Based on my own experience and how muscle tightening improved my shape, I would do it l over again. 
Dr. Cárdenas 

The
muscles are not repaired with a tummy tuck but the lining outside called fascia
is.  The fascia is often stretched due to
pregnancies or massive weight changes.  Since
you have undergone gastric sleeve and lost 40 lbs, it is highly likely that you
will have stretched fascia, which will need repair.  I recommend mesh to reinforce the
repair.  The mesh creates a more
hourglass figure by compressing the abdominal wall resulting in early satiety
and helps maintain a reduced weight.  Best Wishes,Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Hello, thank you for your inquiry. Each patient is differently, usually muscle repair is done with the tummy tuck, especially if you had weight loss before. I recommend seeking a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss details and an in person examination. Best of luck!

Thank you for the question.A simple way to evaluate the rectus muscle separation is to lie on your back and do a straight leg raise. Elevate your head so you can see your upper abdomen. If your abdomen above the belly button is flat, you most likely do not have separation of your muscles. If raising your head is difficult or you simply can't tell, place the backs of your hands together above your belly button fingers in the midline. Press down while raising your legs. You will feel the borders of the rectus muscle between your fingers. If they are separated more than an inch you would benefit from muscle repair.Good luck and I hope this was helpful.

In general, most people need some degree of muscle tightening, even if they are in very good shape. This is usually especially true after significant weight loss or having children. This is not 100% of the cases and this is determined by the plastic surgeons examination and your expectations.