Can diastasis recti be corrected after 20 years?

A diastasis recti is a separation that occurs between your six pack muscles, essentially separating your "six pack"  into two "three packs".  This weakness will cause your intestines to pouch forward giving you that early "baby bump" look all the time.  Unfortunately, no amount of exercise or diet will fix this.  This can be corrected surgically.  For all of my tummy tuck patients, I like to tighten up the rectus muscles to help narrow the waist. You certainly could have your diastasis recti repaired without a tummy tuck; however, if you are going to have the anesthesia and the incision, I think you would be much happier having the tummy tuck.  Good luck.



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Dear Aquabrown,Yes you could have fix the diastasis recti after a long time from your last pregnancy. Just keep in mind you will need to proceed after having pre-op labs and a cardiologist evaluation. No matter how much exercise you do, if you have a diastasis you need to fix it in order to achieve a flatter abdomen.   Best wishes

Thank you for your question.  Yes, diastasis can be repaired at your age, but it's important to see a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss the procedure and have a physical exam to make sure that you don't have a hernia which changes the operation but does not preclude it.

Diastasis Recti is a loosening of the connective tissue between the two central muscles of the abdominal wall.  It can many times present much like a hernia (which is essentially a hole in the abdominal wall) and can be repaired at any age - just like a hernia or any other operation.I would not hesitate to fix this problem if it is something that bothers you.Good Luck!

Pregnancy and weight gain can cause muscles to be stretched.  You can eat right, work out and be in tip top shape, but that will not correct the problem.  The only way to correct this is by surgery. Muscles are tightened back together with sutures,  known as a Diastais Repair.  The diastatis is one of the components of  a Tummy Tuck ( Abdominoplasty). During a Tummy Tuck often  the abdominal area, breast and hip areas are contoured by liposuction, the muscles are tightened and loose skin is removed. This is known as a traditional Tummy Tuck ( Abdominoplasty).Sometimes patients are slim and do not need liposuction or may not have excess skin and only need the muscle repaired.This can  be done thru a small incision along the pubic hairline.  Some patients may also need a small amount of skin removed.