Is Tummy Tuck Okay for Singers?

Thank you for your question regarding whether a tummy tuck is safe for singers and how it might affect your ability to take deep breaths or impact your singing. A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, involves removing excess skin and fat and tightening the abdominal muscles, which can certainly improve the appearance of the abdomen. However, it’s understandable that you’re concerned about how the procedure might affect your diaphragmatic control and breathing—both crucial elements for singing.

After a tummy tuck, especially if muscle plication is involved (tightening the rectus abdominis muscles), you may notice some initial tightness or discomfort when taking deep breaths, as the abdominal muscles will be pulled together and may feel restrictive in the early stages of healing. This sensation should improve as you heal over several weeks, and most patients regain full breathing capacity once they’re fully recovered.

For singers, this muscle tightening will not permanently affect your ability to sing or take deep breaths, but it may take some time before you feel completely back to normal. I would recommend discussing your singing activities with your plastic surgeon, and possibly engaging in breathing exercises during your recovery to help restore your diaphragm function as you heal.

In general, tummy tucks are safe for singers, but you may want to plan a recovery period that allows time for your body to adjust before resuming full singing activities. Thank you for your question, and I wish you the best in your recovery!

Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen

That is an excellent question and one I have never heard before. My answer is based on my experience as I cannot recall any study on this. After a tummy tuck with muscle repair, it is common for my patients to report a early satiety after a full meal. This is similar to the sensation you may have if wearing a tight girdle or blue jeans and then consuming a large amount of food. My guess is that an individual requiring significant diaphragmatic excursion (opera singer) could be aware of this sensation. Again, I want to stress that this is my opinion and not based on any known studies or reports.

Repair of the rectus muscles depends on the amount of abdominal wall laxity. And with greater laxity comes a larger repair and thus a decrease in intraabdominal volume. Many patients often complain about shortness of breath immediately after surgery. However, this sensation abates after several days.
I realize that singers often breath from the abdomen but there won't be any decrease in lung volume. So I'd say you'll be find but the recovery will take some time.

Dear D,
Most likely your singing will be the same before as after. Tightening the abdominal muscles has no effect on your voice.
Make sure the anesthesiologist is careful with your airway as that can effect your voice. May need an LMA rather than an endotracheal tube. Discuss with your surgeon.
Good luck.

Hi Divamommie,
Few of us have extensive experience operating on singers.
Living in Memphis, the home of The Blues, I recall doing an abdominoplasty (with FULL muscle tightening) on a professional singer. It has NOT limited her in any way. As a matter of fact, her new figure has been a source of pride and a confidence boost to her and she has been one of my biggest "cheerleaders".
While I cannot uniformly state that this will be the case with ALL singers, I would feel recommending the procedure nonetheless.
Good Luck.

This is one of the more unique questions I have heard. I do not know of any studies to this effect, but I do not believe the surgery should have any effect on your singing. Although a very tight muscle repair can affect breathing immediately post-op and can be a risk factor for post-op complications because of this, long-term effects of this is dissipated and the muscle relaxes and loosens over time. You might discuss this specific concern with your surgeon since cosmetic procedures should be customized to each individual patient's unqiue situation and goals.

As with athletes of all persuasions, singing should be no different after the healing phase as far as return of control of your abdominal muscles and the ability to use them for athletic activities or singing. There may be a brief period of exercising of the abdominal musculature to get it to it's pre-operative form. Be sure to discuss this with you plastic surgeon (board certified, of course).