Is a Tummy Tuck the only way? just want to flatten belly and lose the love handles

A healthy diet and exercise are always the key to success when trying to lose weight after children.  You are young and you probably still have a fairly good amount of elasticity in your skin.  If the skin is stretched though; for instance, a lot of stretch marks and saggy skin, a tummy tuck may be the best answer for you.  Maybe finding a plastic surgeon in your area and having a consultation would at least allow you to see what the possibilities are for you.  You may just be a candidate for liposuction.  This option will also allow you to have more children some day if you so desire.  Good Luck!

It’s a good idea to start a diet and exercise regimen that strengthens your core and helps you firm up your mid-section a bit. At your young age, your body would respond better to this lifestyle choice. While it may not be sufficient to totally flatten your stomach and get rid of your love handles, it may make a positive enough impact that you won’t want to pursue surgery. If after months of exercising and dieting don’t help, you may want to consider a tummy tuck or liposuction then.

 Thank you for the question. For patients who present with abdominal wall muscle laxity after pregnancy and/or weight gain/loss, there is no good noninvasive modality to improve their situation.  This includes cool sculpting, which targets diet and exercise resistant adipose tissue ( assuming good overlying skin elasticity).  Although there are a lot of gimmicks that come and go, there is no good alternative to tummy tuck surgery to remove excess skin/adipose  tissue and tighten abdominal wall muscles after pregnancy or weight loss. Be careful: if it sounds too good to be true, it is!  Best wishes.