What procedure would tighten my upper and lower abdomen? (Photo)

Question

I am 5’4 45 years old with 2 children

Stanley Okoro, MD · Answer

Thanks for your question and the photo you provided! Without knowing the rest of your vitals, past medical history, and examining you in person it is difficult to answer with complete certainty. You could either have a mini tuck which will rejuvenate your pubic area, or you could get away with liposuction with skin tightening. Be sure to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon and look at before and after photos of patients who look like you. Good luck!

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

In truth, non-surgical options give only mild improvement compared to surgical lifting. Skin tightening can be done with a combination of Vanquish, truSculpt iD, Venus Legacy, Exilis, Cellutone/Zwave. However, for best results, a Tummy Tuck procedure can be combined with a high definition procedure at the same time. For best results, I recommend VASER HI-DEF Liposuction with ThermiRF, Renuvion, InMode BodyTite and fat grafting to get the most fat removal, skin tightening, contour and definition. This combination will give you the most toned result. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a hi-definition physique expert. Best, Dr. Emer​​

Gregory Lakin, MD · Answer

"Thank you for your question & picture. Based on your description and the photo provided, an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) seems to be a suitable choice for tightening both the upper and lower abdomen. This procedure can address the common post-pregnancy issues of excess skin, fat, and muscle separation (diastasis recti). Nonetheless, an in-person consultation will offer a comprehensive evaluation and recommendations tailored to your specific needs.

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J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Hi KYLA34DDD,
Thank you for your question regarding what procedure would tighten your upper and lower abdomen. Thank you for your history and your picture. Based on your picture, I see loose upper and lower abdominal skin. The skin has been significantly stretched due to your history of two children. Due to your age and genetics, your abdominal skin has constricted nicely. Still,  I suggest a tummy tuck instead of abdominal liposuction. There’s no guarantee with abdominal liposuction that your abdominal skin will bounce back based on your age and history of two children. Therefore, I believe you would do best with a tummy tuck. An incision is placed low on the abdomen during a tummy tuck, and excess skin and fat from the pubic region to the belly button is directly removed. The tummy tuck should remove most of your lower abdominal tattoo. The tummy tuck procedure is performed under general anesthesia and takes approximately three hours. Two drains remain in place for approximately 1 to 2 weeks. Plan on a two or three-week recovery. Therefore, I vote for a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty for your best results. I don’t think any type of liposuction will achieve the results that a tummy tuck can. Good luck. I hope I have answered your question regarding the best procedure to treat the loose skin of your upper and lower abdomen.

Johanna D'Agostino, MD · Answer

Hi Kayla,Based on this image only, it seems that you have excess skin on the upper and lower abdomen as well as some fatty deposits. With an abdominoplasty your abdominal muscles can be tightened (if needed) and the laxed skin can be removed. Adding liposuction to this procedure will help to contour your waistline. An examination is necessary to determine the amount of excess skin and evaluate your abdominal wall and determine if plication of your muscle is needed. Thanks for sharing.

Robert M. Lowen, MD · Answer

Dear Kyla,
  If you are willing to part with most of your tattoo, the procedure to tighten your upper and lower abdomen is a tummy tuck.  The indications in the frontal view are excess loose skin.  The tummy tuck will elevate the pubic mons, the front of the thighs and help narrow the waist.  Excess skin will be removed to give smoother, tighter appearance throughout the abdomen.
  Recovery can be enhanced with the drainless technique and Exparel for pain control.

Daniel P. Markmann, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question and including a photo.   I would definitely recommend a tummy tuck.   A tummy tuck will pull up your pubic area, with a scar place very low and remove the majority of your tattoo.   This will by far give you the most tightening of your abdomen, both upper and lower

Raja Mohan, MD · Answer

It is hard to say by looking at a photo but you seem like a candidate for liposuction and skin tightenting. I recommend seeing a board certified plastic surgeon.

Sean Satey, MD, FACS · Answer

Great questions. The short answer is abdominal etching via VASER assisted liposculpting of the abdomen and flanks with Renuvion J plasma vs BodyTite skin tightening. This will bring your underlying abdominal muscles to life and show case your vertical lines (linea alba and semilunaris lines). The determining factor of whether you'd need an incision is whether you have a muscle weakness that needs to get repaired vs skin redundancy.   Best, Dr Satey, Beverly Hills, Ca.