Medical reasons for a tummy tuck
If you are unhappy with the appearance of your midsection due to loose skin, excess fat and weakened muscles, then a tummy tuck may be considered. You can talk to a board certified plastic surgeon for an assessment of your concerns to determine if the surgery is safe for you, and if it would be able to achieve your aesthetic goals.(Jerome Edelstein, MD, Toronto Plastic Surgeon)
Generally speaking, tummy tuck is a good option for you if you are unhappy with your abdominal contour and: 1) you are appropriate weight for height, 2) you have excess and laxity of skin and fat on your abdomen, stretch marks, or hanging loose tissues, and 3) you have laxity of your abdominal muscles with bulging of the abdominal contour.
Medical reasons for a tummy tuck surgery
While it is not necessary to have loose muscles to undergo a tummy tuck – frequently we do “skin only” tummy tucks and leave the muscle alone – if you do have looseness of the muscle, a tummy tuck is the only option that can address that.
It is important to remember that tummy tuck is really a contouring operation, and it is not designed for weight loss. Therefore, if a person is overweight, the results will always be better and risks will always be lower if weight loss is accomplished before surgery.
The best way to know if you as an individual are a good candidate for tummy tuck is to have a personal consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon who specializes in body contouring surgery so that you can explore the best options for you specifically. (Joseph L. Grzeskiewicz, MD, San Diego Plastic Surgeon)
Medical reasons for a tummy tuck pictures
The most ideal / typical candidates for a tummy tuck are:
1. Those who have had children (often multiple pregnancies).
2. Those that have had massive weight loss (usually post bariatric or lap-band patients).
These patients both typically have:
1. Loose hanging skin with some stretch marks that extend from the belly button (sometime even above it) to the pubic area.
2. Bulging of the upper abdomen due to muscles that have been stretched out due to the cycles of weight gain / weight loss and have lost their ability to “snap back”. In simple terms, this is sort of like a pair of sweat pants that have lost their elasticity. No amount of exercise (weight loss, sit ups) will help this.
Medical reasons for abdominoplasty
So a tummy tuck is not a just a procedure to remove loose hanging skin, but to also re-establish the muscles of the abdomen and give one further improvement in their body contour.
Whether or not it’s an option for you depends on:
1. The presence of the above factors (loose skin, stretch marks,etc)
2. The amount of excess skin you have (you might be a candidate for mini tummy tuck with some liposuction)
3. Whether you are willing to trade-off a moderate to fairly lengthy scar for an improvement in your abdominal contour.
4. If you have primarily fat deposits that might be amenable to liposuction
5. Whether or not you are at or at least close to your ideal body weight.
Having said all this, my personal experience has been that most patients (greater than 90%) are extremely satisfied with the results and say they would do it again. So if it’s something you are seriously considering, definitely set up a consultation with a plastic surgeon in your area. (Vishal Kapoor, MD, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon)
Who Is a Candidate for Tummy Tuck
Medical reasons for a tummy tuck image
The most common patient seeking a tummy tuck is a young mother who does not plan any more pregnancies and has loose skin and stretch marks on the lower abdomen. But there are other candidates too, including women and men who have lost dramatic amounts of weight. Patients who are too heavy are not good candidates.
But the only way for you to know if you specifically would do well with a tummy tuck would be to get a consultation. It is important when you see a Dr. that you also see photos of his patients. Some doctors use higher scars than others and you want to make sure you are going to be happy with your results and the scars are in an area that will be satisfactoru to you. (Ronald V. DeMars, MD, Portland Plastic Surgeon)
Who is a good candidate for a tummy tuck?
Medical reasons for a tummy tuck operation
A tummy tuck or abdominoplasty addresses a number of different concerns including excess fat, excess skin, and loose abdominal musculature. The ideal candidate has a significant amount of excess skin on the abdomen. Many of these patients will have lost a considerable amount of weight and many have previously been pregnant, although many good candidates do not meet this profile.
The surgery removes the roll(s) of skin and fat on the belly. The abdominal muscles are often sutured together to tighten the belly wall. These muscles often separate during pregnancy (diastasis) and never fully recover.
Liposuction (instead of tummy tuck) is generally recommended for patients without excess or loose abdominal muscles–just excess fat. (Eric T. Emerson, MD, FACS, Charlotte Plastic Surgeon)
Who is a good tummy tuck candidate?
Medical reasons for a tummy tuck photos
A tummy tuck removes excess skin and fat from the midsection. It can also repair laxity of the abdominal wall that typically occurs following pregnancy.
The best way to determine if you are a good candidate is to have a consultation with a plastic surgeon who regularly performs tummy tucks. (Sanjiv Kayastha, MD, Albany Plastic Surgeon)
Who is a tummy tuck candidate?
A tummy tuck accomplishes three goals:
- Thins excess fat
- Removes excess laxity
- Repairs/tightens abdominal wall
You can accomplish #1 through liposuction alone but #2 and #3 will require a tummy tuck of some sort. If you have excess skin and soft-tissue laxity then you may very well be a tummy tuck candidate. (Remus Repta, MD, Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon)
