Avoiding a hip to hip long scar after a tummy tuck and ability to have another pregnancy after having a tummy tuck ?
In cases like you, who have stretch marks and some extra skin and fat following two pregnancies, a modified abdominoplasty would be helpful.
Short scar tummy tuck could be placed in the bikini lines from groin to groin and a little longer than C section incision. By performing a tedious superficial liposuction with or without ultra sonic technic a satisfactory result could be achieved.
This operation would nor interfere with your future pregnancies, however it is advisable to consider to defer your tummy tuck until you are done with pregnancy, only if you are planning to get pregnant in the near future. (Fereydoon S. Mahjouri, MD, Minneapolis Plastic Surgeon)
Invisible short scar tummy tuck
I’d hold off until you’ve had your last child. You’re not fat so forget liposuction – those lipotightening machines will work on your stretch marks about as well as the microdermabrasion you’ve had. It’s tough to see how long your scar will need to be.
Just sit down and look down .That’s how long the scar needs to be for your tummy tuck. It’s nice to have a scarless abdomen, but not so nice if when you crouch or sit it’s full of rolls.
In that case, there’s a bunch of lines on your abdomen anyway. Save your money on all those treatments people keep selling you for stretchmarks. none of them work. Instead of save up for your tummy tuck, once you get it done you’re gonna be so glad that you did. You’re a great candidate and you’ll be even better after another child but make sure that you’ve gotten used to the scar that’s involved. Sounds like you’ve not basted in the idea long enough just yet. When that day comes, you should go for it. (Ricardo A. Meade, MD, Dallas Plastic Surgeon)
Yes you are a small framed person. From your photographs, you have a significant degree of stretch marks that extend from the lower abdomen to above the umbilicus. The length of the scar (hip to hip for example) is determined by how much skin is removed in a vertical direction. In your case, there is a very large distance between the top of the pubic area and the umbilicus. This in my mind would argue that the hip to hip incision will be needed in order to remove adequate skin containing stretch marks.
Of course, the surgical incisions could be modified for each patient. I always asked the patient to bring a bikini or desired style of undergarment to the day of surgery so that I can attempt to place the incision where it will be covered by these garments.
Fortunately, although the scars are long, they fade with time. Also, the single incision short scar tummy tuck usually looks much better than multiple wide stretch marks. Ultimately however, the choice is for you to make: We’ll is it more acceptable to have stretch marks or a long scar. Finally this operation is not only about removing excess skin, fat, stretch marks and scars, it is also about tightening the strength layer. Having children tends to loosen the strength layer. Therefore, I strongly urged all of my female tummy tuck patient’s to finish with child rearing before they consider this large operation.
Secondary coming talks are a possibility, but they are much more difficult to get a favorable results. Also it is not an operation that you will really want to do again when this could be prevented. (Scott E. Kasden, MD, Dallas Plastic Surgeon)
While there are various names attached to different types of abdominoplasty, it basically comes down to what your goals of the procedure are. Are you most concerned with getting rid of your stretch marks? Do you want as tight of an abdomen as possible? Does your muscles create a laxity that causes a contour deformity? Does it matter where you want your short scar tummy tuck? I believe in customizing all aspects of your surgery. Sometimes muscles are “loose” but they do not contribute much to the contour so they do not necessarily need to be surgically tightened even though this is an accepted part of an abdominoplasty.
If your main concern is excising the stretch marks, that will dictate what the scar will be. You can vary the scar by electing to leave stretchmarks behind, perhaps below your bikini line or above the bikini line.
These choices will change the location and potential length of your resulting scar. Prioritze what you want out of the procedure and also what you are willing to tolerate and this will point you to a specific technique. (Robin T.W. Yuan, MD, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon)
Don’t have surgery if you are worried about the short scar tummy tuck.
Tummy tucks are great – the scars are the least of it. I do not believe in short scar tummy tucks – they are ok – but will not give you the best result. The scar will be hidden in your underpants and you can have a flat great stomach after.
A short scar tummy tuck will leave you with stretch marks over your belly button – a standard tummy tuck will get rid of all of the stretch marks below your belly button and move the others down. Don’t take a short cut. You will regret it. (William B. Rosenblatt, MD, New York Plastic Surgeon)
You Would be a Candidate for a Shorter Scar
My observation is that you have a fair amount of muscle laxity as evidenced by the “parenthesis sign” on either side of the belly button. These lines are from the lax fascia between your ab muscles. Your skin also has some stretch marks and laxity.
The muscles could probably be tightened and the skin pulled downward with a mini-tuck, which would be a bit longer than a C-section scar. As with any procedure, the shorter scar will limit your doctors ability to rejuvenate the abdomen, so be sure you are aware of the trade-off. (John LoMonaco, MD, FACS, Houston Plastic Surgeon)