Tummy Tuck: Prices, Photos, Reviews, Info, Q&A

For patients having multiple difficult pregnancies, especially requiring steroids, there is likely to be a great deal of extra skin. Steroid therapy can also cause the deep layer to loosen.

The best and most satisfactory way to remove skin and tighten the deep layer is via a tummy tuck.Your best bet is to save up and have the tummy tuck rather than lipo alone. Lipo techniques do not significantly tighten this type of skin, and do nothing for the deep layer (fascia).

They may actually make you look worse when the skin now sags down or becomes very irregular and rippled with celulite. Imagine you spent a significant amount and underwent an unsatisfactory procedure and were no better off. Now a tummy tuck before and after pregnancy would be even further away.

In the mean time, a healthy lifestyle with an excellent diet and good exercise program can go a long way. Who knows, you may just avoid surgery altogether. (Brent Moelleken, MD, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon)

Liposuction or Abdominoplasty before and after pregnancy, that is the question

Abdominoplasty before and after pregnancy

The most important thing one has to realize, whether you are the patient or the doctor, is what is the goal when choosing between these two surgeries as there are different indications for both. If the patient’s concern is simply related to problem areas of excess adipose (fat) that don’t respond to diet and excersize then Liposuction may be the appropriate answer.

If the patient is looking to restore her pre-pregnancy figure and is dealing with excess skin and lax abdominal muscles, then an abdominoplasty is probably required. Some patients do fall in between, however, and my receive some benefit from aspects of both and procedures can be tailored to individual needs.

Be sure your surgeon understands your goals so that he or she can respond to your questions so that you both can determine what the most realistic outcome would be with either tummy tuck surgery.

The tummy tuck before and after pregnancy

If there is an issue of significant weight gain after pregnancy then the patient needs to understand that cosmetic surgery is no substitute for weight loss and neither procedure would be appropriate. Nutritional counseling is always helpful when considering any cosmetic surgical procedure involving the torso. So far, I haven’t found smart lipo to be all that more effective in either end result or cost savings as many centers charge more for it.

One can always do liposuction first and still have an abdominoplasty later if not completely satified, however, once you commit to an abdominoplasty you can’t go backwards so make sure you and your surgeon truly are on the same page with respect to your goals. (Eric A. Marchant, MD, Philadelphia Plastic Surgeon)

A very common question asked very frequently is how to get rid of fat accumulating after going through a pregnancy. Provided that a good exercise regiment and a reasonable diet did not solve the issue, liposuction may be use to obtain excellent tummy tuck results.

Tummy tuck before and after pregnancy image

In my practice I incorporated the use of the latest technology when it comes to laser lipolysis, the Sciton Joule laser. Using this laser I can make melt the fat, to make it easier to remove, and tighten the skin at the same time. I can also address cellulite by interrupting the fibrous bands that cause the skin indents, using laser energy. (Z. Paul Lorenc, MD, Manhattan Plastic Surgeon)

How to Get Rid of Pregnancy Fat

After pregnancy there is usually accumulated fat that can be removed through diet and exercise. Specifically, a walking regimen of increasing time and distance is good for this problem. Dietary plans include adequate protein with low fat and appropriate calories should be undertaken. Finally if all child bearing is complete then consider abdominoplasty and lipo for fine tuning. (Paul Vitenas, Jr., MD, Houston Plastic Surgeon)

Losing the post pregnancy weight and getting your body back

Tummy tuck before and after pregnancy photo

This is a common set of misconceptions and questions. Tummy tucks and liposuction are not same and address different problems. A person who needs a tummy tuck has extra skin and no amount of liposuction will fix that problem. Laser liposuction is not any cheaper, safer, or more effective than traditional liposuction. Finally plastic surgery prices are mostly effected by the general cost of health care which is only getting more expensive so waiting will result in higher prices not lower ones.

The female body changes rapidly during pregnancy and generally speaking most women have additional weight months after delivering. The solution is not simple and no one treatment is the answer to it all especially smart lipo. I will address ways to lose the weight through both surgical and non surgical approach. Weight gain- most women gain between 25 and 50 pounds with pregnancy. The majority of women lose most of the weight without any specific activities other than time. Specific ways to loose post pregnancy weight include

Tummy tuck before and after pregnancy photos

1. Breast feeding-not only is it good for the baby but it is also cost effective and burns a lot of extra calories. This even supposedly targets hip and abdominal fat. I have not seen any study that proves this but any weight loss is good.

2. Avoiding simple carbohydrates-this includes white bread, sugar, white rice, etc.These forms of food are quickly converted into sugar which causes a surge in insulin from the body. This is a signal to the body to store the energy which often comes in the form of making more fat.

3. Eat 5-6 small meals a day. Infrequent large meals confuses the body into thinking it is starving half the time and therefore needs to store as much as possible after meals

4. Regular exercise- exercise for at least 30mins 3 times a week. This will increase your metabolism. The effects of exercise on metabolism last for up to 72hours after the exercise.

Tummy tuck before and after pregnancy surgery

5. Core exercises- the abdominal contour changes after pregnancy and the rectus muscle (6 pack muscles) can weaken and get thinned out during the stretching to accommodate the baby. Try taking a focused core class one day a week and adding some abdominal exercises to your normal work out routine.

Failures to loose significant weight while doing all of the above suggests may mean you have a medical cause to the obesity and you should seek your primary care doctor to evaluate your health and make sure you do not have a medical condition contributing to your weight.

Once you have peaked in your weight loss and fail to make any additional improvements after the above changes then it is time to accept the new you or consider the alternatives.

Surgical alternatives include

1. Liposuction- this will decrease the fat volume in a specific area. It will not significantly reduce the skin volume. Laser liposuction is no more effective than regular liposuction and carries the additional risk of burning your skin.

2. Tummy tuck before and after pregnancy – This operation specifically address the problems caused by pregnancy. It allows for the resection of the excess skin and tightening of the stretched out abdominal wall returning the flat abdominal contour. This is often combined with liposuction for the maximum effect

3. Body lift – This is a larger version of a tummy tuck and can address the hips, buttock, and upper abdomen. The surgery involves a scar all the way around the body. Often it is combined with liposuction to achieve an even more dramatic effect. (Chad K. Wheeler, MD, Spokane Plastic Surgeon)