Tummy tuck journey
You may want to start looking for your plastic surgeon in the next few months, because you will likely need some time to determine the best plastic surgeon for you.
Timing for tummy tuck journey
If you are sure you don’t want to get pregnant again, you can get ready for a tummy tuck. You need to have completed you breast feeding first.
You carry a lot of your after-baby weight in your abdomen, so to achieve a really flat abdomen you will need to get closer to you ideal weight of 115-121# to allow enough tightening of you muscles.
If you are comfortable at a higher weight you may need to compromise on the flatness of your abdominal contour. Anticipating tummy tuck can really motivate you to lose the baby weight, so go ahead and get a consultation. (Deborah Ekstrom, MD, Worcester Plastic Surgeon)
Tummy tuck journey before
Based on your description and pictures, you may be very close to being an “ideal” candidate for tummy tuck surgery. The “idea” patient for tummy tuck surgery is one who has completed pregnancies, is psycho socially/emotionally/financially stable, has an excellent social support system surrounding him/her, is capable of arranging enough recovery time and who has reached a long-term stable weight.
At this point, I would suggest that you continue to enjoy your time with your newborn, continue to work on reaching your long-term stable weight, and do your ‘homework’ (including potential risk/complications associated with the operations available) in regards to body contouring surgery.
You may find the attached link helpful in this regard. When the time is right, arrange consultations with board certified plastic surgeons. Ask to see lots of examples of their work and communicate your goals clearly. (Tom J. Pousti, MD, FACS, San Diego Plastic Surgeon)
How Should I Start my Tummy tuck journey to a Flat Abdomen
Before tummy tuck journey
It looks like you are a good candidate for a TT. Were you to lose some weight before your surgery, you result will be better. Although you are a number of months away from having a procedure, it is not too early to begin the consultation process.
Although you may hit it off well with the first surgeon you see, it may take a while to find the right one. You have plenty of time to work on the weight loss. 15 pounds would be a help, but ideally and if possible, getting to around 140 (Body Mass Index of 25) would be better.
Some of your goal of a flat abdomen will depend on reducing the intra-abdominal volume, and weight loss it the only method for that. But either way you should expect ia nice improvement. When you are ready for an in person consultation, RealSelf has listings of surgeons in your area. You should consider cross referencing the listings from the The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (plasticsurgery dot org).
Tummy tuck journey photo patient before
A listing in the ASPS website assures you that your surgeon is not only board certified, but also is a member in good standing of the major plastic surgery organization in the U. S. (Jourdan Gottlieb, MD, Seattle Plastic Surgeon)
Should I get a Tummy Tuck?
I think you would be an excellent candidate for a tummy tuck assuming your history and physical shows no contraindications. You have both laxity of your skin and abdominal muscles. I would recommend you try to get as close as possible to your ideal body weight prior to the procedure. (Christian Prada, MD, FACS, Saint Louis Plastic Surgeon)
A Tummy Tuck will eventually help you achieve a flat abdomen. However weight loss to get closer to your ideal body weight will definitely improve your result. I suggest you consult a plastic surgeon who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery approximately 3-6 months before you plan your surgery. (Brooke R. Seckel, MD, FACS, Boston Plastic Surgeon)
Abdominoplasty journey
You will need an abdominoplasty, lipo of the flanks, plication of your diastasis recti, and wt loss for the best result. (Jacob Freiman, MD, FACS, Miami Beach Plastic Surgeon)
Having a tummy tuck after kids is extremely common. However, there are several things you can do to improve your final results prior to ever seeing the plastic surgeon. The most important is to get down to an ideal body weight. This should be done via a healthy (no super-restrictive) diet and exercise.
Losing pregnancy weight through lifestyle changes is the most beneficial way to improve a tummy tuck result. Second – do your homework! Seek opinions only from Board Certified Plastic Surgeons. Who do you go to? Ask your friends, look at reviews, and ask your other doctors (OB/Gyn, internist).
Be sure your surgeon has hospital privileges as well. Give yourself plenty of time to see at least two different plastic surgeons. Finally, when you are getting ready for the procedure, be sure to have help available for at least the first few weeks (especially if you have little ones at home).
Tummy tuck journey picture
Recovery from a tummy tuck is not terrible, but it can be a struggle without help. Recruit friends/family to help with the kids. Don’t leave it ’til the last minute to ask for support. (David Bogue, MD, Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon)
Based on your photos, I’d recommend an tummy tuck with liposuction of the flanks. Make sure you are at a body weight that you are happy with can maintain for the long run. (Scott C. Sattler, MD, FACS, Seattle Plastic Surgeon)
How Do I Get A Flat Stomach?
I think you are on the right track. You need a 3 stage plan. First is diet and exercise to get you to your goal weight. The second will be a tummy tuck to flatten the stomach and the third would be a commitment to more diet and exercise post-op to perfect the results.
I would contact surgeons when you are 3-6 months from being ready. (Sacha Obaid, MD, Dallas Plastic Surgeon)
If you are maintaining your best weight and are not actively gaining or losing then you look from your photos to be a candidate for a tummy tuck. The result will be a much flatter abdominal contour without the hanging skin apron (panniculus).
Be sure to see a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who can show you a comprehensive portfolio of pre- and post-op pictures so you can see what types of results are reasonable to expect. If the surgeon can’t show you a picture of someone who looks something like you then consider getting another opinion. (Daniel Greenwald, MD, Tampa Plastic Surgeon)
