If you are concerned about the excess skin, your only choice is to remove it with a tummy tuck operation.
If you are concewrned only about the separation of your muscles and fullness of the lower abdomen, you may want to look into the Tupler method.
We do have special pricing for this surgery at this time with excellent financing. (Edward J. Domanskis, MD, Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon)
Assuming you don’t have excess abdominal skin, you do have options outside of a tummy tuck operation.
The one that comes immediately to mind for me would be to undergo lipoplasty of your love handles.
Combine this with a sound exercise program focusing on core strengthening ( pilates and/or yoga ) and I think you would be very satisfied with the results. (Glenn Vallecillos, MD, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon)
Is a Tummy Tuck operation the only way? just want to flatten belly and lose the love handles
No. A tummy tuck operation is not the only way to flatten your belly and lose the love handles. Diet and exercise are the best way by far to attack these issues.
If these problems persist after diet and exercise, then surgical intervention can fine tune them, and since you are in better shape from diet and exercise, the surgery should be safer for you as well. (Garrett A. Wirth, MD, FACS, Orange County Plastic Surgeon)
See the video below for the various tummy tuck options available. In the meantime, consider flattening the stomach using a Yoga or Pilates regimen of core strengthening exercises. (Otto Joseph Placik, MD, Chicago Plastic Surgeon)
Tummy tuck operation vs lipo vs diet/exercise?
if your tummy skin is in good shape ( without excess or striae), diet/exercise and/or liposuction may be the answer. If you have loose skin or your tummy muscles are spread apart you may require a tummy tuck to achieve your goal.
This is a big procedure with recovery but the results are fantastic (Jeffrey Kenkel, MD, Dallas Plastic Surgeon)
Tummy tuck operation is not the only way
No, tummy tuck operation is not the only way. A “flat” belly can also be achieved with liposuction. The main issues; however, are whether you have too much loose skin, and intraabdominal fat. (Shahin Javaheri, MD, San Francisco Plastic Surgeon)
All I want is a flat tummy but no surgery, no exercise. DREAM ON! But anything is possible. So keep dreaming and wishing. But as all the other experts have stated try something as exercise or surgery. (Darryl J. Blinski, MD, Miami Plastic Surgeon)
Exercise is always good for you
I have had many women come in and tell me they had tried a lot of exercise to try to flatten their tummy, and it did not work. But I think that’s because if it worked they wouldn’t have come in for my services. So I think for some women it does work, so long as the damage to the abdominal wall wasn’t that bad to begin with. If the damage and stretching to the wall is severe, no amount of exercise would help. That said, exercise is always good for you for health reasons. (Victor Au, MD, Chapel Hill Plastic Surgeon)