Liposuction or tummy tuck plastic surgery
When I look at your photos it’s very difficult for me to tell what procedure would be best for you.
I can’t tell how much of your abdominal distention is due to an excess amount of fat on the abdominal wall or weakness in the abdominal wall that’s allowing the bulging in your abdomen.
This is the key to determining what procedures best for you. If your abdominal wall is strong and there is extra fat on the abdomen than just a small amount of liposuction will flatten your abdomen.
If there is no fat on your abdomen and abdominal wall is weak than it would take a full tummy tuck plastic surgery to flatten your abdomen.
If you’re planning on children the future when you shouldn’t think about a tummy tuck plastic surgery and just do the liposuction to get the abdomen is flat as possible.
For me I would need to see you in the office and examine your abdomen to see what procedure would give you the best result. (Wendell Perry, MD, Miami Plastic Surgeon)
Which will get me the best results; mini tummy tuck, liposuction, or tummy tuck plastic surgery?
I think that you should probably resist the temptation to have surgery on the abdomen. I do not see much that can be improved. (Kenneth B. Hughes, MD, Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon)
Lipo or Tummy plastic surgery?
From the photos it looks as though the problem is mainly muscle separation, more than skin or fat excess. It appears as though you need a full muscle tightening, with limited skin removal.
In this situation I tighten the muscles from top to bottom, but keep the umbilicus in the same place. The skin removed is similar to a mini tummy tuck plastic surgery but the muscle tightening goes all the way up.
I would be concerned that a float which pulls the belly button down with the skin would leave the belly button too low. Endoscopic tummy tuck plastic surgery ( tightening with no skin excision) is a possibility, but I find that most women in your situation will benefit from some skin excision. A plastic surgeon will pinch the skin and be able to help you hone in your options. (Adam Tattelbaum, MD, Washington DC Plastic Surgeon)
Abdominoplasty or not abdominoplasty, that is the question
Sorry to hear that there are so many different opinions on which procedure you would benefit from. I too will add to your sorrows. First, let me tell you that you look great and many of my clients would like to have your physique NOW as their postoperative results. That being said, it appears that you have a laxity of the upper and lower abdominal muscles. This makes a mini tummy tuck plastic surgery impossible because tightening only the lower abdomen will cause the upper abdomen to protrude even more.
A full abdominoplasty may be impossible as you do not appear to have enough skin to bring your umbilical scar all the way down to the bottom. What this means is you will have a residual vertical scar in the midline just above the horizontal abdominoplasty scar. All of these suggestions are hypothetical without the benefit of a physical exam. It does appear that you would benefit from liposuction fo your sides/hips and your inner thighs. (Douglas Taranow DO, FACOS, New York Plastic Surgeon)
Tummy Tuck plastic surgery Options
Your photos suggest that you are in good shape, have minimal skin laxity and moderate muscle looseness. If your primary concern is the contour of your abdomen and not the skin laxity, then a shorter incision with minimal skin removal “mini” and full muscle tightening would work well for you.
If the skin and the contour are concerns then a full tummy tuck plastic surgery would tighten both the muscle and skin maximally. The lateral thigh should do well with conservative liposuction.
Overly aggressive lipo can result in contour irregularities due to some skin laxity present on the photo or over resection leading to flat hips and a ‘boyish” appearance. Conservative correction of the hips is a better option for you long term. (Robert F. Centeno, MD, FACS, Fairfax Plastic Surgeon)
Which would improve my abdomen the most
I believe that an examination is necessary to feel the laxity in your skin. If you do not have enough laxity of the skin above the belly button, then the opening will not reach the lower scar and you will need an up and down scar in the middle down by the usual tt scar.
You do not seem to have much fat, maybe a small amount in the muffin top region. You may be a candidate for a small skin removal with tightening of the muscles, but an examination is necessary. I would recommend you tread carefully as your tummy appearance could be worsened with the wrong procedure. (Rick Rosen, MD, Norwalk Plastic Surgeon)