In general, if a patient has extra skin above and below the umbilicus after having children the optimal procedure is a full abdominoplasty which usually has a low lying incision that can be hidden in a bikini, but goes from hip to hip.
If a patient has a long torso and a high umbilicus and no extra skin above the umbilicus then a mini tummy tuck may work, but this is not that frequent.
In general, if one has had several children and/or a C-section, a traditional abdominoplasty scar is usually what is indicated. (Rod J. Rohrich, MD, Dallas Plastic Surgeon)
First of all, you need an exam that could change the decision making toward one of the following options of mini tummy tuck and liposuction to address abdominal pouch and abdominal muscle laxity that could be addressed by muscle plication. You will trade that off with a horizontal scar.
Second option is scar revision and liposuction at same time, you will get a flatter abdomen, but vertical scar is still there even that is revised. Or just scar revision. as you noticed there are different options and your goals plus your exam can change decision making path different. (M. Ryan Khosravi, MD, Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon)
However I see what’s bothering you and although you do have a few options the best would probably be to revise your scar, tighten the fascia (covering) of your abdominal muscles and perhaps perform some conservative liposuction to reduce the thickness of the subcutaneous tissues.
It’s common to hear women who work out after pregnancey mention their concern about their ’round’ abdomen. Once you have this degree of fascial laxity only surgical tightening will really give you the flat tummy you’re looking for. My opinion is that even with a very large/long low transverse incision it would be difficult to get that vertical scar off by a standard tummy tuck. (Jon F. Harrell, DOб Miami Plastic Surgeon)
Tummy tuck with c section scar
Looking at your tummy tuck scar pictures, you have a nice abdomen and very little excess skin. I think you would do very well with abdomen and flank liposuction and a scar revision to improve your scar while removing a little more skin at the same time.
You could even combine this with a short scar or mini tuck beneath your bikini line, but this would be better evaluated during your consultation. Overall, your results should be very nice. (Erez Sternberg, MD, Jacksonville Plastic Surgeon)
From the picture you submitted it doesn’t look like you have alot of loose skin or stretch marks from your previous C-sections. You have a widened vertical scar from your C-sections. I think scar revision may be all you need. However, only a physical exam by a plastic surgeon can definitively answer the question for you. (James Tang, MD, Houston Plastic Surgeon)
In general, you do not look like you really need a full tummy tuck and to do one and also remove the vertical scar would require a fairly lengthy horizontal scar, plus a scar around your belly button.
You are fairly dark-skinned so it might be a less than perfect scar pigmentation-wise. In revising a scar, you have to ask if there is anything that is different the second time around compared to the first that might improve the healing process. A revision might “clean up ” the scar a bit. If the scar is reasonable, not necessarily perfect since no one can guarantee perfection, ask yourself if it is worth it. (Robin T.W. Yuan, MD, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon)
If you can accept the tummy tuck scar, then the entire vertical scar up to the belly button can be cut out completely. This can give a wonderful result. Go to my website and you will see a few patients that have done. You can also call my office for others. (Miguel Delgado, Jr., MD, San Francisco Plastic Surgeon)
To transform a vertical c-section scar into a horizontal one, you have to take all that skin off. Just pinch the skin between your fingers and see how long the horizontal scar would be.
You can also see if you have enough loose skin to remove all that, then ask yourself if that’s worth the trade-off of the longer horizontal scar. (Mario Loomis, MD,
Middletown Plastic Surgeon)
In order to completely remove the vertical scar of a C-section you will need a tummy tuck. However the Tummy Tuck Scar will be even longer than the c-section scar just not as indented. So it’s something to consider and weigh the pro’s and con’s. The diagnosis of what you should do should ultimately be done by seeking medical advice from a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area. (Ivan Thomas, MD (retired), Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon)
Assuming that you have enough excess skin to be a good candidate, it looks like a full tummy tuck would be the best solution for you. Reasons why:
- The only way to remove your vertical C-section scar is to undergo a full tummy tuck. The downside, as you have already alluded to, is that you are trading the vertical scar for a horizontal scar. The upside is the new scar will be hidden from view when wearing clothing, including a bikini. (A scar revision aims to make your existing vertical scar less noticeable, but you will still have a scar, in the same location.)
- Undergoing a tummy tuck will also take care of your ‘pouch’ in the lower abdomen. The fat will be removed, the abdominal muscles will be toned, and the skin will be smooth and tight.
(Lawrence Tong, MD, Toronto Plastic Surgeon)
Tummy tuck after a C section
It seems to me that in your particular case you are bothered by “the pouch” and the scar. Revising your scar will not correct the pouch. A modified abdominoplasty with adjunct liposuction, full muscle diastasis correction, and scar revision would give you the flat tummy you desire and significantly imporove the appearance of your vertical scar.
in our practice Tummy tuck surgery is custom tailed for each individual patient, as there are many more options, not just a mini and full tummy tuck. It is imperative that a well trained and experienced surgeon assess each patients anatomy and prepare a well thought out plan. Of course the surgeon needs to be execute on that plan in such a way as to achieve ideal aesthetic result. (Boris M. Ackerman, MD, Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon)
For you, a short scar mini tummy tuck would be a good solution. The scar should be kept low, so that it can easily be hidden by the skimpiest of bikinis. Combined with some minimal liposuction of your lower tummy, this will take care of your C-section scar and flatten your lower abdomen at the same time. (Kevin F. Hagan, MD, Nashville Plastic Surgeon)
Hi, your abdomen looks fantastic for someone who’s had two children. To remove that vertical scar, you do need a tummy tuck. Whether or not a mini-tuck will suffice is difficult to determine without an examination.
I suggest seeing a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area to assist you with this. (Nina S. Naidu, MD, FACS, New York Plastic Surgeon)
An in person evaluation will be better than one view photo. You can have either a full tummy tuck with muscle repair or a mini tummy tuck. Hard to decide over the internet. Go see 3 boarded plastic surgeons in your area Regards (Darryl J. Blinski, MD, Miami Plastic Surgeon)
Unfortunately, in order to remove that scar you would need to have a tummy tuck with a scar going from one hip to the other. The up side of this is that you will also remove the stretch marks in the skin that is removed and will tighten the muscle layer. You can(some plastic surgeons do not, some do) also have liposuctioning of the remaining fat at the same time. You obviously need to be evaluated by a plastic surgeon who can examine you and feel the skin and fat and muscle layers. (John P. Stratis, MD, Harrisburg Plastic Surgeon)
I’d recommend a tummy tuck to remove your scar. Please see the patient 2 minutes into my video. She had a vertical scar under her belly button similar to yours, and we removed it with a tummy tuck. (It is not really being removed, but rather traded into a new location that is easier to hide.) Additionally, you have stretch marks on your lower abdomen, and these would be removed during a tummy tuck. If you just went with a scar revision, the scar might look better, but it will still be in the same location, and this would not address any other part of your abdomen. (Michael A. Bogdan, MD, FACS, Dallas Plastic Surgeon)