Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) Questions and Answers

Search: 

Question:

If you have had a tummy tuck, is there any possible way of having a baby? Even though your belly button was moved to another place.

Answer:

Of course, Lynn, Many women have pregnancies after an abdominoplasty procedure. Some of the flattening work and work on the muscle may be undone by the pregnancy. This procedure can certainly be repeated if desired and needed.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

What is the difference between a full and a mini-abdominoplasty? Is there a difference in price? Would the scar be in the same place as my c-section scar? Can you recommend a doctor in the Salt Lake City Utah area?

Answer:

Dear Dawn, A full abdominoplasty is one where there is a hip to hip incision and a lot of skin is removed. A mini-abdominoplasty is performed through your c-section scar and only a little or no skin is removed but the abdominal wall muscles are tightened. There is a difference in price of about $2000 to $4000 with a full abdominoplasty costing from $6000 to $8000. There are a lot of plastic surgeons in the Salt Lake City area, I would suggest David Dingman, Larry Leonard, Larry Patton or Bradford Rockwell.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

I am an attractive 30 yr. old woman but after 3 c-sections my lower abdomen is poochy and beginning to sag. Would liposuction work on this or would I need to get a tummy tuck?

Answer 1:

Ms. Paxton, Your question is one that can only be answered by consultating with a Plastic Surgeon. The purpose of the consultation is to examine you, listen to your goals, and to discuss your options emphasizing the benefits and limitations of each. With liposuction fat is removed, with no benefit to skin or muscular support. Tummy tuck tightens skin and muscles, too. I suggest you make an appointment with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. David M. Metzner, M.D. 504.885.9555 985.892.4675

Answer 2:

Dear Dawn, It sounds as though their is excessive skin and muscle laxity which liposuction will not help. A full or mini-abdominoplasty would be the best procedure for you depending upon skin excess.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

hi, i'm a 31 yr. old female and had liposuction twice on my abdomen, i'm 5'3 and 110 pd. 80%of my body fat seem to be in my stomach, my first lipo i wasn't satisfied because the moment i ate food i got fat bulges coming out on my sides and lower ab, so my doc. redid it, it seems to me that he took out pretty much all the fat out, but my waist is still fatty feeling, it seems like i have fat rolls, but i think that maybe it could be excess skin,when i tighten my abs it goes pretty flat but my skin feels and looks like an old lady's skin, kind of like "chicken skin" very loose but the rest of my body my skin is very tight, but the first time he did my lipo my skin was firm, do you think that maybe he took out too much fat?.. do you recommend a tummy tuck for this, i don't want to do lipo again, and if you do recommend a tummy tuck how is the scar situation for this and also what if i decide to get pregnant will that put me back to square one or worse with stretch marks, please help..thanks

Answer:

Dear Rachel, The skin can only contract so much after liposuction surgery. If there was too much fat removed and your skin could not contract fully after its removal, you have excess skin. You do not say when the second liposuction was performed but, given that it was several months ago, you likely have skin excess. The only way of dealing with this is by some sort of tummy tuck, with a larger scar being necessary for the more skin that needs to be removed. If you are going to have children I would suggest that you wait until after pregnancy or else you will likely need to have the procedure repeated in the future.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

I have lost 174 pounds. I have loose skin all over my body, can anyone reconstruct my body. I work out at Bally Total Fitness and I have muscle tone but you cannot see it because of the skin. Can you help me?

Answer 1:

Congratulations for your weight loss. I suspect that you need not only a tummy tuck but medial/lateral thigh lift belt lipectomies. Photos would be helpful.

Answer 2:

Dear Virginia, Congratulations on the weight loss. Keep up the good work. Visit with a plastic surgeon for your options in removing the excess skin. There are a number of procedures such as lower body lift, abdominoplasty, brachioplasty (arm lift) that can help. I have worked with a number of former sumatori (sumo wrestlers) who retired and lost many hundreds of pounds. The contour can be greatly improved with the only drawback being a number of long scars at various placed on your body.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

I am a 36 yr old,three children, that has had gallbladder surg. which resulted in a incisional hernia which was repaired twice with failure , finally the third time was repaired again with mesh. After this surgery i have what looks like a fat roll but have never had that before. Could it be scar tissue? I also have had four bikini cuts due to ovarian cysts surg. I have done many things to try to flatten my tummy again with no satisfaction, If i had a tummy tuck how much recovery time will that take and would insurance cover the hernia scar tissue issue? What would be the right way to approach my insurance about this before consultation or involve the doctor i choose? Thank you for you time- Robin

Answer:

Dear Robin, You certainly have had a number of problems in your abdominal area. I would suggest that you visit with a plastic surgeon who can determine if there is significant herniation and if your risk vs benefit is in favour of performing a modified abdominoplasty procedure. A true abdominoplasty is likely out of the question with the amount of surgery that you have had and the scarring that is present. He/she should be able to approach your insurance company to determine what will be covered by your policy prior to the surgery.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

I had Lap RNY gastric bypass surgery 6/24/01. I am loosing weight at a steady gradual pace. I already have redundant skin from past dieting. I have hanging skin on my breasts,abdomen,upper arms and upper legs. When I attain my weight loss goal, I wish to speak with and meet a board certified plastic surgeon who will evaluate me and remove the redundant skin on my ever shrinking body. I am a registered nurse and I fully understand the risks involved. I desire a surgeon who will work with me to achieve a "normal" physical appearance. Thank you, Susan M. Stitt RN

Answer:

Dear Susan, It is important that you see a plastic surgeon who has quite a bit of experience with body lifts, as it is not the same as a tummy tuck, for example. Please let me know if you need further assistance Josh Korman, M.D. wwwkormanmd.com

Josh Korman, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Mountain View, CA

Question:

I didn't see a Dermatology Specialty as an option when I submitted my question, so I picked the one that I thought was closest to it. My name is Cherice, and I am 26 years old. I figured you probably have dealt with women,especially new mothers, who want to get rid of their stretch marks after child birth. I recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl one month and a half ago,and I have looked profusely on the internet for answers to this problem. I have stretch marks on my stomach, buttocks and knees, and I want very badly for them to be gone forever. I can't stand another summer to pass me by unfulfilled because I am too embarassed to wear a swim suit to the beach or pool. They make me feel ashamed when I have sex with my husband of two years. I ordered an expensive product online that was guaranteed to work or they would refund my money. Needless to say, I'm expecting my money back pretty soon. I've also tried a cheaper, over the counter method--cocoa butter. I heard that it blends all unattractive marks and blemishes. I used it throughout the entirety of my pregnancy, but still received the stretch marks. A friend of mine told me that stretch marks are permanent, but I refuse to believe that. I know there has got to be something or some way to solve this problem suffered by so many people. Please help me. I am desperate for solutions, because I've run out of options.

Answer:

The basic problem with stretch marks is that represent permanent scarring of the dermis ( the deep layer of your skin). As with any deep scar, there is no magic cure except for cutting out the stretch marks, which is sometimes practical for the ones on your abdomen ( called atummy tuck); but for the rest, it is impractical.

Josh Korman, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Mountain View, CA

Question:

i would like to know about reducing the size of your stomach. not removing fat.but cutting away part of the stomach.

Answer:

Dear Ann, I take it that you mean stomach "stapling" for weight reduction in which case the above answer is correct. If you mean removing extra skin and fat from your abdomen, you need to visit with a plastic surgeon and obtain information on a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

Hello, I am a 34years old female. I would like to do plastic surgery or liposuction. I do not know the difference of this. Kindly explain this. How much the cost take this surgery. I want to do hip & stomach portion. thanks.

Answer:

Dear Meena, Liposuction is a type of plastic surgery. I think that what you are asking is if you need liposuction or a tummy tuck. The factors which enter into that decision are the amount of fat present, the condition of your skin and the condition of the muscle supporting the abdomen. You should visit with a plastic surgeon in order to determine if liposuction is a good procedure for you or if you need the more extensive surgery. Liposuction costs about $2000 per paired area of the body (like the outer thighs) and a tummy tuck can cost from $4000 to $8000 depending upon what is required to be performed.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Next Step

• Learn about Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) in the Articles Section
• Ready for a consultation? See qualified Cosmetic Surgery doctors in your area

Browse All Questions & Answers

Example searches: lasik costs, tummy tuck recovery

Search: