HOW DOES PREGNANCY AFFECT A TUMMY TUCK (ABDOMINOPLASTY)?
An abdominoplasty or tummy tuck is almost always better AFTER childbearing is complete. An abdominoplasty or tummy tuck will remove excess or loose skin on the abdomen as well as tighten up the muscles that often splay during pregnancy. This is referred to as a “diastasis” and is when the rectus muscles separate during the stretch of pregnancy. If a woman has an abdominoplasty and then becomes pregnant again, the skin may stretch and how this will look after weight loss can be very unpredictable.
A common question for us is “can I have a tummy tuck during my planned c-section?” The answer unfortunately is no. This is really not the time to have a tummy tuck. First, the uterus is still quite large, which will prevent your plastic surgeon from removing as much skin or tightening the muscles as much. Second, you are not back down to your ideal weight (or at least close to it), which limits the cosmetic result attainable with the surgery. Third, you need to be in a flexed position without heavy lifting after a tummy tuck and this could interfere with caring for your new baby. Generally, your results are best if you are finished having children and your weight is stable.
Dr. Terry Myckatyn and
Dr. Marissa Tenenbaum:
Trusted. Experienced. Committed.
Many women desiring plastic surgery would like to know how past or future pregnancies will affect their outcome. As a general rule, any weight fluctuation can affect the results of your surgery. How much it is affected can be unpredictable and certainly varies by body part and by procedure. You should discuss these issues with a board-certified plastic surgeon.
If you have questions or would like to book a consultation with one of the surgeons at West County Plastic Surgery, please call (314) 996-8800.
