Your skin must stretch during pregnancy to accommodate a growing baby. The problem is, your skin may not rebound. Pregnancy can sometimes stretch your abdominal muscles and skin beyond the point where they can return to normal. In this case, diet and exercise will not be enough to help you regain your pre-pregnancy body.
After childbirth, most women will experience saggy skin in the lower abdomen. The more elastic your skin, the more quickly it can bounce back. But some women never get their pre-baby bodies back.
When diet and abdominal exercise don’t work, it may be time to consider a surgical procedure called an abdominoplasty or a tummy tuck.
A tummy tuck is a major surgical procedure that removes excess skin and fat from the lower abdomen and tightens the muscles of the abdominal wall. The procedure can dramatically reduce the appearance of a protruding abdomen. It does, however, produce a permanent scar that will possibly run from hip to hip.
When Should I Have a Tummy Tuck?
After childbirth, give your body time to rebound. Wait until after you are done breastfeeding to consider a tummy tuck surgery. Also, wait until you are done adding to your family. Women who plan on future pregnancies should wait because vertical muscles in the abdomen that are tightened during surgery can separate again during pregnancy. Having more children will simply undo the work you’ve had done with a tummy tuck, so wait until you are done having children before having the procedure.
A tummy tuck cannot correct stretch marks. However, the stretch marks may be removed or somewhat improved if they are located in the area of excess skin that will be excised during the tummy tuck surgery.
Your tummy tuck surgery will result in a firmer, flatter abdomen. However, the final results of tummy tuck surgery may initially be obscured by swelling and by your inability to stand fully upright until healing is complete.
To find out if a tummy tuck is right for you, contact us for more information or to schedule a consultation. The Body Sculpting Center is located in Phoenix, Arizona, serving residents of greater Phoenix, Scottsdale and the surrounding areas in Arizona.
