I was recently asked:
How long after a C-section can I have a tummy tuck? I have had 3 kids and my tummy feels ‘collapsed’… I have a massive gap between my muscles where everything seems to bulge out of. I don’t have a hernia, my doctor says it is just stretched muscles. Will a tummy tuck correct this?
This is a common question that is relevant to many patients that I see in my practice. Many women experience permanent stretching of their abdominal wall from their pregnancies. This can result in stretching of the connective tissue between the abdominal muscles resulting in a gap, what we call rectus diastasis. This is different than a hernia, in which case there is an actual hole in the abdominal wall through which abdominal tissue can escape. Correcting the gap between the abdominal muscles is a standard component of abdominoplasty or tummy tuck surgery. This not only cinches the waist, but also restores the core muscles to the midline where they are supposed to be.
Many women who have C-sections continued to have extra skin of the lower abdomen. Abdominoplasty or tummy tuck surgery, is an excellent option to remove this extra skin. I would recommend waiting a minimum of three months after a C-section to pursue any type of surgical correction. It takes at least this long for the tissues to heal and the swelling to go away. I would recommend allowing even more time to get close to your pre-pregnancy weight so that we can achieve the best cosmetic result with abdominoplasty surgery.
During the consultation, your medical history is reviewed and abdomen is examined. Your customized treatment plan is formulated and discussed. Expectations for treatment, side effects and after-care are reviewed.
Contact Synergy Medical Aesthetics today at 250-591-0701 to book your consultation and assessment.
