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Is a tummy tuck necessary to flatten abdomen and is the scar always that large and dramatic? Are there any other choices?

Is a tummy tuck necessary to flatten abdomen and is the scar always that large and dramatic? Are there any other choices?

Is a tummy tuck necessary to flatten abdomen and is the scar always that large and dramatic? Are there any other choices?

Q: I’m a mother of 3 and I could feel my abs coming in under the stubborn “mommy tummy”. I workout a lot and have a pretty solid build. Like most women who bare children I have that stubborn layer of fat, stretch marks and that loose skin that makes me very insecure. Is a tummy tuck my only option to flatten my stomach? Are scars typically that large? Any other options for me?

A: You sound like an ideal candidate for a tummy tuck. Based on your pictures, you have stretchmarks around your navel. Stretchmarks indicate to me that your skin has been damaged by excessive expansion – in your case it sounds like this occurred during your pregnancies. This damaged skin is never going to snap completely back – it doesn’t matter how much you exercise, watch your diet or apply creams. If you want it gone, it will need to be surgically removed. Scarring is an important consideration – an abdominoplasty does create a scar low on the abdomen from hip to hip and often a scar around the navel – but remember you are trading contour for scar. Also, in the hands of a skilled board-certified plastic surgeon, the incision is hidden by most underwear and swimwear.