Patient 128 Gallery

Before and after tummy tuck and liposuction as part of a Mommy Makeover surgery in a 43 year old mother. After having three children, her belly had stretched out due to separation of the rectus abdominis muscles, creating rectus diastasis or “diastasis recti” in Latin. Her belly button had become an “outie”, due to loss of muscular tone in the center of abdominal wall.  She was tired of being congratulated on being pregnant again – as her youngest child was now 8 years old!

A breast reduction and lift was planned together with her abdominoplasty and full-body liposuction. She was very pleased to hear that liposuction is always combined with excisional body contouring procedures in our office.

Abdominoplasty surgery consists of surgically excising excess skin and fat between the upper pubic region (where her C-section scar lay) up to above the belly button. The abdominal wall is lifted up off the muscles to exposure the muscle separation. The last set of before and after images shows markings of the separation and the planned repair and reinforcement, and immediately following repair of the muscles. The belly button is protected during surgery and its blood supply is preserved.  

Corseting the rectus abdominis muscles back together in the midline restores the normal muscular anatomy of the abdominal wall. The outie belly button is corrected to become a cute little “innie”. The navel is brought out through a new skin opening, like bringing a button through a button hole. When the abdominal skin is redraped more tightly downward, her C-section scar is replaced by a new scar in the same low position as her old scar, but slightly longer. 

Liposuction is always combined with an abdominoplasty to provide the very best abdominal contour. Her armpit fat (axillary rolls), back fat and bra roll region, belly, flanks, pubic area and upper inner thighs were liposuctioned, permanently removing excess fat in these areas. Long term follow up photos are shown over two years after surgery. Her scars are mature and she feels much more comfortable in her body.