Tummy Tuck for Loose Skin After Pregnancy

Posted May 04, 2021 in Tummy Tuck

One of the permanent side effects left behind by pregnancy is loose abdominal skin. While many women are able to trim down stubborn belly fat after pregnancy, overstretched skin is another matter. Without surgical help, abdominal skin cannot contract or repair itself after it has been damaged by pregnancy. Tummy tuck surgery is a proven solution that can remove excess skin, eliminate many stretch marks, and tighten abdominal skin after pregnancy and childbirth.

Understanding Elasticity

To better understand skin elasticity and how pregnancy affects it, we will compare the skin to an elastic band. An elastic band, such as a hair tie or a band sewn into the waistline of sweatpants, is designed to be able to stretch and contract. However, a few factors can interfere with the elastic’s ability to contract.

The first factor is time. Initially, both types of bands retain strong elasticity and can be stretched and contracted without difficulty. But as time passes, their elasticity becomes weaker. With an elastic hair band, the more times it is stretched and pulled and turned over onto itself to hold a full head of hair together, the looser it becomes. Eventually, the hair tie will no longer be able to tightly hold the hair in place. Likewise, an elastic waistband becomes progressively looser over time. Eventually, it will reach a point at which the pants no longer remain fitted at the waist, and they will become saggy.

The second factor is rapidly overtaxing the elastic. Individuals with particularly thick or long hair have likely experienced trying to pull an elastic hair tie over a ponytail, only to have it suddenly snap and break. The now-broken band was probably too small and pulled too tightly and too rapidly, so it was unable to maintain its shape. An elastic waistband, while thicker and stronger than a hair tie, may also snap and lose its elasticity in parts if worn by an individual whose waistline is larger than it was designed to fit.

How Skin Elasticity Can Be Damaged During Pregnancy

It is easy to see how these compare to abdominal skin after pregnancy. Like these elastic bands, the skin has a finite elasticity; while it can be stretched quite a bit, extreme rapid stretching and contracting (such as with pregnancy or major weight fluctuations) will overtax it and cause permanent damage. During pregnancy, the abdominal skin is pulled tighter and tighter and is constantly stretched without any release or contraction until after the baby is born. This stretching occurs rapidly over the course of just nine months (and sometimes less). This constant pressure and stretching of the abdominal skin during pregnancy causes it to lose some of its elasticity. After the baby is born, the skin may contract somewhat, but in many cases it simply cannot reclaim its former tautness.

Tighten Abdominal Skin with Tummy Tuck Surgery

To ensure that the skin of the abdomen does not have to have the same permanent fate as elastic hair ties and waistbands, medical experts have devised a surgery that can correct this issue. Tummy tuck surgery (abdominoplasty) is a plastic surgery procedure that can restore a flat and firm abdomen after pregnancy. During the procedure, your surgeon will remove some of the overstretched skin as well as many stretch marks. The surgeon will then pull the remaining skin tightly over the abdomen so that there is no more sagging, rippling, or loose, flaccid skin. This method of repairing the waistline after pregnancy is highly effective and results in smooth, flat abdominal skin.

To learn more about tummy tuck surgery and how it can restore even skin tone after pregnancy, schedule your consultation with Dr. Taleisnik. Call (657) 294-8375 or fill out our online contact form to book your appointment today.