I have lax stomach muscles after three children, any suggestions to reduce middle aged spread?

Your questions answered by our surgeon, Lucian Ion, FRCS(Plast)

Asked on 11 September 2012

Question

I have lax stomach muscles after three children (one pregnancy being twins), in fact bits now wobble that even five years ago would never have dared.

I currently have a small umbilical hernia that my doctor is not willing to refer me for treatment, as it actually causes me no problem.

However would this preclude me having Body Tite treatment on tummy area or could this be dealt at same time if I had Body Tite treatment?

I am 59 and am yet to actually grow up so whilst I do not have any desire to look younger than my two beautiful daughters neither do I want to look pregnant and gone to seed.

I daresay I could do with a tummy tuck but to be frank having dived with sharks I have no desire to look as if I have been bitten by one and to be frank as I run a children Day Nursery time out is for holidays not recovering in a straight jacket for six months.

Any suggestions to reduce middle aged spread and save me dragging half my wardrobe to the charity shop would be appreciated.

Answer

It very much depends on the quality of the skin. The radio-frequency assisted liposuction (Body Tite) as far as I can tell does not improve the texture and strengths of the skin, although it improved its support.

The skin that has reasonably good strengths will therefore look lifted when it is better supported, a skin that has thinning and stretch marks is likely to look worse off being treated with BodyTite or any other type of liposuction.

I would be happy to see you in consultation and discuss the potential benefits and downsides, although from what you have described the more appropriate treatment seems to be an abdominoplasty where the muscles of the tummy would be tightened together with repair of the hernia.

If the skin quality is unusually good following twin pregnancy, alternatives like mini-abdominoplasty or endoscopic assisted abdominoplasty with liposuction may represent good choices.

Mr Lucian Ion FRCS(Plast)
129 Harley Street
London
W1G 6BA