First, let me say, this is not my patient. For those of you who are patients of mine, you know I am blunt when I counsel patients. So blunt I am frequently accused of being from New York (I am not, but I do love it there.)
Communication with your doctor is SO important. When you don’t like your belly, it is important to figure out why. I think this woman’s question could have been better written- Communication 101: Make sure you and your doctor are on the same page.
Is it
- stretch marks?
- hanging skin?
- loose skin when you sit?
- the muffin top?
- wrinkling around the belly button?
- you look pregnant?
- loose muscles?
- is the problem mostly above the belly button? Below?
You need to be very clear about what bothers you. This patient was bothered by loose skin above her belly button. She then had her first tummy tuck, a mini tummy tuck. Ug. She was destined to be unhappy with her results, as a mini tummy tuck does not tighten the skin above the belly button.
This communication is a dual thing- your surgeon should be blunt in their communication and let you know what will be improved. There is a lot of verbage out there. What I call a mini tummy tuck may not be what Dr. X calls a mini. I have had patients who think they had “full tummy tucks” who only had a mini. Ask your doctors for specifics. “By doing a mini tummy tuck, the scar will be on the abdomen here. There will be no scar around the belly button. Your belly button will move down a bit. This will not tighten the skin above the belly button at all. This will not tighten your muscles.”
There are all sorts of variations. Is your issue Fat? Skin? Muscle? In what order? Tummy tucks involve removing skin, tightening muscles, and sometimes liposuction. There are things which are not safe (full tummy tuck and liposuctioning the anterior abdomen). And again, the names are confusing: full tummy tuck, mini tummy tuck, mommytuck (what is that?), hybrid tummy tuck (a trademarked name for what is likely a mini tummy tuck with muscle tightening by Dr. Moelleken), lipotuck (those that overestimate the tightening effects of liposuction), etc etc. You get my drift.
Expectation is everything. If this patient is considering a third surgery, I would recommend sitting in front of the mirror and write down her ultimate wish list. Some things are not achievable. (Where is that fairy godmother and her wand?) Also I would recommend getting a second opinion, just to have two board certified plastic surgeons looking at the same thing. If there is controversy, consider a third opinion.
There is a law of diminishing returns with multiple surgeries. Many times the enemy of good is going for the “better.” And some things can’t be done.