Pregnancy stretches the abdominal skin and can separate the abdominal muscles down the midline. It can also change the position and shape of the belly button (umbilicus). These are normal changes after having children, and many women settle back close to how they were before. In others, some of the
Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) is major surgery. I want that clear from the start, because the way an operation is described tends to shape how seriously it is weighed up, and this is one that deserves careful thought. Pregnancy changes the abdominal wall. The skin stretches, and in most women the
Diastasis recti (abdominal muscle separation) is one of the most common changes I see in women after pregnancy. It is a normal response to carrying a baby, not a sign that something has gone wrong. There is a common belief that the muscles have “torn”. They have not. During pregnancy
The mons pubis is the soft pad of tissue that sits over the pubic bone, below the lower abdomen and above the genital area. Its job is to cushion the pubic bone. It is a normal part of the anatomy, and it varies a great deal between women. Pregnancy and
Apronectomy, also called panniculectomy, is a surgical procedure that removes excess skin and fat hanging over the lower abdomen, the fold patients call the apron. The medical name for this apron is the pannus. The operation is a wedge excision of the lower abdominal overhang, performed with minimal undermining of
Brachioplasty (arm lift, or upper arm lift) is a surgical procedure that removes excess skin and fat from the upper arm, typically between the elbow and the armpit (axilla). After significant weight loss, it is one of the most commonly requested body contouring procedures I see in my practice, and
A body lift (belt lipectomy) removes excess skin and fat in a continuous circle around the lower trunk. In a single operation, I treat the abdomen, flanks, lower back, buttocks and outer thighs. The posterior part of the resection lifts the buttocks and outer thighs at the same time. You
After significant weight loss, loose skin rarely follows a single pattern. In my practice, patients who have experienced significant weight loss, whether through bariatric surgery, medication assisted weight loss, or lifestyle change, often present with extensive excess skin that runs in more than one direction. Skin hangs vertically at the
Losing a large amount of weight is a major achievement, whether you reached your goal through diet and exercise, weight loss medication, or bariatric surgery. For many of the people I see in my practice, that achievement comes with a frustrating physical reality. Once the weight is gone, the skin
A fleur de lis abdominoplasty is a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) that removes excess skin in both vertical and horizontal directions. A standard abdominoplasty uses a horizontal incision low across the abdomen to remove skin that hangs downward. The fleur de lis adds a vertical incision up the midline, which allows