Nature has endowed the human body with incredible adaptive abilities. Nowhere is this more obvious than during pregnancy. The pregnancy hormone progesterone softens collagen fibers in the skin and allows the skin to stretch rapidly. The “6 pack” abdominal muscles called the rectus muscles, actually thin out and separate from their normal midline position to make room for the growing uterus. The body also begins to store fat differently in response to changes in hormone balance in an effort to provide the caloric energy needed for the mother and growing child.
Despite the ease with which the body accomplishes these changes, it is definitely not as efficient at returning to its normal pre-pregnancy state. After pregnancy, the skin simply cannot recoil to its tighter form due to microscopic tears in the collagen fiber. Stretch marks are actually scar tissue that has formed between tears in the collagen fibers. They are essentially impossible to reverse. The separation of the abdominal muscles does not rebound to its normal midline position. The muscle is splayed to the side and does not restrain the internal organs firmly. This is responsible for the rounded, potbelly appearance that simply does not improve with exercise or sit-ups. In addition, the increase in deposition of fat in areas like the flanks often becomes metabolically inactive. This is to say that the body does not perceive this fat as a burnable source of calories as compared to other areas. This accounts for them being a sticking spot that does not improve despite exercise and dieting.
The abdominoplasty procedure is the best option to address all these issues in a single comprehensive outpatient procedure. Through a low riding ”bikini” incision, the excess skin is pulled tightly. The excess skin usually corresponds to the area with the most stretch marks. This skin is removed as an ellipse at the level of the bikini incision. Previous C-section scars are removed at this time as well.
The abdominoplasty incision gives the plastic surgeon an excellent opportunity to fix the separated muscles. The inner borders of these muscles are simply brought back together again. There is no muscle cutting such as in a C-section. This immediately flattens the profile of your abdomen. From this point forward, sit-ups actually will target these muscles better because they are in the proper position. Sit-ups and crunches will result in even firmer 6-pack abs.
You may be asking, what happens to the belly button? The answer is that it stays right where it always has been. The bellybutton is a remnant of your own umbilical cord. It remains in its original position as the skin is tightened around it.
Any lingering fat around the flank areas is often liposuctioned at the time of an abdominoplasty. All people are born with a certain number of fat cells that do not increase in number regardless of how much weight may be gained. Weight gain is entirely due to distention of these existing cells with more fat. Liposuction removes these cells permanently and they are simply no longer there to fill up again.
Of course, not everyone has the same degree of post-pregnancy change. Every procedure is tailored to each person’s existing anatomy. Some patients, in fact, are not good candidates for an abdominoplasty. Their cosmetic concerns may be better managed with other procedures. However, when diet and exercise just don’t seem to be helping, the solution may not be just more sit-ups and fewer calories. It may be time to investigate whether abdominoplasty is the best solution.
Advanced Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery offers the newest and most sophisticated cosmetic surgery procedures for men and women, including neck and facelifts, eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty (nose surgery), liposuction, abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), breast augmentation, reduction or reconstruction, as well as Botox, Juvederm and other injectable fillers. All procedures are done by ASC surgeons Dr. David Goldenberg, Dr. Sohel Islam, Dr. Prashant Soni, and Dr. Julia Toto Our offices are located in the Fairfield County, CT towns of Danbury, New Milford, Norwalk, Ridgefield, and Southbury.