Should I Get A Tummy Tuck Or Laser Skin Tightening?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I just wanted a consult to see if a tummy tuck or laser skin tightening would be an option for me. I had a child almost two years ago and lost over 60lbs.

A: The decision between a tummy tuck and another abdominal contouring option is often debated. However, you have said two things that helped define your tummy options, even without seeing pictures of it. (although that would also be helpful) The combination of having a child and losing over 60lbs had made the use of laser skin tightening an impossibility. Even at best, laser skin tightening may be able to tighten about 1 cm. (1/2 inch of skin) I suspect that the amount of loose abdominal skin that you have exceeds that by a considerable amount. Being between stretched by pregnancy and then losing that amount of weight, the elasticity of skin has been broken and its ability to tighten removed. A tummy tuck is undoubtably what you will really need to get the improvement in abdominal tightening that you desire.