Can I Have A Tummy Tuck After 4 C-Sections?

Q: Hello, I’m writing because I am in need of a tummy tuck. I have had four c-sections and I would like to know if I will be able to get a tummy tuck. I have a very large stomach pouch that I dislike and would like for it to be removed before I get too old. If not, it will be sitting in my lap. Will having these c-section scars interfere with having a tummy tuck? Can the entire stomach pouch be removed or can only some of it come off? Thanks for answering my questions!

A: The large stomach pouch to which you refer is a pannus, otherwise known as an apron of skin. (and fat) Between multiple children, c-sections and weight gain, the excessive abdominal skin and fat falls over the waistline. The scarred and indented c-section location accentuates this pannus by pulling in tightly underneath it. The solution to this pannus problem is a modification of a traditional tummy tuck known as an abdominal panniculectomy. It differs from the tummy tuck because the amount of tissue that is removed is larger. This makes for a longer low horizontal incision, often extending into the back area. The final result is often not as refined as that of a tummy tuck given the type of body on which it is performed. In its simplest form, an abdominal panniculectomy is an amputation of the pannus from along the waistline.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana