Question:
Can they fix saggy upper ab area?

Just wondering... I've ready about tummy tucks and what they do, and they seem to mainly address the lower abdominal area, below the belly button. Can they do anything to fix the upper area? I still have a bit of a sagging roll there and I would like that fixed if I decide to move ahead with a tummy tuck. What's wierd is that I do have two sort of "rolls" and the skin in a horizontal line right at my belly button seems to really be fixed with little fat and it's stuck onto my muscles pretty well. (Almost like someone "sewed" a horizontal line across me and made that area "stick" really well). Did anyone else have this? Is it possible to fix this? I've read some posts about people having tummy tucks and still being unhappy with upper abs, so this has me concerned. Any thoughts/info that you have would be appreciated.    — w8free (posted on October 7, 2004)

October 7, 2004
I had basically 2 pannuses myself. My dr warned me pre Lower body lift that I might still have a pooch on the top that it is very difficult to tighten that area and an anchor incision might be the only way and even then I might still have a pooching upper abd. Well, he ended up not doing the anchor, once he got started I didn't need it. My upper abd is not as tight as the lower but it is very acceptable especially compared to where I started from. Everybody's body is going to be different. At this point I am in love with my plastic surgeon as I feel he worked miracles on a body that was a mess, and is now looking very normal.
   — **willow**

October 7, 2004
I was amazed at the difference after my abdominoplasty. I only had the hip to hip incision, and I was really concerned about getting rid of my spare "upper" spare tire. It is totally gone! I am 2 months post op and VERY pleased with the results. I have a waist, and I recently bought my first pair of jeans with a zipper and no elastic waist, and they fit with nothing hanging over the waist.
   — koogy

October 7, 2004
i have the same issue. Its great to hear that it can be helped. thanks. michelle
   — tyx3mom

October 7, 2004
Some of us are just built that way. I had 2 bags, too. The one above the waist was almost as big as the one below. The way my docs did the abdominoplasty/panni includes a vertical line, as well as a sort of "W" shaped cut from hip to hip. It's not a smile, because it goes up on the hips, but carefully up and over the mound, which pulls that up some, the thighs up a bit and a little bit of butt. My upper tummy is very flat. I don't think it was EVER this flat. The lower part is also flat. And they go together. It's a great tuck, but they also BUILT my figure, and restructured the underlying support. I was down for several weeks, but it was worth it. I look more normal than I ever could have, even if I had only remained "pudgy" and never gotten morbid. I had 2 bellies as a kid, too.
   — vitalady

October 7, 2004
Count me in as one of those VERY unhappy with my upper abs after the tummy tuck- I was SHOCKED to see how FLABBY I still am from the belly button up- When I addressed my surgeon he said he removed as much skin as he safely could and pulled the skin as taunt as he "safely" could....All I know is it looks HORRIBLE ! I am grateful to have my large hanging panni gone, but from a vanity point of view, I couldn't be unhappier. Best wishes Kim
   — WABBIT F.

October 7, 2004
I had an abdominoplasty with muscle tightening and I had a roll of flab above the belly button and a bigger roll below it. The hip to hip abdominoplasty cured both problems. I lost 5 pounds of skin and my stomach (above and below my belly button) is as flat as a board.
   — Patty H.

October 7, 2004
Yep! Sounds like you are built like I was. The waist is very anchored and never stretched much so it looks like you have a belt on all the time pulling your waist in tight. Then you have the lower panni and a upper panni. In my case, things had to be done in two surgeries. All three PS's I consulted said the same thing. They could not undermine that tissue enough and pull it down like normal. <p>The first procedure was a LBL with an anchor incision. He was able to remove quite a bit of the upper panni in the front but it did not touch the back blobs very much. It looked better but not like it ideally should. The 2nd surgery removed the upper panni all the way around, so I have 360 degree cuts down low and at the breast line and they are connected by the anchor incision. The procedures worked well but unfortunately I have a little sagging in the front of the upper roll. It looked awesome at first but as time went on the waist area got thicker and sagged a little. I am having my legs done in Nov and the PS will revise the upper torso to bring it back to where it was after the 2nd surgery. He is going to do lipo on the back and waist areas, then open part of the anchor incision and pull the waist back in and then open part of the horizontal incision under the breasts and pull everything back up tight. This time he will anchor things to much deeper tissue under the breasts, to try and prevent it from drooping again. He said I will likely have a few dimples under my breasts that might not go away over time, but it's the best way to deal with what happened. No one will see the dimples unless they are lifting the breasts and anybody doing that to me should not care as it will be me, my husband or a doctor. LOL <p>The revision work is unfortunately something that commonly goes along with trying to rebuild a body that has tons of skin and tons of overly stretched out skin so that what remains is far from high quality skin. There just isn't an resiliency to what I have left. The area that has loosened and allowed the sag to occur has some of the biggest stretchmarks, so there wasn't nice quality skin to help hold things up. <p>It bothers me that this slight sag and thick waist I have bugs me so much. I should be thrilled with how I look and I am but I want the nice hourglass shape back I had right after surgery. I'm 43 and had I never had any PS I would be thrilled to look like I do, but after having 19 hours of PS in two procedures I feel it should be as good as possible. Fortunately my PS is working with me and doing his work of the revision for free. He's as excited as I am with my new emerging body and wants to help as much as he can to achieve the best possible. <p>One suggestion I have is if your situation is like mine, is to ask insurance for approval to do the abdominoplasty in two stages right away. Have the PS explain why they will not be able to accomplish it in one surgery. I got approval from BCBS to do both from the start. They both had to be done within 6 months time, but it saved having to go back. Besides after the first surgery, it would have been much more difficult to build a medical necessity need for the 2nd surgery as it was mainly to fix up how things looked. I'm fairly confident if they had reviewed the case after the first surgery I would not have gotten the 2nd one covered. I had to pay for the lateral thigh portion of the LBL, but that was much less than the whole thing. <p>If you want to see some of my before and after pics send me your e-mail address. I will warm you though they aren't pretty just after surgery.
   — zoedogcbr

October 8, 2004
I'm so glad I'm not alone...I had the anchor tummy tuck in July of this year. My tummy is flat but like you I have that roll above the belly button. The funny thing is that before surgery it looked like i had an extra pair of boobs. Now it looks like I have only one...LOL My last appt I express this to my Dr and he wants to wait until Dec to see if any swelling has gone down..He did mention that he may have to go back in...I'm all for it...I wish you all the luck...
   — sarah C.

October 8, 2004
Hi. If the skin fold is at or below the level of the ribs, it can probably be pulled down with a tummy tuck. Folds closer to or just below the breasts are harder to "pull out" with standard tummy tuck.
   — DrL

October 11, 2004
No you are definetly not alone!! I had my TT in May 04 and yes I also have a roll under my rib area. I have my 2nd surgery on Nov. 24th to repair this problem. My belly below my belly button is as flat as a board and oh so tight!! It is weird to have this roll! My dr explained it as extra skin and as we all know skin stretches and sags! I am having it done for free(included in previous surgery price). My dr also said he removed as much as he could safely at the time of the 1st surgery. I believe him otherwise why would this repair be free! Otherwise my results from the TT breast lift and lipo to my chin and back are amazing!! Good luck and check into the free(?) revision.
   — kelley G.

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