How to Get Rid of Pregnancy Stretch Marks With TRUE FORM ABDOMINOPLASTY®

Posted December 29, 2014 in Tummy Tuck

By Sherri Roberts
sherri@mybeautifulbody.com

Dr. Patronella often is able to eliminate or diminish the appearance of stretch marks for patients through a True Form Tummy Tuck® procedure, as these photos show. With this procedure, which this patient had in conjunction with liposuction of the waist and outer thighs, Dr. Patronella restored a toned appearance to her abdomen by removing loose skin and tightening the underlying abdominal muscle wall, which is stretched out during pregnancy.

“I want to get rid of pregnancy stretch marks,” is one of the top aesthetic concerns our female patients voice. Up to 80 percent of women have them—the pink, purple, brown, and/or white lines that result when the skin undergoes extreme stretching during events such as pregnancy and/or large weight gain. This stretching causes microscopic tears in the skin, which eventually turn into the scars better known as stretch marks.

While many stretch mark creams and treatments promise to prevent or diminish them, most of these ultimately disappoint, as evidenced by the new elixirs that emerge each year with similar claims. Thankfully, there is a solution for stretch marks that delivers real results: tummy tuck surgery (abdominoplasty). The removal of stretch marks is one of the most rewarding aspects of tummy tuck surgery for many of our patients.

Depending upon the location and severity of the stretch marks, in most cases plastic surgeon Dr. Patronella is able to diminish or eliminate their appearance during the tummy tuck procedure. That’s because he removes the loose, sagging skin left behind by pregnancy, along with the stretch marks that are on it.. Because the excess skin is pulled down and trimmed away during tummy tuck surgery, stretch marks are removed from the lower abdomen, while those above it are moved lower.

However, those that remain typically appear less prominent because of the additional techniques Dr. Patronella performs to restore a flat, smooth look to the abdomen. The result is often transformational:  a flabby abdomen with noticeable stretch marks is replaced by a flat, sleek, elegantly contoured abdomen and waistline.

If you are interested in options to improve the look of your abdomen, contact us to schedule a consultation with Dr. Patronella.

Get Rid of Pregnancy Stretch Marks

Up to 80 percent of women have stretch marks—the pink, purple, brown, and/or white lines that are often left behind after pregnancy, weight gain, and large weight loss.  While they may fade to a lighter color, for many women they are a source of embarrassment that cause them to feel self-conscious about wearing swimwear, shorts, or other revealing attire.

Stretch marks are actually scars that are caused when the skin undergoes extreme stretching, creating tears in the dermis.  They most commonly appear on the abdomen, breasts, hips, and thighs, though other areas can develop them also. Numerous stretch mark creams and other remedies claim to prevent or diminish them, but finding a treatment that can completely eradicate them has, thus far, remained a mystery to the medical community.

Plastic surgeon Dr. Chris Patronella notes, “Every year a new treatment for stretch marks is brought to the market, which is solid evidence that last year’s treatment didn’t work. So often, plastic surgeons are asked, ‘Can you remove any of my stretch marks?’ The answer is ‘Yes, with a tummy tuck, we often can remove many stretch marks, though we may not be able to remove all of them.’”

During an abdominoplasty procedure, Dr. Patronella trims away loose abdominal skin, a process that allows him to get rid of stretch marks on the lower abdomen. Because the skin of the upper abdomen is pulled downward during the procedure, the stretch marks of the upper abdomen typically are moved to the lower abdomen.  But even despite this limitation, “We still can provide a great improvement in the appearance of the abdomen,” commented Dr. Patronella. He added that most patients are pleased with their results “as long as they understand ahead of  time the limitations of what we can do.”