Tummy Tuck Information

A tummy tuck and/or an entire body lift is a medical necessity following rapid weight loss and/or bariatric surgery. However, following multiple pregnancies, is there a medical necessity for an esthetic operation that carries risks including death? That is the question that this section analyzes. There are two very opposing viewpoints about the necessity of a tummy tuck following multiple pregnancies, and you can be certain that you will not agree with one of these.

Childbirth is a natural phenomena and women's bodies following childbirth change.

It's normal for abdominal muscles and skin to become looser and more distended. Advertising firms and the cosmetic industry prey on women, creating insecurities about their body image, in order to gain profits from a procedure that has risks and is medically unnecessary.

"You've come a long way, baby."

In the 21^st century, you have the right and freedom to think about yourself. If a slimmer abdomen combined with a breast lift makes you feel better, and you fell you will be happier and a more productive member of society; go for it!

Women's Rights & Societal Changes

Women's rights were even used by Philip Morris to sell more cigarettes to female smokers. The company's position on branding a cigarette for women was that as long as certain women smoke, why not give them their own cigarette? This was somewhat disingenuous because it's certain that many young women took up smoking because it felt good to tell society that "I'm independent and I'll do what pleases me."  Therefore, when you look at the necessity of a tummy tuck, you need to also examine the societal forces that are for and against this procedure, and determine how much you are influenced by them, before you decide if indeed this procedure is necessary for you.

The acceptance of societal changes takes place slowly in any society. It's been less than 100 years since women were given the right to vote in America. There's also no point in discussing some of today's cultures whose norms are anchored in the dark ages where women have no rights whatsoever. However, what is interesting about this debate in the USA is that the feminists support the conservative side of this debate but also support the liberal side of the abortion debate. In the 1970's seminal guide to feminine health, "Our Bodies, Ourselves," women were told that these changes in a woman's body was a "phenomena" that was to be expected and accepted.

However, if the seed of an unplanned child was discovered in their bodies, an abortion was alright because women have the power to determine what happens to them; it's their body. There is an obvious fallacy in this argumentation process that we all recognize, however a feminist's counter argument will be  that women do not control their own self image. It's something that is controlled by the current norms of society that are manipulated by men, media, and other forces whose intent it is to keep women subjugated and second class citizens. Therefore, it's reasonable for women NOT to have a tummy tuck to correct a natural aging process following pregnancy because it's perfectly natural to have this occur to some women.

Media/Societal Pressure vs Feeling Good About Yourself

On the liberal side of the mommy makeover controversy are the women that just don't care what others think or whether their motives for wanting a tummy tuck originate from their rational thoughts or if indeed they have been manipulated by the media. Their arguments are more pragmatic. They want to compete in the marketplace for both men and ideas and they believe that a slimmer figure will help them. They can point to studies that show that taller and better looking people get better jobs, are paid more, and find more attractive mates. As far as the surgical risks involved they will point out that the drive to the surgeon's outpatient surgery center is far riskier than the risk of death on the operating table. We even heard one 68 year old Scottish patient who following a facelift, breast lift and augmentation, and a tummy tuck said, "When they lay me down in the casket, I want to look beautiful." This argumentation is all based on "me." I want to look good. I deserve to look the way I did before pregnancy. I will determine what is good for me.

Tummy Tuck Stats

Regardless of which side of the debate you stand on, it's a fact that today, there are about a 125,000 tummy tucks done each year in the United States on women between the ages of 20 and 60. The table below shows the birth rates in the USA between 1950 and 1969 (people born between 1950 and 1989).

Today, if there are 71 million American women between the ages of 20 and 60 in the United States (not including effects of immigration), then way less than 1% (0.17%) have a tummy tuck procedure each year. However, if we include all women over a 40 year period, just over 7% of American women will have this kind of procedure. We then have to adjust for women who will never have a child which according to the U.S. Census Bureau is 18% of women. If we adjust our figures above, it means that 8.6% of women who had children will have a tummy tuck. That's a total of just over 6 million women.

Statistically, Few Women Have Tummy Tucks. Why?

It's important to point out that if you don't have a tummy tuck, you will not be alone. Less than 10% of women have a tummy tuck. Obviously, part of that reason is cost since a tummy tuck can cost between $6,000-$15,000 depending upon the scope, anesthesia and OR costs. This is a lot more money than a membership at the gym even adding on a personal trainer for good measure. Then there are all those women who don't need a tummy tuck because of genes or because they eat moderately and exercise regularly; this number is calculated below.

Then we need to subtract the smokers who are not willing to quite to undergo this operation.  So the final calculation looks like this:

-18% Women never gave birth

-13% Women smoke and won't quit

-7% Women will have tummy tuck

-23% Women gave child birth but don't need it for various reasons

-41%  Women cannot afford it or don't want it

Summary

Is a tummy tuck necessary? According to statistics, for most women it is not necessary or they cannot afford it. If it were a procedure reimbursable by insurance, would more people have it? Undoubtedly. Is the procedure a medical necessity? Absolutely not, unless you feel so bad about yourself carrying around this extra skin and weight that your productivity and psychological well being is threatened. The bottom line is that you need to decide for yourself what is best for you. This section was not designed to convince or dissuade you about the necessity of tummy tucks, but rather to lay out all the pros and cons about this procedure so that you can make an informed decision about what is right for you.