Having children takes a lot away from you–time, energy, and even your body. Stretch marks and excess skin are normal after-effects of pregnancy, but sometimes your body just isn’t the same after giving birth. Even after the baby weight sheds, a C-section shelf can stand in the way of a flat stomach. If you have a C-section scar, you’ve probably noticed a bulge or pooch above the scar on your bikini line. This pooch is also known as a C-section shelf. This unsightly bulge can tank your self-esteem and make you feel like you’ll never get your pre-baby body back.
At Silhouette Plastic Surgery Institute, we can help you target this pooch and help you feel confident in your body once more. Call us today at 949-359-8397 to schedule an appointment with an experienced plastic surgeon at Silhouette Plastic Surgery Institute.
What Causes a C-Section Shelf?
If you choose a C-section, you’re likely expecting some pain and scar tissue. What you don’t expect is to now have a hanging belly where there was once a flat stomach. A C-Section shelf is a bulge of excess fat above a C-section scar. During a Cesarean section, your surgeon cuts into your skin, connective tissue in your abdomen, and uterine wall to access the baby. After the baby is out, your surgeon will reconnect the cut tissues. It’s not uncommon for excess scar tissue to form along these incisions. From the outside, your tummy may have a bulge or a shelf over your C-section scar. Sometimes the bulge is obvious and causes excess body fat and skin to overhang on the bikini line.
Is a C-Section Shelf Painful?
Your postpartum belly will see many changes, especially after a C-section. During pregnancy, your stomach muscles are stretched to their limit. You can’t expect these muscles to snap back to their pre-pregnancy state immediately. A C-section shelf isn’t typically painful, but it can be an uncomfortable addition to your body.
A painful condition that can stem from pregnancy is diastasis recti. During the second and third trimesters, your abdominal muscles separate to make room for your growing baby. Diastasis recti increases the risk of umbilical hernias, low back pain, and urinary incontinence.
Can a C-Section Shelf Go Away On Its Own?
Contrary to what common pop-up ads claim, there’s no way to target problem areas. Doing 100 sit-ups a day may help you lose weight and gain muscle tone, but there’s no guarantee it will get rid of stubborn fat deposits in your abdomen. A healthy diet and exercise can only help so much. Fatty tissue in the stomach often sticks around even with exercise and healthy eating, so you may be starving yourself and over-exercising for nothing–on top of having a newborn baby to care for.
Some people try belly bands to strengthen their core after pregnancy, but this often doesn’t help a C-section pooch. Many women see their C-section pouch decrease over time, but this often takes years. In the meantime, you’ll be dealing with loose skin and low self-esteem. A C-section shelf may not go away on its own, but Silhouette Plastic Surgery Institute offers options to get rid of it with natural-looking results.
How to Get Rid of C Section Shelf
A common misconception about ‘getting work done’ is that everyone will know or be able to tell. Dr. Daneshmand prides himself on producing natural-looking and long-lasting results. Plastic surgery is an excellent way to target your problem areas without having to exhaust yourself.
Surgical C Section Self Removal
Caring for a newborn is tough work. Trying to find the time (or motivation) to diet and exercise on top of breastfeeding, going back to work, and caring for a newborn is often impossible. With help from the team at Silhouette Plastic Surgery Institute, you can get your body back with minimal downtime. Read on below to learn more about the surgical options available for a C-section shelf.
Tummy Tuck
A tummy tuck removes excess fat and skin in the abdomen. A full tummy tuck tightens the abdominal muscles beneath the skin and tapers the waistline. A tummy tuck scar length will depend on the amount of excess skin and fat, but usually extends from hip to hip at your bikini line.
Mini-Tummy Tuck
A mini-tummy tuck can target excess skin and fat in your lower abdomen. This surgery often results in a smaller scar than a full tummy tuck, since it only addresses skin and fat below the belly button.
Liposuction
Liposuction is a fat removal procedure that leaves little to no scarring. This body-sculpting procedure can help target stubborn fat deposits in the abdomen. This procedure is for people who still have a good amount of skin elasticity and excess fat. Once the fat deposits are gone, the skin should snap back to your pre-baby body.
Non-Surgical C-Section Shelf Removal
In addition to surgical options, there are non-surgical options for getting rid of pesky excess fat and skin in your abdomen. Body contouring, also known as body sculpting, can shape specific parts of the body and give you the silhouette you’re working towards. Body contouring uses freezing temperatures, lasers, ultrasound waves, or an injectable acid to kill fat cells and remove unwanted excess skin. This procedure can give you the body you want without the extra scars of surgical procedures.
No matter what treatment plan catches your eye, Dr. D can help you choose the best course of action for your goals.
Tired of the C Section Pooch? Get a Customized Treatment Plan
During your free consultation, Dr. Daneshmand will go over your goals and determine the best treatment plan for you. The treatment plans at Silhouette Plastic Surgery Institute are tailored specifically to your needs. Someone with a deviated septum wouldn’t be interested in calf implants. When you choose to work with Dr. D, you are choosing the best.
Get Rid of Your C Section Shelf Belly
Long gone are the days of silently resenting your body. At Silhouette Plastic Surgery Institute, we produce natural-looking results with great success rates. Dr. Daneshmand is a board-certified plastic surgeon who understands the importance of being comfortable in your own body. From removing stretch marks to getting you back to your pre-baby body, Dr. D can help with it all.
With more than 30 years of experience in the medical field, you can trust Dr. D to help you look and feel your best. To schedule your free consultation, call us today at 949-359-8397 or fill out our online intake form.