How to Get Rid of “Muffin Top” With Cosmetic Surgery

Posted on December 30, 2015 by: Dr. Ronald DeMars

Curious about plastic surgery for muffin top concerns? The term “muffin top” first came into use to describe an undesirable look in about 2003 and actually was first used in Australia. It’s now become a universal term used to refer to a couple of problems, either excess fat and/or skin that hangs over the waistband on the sides of the body, but also sometimes the same problem at the front of the waist.

Getting rid of muffin top is a common goal. Exercise and weight control are important but unfortunately they cannot remove fat from specific fat zones (despite what you may see in advertisements). The problem arises most commonly after pregnancies when the skin has been damaged and when fat distribution changes, but is also seen in the middle years when our torsos start to shrink, truly leaving too much skin.

Causes of Muffin Top and Appropriate Solutions

Correcting the problem is a frequent request from our surgery patients.  But before we can decide how to correct it, the specific cause of the problem has to be diagnosed. In younger patients (and also in male patients) who have no issues with loss of the skin elasticity, the cause is often an accumulation of fat under the skin. As long as the skin is of good quality, the contour reduction can be accomplished with liposuction. This is a very common procedure for body sculpting that is of low risk and short downtime. Only very tiny incisions are made and the procedure is done on an outpatient basis. There are several varieties of liposuction, the most common one is called “tumescent” but there is no best type, the results are determined more by the skill of the surgeon than the type of machine used to perform the procedure.

For the majority of women that have had babies, skin problems from stretching play a big role in the muffin top appearance, especially in the front of the abdomen.  If the fat under the skin is removed and the skin is incapable of tightening, the removal of the fat results in even looser skin, so liposuction alone is not the answer. At that point surgical tightening of the skin will be necessary, therefore a Tummy Tuck, or abdominoplasty, is necessary to both remove the fat and tighten the skin. This may also be required around the sides of the waist.

What’s the best way for you to get rid of a muffin top? A correct diagnosis during a consultation is the first step. The most qualified person to help you make these decisions is a board certified and experienced plastic surgeon. If you are in the Portland-metro area and want to get rid of your muffin top, contact our office to schedule a consultation with Dr. DeMars and see how we can help you achieve your goals.