Having a tummy tuck as part of a ‘mummy makeover’ can improve back pain and incontinence in mothers, new research suggests.
They are two of the most common complaints experienced by women after they have had a child.
And Australian researchers now claim the cosmetic procedure could combat their agony and embarrassment.
A host of celebrities, including TV star Kim Zolciak who rose to fame on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, have had a tummy tuck after giving birth.
It repairs the separation of two stomach muscles that can split while women are carrying, which can leave them looking pregnant long after giving birth.
A host of celebrities, including TV star Kim Zolciak who rose to fame on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, have had a tummy tuck after giving birth
The tummy tuck is one of many involved in a so-called ‘mummy makeover’, which consists of boob job, bum lifts and vaginal rejuvenation.
Some 214 women who had underwent abdominoplasty – the medical term for the operation branded a tummy tuck – were studied.
Each of the women were quizzed about how their back pain or incontinence was affecting their life before and after the surgery.
Prior to the trial, half had moderate disability from their back pain and urinary incontinence was a ‘significant concern’ for two fifths.
But six months later, only nine per cent of patients still reported moderate disability from their back pain.
And urinary incontinence remained a problem for less than two per cent of the women after even less time – just six weeks.
Similar benefits were noted from each of the different types of abdominoplasty that the women had, found experts at the CAPS Clinic in Deakin.
Tummy tucks incorporate repairing the separation of the rectus diastasis – which explain why some women look pregnant weeks after giving birth.
It is believed that fixing this restores strength and stability in the abdominal and pelvic regions of the body.
A stronger abdomen is a known fix for back pain, while boosting pelvic muscles can help incontinence, studies show.
Dr Alastair Taylor, was the lead author of the study, published in the medical journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
He said: ‘By reducing the problems of back pain and incontinence, abdominoplasty with rectus repair leads to a better life for women after childbearing.’
Dr Rod Rohrich, editor-in-chief of the journal, which is the official publication of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, welcomed the findings.
He said: ‘The results demonstrate that tummy tucks do have functional benefits, as well as cosmetic ones, particularly in the postpartum population’
‘If you are done having children, and still suffering from back pain or incontinence, you may consider an abdominoplasty as a surgical solution.’
Figures show nearly 130,000 tummy tucks were performed in the US last year. There are nearly 3,000 performed privately in the UK each year.