AboutAlan M. Engler, MD, FACS Expertise Dr. Engler has answered over 2300 plastic surgery questions for Allexperts. His expertise is in cosmetic plastic surgery including breast surgery (breast enlargement with implants, breast reduction, breast lifts), liposuction, eyelid surgery, tummy tucks, facelifts etc.
Dr. Engler has been listed as one New York`s Top Doctors, and as "One of the World's Most Famous Aesthetic Surgeons" (Aesthetic Surgery, TASCHEN Books, Angelika Taschen, Editor). He is the author of 4 books, including "BodySculpture" (a best-selling plastic surgery book on breast surgery, liposuction and tummy tucks), "EyeScapes" (Plastic Surgery of the Eyelids), "Restylane," and "The Slim Book of Liposuction."
Dr. Engler has two US Patents for surgical instruments that he's designed, and has appeared on numerous television shows, including The Tyra Banks Show, The Ricki Lake Show (four times), and the Dr. Keith Ablow Show. Videos of his appearances are available on YouTube (SEARCH FOR "DR. ENGLER"). His website is www.bodysculpture.com.
Experience Dr. Alan Engler is a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York and the author of BodySculpture - Plastic Surgery of the Body for Men and Women (ISBN 0966382749) one of the top-selling plastic surgery books on amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, etc.
Organizations belong to ASAPS (American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery); ASPS (American Society of Plastic Surgeons); ACS (American College of Surgeons); Clinical Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York
I went to my OBGYN because I still look about 6 months pregnant and my baby is now one year old. My OB said that I had the Diastasis and that I needed to see a plastic surgeon. (Also, I wake up every day with lower back pain.) I am not sure what kind of questions I should be asking. I have been reading that if a Diastasis is not taken care of you can have problems later one (bowel back ups as an example). Have you ever heard when insurance would cover this type of operation?
Thank you,
Answer Hi Theresa,
There's more about tummy tucks at www.bodysculpture.com.
A diastasis recti is a separation of the paired abdominal muscles (the "abs"). It is usually caused by pregnancy (congrats, by the way) but can also be associated with weight gain and subsequent loss, regardless of the cause.
In extreme cases it can approach the degree of a hernia but it usually does not. It is typically repaired as part of a tummy tuck by a plastic surgeon, but there is a limit to how tight the abdomen can be pulled. If it is really that significant, you should probably see a general surgeoon, too, since the repair you require may be better done by someone with that background.
Insurance companies vary widely so you'll have to check with yours. In general, cosmetic procedures are not covered while functional ones are more likely to be. If you're havings symptoms from the diastasis then it's more likely that it will be covered than if it's the apperance you're addressing.
However, each company must be approached individually. When you see the general surgeon and plastic surgeon (you might as well see both so that you can get a good idea of what your options are) you can ask them all of these questions: how to fix it, insurance coverage or reimbursement, etc.
I am not aware of problems down the line related to a diastasis, though there certainly can be if it's a hernia (which implies that loops of bowel can get caught in the sac).
