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Weight Loss After a Tummy Tuck

A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is a cosmetic surgery procedure performed to flatten and smooth the appearance of your abdomen. It is recommended for a person at a stable, healthy weight who wishes to remove flab and loose skin. If you are planning significant weight loss in the future or are looking for a form of weight loss surgery, a tummy tuck might not be the right procedure for you.

  1. The Facts

    • Your surgeon will perform your tummy tuck in a hospital operating room. You will be given general anesthesia and the procedure will take between two and six hours. Your surgeon will begin by making an incision across the lower part of your abdomen. From there, she will remove fatty tissue and extra skin from your abdomen. She can also tighten your abdominal muscles. After she is finished, she will stitch the incision closed.

    Results

    • A tummy tuck is designed to give your stomach a flatter, smoother appearance. It is not a form of weight loss surgery. Although fatty tissue is removed, it is not done to reduce your body weight but instead improve the appearance of your abdomen. After undergoing your tummy tuck, your abdomen should look smoother and feel firmer because of the muscles that were tightened and the extra skin that was removed.

    Causes of Weight Loss

    • Although a tummy tuck is not intended to be weight loss surgery, you may still lose some weight after undergoing the procedure. If your doctor combines your tummy tuck with liposuction, more fatty tissue will be removed from your body. If you have lost a significant amount of weight, then you could have a lot of excess skin at your abdomen. Removing the skin could also result in weight loss.

    Considerations

    • If you plan to lose a significant amount of weight in the future, your surgeon might recommend that you put off undergoing a tummy tuck. Weight loss after a tummy tuck can undo many of the effects of the procedure.When you lose fatty tissue in your abdomen, you will end up with some remaining fatty deposits, which can cause unsightly bulging in your stomach. You can also be left with excess skin, which will ruin the tightened appearance achieved by the tummy tuck.

    Warning

    • If you experience notable weight loss after your tummy tuck and the effects of it are undone, then you could need to undergo a second procedure to restore your appearance. You will expose yourself to potential complications like adverse reactions to the anesthesia and the risk of uncontrolled bleeding during the procedure or your recovery period. A tummy tuck leaves behind a noticeable scar and a second procedure will not improve the appearance of it. Other risks include infection, poor wound healing and loss of skin sensation.

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