It depends completely on the amount of fat ion the upper abdomen above the belly button. If there is an appropriate amount of fat in this area, you can have your tummy tuck at any time.
The additional weight loss after surgery will actually improve your results. If it is safe to perform the tummy tuck based on your fat distribution, it will be planned baed on anatomic landmarks. Thus it may not be necessary to reach your goal prior to surgery. (Gary Lawton, MD San Antonio Plastic Surgeon)
It is always best to be at your ideal weight for a tummy tuck, although often patients are not at their ideal weight when they have the procedure. Typically it depends how thick the fat is between the skin and the muscle.
The thicker the fat, the more slowly the patient will heal. Complication rates increase for patients who are substantially overweight. (David Stoker, MD, Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon)
I advocate that patients be within 15-20 pounds of their goal weight before having tummy tuck surgery for the optimal result. If you have the surgery and then lose another 30 pounds, you will probably still love your results (although you may have some skin laxity from the weight loss). (John Zavell, MD, FACS, Toledo Plastic Surgeon)
Losing weight before tummy tuck
If at all possible, I recommend that my patients reach within 10% of their goal weight before considering body contouring. It makes sense that if we “tighten up” everything to the optimum allowable conditions, it will become somewhat lax if you loose additional weight.
I’ve found that 10% does not make a significant difference, so it is a reasonable goal. That being said, some patients hit a plateau and cannot seem to loss further weight. If your weight has been stable despite a healthy diet and exercise program, you might want to reconsider your goal weight, and proceed with the tummy tuck. Occasionally, after surgery with a new you, you might now notice that your weight again drops – this can be because your new figure invigorates you to push further.
It sounds like you are very close to being there – visit with a board certified plastic surgeon, discuss your goals, and have them look over your physique to give their opinion. (Michael A. Bogdan, MD, FACS, Dallas Plastic Surgeon)
First of all, my sincerest congratulations are extended to you for a job well done! You should be very proud of yourself loosing a hundred pounds. My advice to you is to find a competent, board certified plastic surgeon that is experienced in body contouring surgery in major weight loss patients.
You need to engage in earnest discussions and develop surgical plan specifically designed for you. After all, the timing of surgery is all about your wants and needs!
The excessive abdominal skin must be extremely bothersome; therefore, proceeding with the tummy tuck procedure (abdominoplasty) is not unreasonable. However, you must accept that with additional weight loss additional procedures and revisions are likely.
Again, congratulations are in order. (Stephen A. Goldstein, MD, Englewood Plastic Surgeon)
To gain the optimal results for a body contouring procedure including a tummy tuck, you should be near your target weight.
If you believe that you are within your acceptable weight zone, then arrange a consultation with a board certified surgeon to benefit from his/her expertise. (Kris M. Reddy, MD, FACS, West Palm Beach Plastic Surgeon)
Most surgeons feel that you should be at a stable weight (within 10-15lbs) for at least six months and ideally a year. This will maximize your results. (Pramit Malhotra, MD, Ann Arbor Plastic Surgeon)
I usually recommend that the patient wait until your weight doesn’t change much. If you do not have a lot of weight in your abdomen, then you could go ahead and have a TT or LBF to help contour these areas. During these procedures, I do remove quite a bit of tissue also. (Edward J. Domanskis, MD, Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon)
Weight loss goal before surgery.
It is always ideal and best results possible when you are within 15 to 20 pounds of your goal weight prior to having your tummy tuck. (David L. Robbins, MD, FACS, West Des Moines Plastic Surgeon)
Losing 100 lbs is quite an accomplishment. If you are planning to lose another 30 lbs I would hold off on having a tummy tuck. After surgery, significant weight fluctuations could alter your result and create a need for additional procedures down the road. I like my patients to be at a stable weight for at least 3 months before having any body contouring procedure. I know the loose skin is undesirable but try to be patient. Massive weight loss is a long challenging life changing process. A little patience now will be well worth it in the long run. Be sure to research only board certified plastic surgeons that have experience working with massive weight loss patients like you. (Morgan E. Norris, MD, FACS, Houston Plastic Surgeon)
I have a portfolio I have a large selection of tummy tuck photos of clients with lots of rolls of skin and fat and many who have just loose skin. The final result is the same. It is always healthier to lose weight before tummy tuck if you are overweight, but this does not tighten the skin.
If you are obese, I suggest waiting until it is safe to operate and have a clearance for general anesthesia. It is often very good to lose weight afterward, and your tummy looks better.
I perform liposuction under your bra area and around the hip areas to give some contouring with all my tummy tucks. This is part of my tummy tuck fee and give clients a more satisfactory result. (John Ward, MD, Phoenix Plastic Surgeon )