Tummy Tuck: Prices, Photos, Reviews, Info, Q&A

Ideally, it is best to loose as much weight as possible before a tummy tuck. However, most people plateau after a significant weight loss such as yours, and it may be very difficult to get that last 30 lbs off. Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t loose all that you would like. If a reasonable diet and exercise fail to work, go ahead with the tummy tuck and enjoy your new body minus 100 lbs. (Kevin F. Hagan, MD, Nashville Plastic Surgeon)

For your health and to obtain the best results, it is best to hold off on your tummy tuck and wait until you’ve reached your target weight or a weight that you will be stable at.

This will give the surgeon a better idea of how your body will react and help him design a tummy tuck that will give you long lasting tummy tuck results. (Pat Pazmino, MD, Miami Plastic Surgeon)

I always want my patients to have a realistic and maintainable goals. If you believe you can realistically maintain a weight of 135 lbs. in the future with a combination of diet, exercise and healthy lifestyle, you should probably try to reach that goal before proceeding with the surgery. If 150 or 160 lbs. is a more realistic number for you, you’d be fine to go ahead with the surgery. In my experience, being 10 to 20 lbs. above a goal weight does not have a significant impact on the surgical results. (Deason Dunagan, MD, Huntsville Plastic Surgeon)

The classic teaching is to wait until you are done losing weight and remain at a stable weight before getting your tummy tuck. However, I have noticed patients often seem re-invigorated to lose weight and get fit after their tummy tucks, even if they had reached their goal weight before having surgery.

They just felt so much better about themselves, and more comfortable in their clothes, that they hit the gym with more enthusiasm and changed their goals. In the end they reached a new goal weight, and noticed they wanted a touch-up for the new loose skin.

After seeing this, I now think if you are close to your goal weight, and understand you may need a second surgery, then it is reasonable to go ahead and get your tummy tuck now. This decision is really patient-specific, and should be discussed one-on-one with a board certified plastic surgeon.

The last 30 pounds is often the hardest, and sometimes the tummy tuck is the jump start to keep you going. However, if you want to have one tummy tuck surgery and be done, then you are better off waiting until you are no longer losing weight.

Also, with a 100 pound weight loss, often a tummy tuck is not enough and you may need a circumferential lower body lift (front and back), which can be done in one or two steps. (Anita Patel, MD, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon)

It’s always better to be at your ideal weight before having body contouring surgery. You’ve already loss a tremendous amount of weight, congratulations!

If you have a significant amount of loose skin it would be reasonable to have the skin resected. This will help with the weight loss and allow you to feel better in clothing and likely help motivate you to get those last couple of pounds off! (Irvin M. Wiesman, MD, Chicago Plastic Surgeon)

Ideally you want to be at or around your ideal body weight before a Tummy Tuck. 30lb is a lot.

I think you should loose the weight first then do the Tummy Tuck, you will have a better result. After losing all the weight then you and your Plastic Surgeon can evaluate what you need to achieve the body immage you desire. (Samir Shureih, MD, Baltimore Plastic Surgeon)

So when is the best time for you to consider a tummy tuck. I generally recommend that you reach your ideal body weight before considering abdominal contouring procedures.

I recommend that weight loss be stablized for at least six months. If you proceed with the tummy tuck too soon, and then you lose another 30+ lbs, you may need some revision surgery in the future (to tighten up new loose skin).

Once your weight loss has been stablized for at least six months or you think that you really will not lose any more weight, then I think that’s the green light for you to proceed to your new tummy. (C. Bob Basu, MD, FACS, Houston Plastic Surgeon)

I usually recommend patients get to their “dry fighting weight”, the lowest that they can achieve and maintain, without reliance on diet pills and/or fad diets. Remember a tummy tuck is a fairly big undertaking and a patient should be prepared mentally, emotionally and physically for it.

If you are chronically malnourished, wound healing may be slow and you may feel thoroughly exhausted.

Another advantage of loosing the last pounds is the great effect it may have on the other component of your silhouette, namely your waist. Women who aren’t close to their “ideal body” weight often complain that their pants are still tight and are dissatisfied with the results. As your weight loss proceeds further, that hip roll and thigh thickness will melt away, so when your tummy tuck is complete, you will appreciate your hard work and results. (Lavinia Chong, MD, Orange County Plastic Surgeon)