How much weight (in loose skin/tissue) will I lose from a tummy tuck?
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Generally, the goal of tummy tuck surgery is to eliminate loose skin, reaproximate separated muscles and localized fat removal.
It is not performed to lose weight. The average weight of the removed skin typically varies from 1-4 pounds. However, more or less can be removed.
You actually lose much less than you expected from a tummy tuck. The surgery is meant to reshape the abdomen and not for weight loss purposes. However, most people lose some weight - usually about 1-2 lbs.
That number dramatically increases with patients who have had massive weight loss from diet and exercise or gastric bypass. Those patients can lose much more from the surgery - the most I have removed has been 63 lbs and that was a panniculectomy and not a tummy tuck.
The surgery is meant to address the shape of your abdomen after you have lost weight on your own. If you don't have a stable weight or lifestyle as far as diet and exercise go - the surgery will be wasted if you gain the weight back.
Therefore, the ideal patient is one that has been stable at their weight, medically healthy enough for the surgery and with realistic expectations regarding the outcome.
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