How Much Weight Can I Lose from Tummy Tuck Surgery?

The tummy tuck operation addresses loose (droopy) skin, extra fat, and rectus muscles that have been pulled apart, (usually with pregnancy). We take off a substanital amount of tissue, but it does not weigh that much when placed on the scale. Remember bone and muscle weigh more than fat and skin. It will look like more "weight" was dropped by the patient as they will get into their clothes better and have a trimmer shape.

A tummy tuck procedure should give a good reduction in waist , it also gives reduction in weight from excision of skin and subcutaneous fat, i do some liposuction to flanks adding to weight loss. Most patients lose between 0.5 to 1.5 kg in weight of excised tissue but this depends on patient excess skin. Generally excess skin from belly button to lower abdomen crease is taken out in the surgery. A consultation with consultant plastic surgeon will give you an idea of skin that can be excised during the procedure.

The answer to this question really depends on a patient's anatomy. Most people have less than 5 pounds removed of skin and fat, but often like 10 inches high worth of excision is taken from the skin in the lower abdomen, and typically the entire width of the abdomen, so it can be a very significant amount of tissue. That being said a tummy tuck is not an operation for weight loss, it is an operation to contour the abdomen and tighten it, making it look more youthful. Most patients prefer to try to lose weight as much as they can before the operation to maximize their outcome surgery. -David Mattos, Harvard-trained Plastic Surgeon