How much weight would I be likely to lose after a tummy tuck?

The real issue is not what the scale says after surgery, but how you will look and feel. Most tummy tucks remove only a few pounds of skin and fat, rarely up to 6-8 pounds with heavier patients. However, the shape or contour of the abdomen is usually improved so dramatically that patients may LOOK like they've lost 20-30 pounds or more. The bottom line is that a tummy tuck is designed to improve your shape and appearance, and it's perhaps the most powerful surgical procedure we have to accomplish that, but is not designed as a weight loss tool. That being said, I do have many patients who have lost significant weight AFTER undergoing a tummy tuck, even though they had never been able to lose much weight previously despite years of diets. On my website, listed below, are some photos of such women, as described in the photo captions. They experienced a tremendous improvement in shape and appearance immediately from the surgery, then lost 60-80 pounds over the next year, producing a miraculous change that could not be obtained with surgery alone or with weight loss alone. Their skin remained tight, and they look half the size they were before. Eliminating hanging rolls of skin and fat can make exercise (running, aerobics, etc.) much easier. It also becomes easier to maintain a diet, since a 5-10 pound weight loss with dieting is more easily seen and appreciated by the patient, since it's not hidden by the hanging rolls of skin and fat.

The amount of weight removed varies from patient to patient depending on the amount if skin to be removed and the thickness of the fat layer.  Usually it is five pounds or less,  so don't expect to lose much weight from the procedure even though you will look like you lost more than just five pounds.

A tummy tuck is performed to tighten stretched out abdominal muscles, remove excess loose skin and tissue, and contour the abdomen shape. While the removed tissue may weigh 2-6 pounds, depending on your personal anatomy,  an abdominoplasty is not a weight loss procedure. That is accomplished with diet and exercise.The best long term cosmetic results with the least likelihood of potential
complications are achieved in patients who weigh within 10 pounds of their
ideal weight.I
would suggest you find a plastic surgeon with extensive body contouring surgery
experience who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and
ideally a member of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS)
that you trust and are comfortable with. You should discuss your concerns
with that surgeon in person.

Robert Singer, MD FACS

La Jolla, California