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Do I Need to Be at my Goal Weight and Have Maintained That Weight in Order to Be Considered a Good Candidate for Abdominoplasty?

asked 8 months ago by Pasadena3814 in Houston, TX
Latest answer by Eric Swanson MD
Question viewed 567 times
Tags: female, weight loss, candidate

I have lost close to 70 # over the past year but would like to lose about 30 - 35 more # to be at what I consider my optimal, or goal, weight. I am close to 5'10" and currently weigh 185. I want to get a tummy tuck to remove the loose skin, stretch marks and scars from numerous other abdominal surgeries. Should I wait until I hit and maintain my goal or am I good candidate now? I also had an emergency unilateral oopherectomy last yr to remove a 17 cm benign tumor and have a bad diastasis.

19 answers to Do I Need to Be at my Goal Weight and Have Maintained That Weight in Order to Be Considered a Good Candidate for Abdominoplasty?

Lose most of your weight before having a tummy tuck

If you are planning to lose 30-35 more pounds, you should do that first before having a tummy tuck. You will have a better cosmetic outcome and will have a lower chance of having complications. Be sure to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon for a complete evaluation. Best wishes, Dr.Bruno

William Bruno, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

www.williambrunomd.com

Losing the weight first may be "ideal", but must be tempered by reality

While your ideal weight can be extrapolated from tables, your PROGRESSION in WEIGHT LOSS over the past couple of months may be a BETTER INDICATOR as to whether you should wait further to achieve that "ideal" weight or move to have the abdominoplasty sooner. In other words , rapid weight loss over the first few months followed by weight loss of 3- 4 pounds a month may mean you are close to reaching your plateau in weight loss and ready for abdominoplasty. If your... more

David N. Hing, MD
Ann Arbor Plastic Surgeon

Weight and tummy tuck

Congratulations on your weight loss. You are likely a good candidate for a tummy tuck procedure. I would need to examine your abdominal wall. If you still have some intra-abdominal fat (fat deep inside your tummy), I would recommend waiting until you've lost more wait. However, based on my exam, if I feel that you've reach a point of good weight loss in your tummy, then I could clear you to proceed with a tummy tuck. The bottom line... more

C. Bob Basu, MD
Houston Plastic Surgeon

www.basuplasticsurgery.com

You have lost enough weight

By the looks of your body photos you have lost ample weight; your problem now is more body contour, and loss of function of the abdominal muscle/fascia wall. The complete classical abdominoplasty, including an aggressive repair of your fascia(Linea Alba), not your 'muscle', is definitely needed. And naturally to repair any incisional hernia that may be present. If you continue to loose more weight, you will be loosing the wrong fat, and won't be changing your weight on... more

William D. Merkel, MD
Grand Junction Plastic Surgeon

Weight loss and abdominoplasty

I agree that you should get within 10-15 pounds of your goal weight prior to having an abdominoplasty. The results will be better and longer lasting. The surgeon will be able to focus on getting you the best result possible and you will be happier in the end. I am concerned that you may have a ventral hernia as a result of the ovarian surgery you had. This needs to be evaluated and may need to be addressed. A hernia repair will be more likely to succeed if your... more

Jeffrey E. Kyllo, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

What is the "Ideal Weight" for Proceeding with a Tummy Tuck?

Dear Pasadena3814, Yes, if we lived in a perfect world, every one would be at their ideal weight before undergoing an abdominoplasty but the last time I checked, we do not live in a perfect world. The goal is to at or near your target weight and that weight varies in every patient. Target weight is not "ideal weight" as defined by some insurance table. It is the realistic weight that a patient can obtain through diet, exercise, surgery, etc. How close you... more

Herluf G. Lund, Jr, MD
Saint Louis Plastic Surgeon

www.stlcosmeticsurgery.com

The best weight for your tummy tuck

It is hard to disagree that the best weight for tummy tuck is your ideal body weight, but the alternative is the goal that you can achieve and can maintain. This should be your 'best' weight, and you are almost there. You are a candidate for a tummy tuck now, though the extra weight loss may just make your result a little better, or the recovery a little easier. You can do it. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Ideal weight before tummy tuck

It would be wise to get closer to your ideal weight before having an abdominoplasty. This will lower your risk of complications and improve your result. In addition, if you lose the weight after surgery, you may develop more loose skin. I would recommend being within about 10 or so pounds of your goal weight.

Laurence Weider, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Yes, you should be at optimal weight before a tummy tuck

In order to "be a good candidate" for a tummy tuck you should be within 10-15 pounds of your optimal goal weight before surgery and demonstrate that this is a stable weight. Also, you need to be examined by a surgeon as you look more like you have a ventral hernia after the abdominal surgery rather than just a rectus diastasis. This can be fixed at the tummy tuck but also requires optimal weight for best results.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Okay to have a tummy tuck even if you are over your ideal weight

Good job. You can have a tummy tuck anytime. With your height and body frame, 185 pounds is well within range. The key anatomic consideration for the surgeon is whether the abdominal muscles will come together in the midline. You already meet that criterion. Many patients have the surgery, even if they are 20 pounds or so above their goal weight. You will lose some weight as a result of the surgery itself, and will not doubt go on to lose the rest of it... more

Eric Swanson MD
Leawood Plastic Surgeon

www.swansoncenter.com

Optimal Weight for Abdominoplasty

The goal of abdominoplasty is not for weight control, but for shaping and removal of redundant skin usually after massive weight loss and/or having children. It is not an operation to reduce weight. The goal is to be within 10% of your optimal body weight either after massive weight loss/gastric bypass and/or after having children. It is a very good procedure for restoring shape and contour of the abdomen.

Rod J. Rohrich, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck preparation

I think you've done all the right things in preparation for your tummy tuck surgery. Further weight loss is not necessary. I do however have a word of advice for you. Patients who are about to undergo tummy tuck surgery spend a lot of time thinking about the physical preparation for the procedure (for example weight loss issues) but do not spend a lot of time thinking about the emotional aspects. It is not uncommon for patients who undergo the procedure to experience severe... more

Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

www.poustiplasticsurgery.com

Being a good candidate for tummy tuck

Hi, thanks for your question and sharing your photos. It would be ideal to get to your "ideal weight" prior to your tummy tuck. You would have a better cosmetic result. However, not all patients can get to the ideal weight. My recommendation would be to get down to within 10-15 lbs of your "ideal, target weight," and be stable at that weight for at least three months. In addition, you want to be healthy and medically optimized... more

Sugene Kim, MD
Houston Plastic Surgeon

Should you lose weight before a tummy tuck?

If you are overweight and are planning on a tummy tuck, it is best to lose the extra weight first before having surgery. Weight loss after the procedure may result in lose skin. Weight loss before the surgery reduces surgical risks and allows the surgeon to remove more skin. In your photograph, your weight is primarily localized around your abdomen so preoperative weight loss would enhance your results.

Elizabeth S. Harris, MD
San Antonio Plastic Surgeon

www.eharrismd.com

Losing additional weight before tummy tuck will give you even better results

If you are planning to lose an additional 30 -35 pounds after having successfully already lost nearly 70 pounds, you would be best served to lose the weight first then proceed with the desired tummy tuck. The results will be significantly better and you will be happier long term. Even getting to within 10 - 15 pounds of this overall goal should be reasonable. Realize also that you will lose at least several pounds just from the skin removal from the tummy tuck.

Steven Turkeltaub, MD
Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon

www.turkeltaub.com

Do I need to be at my ideal weight before having a tummy tuck?

In a perfect world, you should be at your ideal weight before having a tummy tuck. You can still obtain an excellent result if you are within 10-15 lbs of your ideal weight. You have a considerable amount of excess skin and abdominal wall laxity which will be greatly improed with a tummy tuck.

Frank Agullo, MD
El Paso Plastic Surgeon

www.elpasoplasticsurgery.com

Tummy tuck -- ideal weight

Hi, it is best to be at the desired weight . this way you will get most out of your surgery. but you also have to be realistic regarding your goal. it's paramount that your weight has been stable for a while before you undergo surgery. this way you will avoid revisional surgery due to continued weight loss. good luck

Bianca Knoll, MD
Frankfurt Plastic Surgeon

Lose the weight first!

You absolutely want to be at your "happy weight" before surgery. When you lose weight, you lose fat - but your skin doesn't go away. After losing another 30 lbs, your skin will be even looser and more of your excess skin can be removed with the abdominoplasty. Also, being closer to your ideal body weight decreases your risks of surgery. I agree with my colleagues, you need to make sure that you do not have a hernia from your previous surgeries that may... more

Holly Casey Wall, MD
Shreveport Plastic Surgeon

Goal Weight and Tummy Tuck

Based on your photos, you have a large degree of muscle laxity of your lower abdomen. I recommend doing your best on weight loss, but also realize that the fullness in the lower abdomen is not so much fat as it is muscle laxity. Take a look at case 4 and Case 11 on my website...they wer enot particularly thin individuals but both ladies had excessive muscle laxity (look at the shadows on either side of the belly button that improve after surgery) Much of their improvement came... more