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I Have Decided to Get Tummy Tuck; but I Was Told That I Have Visceral Fat? (photo)

I want to have TT; but during a consult one of the PS stated I have visceral fat. This has made me question if I will see results from the surgery. I am 5'0 and weigh 155 pounds. I've been this weight for a few years; but I would like to get my down to 130. I'm very solid and build muscle quickly; yet I can never obtain a flat stomach. My fear is I will have the surgery and still have the tummy.

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5 ft 0 in to 5 ft 3 in 150-169 lbs visceral fat

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19 Doctor Answers | Asked by Ashique4

Doctor Answers (19)
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Everyone has some visceral fat

Hello, Thank you for the question. The real question is whether you have mostly visceral fat. Since a tummy tuck addresses the skin and fat above the muscle (out of the abdomen) a significant portion of the total volume of the abdomen being inside the abdomen will decrease some of your results. From the photos alone I suspect you would still be happy with a tummy tuck that involved liposuction as well as abdominal wall tightening. All the best Dr Remus Repta more

Abdominoplasty with Mesh Reinforcement to lose visceral fat

Visceral fat is fat within the abdominal cavity as opposed to the fat that you can feel in your abdominal wall, which is subcutaneous fat. You would benefit from a new technique called Abdominoplasty with Mesh Reinforcement. This technique has recently been in Plastic and Reconstructive Journal literature. The advantage of this technique is the mesh will provide additional support, which will help you lose weight and maintain the reduced weight. Best Wishes, Gary... more

Too much visceral fat for a tummy tuck?

Your photos appear that you do have more than the usual amount of visceral fat. However, I also see "love handles" which makes me think that you have excess fat outside of the muscular wall as well, and your abdominal muscles appear very lax. I expect that an abdominoplasty would offer substantial improvement for you. It would remove the excess skin, the excess fat outside of the abdominal wall and tighten the muscles. Some liposuction would be necessary, but most tummy tucks require... more

Visceral Fat and Tummy Tuck

Visceral fat refers to the fat within the abdominal cavity all around your abdominal organs. This type of fat can NOT be reduce with liposuction or a tummy tuck. A plastic surgeon can pinch your subcutaeous fat (that fat just behind the skin but outside of the abdominal muscles) to get an idea of its thickness. This will give some indication of the amount of reduction in overall girth that can be obtained by surgery. If needed, a CT scan can measure the thickness of... more

Ideal Weight is Ideal

Plastic surgeons are always taught to tell patients that they should reach "their" ideal weight before doing a tummy tuck because they will get rid of fat both inside and out and thus get better results. What I've found more often than not, is that patient's get a jump start from a tummy tuck! Once they have an improved body image they continue to lose weight and exercise and further improve the results of the surgery. Even at your current weight you can get an excellent... more

I Have Decided to Get Tummy Tuck; but I Was Told That I Have Visceral Fat?

In your case I would be close to 130 before the operation. This allows you the best chance of obtains the "flat" look.

Tummy tuck result

You should expect significant improvement after your tummy tuck, especially if liposuction is performed at same time to give you better contour. The amount of visceral fat and integrity of your abdominal muscles will also affect your final result. To reduce visceral fat, you have to continue diet and exercise. I recommend patients start diet and exercises even before their tummy tuck surgery and continue once they recovered from surgery. This allows them to maintain the surgical result over... more

Hello

Getting a tummy tuck will give you good results. It will be removing your excess skin and fat. Are you having liposuction of your flanks to give you a refine and better contour?

Visceral Fat, and Tummy Tuck

Everyone has "visceral fat", that is, fat inside the abdominal cavity, vs. fat beneath the skin. The doctor is really saying that you have more visceral fat than say a skinny person. Visceral fat, even when thick, doesn't mean you won't get a great result. It means you won't get the same results as a skinny person. It is a good idea to look at tummy tuck pictures of patients with a similar body type, and see if the results would be worth it to you. The... more

A combination of a tummy tuck to remove subcutaneous fat and dieting for visceral fat reduction is ideal.

Yes, you have visceral fat. Everyone does. And the only way to reduce this fat is through weight loss. However, you also have excess subcutaneous fat and skin laxity. You are a candidate for a tummy tuck. I would highly recommend liposuction of your abdomen and flanks at the same time. If you don't, you'll look squared of in the hips and will have a persistent bulge in your upper tummy area. But this has to be done carefully by an experienced plastic... more

Visceral Fat and Tummy Tuck?

A tummy tuck with tighten your skin and the oftentimes stretched fascia that supports your "bowels". However, it does not reduce the "visceral fat" in and around your bowels, and this can significantly limit the skin tightening and the fascial tightening that can be performed. Also, many plastic surgeons believe that it is risky to liposuction the upper tummy at the time of a full tummy tuck in terms of damaging the blood supply to the skin and causing a higher risk of skin loss... more

Inside vs Outside Fat

Visceral (or inside) fat refers to the normal fat that surrounds the intestines and abdominal content. This can not be reduced with an abdominoplasty- only with weight reduction. Outside fat refers to fat within the skin layer- this can be be reduced with surgery. Looking at your pictures, you have components of both and I agree with the other experts who feel that you should see an improvement with a tummy tuck. That being said, to get the best possible result, we would like to plicate... more

Tummy Tuck Candidate?

Thank you for the question and pictures. Based on your pictures and stated goals, I think you should have a very nice result after tummy tuck surgery. I would suggest that you reach your long term stable weight prior to undergoing the procedure. Select your plastic surgeon carefully; ask to see lots of examples of his/her work helping patients in your situation. Best wishes.

Visceral Fat?

Although you may not get quite the result you (or your surgeon) would like, you should attain an excellent improvement. The tummy tuck will remove excess skin and fat from the abdominal wall--the tissues outside the abdominal muscles. There is also fat within the abdominal cavity--around your "viscera"--your internal organs. That fat is not accessible during a tummy tuck, or liposuction for that matter. It will go away with weight loss. The abdominal muscles will be... more

Visceral Fat

Thank you for the photos which are most helpful. The TT will address the amount of loose and lax skin above the muscle, however, the visceral fat will not really be affected by this procedure since it sits behind the muscle and really responds to diet and exercise. You will see a difference but a completely flat abdomen may not be realistic outcome. I would revisit with your PS and get a realistic picture of what the outcome would be and if that meets your own expectations... more

Tummy tuck with viceral fat explained

It is very valuable that your surgeon discussed with you the internal fat that all patients have and how it contributes to your ultimate tummy tuck result. The internal or visceral organs have fat much like the rest of the soft tissues of the body. This fat is lost when we undergo weight loss. The muscle plication and waistline narrowing a tummy tuck achieves is limited by this internal fat. Although you will likely have a good result, the best result will be with... more

What to expect after tummy tuck

Visceral fat is fat inside your abdominal cavity that pushes out your belly. It is not fixed with a tummy tuck. A tummy tuck will remove the extra loose skin you have (such as the skin folding down your lower abdomen), tighten the skin, and tighten the muscles a little. It will not result in much weight loss at all. You will be noticeably different, but will still not have a completely tight flat belly. If you are considering weight loss, it's a good idea to lose as much weight as... more

Visceral fat considerations with tummy tuck

In looking at your photos I agree, I think you will have a nice result. There is some loose skin (mild pannus) from the side view that will be corrected with a tummy tuck. There still may be some fullness left on top of the abdomen and this often requires a second minor procedure - liposuction only - to get fully flat. Some plastic surgeons will do lipo in this area at the time of the tummy tuck; however, the blood supply is a bit more tenuous in the upper abdomen. ... more

Visceral fat and tt

This is an excellent question. The fat of the abdomen develops in two places, in front and behind the muscles. The fat in front of the muscles, the subcutaneous fat, is reated with liposuction and/or a tummy tuck. The fat behind the muscle is called the visceral fat and is not treated surgically. This fat is around your abdominal organs and is only lost through diet and exercise. During the evaluation for a tt, the surgeon assesses the amount of each type of fat in order to estimate your... more