I Have One 2 Year Old, I Am Not Having Anymore Kids, is It Too Early to Get a Tummy Tuck?

I am 24 yrs old, 5'2, about 40 lbs over weight. I had my first born 2 years ago, since then it has been near impossible for me to lose this excess weight and especially belly area. I've never been skinny but I really want to get rid of this excess belly skin. Is it too soon to be thinking of a tummy tuck?

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age 18-24 overweight 5 ft 0 in to 5 ft 3 in after pregnancy

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10 Doctor Answers | Asked by NidiQ24 in Palm Beach, Florida

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Timing for Tummy Tuck

Sometimes it seems patients can hit a roadblock when it comes to weight loss. I am commonly asked by potential patients if it is best to lose weight before having a tummy tuck. My answer is that it is always helpful for your result to be at your healthiest weight. However, if I had to choose between my patients losing weight before or after a tummy tuck, I will almost always choose after---it is amazing what a little surgical motivation can do for people. And the... more

Not too early

For best results, patients should be within 10-15 pounds of their ideal body weight. Just realize, that If you choose to have a tummy tuck now and then lose a significant amount of weight after surgery, you may once again have lax abdominal skin.

George John Alexander, MD

3 reviews

Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon

Definitely not too early

If you aren't planning to have any more kids, then it's definitely not too early to consider getting a tummy tuck. 2 years is plenty of time for your body to recover from pregnancy and childbirth. By this time, your body has adjusted to the changes resulting from having a child, and that loose skin most likely will never tighten back up to the way it was before pregnancy. Women find that any fat in the midsection becomes even more resistant to healthy diet and exercise as well. My only... more

Jerome Edelstein, MD

13 reviews

Toronto Plastic Surgeon

Hello

It’s not too early to have a tummy tuck. If you have tried dieting and exercise that in itself will not remove the excessive skin. Tummy tuck will get rid of the skin and repair the muscles.

is It Too Early to Get a Tummy Tuck?

The only thing that makes it too early is that if it is possible for you to lose some of the 40 pounds you will have a better long term result. Otherwise the timing is not an issue, and two years after pregnancy is more than sufficient. When you ready for an in person consultation, RealSelf has listings of surgeons in your area. You should consider cross referencing the listings from the The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (plasticsurgery dot org). A listing in the ASPS... more

Post partum tummy tuck timing

The timing of tummy tuck surgery after child birth is of great concern to all new mothers considering cosmetic procedures. Three main questions are essential: are you finished having children?, are you finished breast feeding?, are you now at a stable weight after delivery?. If you answer these question "yes" then you are ready for a tummy tuck. The excess skin you speak of is a natural finding after child birth, but only tummy tuck surgery will remove it. The... more

Too Soon for Tummy Tuck?

It is the best to have a consultation with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who will be able to determine how much of the excess weight is in the abdominal cavity and how much is under the skin (intraabdominal vs. extraabdominal fat). Based on your height and the 40 lbs excess weight that you have mentioned you will get a significantly better result if you lose the weight prior to undergoing the surgery. Tummy Tuck may be able to remove... more

Tummy Tuck at Age of 20?

Thank you for the question. Based on your description of your psychosocial situation, you may be an excellent candidate for tummy tuck surgery. You will be best off achieving a long-term stable weight prior to proceeding with this operation. Doing so will help minimize complications and potentially minimize the need for further surgery in the future. When the time is right, seek consultation with board-certified plastic surgeons who can demonstrate significant... more

Age Criteria For A Tummy Tuck

It is only too soon for a tummy tuck if you are going to have more children, are less than six months after your final planned pregnancy or are planning to lose more than 20 lbs in the near future. Other than these criteria, the loose skin is not going away under any circumstances other than surgical. By your description, it is reasonable to think about tummy tuck surgery and go in and get a consultation.

Loose skin does not get any better with time and a tummy tuck an do wonders for your self-esteem. You are not too young.

Do you mean too soon after your pregnancy or that you may be too young for a tummy tuck? The answer to both questions is that it is not too early. The loose skin is not going to get better. And it can affect your self-esteem (women are usually more concerned about it than men!). Even in women who may possibly go on to have another child in the future, we often do tummy tucks to correct the skin deformity and regain your prepregnancy condition (also tightening the... more