Do I have to reach my weight loss goal before tummy tuck surgery?

You should be proud of yourself for losing so much weight! I tell my patients that they should be within 10 to 15 pounds of their goal weight before they have a tummy tuck, for the simple reason that the more weight that you lose, the tighter that you can pull the muscles towards the center and the more skin... more

In general, patients should be within 5-10 pounds of their ideal "goal" weight before having a tummy-tuck, liposuction, body lift, or other combined procedure, but there are always exceptions. In some cases, patients will experience a much greater capacity for, and desire to, exercise and maintain or... more

When patients lose weight as a result of healthy changes in diet and a regular exercise program, that weight loss is real. Fad diets and pills often yield impressive results, but are too often followed by a yo-yo weight fluctuation pattern. Having said that, healthy active patients often reach a weight... more

Congratulations on your weight loss - that is quite an accomplishment. Here is how I approach this: Although I have a goal weight, how long will it take me to achieve it? How realistic is the goal weight I have chosen? If you will get there in a reasonable amount of time and it is a weight you will maintain,... more

First of all congratulations on your weight loss. There are several factors to consider when contemplating when to have your tummy tuck procedure. First, are you still actively losing weight or have you plateaued for several months? If you are still losing weight, I would try to get as close to your goal as... more

As long as your weight loss goal is realistic, you are best to have your surgery when you are closer to the goal weight. Additionally, it helps to be stable at the new weight for 6 months. When you lose additional weight after a tummy tuck, you may diminish the nice tight appearance attained at the time of... more

I have a portfolio I have a large selection of photos of clients with lots of rolls of skin and fat and many who have just loose skin. The final result is the same. It is always healthier to lose weight if you are overweight, but this does not tighten the skin.   If you are obese, I suggest waiting until... more

When patients start to lose weight, they sometimes get so excited that they don't know when to stop! They also forget that the hanging abdominal pannus also weighs a lot by itself. Losing too much weight is not good! Becuase then, your face, buttocks, and breasts start to hang too much and you will look bad. I... more

Hi there- I know that after your tremendous accomplishment, you must be eager to pursue a tummy tuck to reward yourself- and you do deserve to look your best for the effort. It is important to understand what happens to skin after weight loss however. When you lose weight, the skin will contract, or shrink a... more

In general, a patient should ideally be within 10-20 pounds of their goal weight and maintain that for a few months before proceeding with surgery. The risk of losing more than 25 or 30 pounds after surgery is that you will develop loose skin again and need a revision done. It is nice to have lost all of the... more