Tummy Tuck: Q&A

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How Will Weight Gain After Tummy Tuck Affect Results?

If I gain weight after having an abdominoplasty, how will it affect the results?

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22 Doctor Answers | Asked by snj0404 in LA

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Weight gain stretches skin and underlying tissues

The larger the weight gain, the more the skin and underlying tissues are stretched. When you lose the weight again, the Tummy Tuck results may not look as good. Therefore, it is ideal to maintain a stable weight after your procedure.

Weight gain after a tummy tuck

Gaining weight afte a tummy tuck is always an issue. The weight may go back on to your abdomen or other areas. The goal is to stay within a small weight range after surgery.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Small changes in your weight will not affect results

SNJ0404, Small changes in your weight will not affect results. However, you should not look at tummy tuck as a weight loss procedure. It is better to look at it as a second change. That the opportunity to now life a healthy lifestyle, maintain good nutrition, and exercise regularly and you should be able to maintain excellent results.

Tummy will gain much less after Abdominoplasty

If you gain weight after a tummy tuck, the weight will be spread everywhere where there are fat cells. The tummy tuck simply changes the proportion of fat in your tummy area compared to the rest of your body. Therefore, your tummy will gain much less compared to the rest of your body.

Your fat pads will get thicker, like before your tummy tuck

It is best to have your tummy tuck when your weight is stable and you are planning no more children to optimize your result and ensure longevity of the result. If you do gain weight, you can sort of get an idea of what to expect by understanding the procedure. The traditional tummy tuck removes the skin and fat between the navel and pubic hair region. The wound is closed by pulling down the tissue from above the navel and closing it with the wound edge above the pubic area. With that in... more

Depends on the amount of weight gain after tummy tuck

Normal fluctuations in weight (i.e. between 10 to 15 lbs.) should not have any permanent effect on your results. When more than a 20 lb weight gain is involved, you run the risk of stretching the skin again. If a person does have a large weight gain and then loses it again, a smaller operation can usually remove any excess skin, with minimal recovery and cost.

Weight gaineffects after Tummy tuck

Weight should be maintained within a tight range after a tummy tuck to keep the maximum benefit. After a tummy tuck fat cells are still present and these cells will grow in size with increased fatty intake. Also, eating high sugar and fatty foods can cause your visceral fat (i.e., fat around your internal organs) to increase and this will cause distortion of your abdomen shape.

Improvement in SHAPE tends to be permanent.

To snj0404, Hi! When you gain weight, you have more fat everywhere, including your stomach. So your stomach can get bigger, but no more so than the rest of you

Significant weight gain will lessen Tummy Tuck results

Although fat and skin are removed and muscles tightened after tummy tuck, the skin that is left behind and your intestines can continue to store fat if you gain weight. You can gain weight and increase the thicknesss of your abdominal skin and the amount of fat inside your abdomen after tummy tuck. If this happens, the increased fat will definitely show and you will lose the nice flat tummy that was created by the tummy tuck. 3-5 pounds may not be visible but 10 lbs certainly will. more

Not much unless you normally gain weight in that area

This is a good question. When I perform a full tummy tuck, I bring the tummy muscles back together (the ones that run along side of your belly button) and I take the extra skin ( the skin that usually hangs over). I also make a new belly button. So, if one gains weight and they have a tendency to gain in the abdomen, then it might effect the tummy tuck result. If one gains a less than 10 lbs, then most likely the results won't be effected. However, if one gains 20-30 lbs. then it might... more

Weight gain after tummy tuck

Weight gain after tummy tuck can affect the cosmetic outcome depending on the total weight gain. While most womne can affort about a 15lb weight change after a tummy tuck, any more weight gain would affect the results. Fortunately, i you loose the added weight, your tummy tuck results can return.

Loose Skin, Weakened Muscles, and Stretch Marks May Be Recreated From Weight Gain Following Abdominoplasty

Significant weight gain can occasionally occur following tummy tuck surgery. In the vast majority of abdominoplasty patients this is not a problem. In abdominoplasty patients life style changes are often an important part of their recovery. They tend to watch their diet and exercise more frequently. Unfortunately, when weight gain following abdominoplasty occurs, the impact upon the procedure can be significant. Many of the original problems such as loose saggy... more

Weight gain may affect the results of your tummy tuck.

But is really depends on how much weight you put on. Most likely with a little bit of weight gain the fat will go else where. Most patients are extremely motivated to stay fit and maintain their figure after having invested the time and money on an abdominoplasty.

Weight gain post tummy tuck. Impact on results?

Fat will typically stretch the skin. If you lose weight, the skin may snap back, or it can be loose again. We advise that you stay in a "normal" range of weight after having the surgery. Please let your plastic surgeon know your concerns.

Weight Gain After Body Contouring Surgery

The most important thing to consider if you’re having body contouring surgery (it ranges from liposuction to abdominoplasty or central bodylift) is you must change your diet, exercise and lifestyle. I tell my patients, I will do 50% of your re-shaping and contouring with the body contouring surgery. However, the other 50% is done by the patient with diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes. Those patients get the best aesthetic results and look the best long-term. more

Rod J. Rohrich, MD

10 reviews

Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Weight gain after tummy tuck

The effects of weight gain after tummy tuck depend on the maginitude of the weight gain. In the most severe case another tummy tuck may be warranted. In one instance, I had one individual requesting release of her muscle repair due to discomfort and sensations of tightness and early post prandial satiety. see video

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

32 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Weight gain after tummy tuck

Tummy tucks are a very popular and effective way to contour the abdomen. After the surgery, we recommend our patients initiate a rigorous exercise program and a healthy low-fat diet. This will help ensure that they maintain their beautiful new results. If you gain a significant amount of weight after your tummy tuck your fat will redistribute as before. The abdominal skin will become thicker and you can also collect some fat into the waist and hips. To learn more about tummy tucks,... more

Tummy Tuck results won't be as good after weight gain

Snj0404, Standard abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) includes several components: internal fibrous / muscle support, fat removal, and skin removal. Each of them causes long term (permanent) changes in your body. They do not stop you from gaining weight, although you will gain proportionately less in your abdomen afterward. You may lose some of the shape or silhouette benefits if you gain weight post-op. However, your abdominal contour will be better than if you gained weight without having the... more

Weight gain not advantageous for Tummy Tuck results

Weight gain is not advantageous after abdominoplasty surgery. Although most surgeons reccomend that women avoid pregnancy after abdominoplasty surgery, there is some limited evidence to suggest that the results may still remain satisfactory even after pregnancy. Generally speaking, most patients have invested such a large amount of time and energy towards achieving this goal, they are very motivated to keep that last bit of weight off.

Small weight gains after tummy tuck surgery - no problem

Usually abdominoplasties are performed for loose skin problems. I try to excise the skin from the top of the pubic hair to or above the umbilicus. Generally the upper abdomen is thicker than the lower, so I combine liposuction with abdominoplasty. I will also suction the sides, hips, as well as other areas. By suctioning these areas at the same time, I have removed a large number of the fat cells in that area. Therefore, a small weight gain will not be that noticable. You will still... more

The effect of weight gain on tummy tuck results depends

Ideally, do not undergo abdominoplasty unless your lifestyle and weight are stable and sustainable. If the weight gain is insignificant, 1-2% of body weight, then the results after abdominoplasty will not be impacted. At some point, some weight gain will change the results of the abdominoplasty depending on why the surgery was done and what was done. If you had excessive fat that was removed, then weight gain may produce an increase of fat thickness but probably less than if you hadn't had... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD

4 reviews

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Weight gain after tummy tuck

It depends on how much you gain and where you are starting. A minimal gain will have minimal affect. A large gain if you start as a small person will be quite noticeable. You should see a board-certified plastic surgeon with experience in this technique. Your best bet to locate a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area is to contact plasticsurgery.org.