How Young is Too Young for a Tummy Tuck? What About Wanting to Have Children in the Future? (photo)

Thanks for the question. There's no age limit or ideal age for Tummy Tuck. However, patients must be over 18 years of age.

Thank you for sending your question. Congratulations on your weight loss.  You are a greast candidate for a Tummy Tuck.  The tummy tuck result will last a long time unless you have fluctuations in weight or have another child. I encourage you to make an appointment with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon to further discuss

Thanks for the photos but an exam and full discussion of pros and cons would be required to give you the best advice.Yes, you can definitely have children after a tummy tuck. However, we generally recommend that you get this procedure done after you are finished having your last child, as pregnancy will reverse the results of the procedure.Candidates are usually patients who are healthy but have EXCESS SKIN OR FAT that does not respond to diet and exercise. Patients who have undergone SIGNIFICANT WEIGHT LOSS and have hanging skin. Women with loose skin and stretch marks FOLLOWING PREGNANCY. Anyone with LOSS OF SKIN ELASTICITY. Patients who are unable to tighten the abdominal wall with exercise. If you have loose or sagging abdominal wall skin; often associated with relaxation of the anterior abdominal wall muscles (frequently secondary to multiple pregnancies)

Your scenario is one that I am seeing more frequently in my practice due to formerly heavy patients losing a significant amount of weight.  I usually advise these patients that they can have a tummy tuck, but that I do not tighten the abdominal muscles, only doing skin resection and repositioning.  This removes the extra skin and fat and flattens the abdomen.  Obviously, after childbirth, you may need to repeat or revise the procedure with muscle tightening if needed at that time.

Fantastic job on your weight loss!!  Even if you're planning on having children, you can still get a tummy tuck.  You may need to get your abdominal muscles re-tightened in the future, but in the short term you deserve to "look as good as you feel" and getting the excess skin removed will help show off all of the hard work you've endured!  Good luck!  Dr. Schreiber...Baltimore Plastic Surgeon