25lbs Overweight, Am I Still a Candidate for a Tummy Tuck?

Question

I am 5'3" and 160lbs. I can not seem to get my weight down past 150 for the past 10years even though I have tried numerous diets & exercise. I will be 40 years old next month. Am I a good candidate for a tummy tuck or do I need to continue on my endless battle of trying to lose weight without success? I had twins @ 30 years old and most of my excess weight is in my midsection. Thanks!

Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS, FACS · Answer

If your weight has stabilized for many months and you are sure you will not lose a

	significant amount of more weight then this would be the best time to consider a tummy 

	tuck (abdominoplasty) procedure.

	Abdominoplasty candidates have excess abdominal skin which may sag, a disproportionate

	or protruding abdomen, weakened or separated abdominal muscles, with or without

	 excess fat concentrated in the abdomen (liposuction often done at the same time).

Eric Swanson, MD · Answer

In an ideal world, everyone would be at ideal body weight. That's obviously not the world we live in and telling someone to go lose weight and come back is rarely effective. My criterion for recommending a tummy tuck is that I need to be able to bring the muscles all the way together in the midline. At your height and weight, this is definitely possible to do. You can go on and lose weight after surgery and you'll be fine. You won't suddenly have extra lose skin to deal with. And ofter weight loss after surgery is easier because of the psychological benefits of the surgery and having a better body shape. Having twins has no doubt pulled your muscles way apart and you need some surgical help to correct this - and then you can have your prepregnancy body back. 91% of our patients report that they are more motivated after surgery because they like what they see in the mirror (it can be discouraging before surgery because no matter how hard you try you still have the deformity). I've attached a link to my website. You can check the heights and weights of my patients.

Martin Jugenburg, MD · Answer

If your weight is stable, and you have excess skin and fat on your belly that you can grab with your hands, then you can benefit from a tummy tuck.

	There is  no point in trying to reach your ideal weight before getting a tummy tuck, if you it's simply something that you cannot do.  Thus, weight should not be the limiting factor.  

	Sincerely,

	Martin Jugenburg, MD, FRCSC

Kevin Tehrani, MD, FACS · Answer

Dear Amy,

I am asked a similar question nearly daily from patients in consultation.  Unless you are morbidly obese and have not given diet an exercise a good try the answer is to have your tummy tuck now.  In my practice, most patients lose an average of 10-15lbs after Lateral Tension Abdominoplasty (LTA).  This happens partially because of an early satiety patients feel because of a tight internal corset after surgery.  This is especially true in someone who has has twins and likely has lax abdominal wall.  Good luck with your surgery.

Mennen T. Gallas, MD · Answer

I encourage my patients who intend to lose weight to do so before surgery. However, if they are unable to lose it and their weight is stable, then it should be okay to pursue a tummy tuck. I encourage you to meet with a Board Certified plastic surgeon who will also need to review your medical history and perform a physical exam to know for sure if you are a good candidate.

25lbs Overweight, Am I Still a Candidate for a Tummy Tuck?

Answers (5)