How close to my ideal weight should I be before tummy tuck?

Ideal weight would correspond to a BMI of 30 or less.   You can find online calculators for this measure.  If you can even get to within 31 or 32 it should be fine to proceed.  

Experiencing significant weight fluctuations after having a tummy tuck can negatively affect your results. Therefore, I strongly recommend waiting to have a tummy tuck until you've reached a healthy weight you feel confident you can maintain—ideally within at least 20 lbs of your goal weight. Remember that it's also important to continue eating right and staying active in order to ensure your results last long-term

Great question.I think you should be at your ideal weight before surgery and should have been at this weight for a least a good 6 months. Remember that every Surgeon has slightly different pre operative instructions, when visiting your surgeon make sure he is Board Certified and ask him all your questions.Best of luck.

I advise patients if they plan on losing more than 5-8 pounds before surgery then please do so first. By doing this it will not make surgery easier or less invasive but it can stretch out the skin more. Since our goal is to rid the laxed skin we would not want to create new laxed skin from more weight loss. For this reason I ask patients to be at their desired goal weight before surgery. Hope this helps! 

Thank you for your question. Congratulations on your weight loss! I prefer my patients to be within 10 lbs of their ideal weight before performing a tummy tuck as this gives me the ability to provide the most esthetically pleasing, long term result.

Best,

I appreciate your question.



For health and safety reasons, best to be at a BMI less than 30 or within 10 pounds of your goal weight and stable at that weight for 6 months prior to surgery for optimal results.



The best way to assess and give true advice would be an in-person exam.



Please see a board-certified plastic surgeon that specializes in aesthetic and restorative plastic surgery.



Best of luck!



Dr. Schwartz



Board Certified Plastic Surgeon



#RealSelf100Surgeon



#RealSelfCORESurgeon

Thank you for your question. The standard answer is a BMI of 30 or below but some people will never reach that. Does that mean that patient with a BMI of 31 and deflated skin shouldn't get a tummy-tuck? No. I would recommend reaching your goal weight and then waiting 6mo to a year to make sure it is stable. Once you have reached a stable weight, proceed with the TT. Stability and realistic expectations are the crucial for an outcome you're happy with.  

The best answer I can give is that you should lose as much weight as you can in a safe and healthy manner prior to any tummy tuck.  This will reduce the fat on the inside of the abdomen and allow your surgeon to tighten your muscles and shape you the best possible.Best of luck!Dr. SubbioBoard-Certified Plastic SurgeonNewtown Square/Philadelphia, PA

Thank you for your question and congratulations on your weight loss.  I believe it is best to be within 10 - 15 pounds of your ideal body weight prior to surgery for optimal results. Please consult with a board certified plastic surgeon who specializes in body contouring for an in-person examination. Ask to see a lot of before and after pictures of their work to understand what can be achieved. Hope this helps and good luck.

Remember that a tummy tuck is intended to remove excess skin and fatty tissue, so will not have an effect on your weight. A tummy tuck is not an alternative to weight loss – think of it more as a finishing touch to contour and add some sleekness to your silhouette. If you are concerned about removing stubborn diet and exercise resistant fat, liposuction, or the non-surgical Exilis, may be a more suitable alternative. I would recommend speaking to a board-certified plastic surgeon to identify what is best for you.