Do your legs get larger after a tummy tuck?

Question

I've seen a few ppl post on social media that their legs and butt grew much larger and fatter as the years went by after they had a tummy tuck.

Semih Yildiz, MD, FEBOPRAS · Answer

A tummy tuck does not make the legs or buttocks grow larger by itself. It removes loose abdominal skin and may tighten the abdominal muscles, but it does not move fat into the lower body or change how the legs store fat directly.

What can happen is that the waist and abdomen look flatter, so the hips, buttocks, or thighs may appear more noticeable by comparison. Also, if a person gains weight years later, fat can accumulate in untreated areas such as the thighs, hips, buttocks, arms, or back. Early swelling after surgery can temporarily affect the lower body, but long-term enlargement is usually related to weight change, hormones, aging, or body-fat distribution rather than the tummy tuck itself. Sudden one-sided leg swelling, calf pain, or shortness of breath after surgery would need urgent medical evaluation.

Young Min Im, MD, PHD · Answer

In general, undergoing a tummy tuck does not cause the thighs to become larger. A tummy tuck is often performed along with 360-degree liposuction of the abdomen, which removes excess skin and reduces fat volume. This can make the waist and abdominal area appear smaller and more contoured. As a result, the thighs may appear relatively larger in comparison, even though their actual size has not changed. Unless you gain a significant amount of weight after surgery, a tummy tuck itself will not make your thighs bigger&mdash;it's just a matter of visual balance.

Ira H. Rex III, MD · Answer

Without weight gain, there is no reason to have any change in butt size or size of the thighs after a tummy tuck.  Weight gain might affect the other areas than the abdomen in a different way including contour changes if someone has had a tummy tuck.

Leila Kasrai, MD, FRCSC · Answer

A tummy tuck permanently removes fat cells from your midsection. This doesn't cause fat cells elsewhere to grow larger. However, with less fat accumulating in your midsection, any fat in other areas, like your legs or butt, may appear more noticeable, even though the actual amount of fat there hasn't increased.

Warren Schutte, MD · Answer

Your lower extremities do not just get larger post abdominoplasty. If you gain weight after surgery, you will still gain it diffusely from head to toe. With a fat/skin reduced abdomen from a tummy tuck, you will gain less weight around your anterior trunk and it will go elsewhere.

Agustina Hilario Duran, MD · Answer

A tummy tuck doesn’t cause fat to grow in new areas, but if weight is gained after surgery, fat can accumulate in untreated areas like the thighs or buttocks, making them appear larger by comparison. Also, with a flatter abdomen, other areas may look relatively fuller. Maintaining stable weight and a healthy lifestyle helps preserve your results.

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

The quick answer is no, your legs and butt don't grow larger because you've had a tummy tuck.  However when you make one area of your body smaller (the tummy), the other areas (legs and butt) may be perceived as larger when in fact they're not.

Do your legs get larger after a tummy tuck?

Answers (7)

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