How common is uneven fat distribution after a tummy tuck?

Question

I've heard countless people say that after a tummy tuck, their thighs got really big, or their butt, or they started getting back fat which they didn't have before etc. Everyone's body recovers and responds differently so I know it's hard to say what will happen, but how common is it to have uneven fat distribution like that after a tummy tuck? I want to be mentally prepared, is it highly likely that this will happen to some degree even if you maintain a healthy diet and resume exercise?

Jennifer Boll, MD · Answer

Thank you for a good question. If you maintain a stable weight after a tummy tuck then you will NOT have an uneven distribution of fat. Most tummy tucks are accompanied by liposuction of certain areas (different for each person). When fat is cut out or liposuctioned out, those fat cells are permanently removed. When you gain weight after these procedures, the fat will distribute to other places.For instance, most people know that when they gain 10 pounds it goes first to place A (maybe abdomen), second to place B (let's say breasts) and third to place C (face). Each persons A, B, and C are different but you probably know where you put weight on when you gain. When you lose weight it also tends to come from certain places but they may be different than where you gain. After a procedure that removes fat cells from the abdomen, if this was the place that was your #1 place to put fat on the past, you will not gain weight in the abdomen but you will distribute it to your B, C, and D places. Your D place may be a place you have never gained in the past such as your arms or legs. If you have your A, B, and C places all operated on and fat removed surgically from each, then you will gain in all new places when you gain weight. So in this way you can get unusual distributions of fat. However, this is only true for small amounts of weight gain. If you gain enough weight, it will also go to the places that have been operated upon. The best solution is to maintain a steady weight and then this is not a problem.

Johnson C. Lee, MD · Answer

A tummy tuck pulls down the skin from your upper abdomen down to the lower abdomen. As you gain weight after a tummy tuck, you will continue to gain weight as you always have. If you tend to gain weight in the thighs, your body continue to prioritize that area. Because the skin in the abdomen has been pulled down, you will gain weight according to how you used to put weight on your upper abdomen. This may make it seem that your fat is growing out of proportion in other areas, but it is actually because your abdominal skin and underlying fat are just behaving as they always have, but they have just been moved into a different area.

Hector Milla, MD · Answer

Hi and thanks for your question. I´ve heard this about liposuction but never seen it. After both procedures we remove fat cells, something really important is changing the way you eat, there are fat cells in all our body and they grow as we eat, after a tummy tuck you have less cells to grow in you abdomen that´s why it looks like the fat "goes somewhere else".Best wishes.Dr. Milla

Arian Mowlavi, MD, FACS (license on probation) · Answer

There are multiple considerations that must be made to ensure optimum tummy tuck results; these will ensure that you get your best results and avoid having prominence on the sides etc. You can read more about "7 keys to a great tummy result" below.

Jon A. Perlman, MD (retired) · Answer

In my experience over many years and hundreds of tummy tucks I can't recall  someone having that complaint following a tummy tuck. However, the fact that significant fat is removed from the abdomen does leave the risk of redistribution if someone gains significant weight after surgery. Your plastic surgeon should be able to tell you how many pounds of skin and fat were removed and once the swelling is down your maintainable weight should be that much less than it was before to avoid redistribution of fat to undesirable areas. My best advice is to maintain and resume your diet and exercise regimen after your surgery and enjoy your results. Best wishes.Jon A Perlman M.D., FACSCertified, American Board of Plastic SurgeryABC-TV Extreme Makeover Plastic SurgeonBeverly Hills, California.

Ronald V. DeMars, MD (Retired) · Answer

After several decades of doing Tummy Tucks, I have not had a patient make these complaints as long as they maintained their weight. But if you gain weight your tummy and other areas mentioned will increase in volume.

How common is uneven fat distribution after a tummy tuck?

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