Does a tummy tuck with Lipo (I have ALOT of saggy leftover skin/fat) reduce bodyfat percentage? what is the possible range?

Tummy tuck with liposuction will remove stubborn, leftover fat and lose skin. This will dramatically recontour your body after massive weight loss. You will look and feel much better, clothing will fit better. Body fat percentage will change, but like clothing size - it is not the numbers rather the results that matter.An exam and consultation with a plastic surgeon is recommended to discuss your options and expectations.

Liposuction and tummy tuck, which resects fat, will decrease your percentage of body fat.  The tummy tuck I recommend is abdominoplasty with mesh reinforcement.  The mesh creates a more hourglass figure by compressing the abdominal wall resulting in early satiety and helps maintain a reduced weight.  Liposuction will reduce your body fat by permanently removing the cells.Best Wishes,Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Tummy tuck and liposuction primarily remove fat, therefore they have to reduce the body fat percentage. You should however remember that these procedures are primarily done to improve your shape.

Concerns about the appearance of the abdomen are very common among patients consulting with a plastic surgeon. Just like every patient is different…so too is every abdomen. Different problems require different solutions. Your board certified plastic surgeon is uniquely trained to identify the problems as well as the appropriate solution.
The abdomen is commonly addressed via liposuction or abdominoplasty (“tummy – tuck”). Which procedure is best is dependent upon the source of the problem. 
Excess fat deposits underneath the skin can be addressed via liposuction. Liposuction will not address any other issues and may worsen the situation if there are other factors at play (such as skin excess and muscle laxity, see below)
Commonly patients concerns are centered around issues of excess skin as well as fat. A third factor, which is often overlooked by most patients is abdominal wall muscle laxity (typically seen in post partum mommies).  The tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty is a surgical procedure designed to eliminate excess skin and fat and tighten the muscles in the abdominal wall to create a smoother and slimmer contour. The tummy tuck is designed to target areas of the abdomen that have not responded to diet and exercise, making it particularly popular among people that have a lot of loose or sagging skin around the abdominal area due to significant weight loss, as well as women with excess skin and stretched abdominal muscles following pregnancy and childbirth. 
With regards to your specific question, it is important to remember these are contouring procedures. They are not a substitute for weight loss/dieting etc. Results are not measured as a function of a decrease in body fat percentage (even though to a certain extent these numbers can be expected to fall slightly). Rather, they are measured subjectively as a function of aesthetic improvement.
As always discuss your concerns with a board certified plastic surgeon (ABPS).
Donovan Rosas MD
Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member: American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American Society of Plastic Surgeons
RealSelf Top 100
RealSelf Hall of Fame

Hello and thank you for your question. Congratulations on your impressive weight loss.  Based on your description, you are a great candidate for a tummy tuck with liposuction.  This can be done through a low incision, all completely below the bikini line.  The belly button can be designed to look natural and have no scars on the exterior.   Your muscles can also be plicated resulting in a flat abdomen.  It is difficult to predict exact body fat percentage reduction without viewing a picture of your abdomen.  Make sure you specifically look at before and after pictures of real patients who have had this surgery performed by your surgeon and evaluate their results.

Best wishes and good luck.


Richard G. Reish, M.D. FACS

Harvard-trained plastic surgeon
 

Lipo is not considered a weight reduction program and its results are not measured as a percentage of body fat.  You would probably notice a smaller waist and clothes that are less tight.A short scar TT (The shorter scar it leaves is the same length as that of the mini TT) tightens the muscles, and removes skin and fat. The incision is so low that bikinis may be worn afterwards. It creates a scar which is flat all the way across and is not a smiley face. This way the ends of the scar never rise above low cut clothing. 
Ideal patients have to be in general good health and somewhere close to their ideal body weight. To make sure that the results of the procedure last, many doctors ask that patients maintain a steady body weight for six months prior to the procedure and maintain their weight after the procedure.  
Generally, patients require only one or two weeks to recover. Patients are advised not to perform strenuous exercises for four to six weeks after the surgery.  Most PSs would recommend that you wait at least 6 weeks before lifting anything greater than 10 lbs.Kenneth Hughes, MD, ABPS Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA

Congratulations on your impressive weight loss. Liposuction removes pockets of excess fat. It is not designed to reduce an overall body fat percentage. I encourage you to meet with a board certified plastic surgeon near you to discuss your concerns and learn more about ways to address your loose skin and other concerns.

Thank you for your question and congratulations on your impressive weight loss!Tummy tuck and liposuction procedures are body contouring offerings designed to address excess skin and excess fat.  That said, these procedures should in no way be considered or thought of as weight loss surgeries.  It is likely that following a tummy tuck with liposuction that your body fat percentage will decrease somewhat but it would likely be minimal as the greatest surgical benefit would really be achieving greater abdominal contour after the excess skin is removed and your abdominal wall muscles are tightened.I hope that this helps!

With over a 100 lb weight loss, your problems more likely loose skin which will not improve with diet or exercise. Best to be seen in person to determine what might be best for you. I treat a lot of weight loss patients and they are all so different in their needs.

After the excess skin of the panniculus and abdominal fat is resented, your BMI would be slightly lower.  Unless you are a performance athlete, you are perfectly fine as is. The surgery will have a great deal of other benefits. Best wishes.