Weight gain after surgery. Should this be a big concern?

Thanks for your question.  I would say that most of patients after a
tummy tuck will tend to lose weight rather than gain weight.  However, if you do gain weight after a tummy
tuck procedure, it is not uncommon to gain the weight in other areas. 

There should be some minimal weight loss following the procedure once the swelling subsides.  If you gain weight, the weight will distribute to other areas.

Usually after a tummy tuck, the patient does get a small increase in weight, mostly from fluid retention and lack of physical activity. Once the patient goes back to a regular routine of exercise and a healthy diet, then the excess of weight should be corrected. If the patient gains more weight, the increase on volume is usually in the areas here liposuction was not done, so the patients should be careful not gaining any extra weight after the surgery, that is something a surgeon cannot control, and a healthy lifestyle, like exercising regularly and a healthy diet are really important to follow after a tummy tuck or liposuction.

Your body's propensity to gain weight after a tummy tuck, or liposuction, does NOT change.  However, there is a redistribution of your fat cells after the procedure, such that the tummy carries less fat cells.  Therefore, extra calories consumed will be stored in fat cells elsewhere.  Aside from that, there is no change in your body's metabolism. If you maintain a neutral diet (calories consumed=calories burned) you would not gain weight elsewhere. The only exception is right after surgery, when you tend to have increased weight due to water retention in areas of swelling. As the swelling resolves, the weight goes away from those areas.  Dr. B.

Thank you for your question. Some weight may be gained temporarily, due to swelling in the stomach and hips. This resolves over a few months. However, when considering body contouring surgery, it is important to reach your goal weight prior to surgery. A tummy tuck removes excess skin and some excess fat, typically by using liposuction, but these tissues actually don't weigh very much. A tummy tuck is not a weight loss procedure, it simply meant to improve your contour and narrow the waistline. When considering anybody contouring surgery, make sure to seek out a board-certified plastic surgeon.

is common with immediate post-op gains eventually lost with healing.  But if you gain weight after contouring procedures, you will deposit the extra calories in areas that have not been treated.  So if someone had a tummy tuck and liposuction of their flanks and gained 10+ pounds, it would likely go to their thighs.  So my patients are told they have to maintain their weight if they want to maintain their results.

It is not unusual to put on some weight after surgery although this should reduce after a few weeks. Unless you put on weight after surgery you should not deposit fat in other areas. It is important that you re at your idea weight and weight stable before surgery and not put weight on after surgery.

Maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle after any surgery is important and really up to the patient to maintain. That being said you will not gain excessive amounts of weight in other areas of the body where the surgery was not performed. Adults have a set number of fat cells after adolescence that will not multiply. That being said the fat cells you have can expand with weight gain so diet and exercise are important.

Thank you for reaching out. Besides the normal swelling or water retention post TT surgery, the actual procedure does not cause patients to gain weight. Healthy diet and exercise is always important to maintain results. I would do a few consultations with experienced Board Certified Surgeons, this will allow you ask plenty of questions and learn more about the recovery process and what to expect! best of luck. Dr. Kim

Thank you for the question! The first thing to keep in mind is that a tummy tuck should not be considered a weight loss procedure. For this reason, you should aim to attain your ideal weight before surgery. Minor changes in your weight following a tummy tuck are certainly possible but should not significantly affect the results of our procedure. However, once you have a tummy tuck, it is recommended that you maintain a stable weight through a healthy diet and exercise to ensure long-lasting results. 

An in-person exam with a board-certified plastic surgeon would be the best way to assess your needs and guarantee a reliable medical advice. Best of luck! Dr. Michael Omidi.