Gaining a handful of pounds after your procedure won't compromise your final tummy tuck results. You can usually fluctuate within 10 to 15 pounds of your goal weight without any significant issues. However, weight gain over the 15-pound mark can cause skin and abdominal muscles to slowly stretch out of place.
While minor weight fluctuations among adults are normal, significant weight gain (generally over ten pounds) after a tummy tuck can lead to the accumulation of excess fat in the stomach once again. In addition, stretch marks and loose skin may return, all of which can impact your tummy tuck results.
It is even harder to keep the weight at bay from your tummy once you've lost it. Recent studies are showing patients who undergo abdominoplasty – better known as a tummy tuck – are keeping the weight off and even losing weight long after their surgery. Learn more about the long lasting benefits of the tummy tuck.
Patients often experience a rapid weight gain following the procedure as the body aims to recoup fat and the affected areas will fill with fluid that the body uses to heal.
Is It Normal? Swelling in the lower abdominal area after tummy tuck surgery is an absolutely normal and expected part of the healing process. Tummy tuck surgery causes changes to the patient's lymphatic drainage system.
During body contouring procedures like a tummy tuck, fat cells are eliminated from the body and cannot return. Because of this, patients may gain weight in other places like the buttocks, legs, arms, and breasts.
Even though loose skin and subcutaneous fat are removed, abdominoplasty cannot remove excess visceral fat that remains intact behind tightened abdominal muscles. Visceral fat surrounds your organs and can only be reduced by diet and exercise.
Whilst the removal of this can result in some loss of body mass, a tummy tuck is not a weight loss solution. In fact, removing excess skin can make it easier for patients to shed pounds and contour their bodies post-surgery.
Additionally, the skin, muscles, and fat of the abdomen were all repaired or altered during the procedure. These structures need time to heal and settle into their new positions. This causes inflammation, swelling, and other temporary side effects that can contribute to the look of the stomach.
Tummy tuck results are considered permanent in that the skin and fat cells that Dr. Greenwald removes during the procedure cannot grow back. Likewise, any internal sutures that he places to repair stomach muscles are designed to remain in place indefinitely.
A properly performed tummy tuck can reduce your waist size and help you feel confident about your curves again. Some patients may lose many inches off their waist, while others will see more subtle results. It all depends on how much tissue can be removed safely.
Most women lose between 2 and 3 pants sizes after a tuck, but there are patients who lose even more. If you had a lot of loose skin before the procedure, for example, you could go down 4 more pants sizes.
Unfortunately, it is possible to gain weight after abdominoplasty. Note, the procedure permanently removes fat cells from the abdomen and your body cannot replace them. However, not all fat cells are removed.
Tummy tucks can produce belly buttons that are too round, too narrow or too tight and have a visible circular scar around them. “This is often a dead giveaway for a tummy tuck.”
This study found that 8.2% reported pain within the past week between 3 months and 9 years after abdominoplasty, most often located under the umbilicus in the same location as the incision line, suggesting direct nerve injury in this area as the primary cause.
A tummy tuck can remove loose, excess skin and fat, and tighten weak fascia. A tummy tuck may also remove stretch marks and excess skin in the lower abdomen below the bellybutton. However, a tummy tuck won't correct stretch marks outside of this area.
Applying a specialized suturing pattern
Both of these procedure techniques can dramatically enhance body proportions, not only helping to create a more noticeable “hourglass” shape, but also helping your breasts and buttocks look a little fuller in comparison, without any additional procedures.
It's not uncommon for people who have a tummy tuck to have a smaller appetite for the first three to six months following their surgery. The tightening of skin and muscles in your abdomen may cause your stomach to feel constricted, encouraging you to eat less.
Stay active with low-impact activities
Short, low-intensity walks are a helpful way to ease back into activity as well as reduce swelling after a tummy tuck. Once you consult your doctor, you will likely be able to return to other low-intensity activities in a few weeks to help avoid weight gain after a tummy tuck.
Can I get a six-pack after a tummy tuck? While an abdominoplasty does tighten the abdominal muscles, the surgery alone isn't designed to give you the appearance of a six pack. However, it is typically possible for the patient to achieve this look through an exercise routine once their recovery process is complete.
How Many Times Can I Get abdominoplasty? There is no limit on the number of surgery you can undergo if you meet all the requirements and are surgically fit for the procedure. Ideally, abdominoplasty is only performed once on a patient. Abdominoplasty benefits can be lost following weight gain or pregnancy.
A tummy tuck surgery not only has a big effect on the look of the abdomen, but it can also affect the appearance of other bodily structures. It is not uncommon for patients to report that people believed their breasts looked bigger.
Full tummy tucks help patients lose clothing sizes and inches in their midsection, but weight loss is usually not more than a few pounds. The average woman can expect to lose two to three dress sizes after a tummy tuck, while men can expect to drop several pant sizes.
The good news is that tummy tuck procedures are very safe, with high success rates and low rates of complications. According to an American Society of Plastic Surgeons® (ASPS) survey of over 3,500 surgeries, over 95% of patients had zero complications.
While a tummy tuck won't treat your love handles, the procedure can resolve a number of other appearance concerns. For instance, a tummy tuck can tighten separated abdominal muscles left over from pregnancy or weight fluctuations.