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Tummy Tuck After Weight Loss and Pregnancy

Posted May 31, 2023 in Tummy Tuck Category

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Tummy tuck surgery is one of the most effective and popular cosmetic procedures available to women and men. This procedure focuses on the midsection to help create a more toned and sculpted appearance.

Profile photos of a woman in underwear before and after weight loss and plastic surgery.

And while a tummy tuck can benefit patients at any stage of their lives, patients who have lost a significant amount of weight and/or women who have had one or more pregnancies can benefit from this procedure especially. That is because weight loss (whether associated with childbirth or not) can leave a person with pockets of stubborn fat as well as unsightly loose and sagging skin.

Let’s look at tummy tuck surgery (also known as abdominoplasty), highlighting how it’s performed and how it can benefit you.

What Is a Tummy Tuck?

Tummy tuck surgery is a cosmetic procedure that sculpts the waist and belly, often using liposuction surgery to remove pockets of subcutaneous fat from the midsection.

The underlying abdominal muscles are tightened to help strengthen the core and create a more toned and defined appearance to the entire tummy before excess skin is surgically removed.

While it varies for each procedure, you can expect your tummy tuck to take between one and five hours to be completed.

Why Have a Tummy Tuck?

Women and men choose to have a tummy tuck for numerous reasons; however, below we focus on how a tummy tuck can help if you have undergone a pregnancy or lost significant weight.

Post-Massive Weight Loss

Whether through natural diet and exercise or with the help of bariatric surgery (like gastric bypass surgery), losing a massive amount of weight is something to be proud of. However, losing weight is only the first step in achieving your aesthetic goals.

While the fat may be gone, the skin, which has stretched over time, often remains lax, causing it to sag. This can make many women and men feel self-conscious about their appearances.

Luckily, tummy tuck surgery can get rid of the unwanted skin, and with liposuction, this procedure can even ensure that all unwanted fat is removed from the area.

After Pregnancy

There’s no question that pregnancy and childbirth take a toll on a woman’s body, and there’s no area of the body more affected than the belly. After childbearing, many women are left with excess fat and skin in the midsection.

What makes this worse is that for most women, no amount of diet and exercise can help them achieve their pre-baby body, especially if they suffer from muscle separation. However, cosmetic surgery (whether a tummy tuck or a combination procedure, like Mommy Makeover surgery) can help you look and feel as youthful and sculpted as you want.

What Are the Benefits of Tummy Tuck Surgery?

After your tummy tuck, you can look forward to having a more defined midsection, which can help you look and feel younger than you have in years. And, as with all plastic surgery procedures, a tummy tuck not only gives women and men a more contoured appearance but it also helps patients feel more confident in how they look.

For patients having tummy tuck surgery after weight loss, this procedure can help you wear the clothes (including bathing suits and bikinis) that you’ve always wanted without having loose skin show, and you can participate in some of your favorite physical activities without worrying about excess weight or skin getting in your way.

Am I a Candidate for a Tummy Tuck?

To be considered an ideal candidate for tummy tuck surgery, you need to be at a healthy BMI, be at or very near your goal weight and have maintained your weight for a while. This is because a tummy tuck is not weight loss surgery. Additionally, women should undergo a tummy tuck only after their last pregnancy. This is because further pregnancies can erase many of the stunning results achieved with a tummy tuck.

If you think you may be a candidate for tummy tuck surgery, schedule a consultation with Dr. Spies. During your consultation, you can discuss your aesthetic goals, and Dr. Spies will evaluate your condition to determine if a tummy tuck is the best option for you.

Want to Learn More?

Whether you have lost a significant amount of weight or finished with your last pregnancy, Dr. Spies and our highly experienced medical team can help you achieve the body contours you desire.