Getting a tummy tuck can be a life-changing experience. The popular procedure, also known as an abdominoplasty, is among the most effective ways to target a flabby midsection.
Your plastic surgeon will eliminate excess fat and remove excess skin, in the process restoring the appearance of the affected area and leading to a firmer, smoother, and sleeker silhouette. Essentially, it’s the look of your dreams.
But is the tummy tuck a weight loss tool? Plastic surgeons warn patients that they shouldn’t view it as such. Going under the knife is not an alternative to the benefits of dieting and exercising. But when you’ve exhausted your best efforts in those areas and still haven’t seen the results you want, a tummy tuck could be a viable and effective solution that does, in fact, help you lose weight.
Your Weight Loss Goals
In fact, that weight loss happens right away. You’ll lose weight during a tummy tuck when your plastic surgeon removes the excess fat from your body. This a long-term result that you can trust will help you look and feel great. Again, however, a tummy tuck alone is not the answer if your primary goal is to lose weight. Your doctor may actually not consider you a good candidate for a tummy tuck if that’s your sole reason for seeking surgical intervention.
Often the best candidates for a tummy tuck are those who have exercised and dieted to no avail, or those who are close to achieving their desired results but haven’t been able to cross over that final hump. For people who have already lost weight, undergoing a tummy tuck is an exceptional way to perfect the body because, during the procedure, the surgeon removes the excess skin that’s sagging and folding. So it’s helpful to have made some headway before you venture into the world of tummy tucks.
How Tummy Tucks Help
Think of a tummy tuck as a valuable addition on your journey to better health and weight loss. If you exercise and eat the right things, you should continue those efforts even after your tummy tuck surgery. This will help you remain on the right path and ensure that you don’t regain any weight just because you’ve reverted back to your older eating habits.
What’s perhaps most effective in ensuring long-term weight loss in the aftermath of a tummy tuck, however, is its ability to help you feel fuller for longer. A study found that some 75% of patients who had a tummy tuck experienced greater satiety after eating meals and throughout the day. Without that constant desire to eat, maintaining weight loss becomes far easier.
Some theories even suggest that there could be hormonal influences at play. By reducing the fat cells that were once abundant in the abdomen, it’s possible that select hormones are also eliminated at the same time. Those could be in control of driving hunger pangs and increasing appetite. Without those hormones present, the patient may simply never feel the same insatiable need to eat.
To some degree, weight loss sustenance was attributed to certain preliminary factors. For example, those whose body mass index (BMI) prior to tummy tuck surgery was 24.5, considered just at the cusp of the normal to healthy weight directly below the overweight status, sustained their weight loss after undergoing a tummy tuck. Only one woman of a group of several who maintained those results had a lower BMI.
Another key advantage of tummy tuck surgery is that it isn’t limited to a single population. Other surgical procedures, such as gastric bypass and an array of bariatric remedies, are usually recommended strictly for those who have a BMI over 40. But people of all shapes and sizes can undergo a full tummy tuck, provided they’re in good health.
So for those who want to ensure that their weight loss efforts aren’t in vain, this procedure could well be the final piece of the puzzle — an additional step that helps them look their best and improve their self-esteem and confidence.
What Tummy Tucks Don’t Do
It’s key to remember two significant points:
- Permanency: The results of the tummy tuck itself are permanent, and you can expect to see tummy tuck results after 2 months and earlier where your silhouette is concerned. This means your midsection will appear smoother, more toned, and more refined, especially in the months following your procedure. It’s a bonus for those who have excess skin and are especially concerned about the way that they look in certain clothes.
- Results: The results of the tummy tuck itself are somewhat dependent on your own weight fluctuations. If you go back to a diet that includes the same foods you ate prior to any weight that you lost, you might be disappointed to find that you gain some back around your abdominal muscles. And if you have your tummy tuck before you’re done having children, you may also experience a setback at some point. For this reason, it’s best to wait until you’re completely done having kids before scheduling your tummy tuck.
How to Maintain Your Tummy Tuck Results
As long as you can maintain a stable weight, you can assume that the amazing results of your tummy tuck will last. In fact, think of your tummy tuck as the second part of your significant weight loss journey. You’ve done some of the hard work already by losing the weight around your stomach muscles, and your surgeon has facilitated the process by eliminating the skin and fat that may have hindered your comfort and affected your confidence in the past.
To ensure that your tummy tuck results last, follow all of the tummy tuck recovery tips as prescribed. Taking proper care of your body during the healing process is also key to make sure your tummy tuck scar heals properly. Make sure to follow the instructions from your surgeon carefully so that your tummy tuck scar heals correctly. Following these instructions will ensure that during your tummy tuck recovery your abdominal wall heals correctly so that you can get started on the path to a healthier you. That begins with eating a healthy diet. By maintaining your weight and avoiding gain, you can prevent your newly tightened skin from stretching too much.
Many patients have questions about stretch marks. A tummy tuck aims at removing excess skin and fat, addressing the problems of sagging skin after weight loss, not stretch marks.
Book Your Tummy Tuck Consultation
If you’re ready to schedule that tummy tuck, mini tummy tuck, or simply discuss your options, let tummy tuck plastic surgeon Dr. Raja Mohan help you along the way. Call (469) 301-1725 to schedule your consultation today.