Tummy tucks, also called abdominoplasties, are well known for helping women and men attain a flatter, more toned abdomen. The ideal patient will be at or very near his or her goal weight before undergoing this surgery. But what happens if you gain weight after your procedure? Unfortunately, you may negate your results for good.
Why Future Weight Gain Impacts Tummy Tuck Results
For some patients, the abdomen just seems to be the place where they first see new weight gain appear. As you gain weight in your abdomen, you may notice that you develop a noticeable “pooch” or that the abdominal skin folds over or in.
If you have this appearance, then losing weight in the abdomen can cause your waistline to shrink, but leave you with some loose, excess skin. That problem is exactly what a tummy tuck is designed to correct. But, if you have the procedure and the cycle of weight gain and loss continues, the flatter, more toned abdomen that Dr. Sood sculpted for you in the operating room will be lost as your abdomen grows from increased weight gain.
The Importance of Being on a Healthy Diet and Exercise Routine Before Undergoing Abdominoplasty
While repeat tummy tucks are possible, Dr. Sood wants you to achieve and maintain results you’ll love the first time, for a lifetime. Therefore, he screens all his abdominoplasty patients to ensure:
- They are at or very near their goal weight, and that they have maintained that weight for a reasonable period of time.
- They are not on medications that may cause weight gain or metabolic changes, which may make a patient ineligible for an abdominoplasty.
- They have maintained a healthy lifestyle and a good nutritional plan.
- They are committed to maintaining that regimen after healed from surgery.
Additionally, Dr. Sood recommends all his female patients are certain they are finished having children before undergoing abdominoplasty and have a solid birth control plan in place. There is nothing about an abdominoplasty surgery that makes future pregnancies complicated or at-risk but having an abdominoplasty and then getting pregnant is almost certain to erase your surgical results.
Scheduling an Initial Consultation with Dr. Sood
If you are considering an abdominoplasty, it is best to talk to Dr. Sood. At your first appointment, he will listen to your concerns, goals, and desires. He will then examine your abdomen, screen you for surgery eligibility, and prepare a personalized treatment plan for you. He will answer your questions and set the appropriate expectation for your potential surgery.
If you’re ready to find out how a tummy tuck might enhance your overall look, or you have questions about what you need to do to maintain your results for good, Sood Center for Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery to set up an initial appointment with Dr. Sood.
