How long should I wait after I lose weight to have my Tummy Tuck?

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There are a few factors to consider when planning a tummy tuck after weight loss:

  • Give yourself enough time to be sure you are maintaining a stable weight, after your weight loss.
  • Depending on your diet and activity during your weight loss, allow time for these to normalize, before undergoing the stress of surgery.
  • Some unhealthy diets can create blood deficiencies: vitamins,minerals, electrolytes, anemia, protein deficiencies.  Such deficiencies can cause problems with anesthesia, drug reactions and interfere with healing. Your doctor should check your blood tests before you undergo surgery.
  • A period of regular exercise will have many benefits, before a tummy tuck: 1. Improve cardiac and lung capacity before undergoing the physiological stresses of surgery and recovery; 2. Improve circulation (blood flow), which will help with healing; 3. Improve muscle tone, especially strengthening the abdominal muscles to optimize the effects of surgery, especially if some surgical repair of the abdominal wall is planned.
  • Skin shrinkage is happening as you lose the weight: waiting weeks or months after a big weight loss will not result in much difference in the amount of skin that tightens on it’s own. It is unlikely you will see further shrinkage of the loose deflated skin.The amount of shrinkage is a function of your tissues elasticity, an inherent quality of your skin, which is affected by: weight fluctuations, hormones, age, genetics, smoking and other toxic exposures, general health, nutrition and sun exposure.
  • If you have been losing the weight gradually through sustainable lifestyle changes, including good nutrition with a healthy diet and exercise program, you need not wait to schedule your tummy tuck. Otherwise, you may want to give yourself a couple months to stabilize.