Tummy tucks, or abdominoplasties, are a surgical procedure designed to target excess fat and skin around the abdominal area. By making small incisions above the pubic bone, a plastic surgeon will then go under the skin and often times perform liposuction to suck out an additional fat, after which, the surgeon will then tighten and lift the skin around the abdomen in order to provide patients with a more taut looking physique. However, did you know that a tummy tuck can actually help you lose body weight as well? Read on to learn more.
Weight Loss
It might sound surprising to many patients to hear that getting a tummy tuck can actually help aid you in weight loss a year or two later. According to a study released by The American Society of Plastic Surgeons, individuals who got a tummy tuck with a BMI of 24.5 or greater lost at about 4% of their body fat a year or more after their tummy tuck procedure.
However, it should be noted that individuals who got a tummy tuck with an average BMI between 18.5 and 24.5 didn’t lose any additional weight— in fact, some members of the study actually gained some weight post surgery.
How Exactly Does Weight Loss Occur?
It is predicted through this study that during a tummy tuck procedure, the removal of fat cells may lead to a decrease in appetite— causing patients to lose more weight at a faster rate than other individuals. However, because tummy tucks aren’t surgically designed to aid in an overall body weight loss like a gastrointestinal surgery, there really is no guarantee or substantive evidence that points to the fact that patients will receive weight loss results.
Getting a tummy tuck is a great investment for both your appearance and your health. However, with recent studies released by The American Society of Plastic Surgeons, tummy tucks may also aid in an overall body weight loss. To learn more about tummy tucks or other surgical procedures, contact Dr. Wiener’s office today!
