The average weight loss after tummy tuck surgery is between 20 and 30 pounds. The amount of weight you lose depends on your body type, age, and how long you have been overweight.
The most common reason for weight gain after a tummy tuck is the fact that one loses muscle mass during the procedure, which can increase body fat percentage. Muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat tissue. It burns calories at a higher rate, so when it is lost through surgery, it decreases the metabolic rate of the body.
This decrease in metabolic rate causes the body to store more fat than it used to before surgery. In addition, some patients may experience depression or low self-esteem after cosmetic surgery due to their inability to perform daily activities such as walking up stairs or sitting in chairs comfortably due to discomfort from swelling and/or bruising caused by their surgical incisions healing properly over time (usually within 3 weeks).
If you are concerned about losing weight after undergoing tummy tuck surgery then please consult with your surgeon beforehand so they can recommend an appropriate course of action should this occur while they’re still around during post-operative recovery time period (usually within 6 weeks).
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Average weight loss with tummy tuck

Arlington Heights, Ill. – Undergoing abdominoplasty (“tummy tuck”) may lead to significant and lasting weight loss for many patients-especially those who were overweight or obese before surgery, reports a pilot study in the February issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
Long-term weight loss after abdominoplasty may be related to increased satiety-feeling full after eating-according to the study by ASPS Member Surgeon Dr. Rex Edward Moulton-Barrett of Alameda Hospital and colleagues. The researchers discuss possible “neuroendocrine mechanisms” that may promote weight loss after abdominoplasty.
High Rate of Sustained Weight Loss after ‘Tummy Tuck’
The researchers evaluated short- and long-term weight loss after abdominoplasty in 20 women. Popularly known as “tummy tuck,” abdominoplasty is a cosmetic surgical procedure to eliminate excess abdominal fat and skin. For the 20 women, the average amount of abdominal tissue resected was approximately five pounds.
One year later, 14 of the women had sustained weight loss-greater than the weight of the tissue resected. Patients with a preoperative BMI greater than or equal to 24.5 maintained long-term weight loss at one year. They decreased in weight by an average of 4.5 percent of their original BMI one year later. A normal BMI is between 18.5 and 25, overweight is between 25 and 30, and obese is 30 or higher.
The other six women also had some degree of weight loss after abdominoplasty. However, one year later, they had regained weight and increased BMI.
Long-term weight loss was more likely for women whose initial BMI was 24.5 or greater, just under the borderline for overweight. Of the 14 women with sustained weight loss, just one had an initial BMI of less than 24.5.
Sustained weight loss was also more likely for women with a greater amount of excess abdominal tissue removed at abdominoplasty. Twelve of the 14 women with long-term weight loss had more than 4.5 pounds of tissue resected.
Can a ‘Cosmetic’ Procedure Help Patients Lose Weight?
Increased satiety seemed to be an important contributor to long-term weight loss. Three-fourths of women reported an increased feeling of satiety, either after eating or throughout the day, after undergoing abdominoplasty.
As obesity rates continue to increase in the United States, new treatments are needed to achieve and maintain weight loss. Gastric bypass and other bariatric surgical procedures are among the few treatments to produce permanent weight loss, but are generally limited to patients with morbid obesity-BMI 40 or greater.
In contrast, abdominoplasty is available to a wider range of patients seeking to reduce the size and improve the appearance of their abdomen. “Whether or not long-term weight reduction is associated with abdominoplasty has been little investigated and remained controversial,” according to Dr. Moulton-Barrett and colleagues.
The new study provides preliminary evidence that many patients have lasting weight loss after abdominoplasty-especially those who are overweight or obese before abdominoplasty. “Satiety appears to be a prominent contributing factor, as does the amount of fat resected,” the researchers conclude.
“We hypothesize that the increased satiety seen in our patients is related to changes in the neuroendocrine system,” Dr. Moulton-Barrett and coauthors add. Removing fat cells from the abdomen may lead to reduced levels of hormones affecting appetite, which are secreted by fatty tissues. However, further studies would be needed to confirm this hypothesis.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, part of Wolters Kluwer Health.
About Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
For more than 70 years, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® has been the one consistently excellent reference for every specialist who uses plastic surgery techniques or works in conjunction with a plastic surgeon. The official journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® brings subscribers up-to-the-minute reports on the latest techniques and follow-up for all areas of plastic and reconstructive surgery, including breast reconstruction, experimental studies, maxillofacial reconstruction, hand and microsurgery, burn repair and cosmetic surgery, as well as news on medico-legal issues.
About ASPS
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. Representing more than 7,000 physician members, the society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 93 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
About Wolters Kluwer
Wolters Kluwer (WKL) is a global leader in professional information, software solutions and services for the clinicians, nurses, accountants, lawyers and tax, finance, audit, risk, compliance and regulatory sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with advanced technology and services.
Wolters Kluwer reported 2019 annual revenues of €4.6 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 19,000 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands.
lost 20 pounds after tummy tuck

At Nuance Cosmetic Surgery in Folsom, CA, we have a lot of people looking to correct lower back pain, remove excess abdominal skin, and improve the overall appearance of their abdomen. They are aware that a tummy tuck could dramatically improve their aesthetic and quality of life. But they also have several questions. Read on to discover everything you need to know about the Tummy Tuck procedure.
Can I Lose Weight After a Tummy Tuck?
You can absolutely lose weight after a tummy tuck. However, the amount of weight you will lose after this procedure, also known as abdominoplasty, depends on several factors. Some of these factors include how much excess skin you have, how much fat you need to be removed, the type of abdominoplasty you undergo, and how much weight you need to lose.
Excess Skin
Regarding weight loss after abdominoplasty, excess skin may be the most significant factor. If you have previously had a bariatric procedure, you can easily have 10 pounds of excess skin hanging from your abdomen. We have even seen clients lose 15 pounds of skin following abdominoplasty.
If you are seeking abdominoplasty to restore your stomach after an injury, pregnancy, natural weight loss, or age, you probably will only lose two to five pounds of excess skin after this procedure. However, losing excess skin can make exercise easier. This can spur significant weight loss after the procedure.
Excess Abdominal Fat
Another factor that plays a large role in determining how much weight you can lose after abdominoplasty is how much excess abdominal fat you have. During this procedure, excess abdominal fat is excised. Clients often have a couple of pounds of excess abdominal fat excised.
If you have a fair bit of excess abdominal fat, you may benefit from liposuction in addition to your abdominoplasty. With the help of liposuction, you can safely have up to 11 pounds of abdominal fat removed. Combined with the two to 15 pounds you can lose from excess skin, you’re looking at up to 28 pounds you can lose with abdominoplasty.
Type of Abdominoplasty
There are three types of tummy tuck you may undergo. A mini tuck only addresses loose skin and excess fat beneath the navel. If you undergo this procedure, you won’t lose as much weight as you would with a full tuck or an extended tuck. A full tuck addresses excess skin and fat found both below and above the navel.
With a full tuck, you will lose more weight than you would with a mini tuck because you probably have more excess skin and fat to be removed. Finally, the opportunity to lose the most weight after abdominoplasty is reserved for clients who choose an extended tuck. This type of abdominoplasty addresses the same issues as a full tuck but also your back, hips, and sides.
Overall Excess Body Fat
The fourth determining factor that affects how much weight you can lose after abdominoplasty is how much excess body fat you have to lose overall. Because excess skin removal makes exercise easier, you can lose as much fat as your body has in excess.
Typically, our clients have a couple of pounds of excess fat excised during the procedure. Then, they proceed to lose an additional eight pounds after the procedure. This is because a good candidate is at or near his or her goal weight. Therefore, he or she only has around 10 pounds of excess fat left to lose.
Can I Gain Weight After Abdominoplasty?
Unfortunately, it is possible to gain weight after abdominoplasty. Note, the procedure permanently removes fat cells from the abdomen and your body cannot replace them. However, not all fat cells are removed. If you consume excess calories after your procedure, the remaining fat cells in your abdomen may expand and negate the results of your procedure.
How Can I Maintain Weight After Abdominoplasty?
If you are already at your goal weight when you receive abdominoplasty, or you reach your goal weight after the procedure, you can maintain your goal weight with dedication. Weight maintenance, just like weight fluctuation, is nothing more than a numbers game. You simply need to consume only the amount of calories your body needs to maintain its weight.
Diet
Watching your diet carefully is the single most important thing you can do to help you maintain your ideal weight after abdominoplasty. You don’t have to give up bread or beer. But you need to make sure you’re making healthy choices most of the time. For instance, avoid processed foods and beverages as much as you can.
Exercise
If you can’t help but drink a soda every now and again, and it doesn’t fit into your daily calorie allowance, go for a jog to negate the extra calories. Whether you are trying to lose or maintain body fat, exercise is vital to your health, body fat percentage, and overall aesthetic. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate cardio weekly if you’re trying to maintain weight.
If you don’t have time to perform 150 minutes of cardio weekly, aim for an hour of high-intensity interval training or 75 minutes of vigorous cardio weekly. You should also try to perform resistance training three times per week to make weight maintenance easier.
3 Common Weight Loss Mistakes to Avoid After Abdominoplasty
1. Focusing Only on the Stomach
Most of our clients want to lose more weight after their abdominoplasty. But they often make mistakes. The most common mistake we see is focusing only on the abdomen when they want to lose weight. There is nothing wrong with incorporating abdominal exercises, like crunches and sit-ups, in your workout routine.
These exercises, along with planks, bicycles, and leg lifts are great for toning your new sleek, svelte abdomen. But they burn hardly any calories at all. Depending on intensity level and body weight, the average person can only burn between three and nine calories per minute with these exercises.
2. Having Unrealistic Expectations
You may have 10 to 30 pounds of excess fat to lose after your abdominoplasty. You may feel inspired and motivated to complete your weight loss journey after your procedure. However, if you have unrealistic expectations about weight loss, you will not complete your weight loss journey. If you want to reach your goal weight too quickly, you may decrease calorie consumption excessively.
If you cut too much from your diet, you may stick to it for six months to a year. However, you need to make changes that are sustainable for the rest of your life. When you finally reach your goal weight, you want to be able to maintain your new body weight for life. Focus on eating more nutrient-dense foods to fuel your body and keep it full while minimizing processed foods.
3. Doing Too Much
Just as you can cut too much from your diet, you can add too much to your exercise routine too quickly after your procedure. Your motivation may be at an 11 out of 10, but your body can only push itself so far. Even after your body has recovered from your abdominoplasty, it still needs adequate recovery time between workouts.
To avoid derailing your fitness and weight loss goals, try to not target the same muscle groups two days in a row. Let’s say you focus on compound exercises, like deadlifts, power cleans, and weighted back squats, on Tuesday. You shouldn’t target your legs by performing hamstring curls, leg presses, and weighted toe raises on Wednesday.
What Can I Expect During Abdominoplasty?
During a full abdominoplasty, Dr. Kenneth T. Sumida, MD will make a discrete incision across your abdomen from one hipbone to the other. Then, he will contour your skin, fatty tissue, and muscle as necessary. To perform this procedure, your belly button will be moved. If you have excess skin or fat, that will be removed and the loose muscles are tightened.
During a partial abdominoplasty, your navel will most likely not be repositioned. The abdominal walls above the navel are not tightened. However, excess fat will be removed. This type of abdominoplasty will only take up to two hours.
How Should I Prepare for Abdominoplasty?
To prepare for abdominoplasty or tummy tuck, stop taking medications and supplements that can thin your blood, like NSAIDs and fish oil supplements. You should avoid these for at least three weeks pre-op. You should also stop consuming nicotine for six weeks of pre-op. During your initial consultation, we will provide you with a comprehensive list of what to avoid leading up to your procedure.
How Should I Prepare for My Recovery?
To prepare for your recovery, make sure you have someone to drive you to and from your procedure. You should also have someone to care for you for the first 24 hours post-op. This ensures all your mental energy can be spent focusing on adequate rest.
You should also make sure your home is clean and you have pre-made meals that are easy to reheat. The last thing you need to do after your procedure is to worry about cleaning your baseboards, doing the laundry, or cooking three times per day.
What Can I Expect During Liposuction?
There are several techniques available to clients seeking liposuction. The best method for you depends on where you are removing excess fat from, how much fat needs to be removed, and your personal preference. However, tiny incisions are always required so a cannula (fine tube) can be inserted. This cannula is attached to a medical-grade suction device.
Can Liposuction Treat Areas Besides My Stomach?
During your abdominoplasty, we can use liposuction to treat your abdomen. But we can also use it to remove excess fat from virtually any other part of your body. For instance, we often use this fat removal technique to remove excess fat from the:
- Inner thighs
- Outer thighs
- Lower back
- Flanks
- Hips
- Upper arms
- Underarms
- Knees
- Chin and neck
- Calves and ankles
- Chest