New study finds patients continue to lose weight in the years after a tummy tuck
Abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck surgery, has long been popular among patients who have experienced significant weight loss, as it removes excess skin often left behind, creating a sleeker, smoother silhouette.
Plastic surgeons around the world have observed that patients who have undergone tummy tuck surgery often continue to lose weight in the months and years after surgery, but until recently, no official study had examined this phenomenon. Now, however, a group of surgeons from the Northwest University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago have done just that.
Weight loss carries on for up to five years after surgery
Dr John Y.S. Kim and colleagues assessed body weight changes in 188 patients – 97% of whom were women – for five years after abdominoplasty. The average pre-surgery weight of the patients was 168 pounds (76.2kg), and the average BMI was 27.7. The majority of patients who participated in the study underwent liposuction or a similar fat-reduction procedure at the same time as the abdominoplasty.
Follow-ups continued through to five years postoperatively, and the results are impressive:
- At three to six months after surgery, the average weight loss was between three and five pounds (1.4 to 2.3kg), with a decrease in BMI of three per cent
- Between one and four years, the average weight loss was around five pounds (2.3kg), with a BMI reduction of two per cent
- By five years, average weight loss was nearly ten pounds (4.5kg), with BMI reduced by more than five per cent
In total, around 60% of patients studied continued to lose weight after surgery, showing a ‘near constant negative change in body weight that did not significantly change over time’, according to the study authors.
Why do patients continue to lose weight after a tummy tuck
A tummy tuck is a body-contouring procedure, not a weight-loss surgery. Excess skin and fat are removed, but this typically amounts to only a few pounds.
However, after surgery, patients continue to lose weight because they tend to develop healthy habits around nutrition and exercise. The study found that weight loss was greater in those with a higher BMI before surgery.
Since tummy tuck surgery removes excess skin and fat and can correct diastasis recti (abdominal muscle separation), patients often feel more mobile after their procedure. Physical activity is often easier and more enjoyable, which can encourage further weight loss.
Psychologically, a tummy tuck can help you feel better about your appearance, which can be a huge motivator to maintain or even improve upon your results.
While further research is still needed, another reason patients may be able to sustain weight loss after their tummy tuck is increased satiety. This means feeling fuller for a prolonged period after eating. According to a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery study, three-fourths of participants reported greater satiety after their tummy tuck.
Researchers suggest this could be due to tightening of the abdominal muscles, which may restrict the stomach’s ability to expand, thus making it more difficult to overeat. Another possible reason is changes in the neuroendocrine system. Because hormones that stimulate hunger are stored in fat cells, tummy tuck surgery may reduce hunger by removing abdominal fat.
How does abdominoplasty work?
Abdominoplasty is an ideal procedure for someone who has lost significant weight, particularly in the abdominal region. It is also very popular with women who struggle to achieve a flat stomach after pregnancy and childbirth. It can be performed with or without liposuction to trim away excess, sagging skin on the belly and tighten the abdominal muscles, leaving you with a tauter, flatter midriff.
Mr Juling Ong offers three options for tummy tuck surgery:
- The full tummy tuck addresses the whole abdominal region, up to the ribs
- The mini tummy tuck deals only with the area beneath the belly button – often patients who are otherwise quite slim have a stubborn pouch in this area
- An extended tummy tuck involves a wider incision to take in the area of the ‘love handles’. This allows for more tissue to be removed and waist contouring to be performed
The size and position of the incision will depend on the type of abdominoplasty being performed, but Mr Ong is always careful to place it as low on the abdomen as possible, so that the scar can be easily hidden by clothing or swimwear.
If you would like to find out more about abdominoplasty, or book a consultation with Mr Ong, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.
