If you’re considering undergoing a tummy tuck, you may be one of the many who would benefit from the procedure however are concerned about losing their coveted thigh gap. If so, know that this is completely normal and often a common reason why patients aren’t sure if they should get a tummy tuck. It’s important to know though that not only will you not lose your thigh gap after getting a tummy tuck; you’ll actually be able to have more room in your clothing even just four weeks post surgery. Let’s talk about why that is!
As a surgical patient, you have a great deal of uncertainty about your recovery and healing time. During my own recovery, I kept track of my swelling and healing, as well as my patients’ insecurities about whether the results would be reasonable. With the largest body part on a woman being her butt, I am certainly in agreement that our concerns should be focused there. Although we do have abdominal fat, it is just a much smaller area to contend with. Whereas, when dealing with our thighs that are exposed every day, in all types of clothes, through every season- it is not just the appearance but how they feel too!
Read on to learn more. Gaining Weight In Thighs After Tummy Tuck, Why Am I Gaining Weight After Tummy Tuck Gained 50 Pounds After Tummy Tuck
Gaining Weight In Thighs After Tummy Tuck
A post-op patient is prone to gaining weight in the thighs after tummy tuck surgery. The excess skin in the abdomen is not only unsupported by muscle, but also lacks the elasticity and muscle tone that helps to support it. The result is that it hangs down and sags. This excess skin can be seen as a bulge or bagginess under clothing.
It is important to remember that no matter what procedure is performed on your body, there will be changes in your skin’s appearance. In addition, you may feel that your clothes do not fit well after surgery because of swelling and bruising.
As time goes by, you will notice changes in your physical appearance as you heal from surgery and return to normal activities such as exercise or work. These changes often include changes in weight as well as other changes in body measurements such as waist size or hip size.
Here’s the good news: tummy tucks often lead to significant and sustained weight loss for patients, according to studies by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. The average woman lost five pounds of fat during the tummy tuck procedure. Overweight patients with pre-operative BMIs of 24.5 or greater decreased their weight by 4.5 percent of their original BMIs one year later.
Three-quarters of patients report greater satiety after undergoing abdominoplasty. Researchers believe changes in hormones and neuroendocrine mechanisms triggered by the removal of fat cells are responsible for diminished appetites and greater propensity for weight loss. Manhattan Plastic Surgeon Dr. B. Aviva Preminger and goes the extra mile to counsel tummy tuck patients who have concerns about how future weight gain might affect their results.
WILL I GAIN WEIGHT IN DIFFERENT PLACES AFTER A TUMMY TUCK?
We’ve all heard this myth before – that if you remove fat from the abdomen, you’ll end up with fat ankles or a fat derriere. There is no scientific evidence to support these claims. Researchers from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons examined more than 300 patients for at least three months after their liposuction and tummy tuck procedures. They found that the fat cells in treated areas did not regrow. Furthermore, upper body and lower body dimensions remained measurably unchanged, even when small amounts of overall weight gain were reported.
The benefit of the tummy tuck procedure is that it effectively reduces the number of fat cells in a particularly troublesome area. If you continue to eat more calories than your body needs and do not exercise, fat will inevitably deposit in genetically and hormonally determined patterns. For one of the best results, Dr. Preminger recommends maintaining a healthy lifestyle by eating nutrition-dense food, weightlifting twice a week, and getting at least 75 minutes of weekly vigorous exercise like aerobics, running, cycling, rollerblading, or jumping rope.
WHAT IF I BECOME PREGNANT AFTER A TUMMY TUCK?
Many patients wait for a tummy tuck until they are done having children. Pregnancy will loosen the abdominal wall to some degree. Some women do bounce right back to having a flat stomach after pregnancy and never need a revision surgery. One study demonstrated safe pregnancy to term in 24 women following tummy tuck.
Women who have had a tummy tuck should tell their OBGYNs in case a cesarean section is needed. Often, surgeons can use the same incision site to minimize the risk of scarring. Studies have evaluated the possibility of combining abdominoplasty with a c-section, but the high complication rates have led surgeons to recommend postponing future tummy tucks until initial healing is complete.
One exception to the rule is women who do not plan to have children for five to 10 years. The benefits of having a flat stomach and attractive contour during those “prime years” may outweigh the consequence of possibly requiring a revision surgery down the road.
IS A SECOND TUMMY TUCK POSSIBLE?
Dr. Preminger works with patients to find one of the best solution in the event they gain weight after an initial tummy tuck. Most of the time, positive results can be realized simply through a renewed focus on diet and exercise. If it has been at least six months since the last surgery or live birth, a physical exam can be completed to assess fat accumulation levels, skin laxity, and overall health prior to clearance for surgery.
Gained 50 Pounds After Tummy Tuck
A tummy tuck, also referred to as abdominoplasty, removes excess skin and then repositions the belly button. It can flatten and firm the abdominal region, but you must also maintain a healthy lifestyle with proper diet and exercise. Minimal weight gain after a tummy tuck will not have a significant impact, but excessive weight gain will stretch the skin and stretch the abdominal muscles. Pregnancy after a tummy tuck can also affect the results.
Stretched Skin
Weight gain after a tummy tuck will affect the surgery results. Since a tummy tuck removes fat cells, there are fewer fat cells in the abdominal area. This means that the fat distribution will be less in the area of the stomach than before surgery, but the skin will stretch and with time there will be more skin, according to plastic surgeon Richard Dowden, M.D., C.M., F.A.C.S.
Loss of Muscle Firmness
Excessive weight gain causes the skin and the abdominal muscles to stretch. This results in a loss of muscle firmness and tone. The abdominals will not remain as flat as they were after the tummy tuck was initially performed, according to the Northwestern Plastic Surgery Center.
Regular exercise and a healthy diet are recommended to help maintain the results of the tummy tuck surgery. Abdominoplasty is not a replacement for weight loss. It used to remove excess skin after a large amount of weight loss and or multiple pregnancies. It can also help people who cannot lose the excess stomach bulge even after diet and exercise.
- Excessive weight gain causes the skin and the abdominal muscles to stretch.
- It used to remove excess skin after a large amount of weight loss and or multiple pregnancies.
Pregnancy
Tummy tucks are usually an option for women after pregnancy and who do not plan to get pregnant again. A tummy tuck will not affect the pregnancy or the baby, according to the National Institutes of Health. Having a baby after a tummy tuck will affect the surgery results. The skin will stretch and lose muscle tone requiring another abdominoplasty to remove the excess skin to flatten the abdominal area. Therefore, this surgery is not recommended for women who are planning to get pregnant.
- Tummy tucks are usually an option for women after pregnancy and who do not plan to get pregnant again.
Why Am I Gaining Weight After Tummy Tuck
After tummy tuck, you will gain some weight. It is normal to gain a few pounds after this procedure. The amount of weight gain varies from one person to another. The reason for this is because of the swelling that occurs after surgery. The swelling takes some time to subside and hence your weight increases before it comes back to normal.
When you are about to schedule for a tummy tuck surgery, it is important that you discuss with your doctor about how much weight you need to lose before the surgery and how much weight gain will be acceptable after the procedure. In most cases, a surgeon will recommend that you lose around 10% of your total body weight before getting a tummy tuck surgery done.
If you are planning on having a tummy tuck surgery and have lost a considerable amount of weight already, then it is best if you wait until you have reached this target weight before getting the procedure done as it may lead to complications during recovery.
The most likely reason is that you are not following your post-operative diet properly. You may also be gaining weight because you are eating more than you need to maintain your weight.
It is important to follow your surgeon’s dietary instructions after gastric bypass surgery. These instructions can be found in your surgeon’s office and on their website. They will tell you how much food to eat per day, how much protein and carbohydrate each meal should contain, how often and when to eat snacks between meals, etc.
You should also be following an exercise program after surgery because this will help you lose weight more quickly than if you don’t exercise at all. Many bariatric surgeons recommend that their patients exercise for 30 minutes per day or more on most days of the week during the first year after surgery.