You’ve lost weight – what an accomplishment! You have a new body, better health, more energy, increased self-confidence and a renewed outlook on life. All’s good, right? Well…not in all cases.
What many people don’t realize about losing a significant amount of weight (50 pounds or more) is that loose, sagging skin is often a result, along with their new shape. After working so hard to change their body and improve their health, these folds of hanging skin can be very discouraging for both men and women, like their old clothes that are now too big. For some, they can also act as a reminder of their old life and the emotional issues they were struggling with when they were at a higher weight.
As well as being unsightly and embarrassing, excess skin can cause rashes, chafing, infections and back pain. It can also keep people from being as active as they want to be, which can negate the health gains they made and make it easier for the weight to come back. All in all, it can be very frustrating.
There is a solution! A tummy tuck
The good news: loose, sagging skin around the abdomen can be permanently removed with a tummy tuck. In addition to tummy tucks, I also offer a wide range of other body sculpting procedures to help you achieve a more shapely body, which you can learn about here.
How does a tummy tuck remove sagging skin?
A tummy tuck (or abdominoplasty) is a surgical procedure that removes excess skin and fat, narrows the waist and tightens the muscles of the abdomen, giving you the appearance of a flat and toned midsection.
Requiring 1-2 hours in an operating room under general anesthesia, a typical tummy tuck is able to remove several pounds of stomach fat and excess skin at the same time that it tightens abdominal muscles. Swelling, bruising and some amount of pain and discomfort are common occurrences following a tummy tuck and typically go away after a week or two. Recovery times vary, but most of my patients are back to work in 1-2 weeks. Keep in mind that these time frames are subject to the type of work you do, the extent of your surgery and how quickly your body heals.
What a tummy tuck won't do
It’s important to understand that a tummy tuck is not a substitute for weight loss or a consistent exercise program. Although the results of a tummy tuck are technically permanent, they can be greatly diminished by significant fluctuations in your weight. For this reason, if you are planning to lose a substantial amount of weight or if you’re considering getting pregnant, I would advise you to postpone a tummy tuck.
You can also have liposuction at the same time
If you want to lose unwanted fat from around your waist, hips, thighs and buttocks as well as your tummy, you can have liposuction at the same time as a tummy tuck for more dramatic results.
Why does skin not rebound after weight loss?
Your skin is elastic and can stretch and recover, but its ability to “snap back” after significant weight loss depends on how long you were overweight. The longer your skin was stretched out, the less likely it is to return to its original shape.
There are also other factors that affect your skin's ability to contract after weight loss, including the quality of your skin tone before you lost weight, your age, genetics, the amount of weight you gained and lost, sun exposure and lifestyle factors such as smoking.
Insurance coverage
A tummy tuck is considered by insurance companies to be elective cosmetic surgery and therefore is usually not covered, which means that the procedure would be self-pay.
Considering a tummy tuck?
I understand that choosing to have a tummy tuck is an important decision for a person, male or female. I also know how much it means to each and every patient to achieve the results they want. If you are thinking about getting a tummy tuck and would like to schedule a free consultation, please contact me and I will send you additional information prior to your appointment. To make sure you are fully informed about your surgery options and understand exactly what results to expect, I will take all the time you need to make sure your questions are answered.
For more information about tummy tucks, I recommend these 3 blogs
So that you can be fully informed before you decide to have a tummy tuck, I’ve written several blogs explaining this procedure and its many benefits:
- Are You A Good Candidate For A Tummy Tuck?
- Before Getting a Tummy Tuck, Be Realistic About Your Expectations
- 10 Things to Keep in Mind When Considering a Tummy Tuck
To learn more about the many body contouring procedures I offer:
There are several body procedures available to you in my plastic surgery practice. To learn more, please visit these pages on my website:
- Body Procedures
- Butt Augmentation
- Brazilian Butt Lift
- CoolSculpting
- EmSculpt®
- Liposuction
- Lower Body Lift
- Mommy Makeover
- Tummy Tuck
Board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS), and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), Samuel J. Beran, MD is a highly accomplished plastic surgeon with offices in Manhattan, Harrison and Mount Kisco, NY. With more than 20 years’ experience and a thorough command of the most advanced techniques and technologies, Dr. Beran consistently provides his patients with the highest level of plastic, cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the breast, face, skin and body. Recently, Dr. Beran was named a “Top Doctor” by RealSelf for his dedication to responding to consumer questions and patient feedback. The “Top Doctor” designation is awarded to less than 10% of the RealSelf physician community.
