Am I a good candidate for tummy tuck surgery?
If you’re dreaming of a flat, taut stomach (and let’s face it—who isn’t?), then having a tummy tuck is one of the most important parts of your bucket list. Like all elective surgeries, however, there are criteria to keep in mind regarding who is (and isn’t) a good candidate for the procedure. You’re probably a good candidate for abdominoplasty surgery if the following points apply to you:
1. Your main issue is loose skin and poor muscle tone, not excess fat.
While tummy tuck surgery will remove a respectable amount of subcutaneous fat, this is not a weight loss surgery. If you need to get rid of a large quantity of fat, liposuction is the better choice. The primary purpose of a tummy tuck is to tighten loose skin and repair muscle damage following pregnancy or substantial weight loss.
2. You’re generally healthy.
Tummy tuck surgery is very low-risk, but it does require considerable healing time (2-3 months is not uncommon). You’ll, therefore, need to be in good overall health conditions in order to perform this procedure. If you have diabetes, an autoimmune disorder, cardiovascular disease, etc., you will not be able to have a tummy tuck unless your condition is very well-managed.
3. You don’t plan to have more children or lose much more weight.
Because each subsequent tummy tuck procedure carries a higher risk of scarring (and other complications), it’s strongly advised that you wait until you’re done having kids and/or losing weight to have this surgery. Note, however, that if you do become pregnant unexpectedly, having a prior tummy tuck will not affect the health of your infant in any way.
In conclusion, if you’re within 15-20 pounds of your ideal weight, you are in good overall health condition, and your baby-making days are behind you, you’re probably a good candidate for tummy tuck surgery.