How Much Weight Can You Expect to Lose with a Mommy Makeover?

Mommy Makeover Surgery

Many women who opt for a mommy makeover have encountered changes in their body due to factors like pregnancy and weight fluctuations. They often turn to this procedure to address these changes. Consequently, some patients may still carry extra weight when they decide to undergo surgery. This raises questions about whether they can have surgery and whether it will result in significant weight loss. So, let’s address these concerns.

Weight and Mommy Makeover

Many individuals who have had children tend to carry additional weight for various reasons, such as hormonal changes, aging, genetics, or the aftermath of a C-section. Losing post-baby weight can be particularly challenging or seemingly impossible. During your mommy makeover consultation, a plastic surgeon will assess your overall health to determine if you are a suitable candidate for the surgery. Typically, if you are not obese and are reasonably healthy, you may qualify for the procedure. However, it is advisable for patients to be within five to twenty-five pounds of their goal weight before surgery.

Why? It’s important to note that a mommy makeover is not intended as a weight loss surgery. While it may involve procedures that remove excess fat, like liposuction and tummy tucks, these methods do not result in substantial weight loss. Generally, most patients do not lose more than ten pounds during the surgery. A mommy makeover can serve as a motivator to shed weight, both before and after the procedure. Many patients may not need to lose a significant amount of weight before the surgery, but if it is necessary, your surgeon will discuss it with you during your consultation.

The Components of a Mommy Makeover

The specific outcomes of a mommy makeover are contingent on the procedures involved. A mommy makeover is a highly customizable surgery, often involving a combination of breast procedures (e.g., breast augmentation) and abdominal procedures (e.g., tummy tucks). However, a mommy makeover can encompass a wide array of procedures, typically involving at least one breast or abdominal surgery. Some of the procedures that can be part of a mommy makeover include:

• Breast Augmentation
• Liposuction
• Breast Lift
• Tummy Tuck
• Breast Reduction
• Fat Transfer to the Breasts
• Butt Lift
• Mini Tummy Tuck
• Monsplasty

Is It Easier to Lose Weight After a Tummy Tuck?

A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is a type of body contouring surgery designed to tighten the abdominal muscles and remove excess skin and fat from the abdomen. This procedure offers numerous benefits, including increased mobility and improved posture, and many patients have reported sustained weight loss following their surgeries. But is this a common outcome?

Findings from the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Journal

A study published in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery journal, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), revealed that one year after their tummy tuck surgery, 70% of patients had lost additional weight beyond what was lost during the procedure. On average, participants experienced a 4.5% reduction in their original BMI one year after the surgery.

What contributes to the ability of tummy tuck patients to continue losing weight post-surgery? Here are a few factors:

1. Removal of excess tissues can facilitate weight maintenance

Physical and psychological factors play a role in helping patients maintain their weight or even continue to lose weight after a tummy tuck. These factors include:

• Physical factor: Tummy tuck surgery removes excess skin and fat and can correct abdominal muscle separation, leading to a sensation of being lighter and more mobile. This often makes physical activity easier and more enjoyable, encouraging further weight loss.
• Psychological factor: A tummy tuck can boost self-esteem by enhancing one’s appearance, acting as a strong motivator to maintain or even improve upon the results.

These factors create a positive feedback loop where feeling better leads to better self-care, which, in turn, results in looking and feeling even better.

2. A tummy tuck may reduce hunger

While more research is needed, patients may experience sustained weight loss after a tummy tuck due to increased feelings of fullness after eating, known as satiety. According to the study in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery journal, three-fourths of participants reported increased satiety after their tummy tuck.

Researchers believe this may be attributed to two factors:

• Tightening of abdominal muscles: The tightening of abdominal muscles during tummy tuck surgery may restrict the stomach’s ability to expand, making overeating more challenging.
• Changes in the neuroendocrine system: Hormones responsible for hunger are stored in fat cells. Tummy tuck surgery may reduce hunger by removing fat cells from the abdomen.

Tummy Tuck vs. Weight Loss Surgery: Which is Suitable for You?

The study in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery journal found that long-term weight loss was more common among women with an initial BMI of 24.5 or greater (a BMI of 25-30 is considered overweight). Additionally, another study focused on abdominoplasty outcomes among overweight and obese patients reported overwhelmingly high patient satisfaction within this demographic.

However, if your BMI exceeds 35, you might be a better candidate for weight loss surgery (bariatric surgery). Weight loss surgery can help individuals with a significant amount of excess body fat achieve a healthy and stable weight. Once your target weight is reached, a tummy tuck, combined with liposuction, can address any remaining excess skin and stubborn fat deposits, as well as tighten separated abdominal muscles.

Preventing Weight Gain with Proper Diet and Exercise

It’s essential to understand that a tummy tuck should not be seen as a primary weight loss solution. In fact, it is advisable to be at or near your goal weight before undergoing an abdominoplasty to ensure the best results.

For More Information on the Treatments and Procedures offered, contact award-winning Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Thomas Fiala at Fiala Aesthetics in Greater Orlando to Schedule Your Consultation:

Voted the #1 Best Plastic Surgeon in Orlando, Florida by the readers of Orlando Magazine.