Tummy tuck surgery may lead to lasting weight loss for some people, especially people who are overweight or obese before their tummy tuck. This hypothesis appears in a study published in this month’s issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®.

Researchers believe the maintained weight loss may be due to feelings of satiety, or fullness after eating, caused by less abdominal fat. After you have a tummy tuck, you may feel fuller after eating compared to before the surgery.

In the study, 20 women had tummy tucks, with an average of 5 pounds of abdominal fat and skin removed. After a year, 14 of the women had maintained weight loss, and they had continued to lose weight beyond the 5 pounds of tissue removed. The remaining six women had lost weight temporarily, but eventually gained weight in the year after tummy tuck surgery.

It seems sustained weight loss was most likely for women with a BMI of 24.5 or greater, while women with a lower BMI were less likely to have maintained weight loss in the year after their tummy tucks.

To find out if a tummy tuck is right for you, please contact the Cosmetic Surgical Center to schedule a consultation with experienced Dallas plastic surgeon Dr. Vasdev Rai.