tummy tucks

juju · May 25, 2005

hi all- do the majority of people get tummy tucks after having lost over 100lbs, or will exercise get the skin back in place??

juju

Alexandra · May 25, 2005

Hi Juju,

I don't know about the "majority" of people getting tummy tucks. Certainly some do, but it's by no means universal. The amount of hanging or loose skin you will have is unpredictable. Exercise will help tone the underlying muscles but can't do anything about skin elasticity, which is more related to your age, heredity, and the speed with which you lose weight.

So it's a wait-and-see proposition. I've lost 120 lbs since my heaviest weight and don't need a Tummy Tuck. I know people who are about where I am who have had plastic surgery already. I'll see what happens in another 50 lbs, but so far the only area I'd really like to see tightened up is my upper arms, and I'm not going to have surgery just for that.

paula · May 25, 2005

Juju,

Alex is sooo right about each person is different.

For me, Ive had 3 c-sections and top weight a little over 300 pounds - this momma has hanging skin all over - especially stomach area!! SO much that last week at my annual Gyn visit, my doc told me that I needed to start checking into getting a Tummy Tuck. His words, "I see what you have now and in another -30 you are definately gonna want this done". Im sure he is right, but having this hanging stomach is like a road map of my life. So Im not sure if Ill ever be ready to have this map changed!

May 28, 2005

Some do. Some don't. Depends on how much weight you lost, where it was at (was it all primarly in your stomach or more evenly distributed), how long you were heavy, how fast you lost the weight (slower is better), age for some factors.

No matter how you lost the weight, you'd have the same problem.

jayme