At What Weight Should I Be Prior to My Body Contouring Procedure?

Posted in Body Contouring, Media

It is always better to undergo body contouring procedures, particularly tummy tuck surgery, when you are at (or very close to) your ideal weight. If you are within 10 to 15 pounds of your goal weight prior to your procedure, I’d say adding or shedding those extra few pounds postsurgically will not typically affect your results in a negative way. However, if you plan to gain or lose more than about 15 pounds after your procedure, you run the risk of compromising your results by either producing excess tissue that could’ve been removed initially, or conversely, stretching your tissues out with the newly gained weight.

For liposuction, though, my recommendation changes slightly. Patients who lose weight after liposuction are generally very happy; the only patients I see who are unhappy are those who gain weight after liposuction. This is because fat pockets that get bigger around scarring following liposuction can look a bit more “wavy.” My recommendation is to be a little bit over your desired weight when you’re going to have liposuction, and then lose weight. Don’t do it when you’re at your lowest weight and think you’ll be okay when you gain a little back.

— Dr. Dan Mills, Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon

• Share