Can I Get a Tummy Tuck After Bariatric Surgery?

First, congratulations on losing all that weight!! Now it is time to reward yourself!

Patients that have undergone bariatric surgery (i.e. lap band or gastric bypass) and have lost a lot of weight are frequently troubled by the excess skin around their abdomen. This is a complex problem, and it is more difficult to treat compared to a woman who desires a tummy tuck after pregnancy.

Understanding the difference between weight loss surgery and a traditional tummy tuck

After pregnancy, the skin around the abdomen becomes loose, and a tummy tuck is required to remove the extra skin. In patients who have undergone a weight loss procedure, the extra skin is not only present around the abdomen, but also extends to the love handle area. So, post-bariatric weight loss patients will often need an extended abdominoplasty, to treat the panniculus that is present on the abdomen and the flanks. This also means that the final incision will be longer than a standard tummy tuck. Patients are encouraged to ask about the difference between weight loss surgery and other stomach surgery procedures.

What is involved in this procedure?

If you’ve lost 100 pounds or more, then it is likely that your extra skin extends all the way to your back. In this case, a circumferential abdominoplasty, or lower body lift is required. This stomach reduction surgery creates a dramatic improvement in your midsection and creates a modest thigh lift and buttock lift. This is a big operation, but can be performed as an outpatient, or you can choose to stay in the hospital overnight if you desire. Another option is to break this up into two operations, so you would do the extended abdominoplasty, and then have the posterior body lift done about two or three months later.

You may also consider having

• A breast lift with implants
• Brachioplasty or upper arm lift
• An upper back lift
• A medial thigh lift

These procedures can be performed; however, they will not be done at the same time. This is because having multiple shorter operations is safer than having a single large operation. Our goal is to get you the results that you want in the safest way possible.

Dr. Dass has a lot of experience with body contouring after weight loss surgery. Make an appointment today, to see if you are a candidate for a tummy tuck or a lower body lift.