Wait for a stable weight
Surgeons generally want your weight steady for some months, often around six, and you close to your goal. Losing more afterwards can leave new loose skin; regaining stretches the result.
Which type
- Full tummy tuck: loose skin mainly at the front, below and above the belly button.
- Extended: skin that wraps round to the hips.
- Fleur-de-lis: skin across the waist as well, through a vertical scar.
Healing after weight loss
Wounds can be slower to heal after major weight loss, especially after bariatric surgery when nutrition matters. Your surgeon may check your blood tests and protein intake first.
Not for you if
A tummy tuck isn't for you yet if:
- your weight is still going down or up
- you plan more pregnancies: a pregnancy can undo the result
- you smoke and won't stop well before surgery (some surgeons won't operate on smokers at all)
- the problem is fat with firm skin, when liposuction may be enough
Recovery
Expect about four to six weeks off work and exercise, and several weeks before you can drive.
Risks
The common and the less common:
- slower wound healing and fluid collections, which are more common after major weight loss
- a long scar across the lower tummy (and around the belly button after a full tummy tuck), red at first and fading over 12 to 18 months
- numbness of the lower tummy skin for months, sometimes years
- a pocket of fluid above the scar (a seroma), which may need draining
- a collection of blood under the skin (a haematoma)
- wounds that are slow to heal, more likely if you smoke
- thick or obvious scars, or 'dog ears' of extra skin at the ends of the scar
- a blood clot in a leg vein, which can travel to the lungs
- infection, or a reaction to the anaesthetic
Your surgeon should tell you how likely each one is for you, and what they'd do about it.
Cost
A full tummy tuck: €8,000 to €12,000. Extended and fleur-de-lis are quoted individually and cost more.
Every doctor practising in Ireland must be registered with the Medical Council, and only a doctor with specialist registration can practise independently as a specialist. For a tummy tuck, check that the surgeon is on the Specialist Division in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, using the Medical Council's online register.
Questions people ask
Is skin removal after weight loss covered by the HSE?
Cosmetic skin removal generally isn't. If loose skin causes a medical problem, such as repeated infections, talk to your GP.
I lost weight on medication. Can I have a tummy tuck?
Yes, once your weight is stable. Tell your surgeon about every medicine you take.