When do I do it? After I reach ideal weight or during my weight loss?

Thank you for your question. When you are considering a tummy tuck procedure, it is highly recommended that you lose weight before doing the procedure. It is important to understand that for every liter of fat and pound of skin that is removed from the body, also 20 is removed as well. There is only so much fat and skin that can be removed safely in the surgery. Also it is very important to maintain the weight after the surgery to conserve the results. If you gain and lose weight after surgery, the results can be compromised. Weight loss will not get rid of the loose skin that you have on your abdomen. The tummy tuck procedure will eliminate this excess skin on the abdomen but weight loss is the first step. Good luck!

Congratulations on your weight loss thus far. Keep it up until you reach your goal, or, even a little more as your ideal weight is about 135 lbs. You definately do not want to do anything until you have reached this goal as your results will not be what you desire. Almost everyone loses a little more after a tummy tuck. Therefore, if you do the surgery before reaching your ideal weight, you will end up with residual rolls a number of months after the abdominoplasty. If, however, you get to as small a weight as you can, even if you lose a little more, you will still have an excellent result. To encourage you now, just think of the rolls and loose skin as indicators of how good you are going to look after the weight loss and tummy tuck. Keep up the good work.

You can go either way. Your best result will come from waiting until you are at your goal so your skin doesn't loosen up again after surgery and additional weight loss. We try and avoid working on a moving target. On the other hand, if the extra rolls of skin are an impediment to your exercise, feeling good about yourself, and achieving your goals then removing the extra skin now may help motivate you to make it across the finish line. You will have to be prepared that you may need a minor touch up procedure down the road if your skin does loosen a bit after you reach your final goal weight. In my practice, I will often provide free touch ups in the office at no charge as an incentive for patients to attain their goals.

In a perfect world we would be at our perfect weight but as you continue to lose sometimes some selective liposuction can speed up the process and enhance your self esteem and motivation ie your lower abdomen and once at your ideal weight then get your tummy tuck.