For anyone considering a tummy tuck at my plastic surgery practice near Los Angeles, choosing the right time for surgery is a crucial part of the planning process. Selecting the right time in your life to have the procedure done will help you enjoy your results for as long as possible, keep your risks of complications low, and make sure you have the positive and rewarding experience you deserve.
So when is the right time for a tummy tuck? Here are a few things to consider.
When You’re Maintaining a Stable Weight
While a tummy tuck can remove remaining stubborn fat, it’s not a weight-loss procedure. It should happen near the end of your weight transformation when your weight stabilizes. This minimizes the risk of altering your results in the future.
Learn more about reaching your goal weight before a body contouring procedure in my previous blog post.
When You’re Ready to Take Time to Rest
You will need to take a couple of weeks away from work and a few more away from intense exercise. You should be able to take the necessary time to fully recover without it causing stress or hardship in your life.
This recovery time can be easier to manage if you enlist help with child care, pet care, and housework; ask about working remotely, if needed, and make the most of any vacation time you have—think winter holidays.
When You’re Finished Having Children
A tummy tuck won’t change your ability to get pregnant, but pregnancy can alter your results by causing future skin stretching, ab muscle weakening, and weight gain. For this reason, many women choose to wait until their family is complete before seeking a tummy tuck.
When Is It Probably Not the Right Time for a Tummy Tuck?
A few signs it may not be the right time yet include:
- You’re at the beginning of your weight loss journey and are planning to lose a significant amount of weight. Initial weight loss is exciting, and you may be eager to enhance your results with a tummy tuck. However, future weight loss may leave you with more excess skin that may even require a second surgery to correct.
- You’re not at a healthy BMI. It’s not worth sacrificing your well-being for the sake of achieving results as soon as possible.
- You’re planning on having children in the near future. While you may want to feel better about your body before you’re finished having children, a tummy tuck at that time probably won’t be the best investment.
You deserve a tummy tuck experience that leaves you feeling as confident as possible for as long as possible. To see examples of the results you can expect after a tummy tuck, please visit our before-and-after photo gallery.
If you would like to learn more about planning for a tummy tuck at my plastic surgery practice near Los Angeles, please call our office today at (310) 300-1779 or request a consultation.
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