At what age can you benefit from tummy tuck surgery ?

Abdominoplasty, more commonly called tummy tuck, is a cosmetic surgery designed to improve the appearance of a protruding or sagging abdominal wall, with excess fat or distension of the abdominal muscles (a condition called diastasis recti). Many male and female patients choose this treatment to restore a flat appearance of their stomach and a more harmonious figure. This procedure is available to patients of all ages provided medical requirements are met.

At what age can you benefit from tummy tuck surgery ?

What is a tummy tuck ?

Tummy tuck surgery improves the appearance of the stomach area by removing excess fat tissue and tightening up the skin as well as the abdominal wall’s muscles. This procedure is performed with the patient under general anesthesia, its duration is 1h30 to 2 hours. During the operation, the surgeon uses a relatively long incision to remove excess fat and skin. Tummy tuck surgery requires hospitalization for a few days and patients have to wear a compressive garment to stabilize their result.

Is there an ideal age to benefit from tummy tuck surgery ?

There is no age limit for this treatment, however, the patient’s health status is an essential criteria which may result in the surgeon’s refusal to perform the surgery. Young patients with health issues will not be operated on whereas older patients in good health can undergo this tummy tuck with no additional risk. Female patients have to plan their tummy tuck if they are not planning to get pregnant in the future, because pregnancy can annul the improvements achieved in the abdominal region through tummy tuck.

Alternatives for younger patients

For patients who are not in their forties, tummy tuck surgery only has to be considered in case of severe skin sagging, with or without stretch marks and abdominal distension. This commonly happens because of pregnancy or quick and significant weight loss. In other cases, liposuction is enough to reshape the stomach area.