Can Someone Who Is Overweight Get A Tummy Tuck?

Q: Dr. Eppley, can someone who is overweight have a tummy tuck with liposuction? I’m 36 years old and am 5’4” and 195lbs. I have very bad back pain due to my large stomach. I have not been very successful with any efforts at weight loss and my doctor feels it is due to the medications that I am on. Would a tummy tuck with liposuction help me? I think it would be very beneficial for my back not to mention my self-esteem.

A: The question is not whether you can have a tummy tuck at your weight but whether you should. It would take a physical examination to feel your abdominal area and see how much of the tissue can be removed. In some overweight stomachs the skin is very tight and the yield on a tummy tuck is not as much as one would think. For these patients, weight loss is key so that they create the necessary loose tissue to make the surgical effort most beneficial.  In other patients, particularly those with an abdominal overhang (pannus), the results of a tummy tuck are more significant and even back pain may be improved as the strain from the weight of the overhang is removed.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana