Doing a tummy tuck on a heavy patient leaves the patient with tight skin on the belly, but still looking ‘pregnant.’” “Too frequently the patient is overly eager to have surgery, but it won’t yield a good result. “Most patients must lose some weight, and they frequently need to achieve a lot of weight loss prior to surgery,” says Grossman. Post-bariatric patients also need to take extra post-op care as they have a much higher risk of complications compared to other patients. “Other expected side effects - not complications - that we see after tummy tuck surgery are swelling which can take months to resolve, bruising, fatigue, pain, and discomfort,” adds Jack. “Potential things that could go wrong include skin infections, wound healing problems, seroma formation, hematoma formation, muscle plication suture failure, ‘dog ears’ or extra tissue on either side of the incision along the hips, blood clots, and uneven or unsightly scars,” says plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. While complications are rare, no surgery is without its risks and side effects, even among ideal candidates. “Being overweight results in the majority of complications associated with tummy tucks.” However, abdominoplasty is not considered a weight loss procedure.“One problem with the majority of patients is that they think it’s okay to have a tummy tuck just because they are overweight,” says New York City plastic and cosmetic surgeon Dr. Therefore, it can take some time to recover,” says Taglienti.īy removing excess fat and skin and restoring weakened or separated abdominal muscles, this popular surgical procedure flattens and tightens the abdomen, helping refine the contours of the belly when diet and exercise fail. “A tummy tuck can include a long incision, the removal of skin and fat, the suturing or plication of abdominal muscles, along with liposuction. In fact, the procedure is quite involved. “A common misconception is that a tummy tuck is a simple procedure,” says New York City plastic surgeon Dr. Abdominoplasty risks, complications, and common misconceptions.