For men and women who choose a tummy tuck, an unexpected benefit from the procedure may be improved long-term weight loss, according to a recently released study. This helps to confirm a link between tummy tucks and additional weight loss that has long been suspected.
This recent study, published by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, followed 20 women who had tummy tucks, tracking both short and longer term effects and weight loss. Typically performed solely for the cosmetic benefits, this preliminary research may give people another valuable reason to choose an abdominoplasty procedure.
Women Lose Weight Following Tummy Tuck Procedures
In addition to the small amount of weight loss that occurs immediately as a result of tissue removal, many of the women in the study were found to have increased weight loss over the year following the procedure. The cause of this longer-term weight loss in unclear, but the researchers believe it may have to do with “neuroendocrine mechanisms” that decrease hunger as a result of the removed fat tissue.
On average, the women in the study had about five pounds of excess fat removed during the procedure itself. The removal of this tissue causes a change in the type of signals sent to the brain regarding hunger, a change that is similar to that which occurs following bariatric surgeries such as gastric bypass. In the words of the study authors, “We hypothesize that the increased satiety seen in our patients is related to changes in the neuroendocrine system.”
If this association with tummy tuck fat removal and long term weight loss is proven, it is possible that a similar effect may be achievable with other body contouring procedures in which fat tissue is removed, such as liposuction, arm lifts, thigh lifts and breast lifts.
