What age is recommended to get an hourglass tummy tuck?

When it comes to undergoing elective surgery to enhance the body, there are certain recommendations regarding the age of the patient. For example, for women who want to get breast implants, the minimum age to get silicone implants is 21 years old and 18 years old for saline solution implants. However, when it comes to improving the appearance of the tummy, the procedure can technically be performed on all patients of legal age. What does this mean? That women interested in improving the look of the tummy and getting an hourglass body shape can consider undergoing the procedure from 18 years old.

Does this mean that it is recommended to get the procedure so soon in life? Well, the answer here depends from one patient to the other. For example, for patients who had early pregnancies and are now confronted with an unpleasant tummy and skin sagginess, the procedure can help them feel better about themselves and get a boost of self-esteem. However, when it comes to patients who want to have more children in the future, the recommendation might be to postpone the procedure until the patient considers her family is complete.

Why is this important? Patients who get the hourglass tummy tuck early in life should be aware of the fact that ulterior weight fluctuations, as well as other factors such as pregnancies and even the natural aging process, can affect the results and cause an unpleasant look of the tummy again.

When the hourglass tummy tuck is performed, the patient will go through the procedure in three steps: liposuction, abdominoplasty, and fat transfer to the hips. The procedure affects the midline, the abdominal wall, and the hips. If pregnancy or weight fluctuations occur afterwards, the results of liposuction might be altered and the fat transferred to the hips might decrease or increase its size as the fat cells grafted there will start behaving like the cells that were originally in the area a few months after the procedure.

If pregnancy occurs after the hourglass tummy tuck, the muscles of the tummy can be affected again, and diastasis recti can occur, causing imperfections on the abdominal wall.

An experienced and talented, board-certified plastic surgeon will tell you that the recommended age to get an hourglass tummy tuck is when you don’t plan to get pregnant in the future, you have a normal and constant weight that you can sustain over time, and you are struggling daily with an unpleasant look of the tummy. Keep in mind that the hourglass tummy tuck is a complex procedure associated with multiple benefits, but also certain potential complications. This means that patients should be fully aware of the risks and complications before scheduling the procedure. A good health condition, as well as a balanced mental and emotional condition, are essential for the wellbeing of the patient after the surgery.