Cosmetic Surgery for Men: The Tummy Tuck

Although the tummy tuck is a common “post-bariatric body contouring” procedure, the discussion of it typically revolves around female patients. Men can actually undergo a tummy tuck as well to finalize their weight loss results and remove excess abdominal skin.

Male patients are less likely to be aware of this cosmetic procedure and may even feel embarrassed to inquire about it; such was the case with one man who documented his tummy tuck on a blog. He says he perceived a “stigma or shame associated with male tummy tucks,” that made him hesitate when inquiring about the operation.

Plastic surgeons can offer gender-specific advice about procedures like this.
On realself.com, a male member asks about skin laxity on his abdomen due to weight loss:

I’m dealing with loose skin after a 50 lbs weight loss in my teens. I’ve totally transformed and I’m very athletic with well-defined abs, but have laxity mostly below the navel and around the lower back. The problem areas are very localized and I hide it under the belt line with no one suspecting I was obese. But I feel “unfinished.” The front skin is very thin and hangs, the back is mostly smooth. Is there a tummy tuck technique that would excise the abdominal skin and provide modest tightening in the lower back?

Christopher Hess MD, a plastic surgeon in northern Virginia responds: “Even though we tend to have better skin tone than women, we can still end up with excess skin due to skin memory. It sounds like you could undergo a mild excision of the excess tissue– less than a mini tummy tuck.”

When a man has achieved a greater weight reduction, the full tummy tuck may be recommended. “Do not hesitate to use a full abdominoplasty for a male patient with extreme skin laxity. Men tend to heal better than women after abdominoplasty,” advises Tulsa cosmetic surgeon Angelo Cuzalina.

Others agree: a comprehensive approach may be necessary for some male patients. Dr. Alan Matarasso, scientific editor of Aesthetic Surgery Journal, commenting in the publication Cosmetic Surgery Times says “you really need to treat [men] circumferentially, all the way around, because if you ask most men what bothers them, it’s the ‘love handles,’ and that goes all the way around to the back.”

For men, tummy tuck surgery might be discussed less frequently, but it is clearly performed on a regular basis. If you think you are a good candidate, ignore any perceived “stigma” and ask for the information you need.