Is 71 Years Too Old for Tummy Tuck?

71 year old. 2 wks ago had neck lift. did fine. cleared by doctors after 20 plus years with rapid heart beat condition, using metropol 25MG each day with no more pt's. Also taking anti seizure, and tia meds after a recent blurred vision issue. no more incidents. I was cleared by heart and neurologist that my 2 hour neck lift procedure would not be a problem. What advice do you have for me.

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age 65-74

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11 Doctor Answers | Asked by 71yearold in Holly Lake Ranch, Texas (2 hrs from Dallas)

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I would be very cautious

Age alone would not be a contraindication to surgery of this type but certainly other medical conditions ie rapid heart rate and TIA history would tend to make you a poor candidate for this type of surgery. Abdominoplasty surgery is quite "big" surgery and I would want someone in your age bracket to be free of any other significant medical conditions before considering the procedure. I have certainly treated select patients in their 70's but they did not have... more

Tummy tuck in seniors

A tummy tuck presents a more significant stress on your cardiovascular system when compared to a neck lift. However, there are numerous variations on this procedure that make it difficult to advise you without knowing more. These procedures can run from 1 hour up to 4 depending on what is done.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

32 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Age is not as important as state of health

Hi there- Your age is not as much of a concern as the medical problems you have experienced. As my colleagues have noted (and I agree), your risks (generally speaking) will be higher with a tummy tuck than with a neck lift. I would want to have a conversation with your cardiologist, your medical doctor, and your neurologist, in which we reviewed your history in detail, as well as the details of the operation planned, to be sure you were at low risk of a serious... more

Best age for tummy tuck

If you are healthy, and a good candidate for surgery, there can be no "age-limit" on surgery. Your plastic surgeon can assess your benefit vs. risk and let you know whether or not to proceed.

Tummy Tuck for a 71 year old

Is 71 Years Too Old for Tummy Tuck? 71 year old. 2 wks ago had neck lift. did fine. cleared by doctors after 20 plus years with rapid heart beat condition, using metropol 25MG each day with no more pt's. Also taking anti seizure, and tia meds after a recent blurred vision issue. no more incidents. I was cleared by heart and neurologist that my 2 hour neck lift procedure would not be a problem. What advice do you have for me. For me to operate on a patient, it is not a matter of... more

Too Old for Tummy Tuck

NO! If you have a full medical clearance than I see no reason not for you to have a tummy tuck. Seek in perrson evaluations from boarded surgeons.

Medical status, not age, important for tummy tuck

Hi, The neck lift operation and a tummy tuck operation are different in terms of recovery, stress on the body and type/incidence of complications. A tummy tuck is more stressful for the patient. It is not a question of age. With health issues as you described, I would not perform a tummy tuck for you. Hope this helps. Tracy M. Pfeifer, MD, MS

Is 71 Years Too Old for Tummy Tuck?

Regarding: "Is 71 Years Too Old for Tummy Tuck? 71 year old. 2 wks ago had neck lift. did fine. cleared by doctors after 20 plus years with rapid heart beat condition, using metropol 25MG each day with no more pt's. Also taking anti seizure, and tia meds after a recent blurred vision issue. no more incidents. I was cleared by heart and neurologist that my 2 hour neck lift procedure would not be a problem. What advice do you have for me." Cosmetic Surgery is REAL... more

It is not the age but overall health that determines your safety of surgery

I have performed abodminoplasty and other body contouring procedures on several women who were in their 70s. As long as you are in good physical condition and your cardiologist and neurologist clears you for a 3-4 hour surgery under general anesthesia, you should in general do well. altimately, it is the decision of your surgeon and the board certified anesthesiologist who are going to perform your procedure. good luck. Sean Younai, MD

Age for Tummy Tuck

Chronologic age is unimportant when considering a cosmetic procedure. It is your physiologic age and how you feel. Having a few medical problems are less problematic for some procedures, but not for an abdominoplasty, since it is a truly major procedure and one of the riskiest cosmetic procedures we do. To determine if this is a reasonable procedure for you, you need to have your Plastic Surgeon consult your internist and explain the significant physiologic changes that occur with this... more

How old is not the question, How risky is!

It seems to me you have a fair number of medical problems and I personally would not feel comfortable doing a tummy tuck on you. An abdominoplasty is a much more extensive surgery with greater risks than a neck lift including pulmonary emboli, venous thrombosis, and death. I say this not to scare you but to make you realize that just because you had one procedure you can have any other one without problems. I would further discuss this with your plastic surgeon,... more