Is It Safe to Have a Tummy Tuck with a Higher BMI?

MelbourneBorn,

Having a tummy tuck even if you are not at your ideal weight is OK.  Congratulations on your weight loss.  

Having a BMI that is above 30 does not prevent you from having a tummy tuck, but you have to understand that you have a slightly increased risk of delayed healing.  We deal with many patients who had a gastric bypass or a LapBand procedure and have lost a tremendous amount of weight, yet still have a BMI >30.  The only thing we do different for these patients (as compared to patients with BMI<30) is that we are more vigilant in preventing seroma formation (when body fluid pools in the operated area and then needs to be drained) by the use of surgical drains.

Sincerely,

Martin Jugenburg, MD

Having a tummy tuck at a BMI will subject you to a higher rate of complicaitons including pulmonary, clotting, poor wound healing, infections, etc.

Many patients have tummy tucks even if they are not at their "ideal weight."  However, you have to realize that the more weight you loose, the better the results could possibly be.  My advice is to be at your "realistic weight" at the time of surgery.  By "realistic weight" I mean the weight that you are with your normal style of living, diet and exercise pattern.  It is hard to maintain an "ideal" weight if it does not match your motivation or lifestyle.  Good luck.

Congratulations on your weight loss, I realize that it takes a sustained effort. One thing that cannot be changed with effort though is the statistical association of complications such as wound healing problems, infections, and blood clot embolism with being overweight. Your surgeon will discuss these issues with you and determine where the balance of risks to benefits lies for your specific situation..

Although you will likely be a good candidate for tummy tuck surgery at some point, it is not in your best interests to proceed now.  Having the procedure performed when you are overweight, exposes you to additional risk around the time of surgery and increases your risk that additional surgery may be necessary down the line for a multitude of reasons.  Unfortunately, some of the risks (such as deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism) associated with surgery, at your current weight, can be life-threatening. 
The “ideal” patient for tummy tuck surgery is one who has completed pregnancies, is psycho socially/emotionally/financially stable, has an excellent social support system surrounding him/her, is capable of arranging enough recovery time, does not smoke and who has reached a long-term stable weight. 
At this point, I would suggest that you  seek consultation with other professionals,  other than plastic surgeons.  Physicians who specialize in weight loss, nutritionists, personal trainers, and/or bariatric surgeons are professionals to consider.  
Having said this, there are some patients who despite all efforts, are not able to reach their long-term stable weight prior to undergoing abdominal wall contouring surgery. These patients benefit from operations such as panniculectomy ( which involves excision of the lower abdominal wall skin/adipose tissues.  For these patients, the panniculectomy operation may provide the patient a “jumpstart”  both physically and mentally (as he/she works towards achieving their final weight and health goals). 
I hope this, and the attached link, helps.  

I have to do these routinely becuse Iwork in the MIwest of the United States.  You can perform them with or without liposuction and get very reasonable results.

Yes but the results would be much better if you lost at least 25 more pounds. After discussing with your chosen surgeon than you can decide. 

Despite your BMI of 30, tummy tuck is a safe procedure. Your weight loss of 75 pounds is wonderful, and the next 40 should be within your reach. The tummy tuck however is the 'easy' part. It just makes sense that the best results are seen in individuals that have reached an 'ideal' body weight, the one that they plan to remain at after the procedure.
Best of luck,
peterejohnsonmd

You will certainly get the best result from being at YOUR best weight.  As long as you are otherwise healthy and are at a stable weight, a board certified plastic surgeon can assess your best elective options for you, always understanding that safety comes first.

It sounds like you are at a stable weight and that you and your plastic surgeon have decided that your goals are reasonable and surgery can be performed safely. That's definitely a decision the two of you need to make together.

Best of luck!

You haved done a lot of work to get where you are.  I would encourage you to keep working if you can make progress on getting your BMI down.  I understand that many people will get to a certain weight and not be able to get down any more with out some extrodinary effort.

The weight that you are when you do your tummy tuck will need to be discussed with your surgeon.  I prefer to have people below a BMI of 30 but after a review of their activity and goals we may decide to proceed with surgery at a higher BMI.  As a general rule you will be at risk for higher complications for wound healing, infection and blood clots.  I would recommend higher levels of prophylaxis for these complications if your BMI is above 30.  No tummy tuck is done with out some risks but if you are careful you can have a good result and take care of any problems that occurs.

Best Wishes

Dr. Peterson