How Much Weight Do I Need to Lose to Be Eligible for a Mommy Makeover? (photo)

There’s no question that being close to your ideal body
weight improves the results from Mommy Makeover surgery. It also decreases the potential for
complications with this type of surgical procedure.For these reasons, we prefer that patients be
within 10% of their ideal body weight at the time of surgery.Unfortunately,
reaching an ideal weight is easier said than done.The vast majority of patients are
unsuccessful at losing this additional weight.It’s also important to realize that even when patients are overweight,
they can potentially benefit from abdominoplasty.We therefore, evaluate every patient on an
individual basis.We
encourage patients to lose weight before surgery and prefer that their weight
be stable for at least three months.We
realize that some patients will have difficulty losing weight.We therefore, encourage patients to be in a
supervised weight loss program.Even
with that help, some patients will be unsuccessful in their effort to lose
weight.Even without weight loss, many
of these patients will still potentially benefit from tummy tuck surgery.It’s
important to realize that weight loss following tummy tuck surgery can affect
the final result.This could even result
in the need for revisional surgery.For
these reasons, it’s important to thoroughly discuss this issue with your
plastic surgeon.

BMI is only one of the factors that is considered when determining if a patient is a candidate for a Mommy Makeover. The recommendation is to have a BMI of 30 or under to keep risks from increasing from complications such as infection, seroma, poor wound healing, and sub optimal results. Based on the information provided you would need to lose 15-20 pounds to reach this goal.

Thank you for your question and photo.  Ideally, the best time to undergo cosmetic surgery is when you are within 10% of your ideal body weight.  It is always difficult to determine your exact ideal body weight.  I recommend to patients, that when they are no longer realistically able to lose any more weight, then they become  eligible for surgery.  We do at times operate on patients above their ideal body weight, but would not operate electively on an obese person.  You appear to be fairly close to your target weight.  Good luck.

It sounds like you have been working very hard with your rigorous exercise and diet programs.  Congratulations on all your hard work!  I think that it is very common for moms to "hit a wall" at this point when you are already working so hard with your diet and exercise.  I do not have any "specific" weight loss requirements in order to be "eligible" for a mommy makeover.  In viewing your photo that you provided and based on your weight now, I would say you are ready now and do not "have" to lose any further weight.  Some traditional plastic surgeons still "require" a certain amount of weight loss prior to surgery; however, I have found that it does not enhance the results.  I have found the contrary actually, in that patients that are working hard need something to help them get over "the hump".  A mommy makeover is something I specialize in and it helps rejuvenate the breast and tummy in particular which are the areas of the body that change the most with pregnancy.  I have found that by "doing it now" with the mommy makeover, the motivation that patients experience after seeing the surgical changes only further drives them to "build" on their results with further diet and exercise.

            I think losing another 25 lbs will make a big difference in your results.  Of course the closer to goal the better.  Find a plastic surgeon with ELITE credentials who performs hundreds of mommy makeovers each year.  Then look at the plastic surgeon's website before and after photo galleries to get a sense of who can deliver the results.  Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA