At 67 Am I Too Old for Tummy Tuck?

First of all congratulations on losing the weight. It is a tremendous accomplishment. Now you need to bring the scale and the mirror into balance.

Your internal medicine doctor and your board certified plastic surgeon will work together to determine your risks of complications from the abdominoplasty. Generally speaking your age alone, 67, is not a contraindication to surgery. Your overall health is far more important. After appropriate evaluation and preparation, you should have a very successful outcome from your procedure.

Good luck and I hope this was helpful.

Hello! Thank you for your question! Age alone is not a contraindication
to a surgical procedure. There are a few medical
comorbidities that contribute to a higher risk during any surgical
procedure including infections, wound complications, delayed wound
healing, bleeding, anesthetic risks, etc. Factors such as diabetes,
hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart problems, lung problems,
etc are more common in the elderly. However, if you are healthy, or
these conditions are well-controlled, you would certainly still be a
candidate for a surgical procedure. If your complaints or desires are
great enough to consider the surgical option, I would seek a
consultation with a plastic surgeon to discuss your complaints and go
over the options as well as risks and benefits of the procedure.You
should obtain medical clearance from your primary care physician that
you
are at an acceptable risk for undergoing a surgical procedure. For
elective or aesthetic procedures, your surgeon may want to get you to a
reasonable health status prior to consideration for a procedure.
Discuss all of
your medical comorbidities and medication with your surgeon prior and
discuss these risks. Also, discuss this with your anesthesiologist as
proper monitoring and medications will be watched closely. This
procedure should still be very safe for you and hope for an
uncomplicated course with an excellent result! Hope that this helps!
Best wishes!

Age is not the only important factor in determining whether you are a candidate for cosmetic surgery. A preoperative evaluation by a board certified plastic surgeon and primary care physician will be helpful in preparing you for a tummy tuck.

You have worked hard to lose the excess weight and control blood pressure. The abdominoplasty will tighten the tummy laxity, remove fat and loose skin. After preoperative clearance for your medical conditions, the tummy tuck surgery can then be scheduled by your plastic surgeon.

As long as you are a good surgical candidate and medically cleared for surgery, then it is safe for you to have surgery.  If you post pictures then we may be able to give you advice on the appropriate procedure for you to have.

 

Good Luck.

If your overall medical health is good, your pre-operative physical will verify that and should reassure you that you are not only capable but appropriate for proceeding with this surgery!

However, you must be aware that your back pain may not be relieved at all (or only partially) by this surgery. But the flab is gone regardless of your back symptoms, along with a few pounds of additional weight loss.

You should make sure your blood pressure is well-controlled by your medication, or have it adjusted to do so. If you smoke, you should stop. NOW. For good. You should also avoid any nicotine patch, spray, or gum, and exposure to second-hand smoke. You should also avoid aspirin, ibuprofen, Aleve, herbal medications or supplements, Vitamin E or fish oils (the amount in a multivitamin is OK), or any other blood thinners two weeks before and after surgery. I'd recommend a Fleets enema the night before and the morning of surgery (you'll thank me for that later), as well as starting a stool softener when you resume eating the second day. Stay well-hydrated post-op, flex your feet post-op, and move around without exercising in the first few days.

Good luck and best wishes. BTW, I've done a facelift, forehead lift, and upper and lower eyelids on my 74 year-old mother in law, breast implants in a 67 year-old, facelifts on multiple 70+ year-olds, as well as a full body lift on a 68 year-old, so you go, girl!

Chronological age alone should not preclude one from undergoing a tummy tuck.  Many other factors need to be considered, such as patients overall health, anatomical configuration of the abdomen and what surgical approach is to be used. A skilled surgeon with lots of experience should be able to perfume a tummy tuck on you using  surgical and anesthetic approach dedicated to your unique situation to minimized any possible complications.  

Your overal health is important, not your age, for a tummy tuck. You should see your primary care physician and receive medical clearance prior to surgery for an EKG, bloodwork and physical exam. Also, your blood pressure needs to be well controlled before surgery. A board certified plastic surgeon can evaluate you and make recommendations.

Best wishes,

Dr.Bruno

Thank you for your post. Age is not a contraindication to surgery. Poor health is. If you are a healthy adult, and interested in a tummy tuck surgery, meet with a board certified plastic surgeon. He or she will assess you as a patient for any risks you might have. The biggest risks are heart disease, diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, and previous history of deep venous thrombosis. Best Wishes,Pablo Prichard, MD

Congratulations on your weight loss.   Your overall health status rather than age is what is important.   Your plastic surgeon will review your past medical and surgical history to make sure you are a good candidate for tummy tuck surgery.   Please visit with a board certified plastic surgeon to learn more about your options.

Dr. Basu

Houston, TX

No, age is not a limiting factor for tummy tuck surgery but good health is. I would ask that you be evaluated by your primary care doctor prior to surgery (medical clearance for elective surgery) and plan on staying at a monitoring facility for 1-2 days post-operatively.