Will doctors work on someone with a BMI of 39-40? (photos)

Liposuction is the best motivator and really can help change a person's life. Especially full figured patients since everyone needs a little help at some point. That is why we really don't look at BMI's for anything anymore.

It is not ideal BUT with the proper pre- and postop
management, it can be done. I would start with you pre-op with an incentive
spirometer to help with your lungs. Also, I would start Lovenox subq the night before
surgery and continue for four to five days postop. This will help prevent leg
clots postop . . . it will “thin” the blood, but not cause bleeding.
            I would
“stage” the surgery so that the abdominoplasty/panniculectomy/”tummy tuck” is
done first. Not only will you have all the skin/fat removed from your abdomen
(belly button to the pubic area), you will also have the muscles tightened.
            The second
stage could be done months later when you are more ambulatory. This will also
shorten the surgical and anesthesia time . . . and will be safer than doing the
suction (flanks, back, thighs) at the same time.
            Try to lose
as much weight as possible . . . but do it safely!! 
Good luck!
 

Hello and thank you for your question! You are a good candidate for tummy tuck surgery with liposuction. It would be recommended for best results and optimal recovery to have a BMI less than 40. Consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon is recommended to see which procedure (or combination of the two) will give you the best results.  Best wishes!

You need a formal evaluation by an expert in body shaping and contouring to determine what is best. The best in body contouring not only removes fat with energy devices like VASER ultrasound but also internally heats the skin with radiofrequency devices such as Renuvion (J-Plasma), InMode BodyTite, and ThermiRF to heat the undersurface of the skin and tighten it at the same time as fat removal. These combinations are called 4D HI-DEF VASER Liposuction and can only be done by a well-trained body contouring specialist. At the same time, fat should be harvested and purified, with PRP and stem cells added, and then injected into muscles, indentations and cellulite to get body shaping and contouring. If skin is very loose before surgery, then it will need to be removed: tummy tuck/abdominoplasty for lower abdominal skin; breast lift for excess breast skin.
Overall, you need a full assessment, but simple liposuction alone will not tighten skin and needs a combination of various methods -- fat removal, skin tightening, defining, fat grafting, skin removal -- to get the best in body contouring and body sculpting. See an expert. Best, Dr. Emer.

Thank you for your question. Based on your photos you appear to be a good candidate for full tummy tuck with intense liposuction to improve your body contour and get better curves especially in your laterals and waist and Dominican Butt lift taking the fat we get and transfer to the buttocks and hips, to mold them and get better volume, contour and butt projection.
Kind Regards,Dr. Emmanuel Mallol Cotes.-

Dear Kryptonite420,
Most plastic surgeons won't do an elective procedure on someone who has 39-40 BMI due to high risk of complications. Generally speaking, you want to reach your goal weight before you consider a liposuction and tummy tuck, otherwise your results will be suboptimal if you continue to lose weight after the surgery. You should lower your BMI under 30 in order to be a good candidate for surgery. If you are considering a surgery, I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Kryptonite420 I appreciate your concern and frustration with regard is your weight loss. Unfortunately, liposuction is not a weight loss device for numerous reasons and it is better to lower your BMI as close to 30 as possible. Statistics demonstrate a much higher incidence of complications after elective surgery with a high BMI and your overall result would also suffer.Consult with your doctor or a dietitian to try to lose the weight with a sensible diet and exercise regimen and then consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon. Good luck.

Thank you for your pictures and questions. The real answer is that you should not WANT anyone to "work on you" at a BMI of 39-40. At that weight, you are taking on way too many risk factors for an elective operation including infection, wound healing problems, DVT, PE, etc. All of these things would be decreased if you were to lose weight prior to surgery. In addition, and perhaps even more important to your goals, are your results. Operating on you at your current weight is not going to produce good cosmetic outcomes because of the amount of intra-abdominal fat you currently have that cannot be addressed with anything but weight loss. You are not going to be happy with the outcome. Keep in mind that plastic surgery is not weight loss surgery. If you want to focus on weight loss, you might want to consider weight loss (bariatric) surgery. Then once you lose the weight, then proceed with plastic surgery to remove the excess skin.Hope this helps....be safe!Dallas R. Buchanan, MD, FACSOwner & Board-Certified Plastic SurgeonVIVIFY plastic surgery

Different plastic surgeons will have different BMI thresholds for operating .A BMI of 35 is probably the upper limit that a plastic surgeon would consider. It is best to be within 10 pounds of your goal weight for six months prior to your surgery.  This reduces the risks of complications during and after surgery and enhances results. Recommend that you consult with your PCP for a weight loss and exercise program you can follow to improve your health going into surgery.

Hello, Most surgeons prefer to have the BMI below 30 for safety reasons. Depending on the patient, exceptions can be made. You will need to have lab work done, and may even have to have multiple procedures. If the weight is hard for you to loose, you could consider Liposuction first to lower your BMI and make it easier to loose more weight to prepare for tummy tuck / abdominoplasty. I recommend seeking in person consultations with Board Certified Plastic Surgeons in your area to go over what may be best for you. I hope this helps. Best Wishes, Dr. Lane Smith Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLas Vegas, NV