I'm 44 yrs old with chronic back pain, high blood pressure and pitted edema. Would lipo be safe for me? (photos)

Liposuction can be performed on many patients, some with various medical conditions as well. It is critical to discuss your health with your surgeon and to get clearance from your medical doctor before performing any surgical procedure. With a clear discussion of the risks and benefits of the operation weighed against your medical issues, it may be a clear and easy decision to proceed with the procedure.It is particularly important for you to seek the advice of a surgeon who is certified by the American Board of surgery and has significant experience with the procedure. Don't forget… Your health is the most important thing… We can help protect it and still achieve your goals! I wish you the best, Dr. Gabbay

Your first order of business is to ensure you are in good health. Is your blood pressure under control ? Why do you have pitting edema? What is causing your chronic back pain ? Is further evaluation and treatment in order ? Do you have any other health problems? A full medical evaluation is in order before knowing if liposuction would be safe for you. Any surgical procedure carries risk and potential for complications. The better health you are in and the closer you are to ideal body weight, the lower the potential is for complications. That being said, you may be a candidate for liposuction, and/or other procedures such as abdominoplasty. You would need clearance from your medical doctor. It is also important to review your goals and expectations to choose the correct procedure or procedures to accomplish your goals. A consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon who performs these procedures on a routine basis and who has outcomes and reviews that you are satisfied with is the correct place to start. Best wishes. Dr. Sam Gershenbaum. 

As long as you have medical clearance, you can have liposuction. For best results, I recommend a hi definition procedure like VASER liposuction, which can be performed at the same time as a tummy tuck, depending on skin laxity. I use VASER HI DEF with ThermRF and fat grafting to get the most fat removal, skin tightening, contour and definition. This combination will give you the most toned result. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a hi definition physique expert. Best, Dr. Emer

You are a good candidate for liposuction as long as you have medical clearance from your doctor, always see a board certified PS.

Thank you for your question and photos. As long as you are medically cleared by a physician and your health conditions are under control you should be OK for liposuction. I would consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon to discuss your goals, examine you or do a virtual consultation if you are from out of town, and review before/after photographs to give you a better idea of what type of results you can expect to get. Good luck!

Thank you for your question. Your concerns about your health are understandable. The primary factors a qualified, experienced plastic surgeon will likely consider include the cause of your pitted edema, the reason for your back pain and whether your blood pressure is under control with medication. Because liposuction is a surgical procedure, it is important to weigh all these factors very carefully before moving forward with your procedure. However, an experienced surgeon with all the facts and a full medical history will be able to make a safe decision concerning your body contouring goals. Your surgeon may also want to consult with your primary doctor to ensure there are no other issues to take into consideration. If you do decide to move forward with liposuction, I wish you all the best for a safe and successful surgery!
- Morris Ritz, MB, BCh, FRACS

 You would need a pre-operative evaluation by your primary care Doctor to see if you would be a good candidate for surgery. Liposuction removes fat but does not tighten skin or muscle. A tummy tuck removes skin, fat and tightens muscle. If you are a candidate for surgery you would need a physical exam to determine what is best for you. If you are not a candidate for surgery, Power Ultrashape is a great non surgical treatment that permanently removes fat. This is the only non surgical device that permanently removes fat without pain. I hope you find this information useful. For more information please watch the enclosed video. 

Only with a full written medical clearance from your internist MD... Also your BMI should be under 30 for best results, so you might want to start some weight loss program. Seek some or a few in person opinions from boarded private practice PSs in South FL. 

Thank you for your question, vm4280.
It’s important that before having liposuction or any other plastic surgery, you’re in an overall good state of health.
Given your conditions, I suggest that you consult a licensed physician to ask if you can undergo liposuction. He’ll give you medical clearance if he deems that you’re fit for plastic surgery.
Best of luck!