Is 5'6 200 Lbs to Heavy for Mommy Makeover?

Hello there

There are many advantages to getting your weight down prior to surgery .

Firstly it's better for your health in the long-term and it reduces most of the risks of surgery .

Secondly the cosmetic result will obviously look better if your weight is down. Not many of us wouldn't benefit from some weight loss . But in addition the mechanics of the operation work better with you at or close to your ideal weight . With regards to your breasts , weight loss after surgery can result in deterioration in the shape of the breasts or the size may be inappropriate . Some sag can also recur .

With your tummy , I tell patients that a tummy tuck is like having a suit made . We shape the skin and muscle wall and tighten it to fit you . You wouldn't get a wedding dress made and then drop 30 pounds ! Similarly losing your weight prior to surgery lets your surgeon 'tailor' the operation to the shape you want to be in the long-term , and means that you will get a better result that stays good over time .

It's like most things in life . You get more out of it when you put more into it ! I did similar surgery on a patient of mine who has a wonderful result . The surgery went well , but it was her weight loss that took it from a great result to a spectacular result .

All the best

Terrence Scamp

I disagree with your second Plastic Surgeon. Always lose weight and get as close as possible to your ideal weight before investing in a Mommy Makeover.

If you loose weight after Mommy makeover Surgery your skin will sag and you will lose some of the benefit of the Mommy Makeover Surgery. Follow the advice of your first  consult.

Bottom line is you want to be at a STABLE weight when you do any breast or body surgery.  Obviously the less you weigh the more lose skin you will have and the flatter and tighter your tummy tuck will be.  That being said your breasts will deflate and lose volume which may make you need an implant. Generally speaking I like patients near their ideal or comfortable weight.  You NEVER want to do all this work and then lose a substantial amount of weight after....you will ruin your results. 

Get to a happy place and then do your surgery so its worth it

Hope that helps. Good Luck

I confess that I have a love/hate relationship with the term "Mommy Makeover." That said, the combination breast lift/aug and tummy tuck can provide excellent results for women looking to recover their figure, regardless of their Mommy status! 

Your question is a common one, and there is often no one right answer. Many of us would benefit from losing a few pounds, but the most important thing about a higher BMI is to make sure your health is sound enough to endure anesthesia and recovery. It is not uncommon for patients weighing 200 pounds plus to opt for tummy tucks/ body lifts as well as breast reductions or Mastopexy surgery, and many do extremely well. You need to make sure you have a good understanding of the surgery and the recovery. These combination procedures require longer surgeries and recovery times, and you need to make sure you are prepared for both. 

You will do best by achieving a long-term stable weight prior to undergoing “mommy makeover” surgery.  Doing so will increase the safety of the procedure and minimize  chances that additional surgery will become necessary, in the event of weight loss in the future.

 Given that youare considering undergoing a major operation which often involves a significant physical and emotional recovery, a few words of advice may be helpful:


1. Make sure you are doing the procedure for the right reasons (for yourself)  and that you have realistic expectations.  Be aware that an improvement in the “problem area” may not translate to an overall improvement in your life   situation.  You are bound to be disappointed with results of the procedure if your motivation for doing the surgery is not internally driven.

2. Time your surgery carefully; generally, it is not a good idea to have surgery done during or immediately after a stressful period in life (for example divorce or death of a loved one). The additional stress of surgery will undoubtedly be  more challenging to deal with if a patient's emotional reserves our already exhausted. Remember, that an improvement in your physical appearance will not translate to an improvement in your life situation.

3. If possible speak to patients who have undergone similar procedures and query them about the toughest times of their recovery period. Any practical hints previous patients can provide may be very helpful.

4. Make sure you are aware of potential complications that may arise how to reach your surgeon if necessary.

5. Make sure you have a strong and patient support system (several people if possible) in place who have time/patience to take care of you. Arrange for professional nursing if any doubt exists regarding the availability and/or stamina  of your caretakers.

6. Be patient with the healing process, understanding that it will take several weeks to months to feel “normal” again. It may also take many months/year to see the end results of your surgery.

7. Be prepared to distract your mind with things of interest such as books, magazines, and movies.

8. Expect less of yourself; do not go back to work, school or chores too early and let others take care of you (for a change).

9. Pick your surgeon carefully (a well experienced board-certified plastic surgeon) and trust in his/her advice. Keep in close communication with your surgeon and do not hesitate to communicate questions/concerns and the   emotional swings that you may experience.

10. Resume all medications that you were using preoperatively when cleared by your plastic surgeon and stop the use of narcotics and sedatives as soon as feasible after surgery.

11. Keep in mind the end results as you go through the tougher emotional times after your surgery.
I hope this helps.

If you are able to lose some weight before the surgery with proper diet and physical activity that would be a good option and maintain a healthy life style after is really the most important thing after the surgery. The risks of surgery go up with higher weight and has been proven in many cases. So from a safety issue losing weight will reduce the chances of complications after surgery. The time when having the surgery before weight reduction, is if you have difficulty performing physical activity that will help you lose weight and have tried and have failed to do so at times having the surgery will give you a "jump start" in the process. If you can lose the weight before that is always the best choice.

Good luck!   

The answer is : it depends.  Both plastic surgeons are correct depending on the situation.  I would really need to see photographs in order to give you the best advice, but in general it is better to lose the weight first.  Sometimes, however, exercise is difficult until the abdominoplasty is performed.  

Body mass index (BMI) is a combination of your weight and body surface area.

If you have a BMI greater than 30 there is a greater chance that you will have complications after surgery. The BMI is calculated by dividing your weight in Kilograms by your height in meters squared. If you just google BMI calculator you will get plenty of websites where you just plug in your height in inches and weight in pounds and it does the calculations for you.