Can I get surgery with a 38 BMI? (Photos)

Question

I am trying to find a doctor that will do a tummy tuck, thigh lift ,arm lift and lipo with my bmi being 38 at a reasonable cash price l am in great health

Steven J. Rottman, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question and photos.  I believe it is best to be within 15 pounds of your ideal body weight prior to surgery for optimal results. Please consult with a board certified plastic surgeon who specializes in body contouring for an in-person examination. Ask to see a lot of before and after pictures of their work to understand what can be achieved. Hope this helps and good luck.

Janet Woodyard, MD · Answer

By looking at your photos, I would recommend weight loss before proceeding for safety factors and to obtain a better result and remove the need for repeat surgery once you lose the weight.

Shlomo Widder, MD · Answer

Dear I,    Thanks for submitting your pictures. From observing your pictures, you are a good candidate for tummy tuck, however, with BMI of 38, most likely, you have too much fat  intra  peritoneally (inside the belly) , which will prevent tightening of your abdominal  muscles appropriately.    If your surgeon will try to tighten the abdominal muscles too much, the fat inside the stomach will be pushed upward , compressing the lungs and you will not be able to breath, which will risk your life.  I test all my tummy tuck patients , by having them lie flat on their back and if the belly is still bulging, I postpone surgery until they lose weight  and flattening the stomach,   All my over weight patients receive the book 'sugar busters', which is an easy read and  best seller for decades. Following the book recommendation will make you lose significant amount of  weight. I, myself, lost 30 pounds 18 years ago , based on the book , and kept them off.    Always, consult with experienced board certified plastic surgeons who operate in accredited surgery center for your safety. Most importantly, check the before and after pictures in the photo gallery, to make sure that they are numerous, consistent and attractive with flat stomach, tight and youthful looking skin,  nice belly button, improved  body posture and low scar.                              Best of luck,                                                      Dr Widder

Tania Medina de Garcia, MD · Answer

Hello dear!!
Thanks for the question and provided information as well.
Being overweight it's a disease, hence that's the first contraindication to have a surgery. Having a 38 BMI means to be in a very delicate line in life. It can cause you death if you don't do anything about it.
I recommend you to make an appointment with a nutritionist and start a new lifestyle, It's very important to lose weight, because even you feel good, your body is not going to take it for more time. And that's why no respectable plastic surgeon would accept to performance a surgery in your case. 
Hope you can star a new lifestyle and get all the support you need.
Good luck :)

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

You are best to lose some weight to lower your BMI to around 30.  THere are several studies that suggest BMI's over 30 have a higher risk of complications.

Millicent Odunze Geers, MD, MPH · Answer

Can you get surgery with a BMI of 38? Sure. You'll likely be able to find some surgeon, it may not necessarily be a plastic surgeon, rather some person posing as a plastic surgeon (a non-doctor or a doctor who has trained in another field - gynecology, family practice, dentistry, etc ) who will gladly take your money and not put your health and best interest first. Not good. The better question is, "Should I get a surgery with a 38 BMI?" That is the real question. Unless there is an emergency situation and surgery is needed to save your life, the answer to that question, is NO. A BMI of 38 does not denote "great health" as you have worded it. A BMI that high is ripe for serious, even fatal, complications and an end result you may not be happy with. Furthermore, even in a person with "great health," all of those procedures should be staged and not all done at one time. Additionally, beware of focusing too much on a cheap price. Discount prices can often mean a discount surgeon (as mentioned above) and discount results. Revision surgery can cost more than the original surgery, so beware of non-plastic surgeons performing surgery. Remember, you only get one body. Follow up with your primary care doctor for directives about a nutrition and exercise plan to help you get to a place of "great health" so you can have the surgery that you desire. Best of luck.

Praful Ramineni, MD · Answer

Ideally, you want to be at a stable weight near or at your goal weight for optimal results.  That being said, a BMI of 38 should not prevent you from having surgery.  More important than the number is looking at your overall health.  A higher BMI can lead to a increased likelihood of complications/decreased quality of result.  Your best bet is to have an in person consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon.  He/she would be able to advise you better after an examination and a medical history.  It is also possible to break the surgery into parts to decrease operative time, expedite healing.  In my practice, I have always evaluated each of my body contouring patients individually instead of using an absolute number to decide if a patient is a good surgical candidate.  Pricing can be done the same day as your consult and many surgeons (myself included) offer financing and discount multiple procedure surgeries.  Hope this helps.

Tom J. Pousti, MD · Answer

Thank you for the question. Generally speaking, it is always best to achieve long-term stable weight prior to proceeding with  body contouring surgery. Doing so, will increase the safety of the operation, will likely improve the outcome of the operation, and will decrease chances that additional surgery will become necessary subsequently.

In my practice, I do not ask specific patients to achieve a specific weight prior to proceeding with tummy tuck surgery. I simply ask patients to achieve a long-term stable weight where he/she feels comfortable and does not expect significant fluctuation postoperatively.  As you know, recruiting other professionals such as  personal trainers, nutritionists, physicians who specialize in weight loss concerns, bariatric surgeons etc. may be helpful to you.

When the time is right, seeking consultation with well experienced board-certified plastic surgeons will  be your next/best step.  Best wishes.

Leon Goldstein, MD · Answer

I'm sorry to disappoint you but a BMI of 38 does not mean you are as healthy as you think. Most if not all ASPS surgeons would recommend a significant weight reduction (low 30s) before attempting any surgery that involves more than one hour.

Robert L. Kraft, MD, FACS · Answer

Your BMI puts you at high risk for complications.  First, it should be ascertained that this is an accurate number. Second, under any circumstances, you have focused on too much surgery in a single sitting. Prioritize your wish list and meet with a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss.

Can I get surgery with a 38 BMI? (Photos)

Answers (10)

More Tummy Tuck Questions

19 days after tummy tuck, belly seems to be getting worse. Is this normal? (photo)

Can someone with type 2 diabetes get cosmetic surgery?

My belly button, again; how long will this take to clear up?

Is it normal to have little knots along your tummy tuck incision?

Should I wait until I am done breastfeeding to get a tummy tuck?

Is abdominalplasty covered under FMLA?

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS