Is it ok to perform tummy tuck as my BMI is 35.5? (Photos)

The most important goal for any procedure is that the patient is safe throughout the procedure and in the postoperative recovery. High BMI patients have more complications and their results are not as good. You have already noted that liposuction did not improve you and so undergoing an abdominoplasty is not likely to give you the results that you’re looking for. This is because there are two layers where people carry their extra weight. The first area of excess fat is just underneath the skin which may be amenable to liposuction, but the next area of excess fat is around your intestines, which causes the rounding of your stomach and prevents you from having a good abdominal contour after a tummy tuck. The fat that’s around your intestines is only improved by diet and exercise and weight loss. It is not amenable to liposuction. Your best and safest way to proceed would be to lose weight down to your BMI is below 30 and then to have a follow up evaluation for your body conjuring. Best wishes.

Thanks for your question. For a tummy tuck, at my practice, you need to be under a 33 BMI. Based on your BMI being 35.5, you are not eligible for surgery at this time. I would recommend meeting with your physician to develop a weight loss plan to be eligible for surgery. Hope this helps. Please always consult with a board certified plastic surgeon. Take care, Dr. Moises Salama, board certified plastic surgeon.

Elevated BMI increases the chance of complications, some of which can be quite serious. But the bigger issue is not "can we" but "should we". In your case, you should concentrate on losing weight. Losing weight will allow a plastic surgeon to get you a better result when you eventually do have your tummy tuck. So, can it be done? Of course. But, doing it before you lose weight will give you a suboptimal result.

A tummy tuck can be done on a patient with a BMI of 35.5 but you are at high risk for complications such as wound separation and wound healing problems.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Thank you for your question about whether it's okay to perform a tummy tuck on a patient with a BMI of 35.5. Thank you for your history and your pictures. It would be best if you lost more weight. Theres some excellent medical treatments on the market, including Ozempic, Qysmia, Xenical, Contrave, Saxenda, and Wegovy. There are other medications with off-label use, but these are FDA-approved medications for weight loss. You will get much better results with this than further liposuction or a tummy tuck. After you've lost a significant amount of weight, you should consider a tummy tuck. However,, I would not suggest a tummy tuck at this time but somewhat further weight loss. Thank you for your question regarding whether it's okay to perform a tummy tuck on a patient with a BMI of 35.5.
Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen

Hello, there are multiple studies in the literature that have demonstrated a notable increase in complications following surgery with BMIs above 30. BMI can sometimes not be accurate when the individual has significant muscle mass or may be carrying their weight in an area that doesn't involve the area to be operated on, hence photos and physical exam can be helpful in determining if a person slightly over a BMI of 30 is a candidate. Based off your photos and BMI I would recommend additional weight loss first to reduce your surgical risk and provide better results.

I typically do not do tummy tuck procedures on patients with BMIs higher than 30. The main reason for this is that the risk to the patient is too high. Patient safety is paramount in body contouring procedures there are many complications that can be associated. These include common problems like delayed wound healing ss well as more serious problems like blood clots. It is my recommendation that a formal exercise and diet regimen that helps to obtain a more healthy weight is the best first step on your journey. Once you are at a more healthy weight, a tummy tuck surgery would be much easier for the surgeon to give you the desired result and you would have a more normal risk profile. Good luck on your journey.

Mr. Ozman86, thanks for sharing your pictures and questions. After analyzing your case I can say you're a good candidate for Lipo flanks and back + Chest contour and Tummy Tuck with muscle repair.
Make sure you go on consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon. Hope this helps and best of lucks. Dr. Luis Mejia.

Dear ozman86,
generally speaking, you want to reach your goal weight before you consider a tummy tuck, otherwise your results will be suboptimal if you continue to lose weight after the surgery. If you are considering surgery, I would suggest you 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

Thanks for asking. BMI is one factor we use to assess safety and risk (anesthesia, wound healing, clots). Many surgeons prefer candidates at or below the low-30s with stable weight and optimized health. I encourage aiming for weight stability and addressing medical risks first; that typically improves both safety and aesthetic outcome. After an in-person exam we can outline whether you’re a candidate now or after additional weight loss.