62 years old - Am I too old for plastic surgery after weight loss?

Question

I am 62 rs. old. I had Gastric bypass surgery 14 yrs. ago. I have kept the weight off. CW 185 I have thought about a body lift for years now. Possibly a full body lift. Definitely Arms, Tummy, Mons, Thighs, butt. Thanks

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello katgar1965, 
Thank you for your interesting question regarding whether 62 years old is too old for plastic surgery after weight loss. Plastic surgeons often are asked this question. There are many determinants that go into deciding whether a patient can undergo elective plastic surgery. The patient's health is one of the most important factors. If you are healthy at age 62, you may be a suitable surgical candidate. However, if you are unhealthy at 62, you may be a poor candidate. Let me explain. Patients who would not be good candidates at age 62 would be those with uncontrolled diabetes, smoking, uncontrolled hypertension, on steroids, or any other uncontrolled medical condition. Furthermore, you should be physically fit and eating well with a stable weight. Depending on your choice of plastic surgeons, your procedures may need to be staged. If you are considering a 360 circumferential lower body lift, arms, and thighs, you may want to undergo the circumferential lower body lift first, followed by the thighs and then the arms. Alternatively, if your plastic surgeon is confident, the thighs can be combined with the 360 circumferential lower body lift. Of course, before your plastic surgery is contemplated, you will require a thorough physical examination. In addition, multiple labs, an EKG, and a chest X-ray will be ordered. Some plastic surgeons even order a cardiac stress test, which tests the endurance of your heart. Furthermore, another great idea for preoperative clearance would be a carotid ultrasound. This test evaluates the plaque in your neck and can give an indication of the risk of having a stroke from embolic plaque, either intraoperatively or postoperatively. Therefore, in conclusion, your chronological age is not a contraindication to plastic surgery. Your biologic age is. That means medical conditions may make it a higher risk for surgery than the year you were born. Good luck. I hope I’ve answered your question regarding whether 62 years old is too old for plastic surgery after weight loss.
If you have any more questions regarding the lower body lift, 360 circumferential lower body lift, belt lipectomy, belt abdominoplasty, or belt dermolipectomy, please contact an experienced plastic surgeon. Since the body lift is a big procedure, please seek an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon with significant experience performing the lower body lift. Do your research. Make sure they have performed at least 150 circumferential lower body lift surgeries and have the before-and-after pictures to prove it. Carefully examine their before-and-after pictures and review their reviews on RealSelf. If you cannot find an experienced, lower body lift surgeon in your neighborhood, consider traveling out of state if you must. Sincerely, Dr. Katzen, MD, MBA, FACS, FICS, FASMBS (President of the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons; certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery; Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, and International College of Surgery; and member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery RealSelf Hall of Fame, and RealSelf Doctor Advisory Board for Medical Review and Consumer Panel.)

Gregory Lakin, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. You are not too old for body contouring surgery. Your overall health, medical conditions, nutritional status, and fitness are much more important than your age alone. Since you have maintained your weight loss for 14 years, this is an excellent time to consider surgery because stable weight leads to more predictable, long-lasting results. The next step is to have an in-person consultation with a board-certified surgeon experienced in post-weight-loss body contouring. They can evaluate your skin laxity, overall health, and nutritional status to develop the safest surgical plan and determine which procedures should be combined and which are best staged.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear katgar1965,

it is hard to tell for sure without an examination. 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

John LoMonaco, MD, FACS · Answer

Congrats on your accimplishments!

Age itself is no issue, but we want to optimize any health conditions you may have before surgery to ensure a safe a quick recovery.

Other issues to make your surgery safe include the experience of your surgeon and their team, and the venue.  You want a place where these cases are done routinely, efficiently,  and there is a clear-cut aftercare plan to handle any issues during your recovery.

Special concerns facing weight loss patients are iron deficiency, protein malabsorption, and reflux.  I personally address all of these proactively before each surgery.  My office provides several aids to recovery designed specifcally for weight loss patients that I feel make a big difference in recovery.

Below is a video of one of my older weight loss patients who is loving life after her transformation

Yasemin Aydinli, MD · Answer

Congratulations on keeping your weight off for fourteen years &mdash; that long-term stability is exactly what makes body contouring worth considering, and it is a real achievement. I want to answer you honestly, though. Given your age and the number of areas you would like to treat, I would not recommend combining these into one large operation. For you, the right and safe approach is to do them one at a time, as separate, staged procedures. This keeps each surgery shorter and lower-risk, makes your recovery far more manageable, and gives more controlled, better-quality results.
For the areas you mention &mdash; arms, tummy, mons, thighs, and buttocks &mdash; the appropriate operations are excisional skin-removing lifts (such as an arm lift, an abdominal/lower body lift, and a thigh lift), addressed individually rather than all together. I would not recommend liposuction here, because your concern is excess, loose skin rather than fat, and liposuction alone would not give you the result you are looking for. Your safety and your result are also better when your weight is in a healthy range, so ideally we would want your body mass index to be under 26 before surgery.
Most importantly, the decision to operate depends on your health, not your age. Any other medical conditions you have and your blood test results are very important for clearing you for surgery. And because you are over 40, I would also want an ECG (a heart rhythm tracing) and a chest X-ray as part of your pre-operative assessment. Once those confirm that you are fit for surgery, we can plan the order in which to carry out each procedure, step by step.

62 years old - Am I too old for plastic surgery after weight loss?

Answers (5)

More Body Lift Questions

Lower body lift, butt contouring after 100 pound weight loss - how can I lift without loosing butt size and shape? (Photos)

100 lb. loss - Liposuction, or would a lower body lift be more appropriate to achieve a smoother, tighter contour? (Photos)

Pregnancy after Body Lift - will it affect the results?

Lost 80 pounds, hanging skin around torso and legs - what procedure would be best? (Photos)

How can I look proportionate and have a smooth stomach? (Photos)

Hysterectomy before lower body lift - how long should I wait in between procedures?

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS