Tummy tuck with a 'slightly high' BMI of over 28 at over 5'9".

Although a Body Mass Index of 28 is considered overweight in terms of general health, the risk of complications from tummy tuck surgery increase at a BMI of 30. If your health is otherwise good, then you should be able to have a tummy tuck.

Thank you for your question. Without photos it is difficult to provide specific answers related to your body habitus. In general, in my practice, I find that under a BMI of 30, I can create a toned muscular hourglass figure with VASER liposuction and a tummy tuck. Often, prospective patients focus on just the abdominal area and are not aware that not addressing the rest of the torso, or body gives them a suboptimal result. See a board certified plastic surgeon experienced in advanced body sculpting techniques for an in person consultation/evaluation. Good luck.

Thank you for your question.  I believe it is best to be within 10 - 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.

   The recommended BMI is less than 30. This is the recommendation of the American society of plastic surgery. The reason simply, is increased chance of complications. These include but limited to, pulmonary embolus, deep venous thrombosis, delayed wound healing and increase infection rate.Choose a board certified plastic surgeon who has done a ton of tummy tuck and has privileges to do this surgery at a local university hospital. This says his credentials have been checked out by fellow Drs. All surgeries carry risk, talk to your plastic surgeon and choose one wisely.

Many surgeons, including myself, offer online virtual consultations where you send us your photos and we can estimate the cost. I, like many surgeons, also offer free consultations so that you can be examined and given the most accurate quote possible. Please be mindful that the in person physical exam is the most important and could potentially alter your treatment plan.



 

 

if you're healthy, can keep your weight stable where you are at, and are accepting of the greater risks for complications, you can have your procedure.  Some surgeons will not because they do not understand some people cannot lose weight or they don't want to accept the increased risks for complications (mostly wound healing) in their practice,  

Candidates for a full tummy tuck should have a BMI below 30 to minimize risks so if your BMI is 28 you should have your surgery. Discuss with your BCPS. DrBurnett#realself100

A BMI of 28 is not an absolute contraindication for a tummy tuck so long as your general health is good. We use BMI as one metric, but it is not the sole criteria. Patients who are closer to their ideal body weight do tend to get a better aesthetic outcome. For my patients who are actively losing weight, I encourage them to reach a stable goal weight prior to the procedure. Patients with higher BMIs, statistically have a greater risk of post-surgical complications. As with any elective procedure, you need to be aware of the potential risks -vs- benefits of the procedure. I would discuss your concerns with one or more experienced plastic surgeons in your local area. Best of luck to you.

Generally the higher the BMI the higher the risks of surgery.  However I would not expect a BMI of 28 to pose any additional risk.  Best wishes.

Thank you for the question.  I agree with you that specific calculations, including BMI,  are not always helpful when it comes to determining a specific patient's suitability to proceed with surgery.Having said that, it is always best (or ideal) to achieve long-term stable weight prior to proceeding with tummy tuck 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.

 Generally speaking, the “ideal” patient for tummy tuck surgery is one who has completed pregnancies, is psycho socially/emotionally/financially stable, has an excellent social support system surrounding him/her, is capable of arranging enough recovery time, does not smoke and who has reached a long-term stable weight. My best advice: select your plastic surgeon carefully. Make sure that he/she has significant experience achieving the types of outcomes you would be pleased with.   Then prepare yourself and your support system for a  significant recovery experience (physical and often emotional). 



 Best wishes.

Thanks for the great question.  If you are in good health meaning you do not have diabetes or heart or lung disease and your cortisol levels are well controlled, you may be a good candidate for tummy tuck.  If most of your excess girth is from fat on the outside (subcutaneous fat), a tummy tuck will likely be beneficial.  If on the other hand your excess girth is from fat on the inside (visceral fat), a tummy tuck won't be very beneficial.  Often patients who are "apples" have a lot of visceral fat and unfortunately don't get a lot of benefit from a tummy tuck.  Check out my blog on this topic.