What is the highest BMI you would perform a mommy makeover surgery at? (Photo)

For most cases, including “mommy makeover’” I use BMI 35 as my upper limit. Of course that number is a guideline and not absolute, as people’s bodies are shaped differently. That said, a BMI in the high 30’s, let alone 40’s or 50’s is generally off the table for me as too high risk, and I recommend these patients seek nutritional counseling and support with weight loss.

Thanks for your question. For a mommy makeover procedure at my practice, there is a body mass index (BMI) limit of 33, which is based on your height and weight. From the info you provided, your BMI is 52.4 and over the required limit for this surgery. I recommend you speak with your primary care physician to discuss weight loss options so you can be ready for your surgery. Please always consult with a board certified plastic surgeon. Take care, Dr. Moises Salama, board certified plastic surgeon.

Thanks for your question! Every doctor is different but our BMI requirements for our surgicenter are 40 or less. The higher the BMI, the higher risk of wound healing issues, infection, etc. Also, to do a tummy tuck on you at your current weight, you wouldn’t be completely happy because you wouldn’t be completely flat afterwards. I would strongly advise you getting to your goal weight prior to moving forward with surgery. Good luck!

The question should not be, can you have surgery, it should be SHOULD you have surgery at an elevated BMI. It is well known that operating on people with a BMI greater than 30 increases their risk of bleeding, infection, tissue loss, seromas, poor result, deep vein thrombosis, wound separation significantly. If you were having elective surgery, it makes sense to minimize the risk of these happening, and a BMI 30 or less is the best way to do this. I recommend that you consult a bariatric surgeon and dietitian and work on weight loss prior to considering any elective cosmetic surgery. Best wishes.

Although I don’t have an exact answer for your BMI question, I can tell you that you would not get a great result from mommy makeover at this weight. You have a lot of excess inside your abdomen and this would not be corrected by mommy makeover anyway. Also, at your current BMI, there is a higher chance of complications. I suggest weight loss.. you can do it the old fashioned way with proper diet and exercise, or else consider weight loss surgery. Talk to your primary doctor about the best options for you. Good luck!

Thank you for sharing your question and photographs. Based on your current BMI the risks of surgery are greater than the possible level of improvement and I would pursue weight loss or bariatric surgery first. Best wishes.

HI celebrated,

I usually want my patients under 30 but issues such as height and medical problems also enter into the equation.
For you, I would suggest that you lose a considerable amount of weight. First, you are at too high of a risk for the surgery of a TT or Mommy Makeover. Secondly, at your current weight, you would not get a great result because you have a lot of fat inside the abdomen which would prevent you from a achieving a reasonable aesthetic outcome.
I would recommend that you see a nutritionist or even a bariatric surgeon to discuss your long term goals with any kind of surgery and for your overall health in the future.

Hope this helps a bit,

Best Wishes,

Dr. Christine Rodgers

Based on your BMI and photos- I suggest that you consider Bariatric surgery first. Once you loose a significant amount of weight and reach a healthier BMI - then body contouring procedures can be considered.

Based on State of Florida law, any patient with BMI over 40 can have elective cosmetic surgery only in hospital setting. Risks of any complication related to open surgery like bleeding, seroma, fat necrosis, wound separation, infection, etc., are 3-4 times higher in population with BMI over 30!! In our practice, we do not operate on patients with BMI over 33. Even in that case we like to separate surgeries in stages (TT/liposuction, breast reduction/lift) or any other combination of surgeries, to reduce surgery time, blood loss and provide faster recovery. You should seek a consult regarding bariatric surgery before considering any reconstructive/cosmetic procedure. Good luck.

Dear Celebrated386651,
generally speaking, you want to reach your goal weight before you consider a mommy makeover, otherwise your results will be suboptimal if you continue to lose weight after the surgery. Your BMI should be under 30 in order to get a surgery. If you are considering a surgery, I would suggest you to 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