Abdominoplasty – Patient 189

A woman of color and mother of 3 in her late 50’s who is bothered by the size and appearance of her breasts as well as the bulging of her abdomen.  Her BMI was 32 and I had her reduce her weight to a BMI of 28 or less.  There is typically fat around the intestines (“omental fat” ) that fills  the space created from the pregnancies and prevents tightening the stomach wall if a patient is overweight.  I tell patients that you “can’t put 40 lbs of potatoes in a 20 lb bag” and if we operate at the higher weight there is not only a greater risk of a blood clot because of pressure on the large veins in the abdomen, but more pain and a greater likelihood of the muscle wall stretching back out again.  So I prefer my abdominoplasty  patients to have a BMI of 28 or less. ( the exception being a bariatric patient who has lost 100 lbs or more and can sometimes be accommodated up to a BMI of 35)

She is shown 5 months after breast reduction, and 2 months after lipo-abdominoplasty.  This is an early result and swelling will typically diminish and improve over the next 4 months, and the scars will continue to soften and fade.  She is already thrilled with her early result!