Plastic surgery and obesity: Achieving safe and successful surgery

Many people struggling to lose weight will often consider plastic surgery as a solution to shift the pounds. Esteemed London-based consultant plastic surgeon, Ms Maria Miranda debunks the concept that plastic surgery is the quick way to lose weight. In fact, she highlights the importance of losing weight prior to the procedure to ensure safer surgery and long-term results. 

What is obesity?

Obesity is defined as having a body mass of 30 or higher in accordance to the body mass index, BMI. BMI is a measurement that uses a person's height and weight to make the calculation. It was estimated in 2019 that 28% of English adults were obese. Obesity is a global health crisis which is only getting worse. 

How can a patient with plastic surgery prepare for plastic surgery?

If a person is obese, they are 12 times more likely to experience complications following plastic surgery than a patient with a normal BMI range. Before undergoing plastic surgery, these patients should make an effort to lose weight to make the surgery safe. It is important to emphasis that there are many factors that cause obesity, and many patients have tried many diet and exercise plans with little success.  If a patient is struggling to lose weight, they should contact their GP for support. They may require the expertise of a nutritionist or bariatric surgery, to help them achieve a safer weight. 

Patients are often disappointed they cannot avail of surgery straight away, that’s why it is important that the surgeon takes the time to explain the risks of complications that can occur. The surgeon should also focus on the positive aspects that weight loss can have not just pre-operation, but for the patient’s overall quality of life and life expectancy. 

Is plastic surgery a treatment for obesity?

Patients frequently consider procedures such as tummy tucks or liposuction as weight-loss boosting procedures, but this isn’t the case. Following these procedures, it is in fact very difficult to lose weight. Liposuction is most suited to patients who have non-fluctuating weights and areas of fat that are stubborn and won’t go away with a healthy diet or physical exercise. Other procedures, such as abdominoplasty, arm lift or thigh lift, do not remove fat, rather they tackle excess skin that remains following weight-loss.

Plastic surgery procedures are not treatments for obesity. The root of the cause must first be addressed in order to achieve long-lasting results. 

If you are interested in booking a consultation with Ms Maria Miranda, you can do so by visiting her Top Doctors profile.