What Is The BMI Requirement For Plastic Surgery?
Many patients ask, “What is the BMI requirement for plastic surgery?” However, there is not a one-size fits all answer because each plastic surgery practice will set its own BMI requirements. If a patient’s BMI is considered too high, they may be turned down by one plastic surgeon, but accepted as a candidate by another plastic surgeon.
Some plastic surgeons are not comfortable working with high BMI patients and will commonly set their BMI restriction at 30, while other plastic surgeons are comfortable working with higher BMI patients (for example, our practice has a BMI requirement of 40 or under). Let’s discuss this in more depth!
What is BMI?
Body Mass Index, also known as BMI, is a formula that measures a person’s body size by dividing their weight by the square of their height in feet. This measurement is typically used as a general screening tool to determine if a person is within a “healthy” weight for their height. However, it’s important to note that BMI does not measure body fat directly and it does not account for age, sex, ethnicity, or muscle mass.
How Can I Figure Out My BMI?
The good news is you can calculate your BMI yourself online in seconds. Either reference the chart below or use the CDC’s BMI calculator tool to determine your BMI here!
Credit: Medical News Today
What Is Considered A High BMI?
According to the CDC, the following ranges of BMI are used to reference underweight, healthy weight, overweight, and obese:
| Below 18.5 | Underweight |
|---|---|
| 18.5 – 24.9 | Healthy Weight |
| 25.0 – 29.9 | Overweight |
| 30.0 and Above | Obese |
So, What BMI Is Needed For Plastic Surgery?
Short Answer: It Depends On The Plastic Surgery Office.
Many plastic surgeons have a plastic surgery BMI requirement of 30 or below. Some plastic surgeons will operate on patients with a BMI as high as 35-40, but most will not operate on a patient with a BMI of 40 or above. If you have a high BMI and want plastic surgery, it’s important to research and find a board-certified plastic surgeon who has operated on high BMI patients in the past and schedule a consultation with them to determine if you are a good candidate for plastic surgery.
At our practice, we happily work on high BMI plastic surgery patients as long as they are at a stable weight, physically healthy, do not have any medical conditions that impair healing, and have realistic expectations. Due to the laws that govern our surgical facility, the maximum BMI we accept for surgery under general anesthesia is 40. While surgery under local anesthesia has a more flexible BMI guideline, we often limit these to a BMI of 40 or under as well, with few exceptions made for specific body types that the BMI metric does not accurately account for.
High BMI Plastic Surgery Before And Afters
View some of our high BMI plastic surgery transformations performed by our talented plastic surgeons at HZ Plastic Surgery in Orlando, FL.
If you’re interested in booking a consultation with one of our talented plastic surgeons in Orlando, FL, we offer both virtual and in-person consultations where you will receive an evaluation, discuss your goals, ask any questions you may have, and then receive an exact quote along with financing information. To book your consultation, call us at (407) 377-5438 or fill out our online form here and a patient concierge will be in contact with you.