Am I still to fat to get plastics?

Before you have plastics you should be at or as close to goal as you are going to get - for minimally sixth months.   Be in good shape - with good muscle tone - you have plenty of time to optimize your body which will help with both healing and outcome.   Lots of people have plastics when they still need to loose more weight - and their healing takes a lot longer with more complications and more wound breakdown.   It's terrific that you're thinking ahead - and setting goals now......Susan

Hi Susan--the PS I want to use has an approach that seems a little bit different than the advice you describe above in that he doesn't want me to loose too much weight since he wants there to be some fat for sculpting purposes. I'm just trying to wrap my mind around all this and learn about the various opinions on the subject (not trying to say your are wrong---just trying to reconcile in my own head the different viewpoints I've heard.)

I've seen that my insurance plan's guidelines for panni or TT approval mentions a stable weight for 3 months--usually they don't wanna pay for anything so I'm surprised they don't require more time. I am wondering if you know where the figure 6 months of stable weight come from--is that from your plastic surgeon?

When the PS told me to actively trying to loose more weight I was a bit surprised--I was expecting him to tell me I had another 10-15 pounds. In fact, I am *still* trying to wrap my mind around his advice because the idea of *stopping* is foreign to me. (That the goal here isn't to get so thin that I disappear is something of which I must constantly remind myself! DUH!)

BTW, I have been so grateful to see you post on your PS journey--it has been so helpful to me!  Seriously, when I'm working out, I think to myself "I'm trying to follow in the footsteps of Susan!" ;-D

Susan - Thanks for the response! I know i'm not ready yet, Like i said i'm thinking in about a year i'll get the plastics done, but i'm all about thinking ahead! In fact, i'm already meeting with my PCP to see what i can do to have the insurance company help me out!

I always thought that a LBL included an inner thigh lift, i'm seeing that this isn't true.....I have a HUGE problem with my inner thighs, I see you had a medical lift.....which makes me think that insurance paid for it......can you tell me more about that?

I think there alot of things that determine if you're ready for plastics.

You should be at a weight that you are relatively happy with.
You should not want to lose alot of weight after plastics because this will affect your final outcome if they tighten everything up only to lose more and get some looseness again.
My PS required that my bmi be 30 or under, every surgeon varies on this particular.
DEFINITELY consult with multiple PS's it will make all the difference in the world.
Ask the PS what do they consider a LBL to include b/c again, I think if you ask multiple surgeons you might get different answers from them all.
If you are self paying, and closer to your "goal" weight then you are now but not necc at the 180, you might want some lipo done with the LBL to sculpt certain areas better.

There are so many choices to be made!  And the right surgeon will make all the difference in the world.  Be sure to tell them what areas are most important to you.

This is a question I've asked myself many times.
I've talked to and/or met with about 7 or 8 surgeons.  Each one suggested I be at or within 15 lbs of my goal weight before doing anything major.  However, I've recently spoken to one surgeon who actually likes to have his patients have a few extra pounds on so he has something to work with........he "sculpts" the body.  FYI - I'm referring to Dr. Agha in CA.......

My problem is I"m not sure what my goal should be.......I  My original goal was 170...now I'm trying for lower....... think I'm being a little unrealistic hoping to get to 135/140 (5'7", large frame, 52 years young).


Talk to your surgeon, ask his/her advise.