Are you considering scheduling a complimentary consultation to discuss your concerns and goals with Edina Plastic Surgery? Then, you need to determine your BMI before scheduling with us. When thinking about plastic surgery, most patients focus on the aesthetic improvements they’d like to achieve, whether that’s a flatter stomach, a rounder, shapelier backside, or a fuller, more lifted appearance to their breasts. However, it’s essential to understand that behind every beautifully executed procedure is a foundation of thoughtful planning, patient safety, and clinical expertise. One crucial factor that significantly influences your ability to achieve these aesthetic goals, particularly for body contouring and fat transfer procedures, is your Body Mass Index (BMI).
At Edina Plastic Surgery, we are committed to providing safe, personalized care that delivers natural-looking, long-lasting results. Understanding your BMI and its relation to your surgical options is a crucial part of our comprehensive process, ensuring your safety and confidence in our expertise.
What is BMI?
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a widely used tool that provides a general estimate of body fat based on a person’s height and weight. It’s a straightforward calculation that enables medical professionals to categorize individuals into distinct weight classifications, which may have implications for their health and surgical candidacy.
The BMI formula is:
BMI = (Weight in pounds ÷ height in inches²) x 703
Once calculated, BMI is classified into the following categories:
- Underweight: less than 18.5
- Normal weight: 18.5 – 24.9
- Overweight: 25 – 29.9
- Obese: 30 and above
You can easily calculate your own BMI or use the BMI calculator on our website to determine where you fall.
Why is BMI Important in Plastic Surgery?
Although BMI doesn’t differentiate between muscle and fat or account for body composition nuances, it remains an important screening tool, especially when it comes to elective surgery. A patient’s BMI gives our plastic surgeons critical insight into how your body may respond to anesthesia, how efficiently it may heal after surgery, how much fat can safely be harvested for fat grafting procedures, and what risks may be elevated due to excess weight.
If your BMI falls into the normal category, you are most likely a good candidate for most plastic surgeries Edina Plastic Surgery offers, except body procedures requiring fat grafting. Please ensure that your BMI calculates to at least 25 before scheduling a consultation to discuss breast fat grafting or a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL). The exception to this would be facial fat grafting. Most people with a normal BMI range are appropriate candidates for facial rejuvenation with fat transfer.
Higher BMI = Higher Surgical Risk
Patients with a BMI over 30 (classified as obese) are statistically more likely to experience:
- Delayed wound healing
- Increased risk of infection
- Anesthesia complications
- Greater blood loss
- Poorer scarring
- Higher risk of blood clots or pulmonary embolism
These risks are particularly concerning in procedures that involve large incisions, like body lift surgery, and longer time under anesthesia.
What is the Ideal BMI for Surgery?
That depends on what plastic surgery you are interested in! While there is no one-size-fits-all number, most board-certified plastic surgeons consider a BMI of under 30 to be within the optimal range for elective cosmetic surgery. At Edina Plastic Surgery, our surgeons evaluate patients on a case-by-case basis. However, a BMI above 30 may trigger additional medical assessments or a recommendation to reduce the BMI before surgery. Even a modest reduction in BMI can lead to significantly better surgical outcomes and lower the risk of complications.
BMI and Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) & Breast Fat Grafting: Why It Matters
The Brazilian Butt Lift, or BBL, is a procedure that uses fat from one area of the body and transfers it to the buttocks to enhance fullness and shape. A BMI that is too low may not provide enough donor fat to achieve desired results.
Breast fat grafting, or fat transfer to the breasts, is an increasingly popular alternative to breast implants for women who want subtle, natural-looking enhancement using their own body fat. However, BMI plays a critical role in determining if this procedure is possible and safe.
Here’s how:
Donor Fat Availability – A certain amount of excess fat is required to harvest and purify before transferring to the buttocks or breasts. Patients with a BMI that is too low may not have enough available fat for transfer, making the procedure infeasible or resulting in underwhelming results.
Fat Survival and Integration – Fat grafting relies on the transferred fat cells establishing a new blood supply in the recipient site. Patients with very high BMIs may have impaired circulation or metabolic conditions (like insulin resistance) that reduce fat graft survival, compromising final outcomes.
Risk Management – A high BMI also increases surgical risk during the liposuction portion of the procedure, where fat is collected. Just as with body contouring, these risks include poor healing, fat necrosis (death of transferred fat), and uneven or unpredictable fat retention.
Balanced Proportions – Achieving aesthetic harmony is key. A high BMI may affect buttock and breast proportions, surrounding contour, or skin tone in ways that require additional planning. Your surgeon will assess not only your BMI but also your overall body shape and goals to determine suitability.
At Edina Plastic Surgery, our goal is to ensure your fat grafting results are safe, predictable, and beautifully natural. BMI is one of several factors we consider when evaluating candidacy for both of these nuanced procedures.
What If Your BMI Is Too High or Too Low?
If your BMI falls outside the ideal range for the procedure you are interested in, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re not a candidate for surgery. In many cases, small, manageable lifestyle changes can help you reach a safer range. Our team often works with patients over time to:
- Support healthy weight management
- Improve metabolic health
- Build a surgical plan that aligns with both short- and long-term goals
Being in a healthy BMI range doesn’t just reduce risk—it often leads to better, longer-lasting aesthetic outcomes and a smoother recovery process. Many of our patients have great success with the GLP-1 Medical Weight Loss Program offered at our med spa, Skin Artisans.
It is important to note that the BMI equation does NOT consider body fat percentage. As a result, an athlete with significant muscle mass yet very little fat may fall into an overweight category when calculating their BMI. In this case, that patient would still not be an appropriate candidate for any body procedure involving fat transfer, such as breast fat grafting or Brazilian Butt Lift.
Let’s Talk About Your Goals!
At Edina Plastic Surgery, we take a holistic, safety-first approach to every procedure we perform. BMI is just one tool we use to help guide patients toward procedures that are not only effective but also safe and medically appropriate for their individual health status.
Whether you’re considering a tummy tuck, breast fat grafting, Brazilian Butt Lift, or liposuction, your consultation will include a comprehensive evaluation of your body mass index (BMI) and other relevant health factors. Together, we’ll build a plan that supports your vision and prioritizes your safety every step of the way!
Schedule a complimentary consultation to discuss your goals by calling (952) 592-7782, texting (952) 925-1765, or CLICKING HERE.
