What does BMI mean when it comes to Plastic Surgery?

Plastic Surgeon & Skin Care Spa Serving Kansas City, Overland Park, Olathe, Lee's Summit & Nearby Areas of Kansas & Missouri

Posted: October 20, 2014

BMI stands for “body mass index.” It is a measure of your weight in relation to your height. BMI is an assessment tool for determining whether your weight falls within one of four categories:

Underweight  BMI is under 18.
 Healthy Weight  BMI is 18.5 to 24.9
 Overweight  BMI is 25 to 29.5
 Obese  BMI is above 30

How can I calculate my BMI?

To calculate your BMI, first multiply your weight in pounds by 703. Then divide that number by your height in inches. Finally divide that number again by your height in inches.

Example: Here’s an example of how to calculate the BMI for a 5’ 6” (66 inches) female who weighs 130 pounds.

130 pounds x 703 = 91390

91390 ÷ 66 (inches) = 1384.6969

1384.6969 ÷ 66 (inches) = 20.98

BMI = 20.98 (This patient is in the Healthy Weight Category)

In our practice Dr. Perez does take into consideration the patients BMI when deciding who is a candidate to undergo an elective cosmetic surgery. One of the reasons is that having a healthy weight is important for overall health and can help you prevent and control many diseases and conditions.

In direct relation to surgery, there are many studies in the plastic surgery literature correlating high BMI with surgical complications and the general consensus is that a BMI of greater than 30 does increase the risk of complications including incision hernia, poor wound healing, pneumonia and deep vein thrombosis, to name a few.

In our practice individuals with a BMI of less than 30 are usually considered candidates to proceed with cosmetic surgery. Remember, one size does not fit all.  Other factors such as body build, age, and ethnicity are not considered in this equation; therefore the emphasis of a thorough consultation assessing all factors is necessary.