Best surgery for me?

The decisions regarding an appropriate operation will be based on your anatomy, your goals, medical condition, history (ie. have you or will you become pregnant) risk tolerance and other factors that should be discussed during your consultation and examination with a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

With that in mind, an important factor here is the nature of your extra skin. Liposuction will remove excess fat and the skin will contract to a variable degrees. Excisions or cutting procedures will remove excess skin and the length of the scar is generally commensurate with the amount of skin that you wanted tightened.

Given your current height and weight, your BMI is at 36.3. This puts you in the moderately obese category. Ideally, your weight should be under 150 lbs, but you could undergo surgery once you are under 190 lbs. You should get a much better result with a tummy tuck and liposuction rather than liposuction alone. The more you can lose before your surgery, the better the result.

The strength of the abdominal wall is the determining factor of whom must have an abdominoplasty. If the stomach is round because the abdominal muscles are weak and you have no choice but to do abdominoplasty and tighten the muscles. If the abdominal wall muscles are strong liposuction becomes an option. The other thing you must consider is future pregnancies. If you considering future pregnancies then you should put off an abdominoplasty and consider liposuction. Liposuction doesn't affect future pregnancies.

Thank you for sharing your excellent question. Unfortunately without an in-person examination, or photographs, it is difficult to offer advice. I would recommend seeking out a series of ASPS board certified plastic surgeons in your area to help discuss which treatments best help you achieve your goals.

Any surgery you consider would be "elective", meaning you choose to do it to improve yourself. The type of surgery you choose would be based on what you are trying to achieve, and what the general state of your health is.

You will need to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon to determine what might be your options.

You weight is a significant risk factor. Women with BMIs over 30 have far greater risk of complications (wound healing difficulties, blood clots in the legs, collections of blood or serum in the operated area, etc) than women who are not obese. The most important thing you can do to reduce your risk of complications is to lose weight prior to surgery.

While it is hard to give a detailed response without a physical examination, the gold standard in body contouring is HD Liposuction with VASER technology. With the use of VASER, an experienced surgeon may remove 30-40% more fat compared to traditional liposuction. A Skype or Facetime consultation with a VASER Liposuction expert can assist you with a physical examination and more accurate surgical planning. Depending in your excess skin, a tucking procedure may be used to ensure a High Definition Results. Good Luck!