What is a BMI?
People use body mass index, or BMI, to mathematically gauge their level of health. Furthermore, your BMI score can also gauge your risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, which health experts associate with being overweight. BMI grades typically range between a theoretical 15 to 40. The lowest BMI recorded has been 7.5, and the highest is 188! You can calculate your BMI using the formula: weight (kg) / [height (m)]2. Using the metric system, the formula for BMI is weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. The BMI scores are routinely used to categorize your weight as being underweight, healthy, overweight, and obese as below:
BMI Score Weight Category
| Below 18.5 | Underweight |
| 18.5—24.9 | Healthy |
| 25.0—29.9 | Overweight |
| 30.0 and Above | Obese |
We present how one can use the BMI to guide the optimal body contouring surgery for prospective clients. The Body Contouring BMI Calculator was created by matching BMI grades with the HDL Body Scale. The HDL body scale describes how surgeons can guide clients in identifying the most effective body contouring options. You can determine your HDL Body score by evaluating the degree of excess fat, skin redundancy, and the extent of your skin texture. The HDL body scale ranges between a two and a ten and are matched to BMI scores as indicated by the table below:
HDL Body Score Degree of Fat Excess Amount of Skin Redundancy Skin Texture Extent of Skin Texture Changes BMI
High-Definition Body Scale and BMI Conversion
| HDL Body Score | Degree of Fat Excess | Amount of Skin Redundancy | Skin Texture | Extent of skin Texture Changes | BMI |
| 10 | Minimal | Minimal | Excellent | 18-20 | |
| 9 | Minimal | Minimal | Excellent | 20-22 | |
| 8 | Minimal to Moderate | Minimal | Excellent | 22-24 | |
| 7 | Min to Moderate | Minimal to Moderate | Excellent | 24-26 | |
| 6 | Moderate | Minimal to Moderate | Excellent | 26-28 | |
| 5 | Moderate | Moderate | Poor to Excellent | Focal | 28-30 |
| 4 | Moderate to Severe | Moderate | Poor | Focal | 30-32 |
| 3 | Severe | Moderate to Severe | Poor | Focal to Extensive | 32-34 |
| 2 | Severe | Severe | Poor | Extensive | 34-36 |
The Body Contouring BMI Calculator utilizes the HDL Body Scale to determine the best body contouring procedure to optimize cosmetic surgery outcomes. Please see the caricature below that best depicts the Body contouring BMI calculator.
Female HDL Body Scale
| HDL BODY Score Intervals | Optimum Surgical Plan |
| 18-20 (Near Perfect 9 or 10) | True HD results that we strive for |
| 20-24 (HDL Body Score 7 to 9) | VASER Liposuction |
| 24-28 (HDL Body Score of 5 to 7) | VASER Liposuction + Renuvion |
| 28-32 (HDL Body Score of 4-5) | VASER Liposuction + Strategic tucking |
| 32 -36 HDL Body Score of 2 to 3) | Staged: 1st) Total Body Lift 2nd) VASER Liposuction |
Using the Body Contouring BMI Calculator with Case Studies
HDL Body Scale scores have been converted to the BMI calculator that ranges between 18 to 36 points by considering excess fat, skin redundancy, and the extent of skin texture changes. The body contouring BMI calculator subsequently assists with surgical design and surgical outcomes. For example, if you have excellent skin tone and only minimal to moderate fat (BMI of 20 to 22), then VASER liposuction alone should help you achieve a near-perfect 9 or 10 result.
A 23-year-old female following VASER liposuction to achieve abdominal etching and back and buttock contouring. She shows a jump from a BMI of 20 to 22 to near perfect 9 or 10 points.
A 25-year-old female following VASER high-definition liposuction of the abdomen and back, a Brazilian butt lift (BBL), and a breast lift with implant augmentation. Please note detailed pre-operative markings that are critical to achieving HDL results. This patient demonstrates a jump from a BMI of 22 to 24 to a near-perfect 9-10 points.
Skin tightening may be required if you have minimal to moderate skin redundancy. Skin tightening can be performed using a minimally invasive modality with Renuvion subdermal coagulation (HDL Body Scale score of 5 to 7 points).
A 29-year-old female, eight weeks following high-definition liposuction of the abdomen, medial thighs, lateral thighs, back, and flanks, as well as a BBL using VASER technology and skin tightening with Renuvion technology. This patient demonstrates a jump from a BMI of 24 to 26 to a near-perfect 9-10 points.
Body Contouring with a Tuck
Patients with a score of 4 to 5 will benefit from a simultaneous limited tucking procedure, such as a mini tummy tuck, reverse tummy tuck, lateral thigh tuck, upper body tuck, medial thigh tuck, or brachioplasty. The limited tucking procedures below are performed alongside VASER Liposuction to remove modest amounts of skin. These tucking procedures will allow your surgeon to remove fat and allow for high-definition outcomes comprehensively. This contrasts partial fat removal, which can only help your surgeon achieve mid-def results. In summary, the tucking procedures help avoid irregularities related to skin looseness, especially when fat removal is maximized.
A 54-year-old female following VASER HD liposuction of the abdomen, flanks, chest, fat grafting to the buttocks, and mini tummy tuck. This patient jumps from a BMI of 28 to 30 to near perfect 9-10 points.
A 45-year-old female following simultaneous VASER high-definition liposuction of the abdomen, flanks, lower back, and upper back, scar revision of the abdomen, mini tummy tuck, and fat grafting to the breast and buttocks to achieve waistline narrowing. This patient presents a jump from a BMI of 30 to 32 to a near-perfect 9-10 points.
Staged Body Contouring
Patients with a BMI of 32 to 36 will benefit from a staged full tucking procedure, such as a full tummy tuck or lower body lift, that will remove all redundant and poorly textured skin before undergoing liposculpture. Following this initial stage, patients will be pulled from a 2-4 HDL Body score to a 7-8 Body score. As early as three months following these initial tucking procedures, patients may proceed with the second and final stage of their contouring surgical plan involving comprehensive fat removal using VASER technology to lift patients to a near-perfect 9-10.
A 38-year-old female, three months after VASER liposuction of the abdomen, back, flanks, and fat transfer to the buttocks three months following an initial full tummy tuck procedure. This patient demonstrates a transformation from a BMI of 32 to 34 to anear perfect 9-10 points.
A 48-year-old female after a total body lift, including lower and upper body lift, followed by VASER high definition liposuction of the back, abdomen, flanks, lateral thighs, and fat transfer to the buttocks. This patient demonstrates a jump from 34 to 36 to a near-perfect 9-10 points.
Body Contouring BMI Calculator Conclusion
In summary, if patients want to transform their bodies because they are unhappy about their appearance, they should consider using the Body Contouring BMI calculator. Whether they work out regularly or are too busy to get to the gym, our Body Contouring BMI calculator will help guide them to a stunning body contour.
VASER liposuction can help them most effectively by removing the fat comprehensively, uniformly, and selectively when necessary. Since the fat is removed to such an extreme degree, skin redundancy must be addressed. When minimal skin redundancy exists, the VASER liposuction alone will allow for skin retraction. However, when moderate skin redundancy is present, Renuvion subdermal coagulation can be used simultaneously to tighten the skin.
If there is moderate to severe skin redundancy and the skin texture is focally poor, then strategic skin excision can be performed simultaneously to eliminate the skin redundancy. These include a mini tummy tuck, reverse tummy tuck, brachioplasty, and medial thigh tuck. Finally, when there is severe skin redundancy or extensive, poor skin texture, a full tummy tuck and total body lift are required first; then, three months later, VASER liposuction and possibly Renuvion skin contraction can elevate outcomes to a near-perfect 9 or 10. This article presents high-definition liposuction surgical opportunities that will elevate the practice of plastic surgeons who are interested in improving their surgical outcomes. Using the Body Contouring BMI calculator and appropriate training in VASER and Renuvion technology, surgeons alike should be able to improve their outcomes and increase their patient satisfaction.
