Posted June 27, 2018 in
Nov. 6, 2006
A Texas plastic surgeon performed liposuction and tummy tuck on Brooke Bates, a 12 year-old girl who weighed 220 pounds. Abcnews.com consulted seven experts for this story, including nationally-recognized plastic surgeons at UCLA, USC, the University of Pittsburgh, as well as the Former President of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
Ronald Friedman, M.D. Director, West Plano Plastic Surgery Center. “In my practice, I rarely perform liposuction on any patient under the age of 18. I would not even consider a tummy tuck on a patient under 18. I am concerned that children and young teenagers are not emotionally prepared to make a decision of this magnitude. Any surgical scar is irreversible, and tummy tuck scars are very large. I do not perform liposuction on patients who are actively gaining weight. Although liposuction permanently removes fat cells, overeating can certainly cause the remaining fat cells to enlarge, negating the beneficial effects of the procedure.”