Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

PS 3:30 this afternoon double mastectomy 17 years ago never loved outcome of reconstruction result -i had an area of excess skin on breast (not a lump, but looked like one) NSV after all these years i decided i wanted to take care of the breast problem (never hurt, looked awful, didn't feel good about my breast) surgery a couple of months ago to fix situation - developed a hematoma new surgery, new problem (2nd attempt) fingers crossed this will be my last surgery come hell or high Water 3rd time is the charm?? mentally drained kathy

I know skin removal can possibly be covered through your insurance after WLS. Has anybody been able to get a boob job done after WLS and have the insurance pay for it, and if so what did you have to do in order to do it? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

After truly a lifetime of trying to lose weight I am finally so close to my goal weight. I have been fat my whole life, being over 300 pounds at my heaviest. I am now 51 years old and finally I am in a normal weight range. I am trying to decide what to make my actual goal weight and also what to do in terms of all of this massive skin. This is the first time I am really thinking about skin removal surgery so I'm sorry if these questions have been covered previously but there are just so, so many posts. I am hoping that some of you can give me your experiences and opinions. 1. How long were you at your goal weight before you had skin removal surgery? 2. Is there a s…

Hello, for anyone who's had a tummy tuck and got insurance to pay, I'd really like to know how much trouble you went through to get it paid. Also I'd love suggestions for plastic surgeons in Mexico in case mine doesn't pay. I have bcbs of Kansas which says they may cover a panniculectomy but the surgeons around here are saying it is rarely ever approved. Any recommendations are greatly appreciated.

Hi I'm having a tummy tuck with lipo and an extended arm lift Monday. I just wanted to know people's experience. Has anyone had both done at the same time? What was recovery like? Do you have any suggestion on items I should pick up before surgery that you saw useful? Thanks,

Has anyone had any success getting BlueShield of CA to approve plastic surgery? If yes, what surgery was approved and what steps did you take to obtain that approval? Thank you!

So I know there's a whole forum for people who have used the connections this forum has made to reach out to do all inclusive packages in Mexico when they needed to self-pay for gastric sleeve surgery and couldn't afford to do so here in the states. Now I'm a long long way from this because I'm still pre-opp.. but I was wondering if this forum has such relationships also with plastic surgeons anywhere.. the reality is.. as overweight as I am I'm probably going to have a lot of excess skin and I'm going to want it gone.. and insurance rarely pays for skin removal surgery.. so do we have connections for self pay plastic surgery with good doctors in other countries via the f…

Hi everyone! I am about ten pounds away from goal and definitely foresee plastics in my future. Are there any procedures that surgeons would consider before maintaining weight for X amount of time? I don't want to waste mine or the doctors time scheduling a consult too premature. I'm only 5 months out but have already met my surgeons goal and about ten lbs away from my personal goal. I am most interested in tightening the skin on my chest and lipo there as well. Everything else I can live with.. if anything else I would maybe consider a tt after maintaining for appropriate amount of time. I really don't think time will bounce back the chest at all part of it is genetic…

I met with four surgeons over the past few months and finally chose who I wanted to do my surgery. It has been booked for a couple of weeks now but today I had all the paperwork through the post and opening it made it feel all so much more real. Having the WLS didn't bother me at all. This is a lot more and I have to admit to being a little (okay a LOT) scared. I am having an extended TT, extended BL and upper/lower eyelid surgery. Later in the year I will be having an inner thigh lift. My last son was 13llb's at birth and I ended up having an emergency section and can remember clearly how I felt walking and Im sure this will be a lot worse. What did you do to prepa…

I am so excited that I finally have my lower body lift booked for June 8, 2017!! I'll be having the LBL and lipo to my thighs! I wanted this procedure so badly last year, but it just wasn't meant to be! On the plus side, we had an additional year to save more money (and ended up having even more than we thought we would need!) and I'll have enough PTO to take 5 weeks off for recovery! Last year I learned that short term disability does not cover this procedure as it is elective. That's part of the reason I couldn't have it last year. I just couldn't just justify paying for the surgery AND taking the time off to recover unpaid (since I hadn't saved up the vacation tim…

I had WLS in 2013 and lost almost 170 pounds in 10 months. This year, I decided it was my year to finally get my flaps removed. What a difference!!! I hope everyone can see the attachment. My surgeon was excellent, very caring, and most importantly very experienced and knowledgeable about what he does. Couldn't be happier!

I'm three days out and extremely emotional. I got my bandages removed today and went home and cried. I've had mixed emotions and have felt severely overwhelmed. I'm a wuss when it comes to pain so it hasn't been easy. I've also been experiencing severe anxiety over fear of gaining weight due to not being in my regular diet routine and experiencing cravings. I experience anxiety on the norm but it got worse after the procedure. All of this with stress from school and just what the final healed product will look like is driving me nuts. Any suggestions? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hi, I am 4 weeks post op fleur-de-lis with muscle repair/corset. I start back to work tomorrow, and I am nervous. I didn't have drainage tubes and the pain hasn't been too bad. I just wondered how others felt after this surgery and how long it took before there were back to "normal". I am missing working out something awfull. I also wondered if people felt weird twinge or pains every once and a while. I am freaked out because my doctor mentioned popping the internal stitches but he said after 6 weeks it would be okay. I have a friend who is a nurse practitioner and she side at this point it is low that happening. I start week 5 on Tuesday, just impatiently waiting for…

So I am scheduled for a panniculectomy and breast reduction in 2 weeks from tomorrow and I am super nervous. So my question for everyone that has been where I am...what do you wish you had known before hand? What could you not have made it through without at the hospital or after you went home? I need to know all the ins and out for what I am going to be going through....i have researched the hell out of everything I possibly can about these surgeries but now I need to know the extras....and go....

All I can say is WOW! I thought I was prepared, but boy was I wrong. I have had 2 c sections, my roux en y, plus other surgical procedures, so maybe Imwas over confident coming into this. I am at day 5 and the pain is still a big factor. My incision burns and gets random sharp,shooting pain, my ass is so sore from sitting in a reclining position for the last 5 days. My back and neck are sore from being hunched over, and I am beyond tired. The swelling is substantial, and the drains are nor only gross, they hurt and I can't get them out until I drain less than 30 cc for 2 consecutive days. Right now I still have well over 30 cc of fluid. On a positive note the surgeon sa…

What is the best (based on personal experience) compression garment for a tummy tuck and thigh lift? I ordered a Salome 0520 Liposuction Compression Garments Post Surgery Girdle Faja Colombiana Black M from Amazon. It said in the reviews that it ran small, so I ordered a Med and it fit fine in the legs, but I could not even get it clasped around my stomach. I debated on keeping it because my stomach will of course be much smaller, but wondered with all the swelling in the beginning, if I would be able to get it done up. Do you typically have to order one size for right after surgery, then another once the swelling goes down? Thank you all in advance!

I am considering an inner and outer thigh lift. I would prefer that the inner thigh lift only be done with a horizontal incision in the groin crease, as I do not want the vertical scar. For the outer thigh lift, I am hoping the incision can be tied into my existing tummy tuck scar. I am a runner and I'm completing my first half marathon on April 24th. I am concerned about the amount of recovery time I will need before I can start running again. I am worried about the higher risk of incision reopening and infection associated with inner thigh lifts. And I am wondering if it is really worth it. I love the results of my tummy tuck and breast lift w/ implants and would defi…

Sooooo Had my plastics consult today. Top notch guy, did my moms reconstruction after mastectomy. First order of business- breast lift. No implants- don't need more size. Would also remove the waterfall area that we ladies are all too familiar with that occurs under our arms over the bra strap. Even though I still have 25 ish left to lose, he could do this procedure as soon as I wanted. Basically nothing left to lose above the waist. Would be done in a surgi-center, all told $10k Ugh! What I'm having a hard time dealing with are the scars- the "keyhole" or "anchor" scar. I don't know if I can live with it, quite honestly. If it were only on the underside or…

This is a true story of a patient that was horribly disfigured by her plastic surgeon. She successfully sued him for malpractice, which is a very difficult thing to do since the law is on the surgeon's side owing to heavy lobbyists and the unequivocal power of insurance companies to litigate, as well as the bias of juries that plastic surgery is elective and therefore you get what you deserve. Here is her story on RealSelf, with photos https://www.realself.com/review/desplanes-il-butt-lift-disaster-surgery-performed-dr-vincent-makhalouf#comment-4469039 Here is the story on her attorney's blog http://www.sandberglaw.com/blog/2015/11/12/jury-awards-200000-for-botched-c…

Hi everyone, So, 18 months after I had my sleeve I am booked in for my first plastic procedures. Having been over weight my entire life I need the works, tummy, arms, thighs, back and one day face/neck! I'm starting with these two as I'm not certain if I'm done with having babies or not so as much as I'd love to do my stomach first, that's gonna have to wait! So...I'm booked in for 23 Nov Got my pre op tests next weds. Getting very nervous about it... not so much the surgery as the recovery. I will have help but have a five year old daughter so there will be some stuff I just have to get on with. I am booked in for 2/3 nights in hosp (I am in the U.K.). Any advice, …

Well I got an appointment date of the 14th for some plastic work to be done around the mid section. I am not sure how it will go and I am a bit nervous as to if I will like the results or not. It may sound a bit self centered but I am hoping they take enough so I am happy with it after putting myself through it. I will do a before VGS and after plastic pics when it heals up a bit. Wish me luck!

I had a gastric sleeve in June 2016. Was 225 lb now 167.5 lb as of Oct 27. I have been concerned about a sagging abdomen... it's a flap of skin and stubborn fat that gets worse the more weight I lose. I also had twins, so it's not just the weight loss that caused the situation. I am concerned that I can't do any more surgery like a tummy tuck, not just because of expense but also because I had a life threatening blood clot situation with the gastric sleeve. All mesenteric veins and portal vein became almost 100% or completely 100% blocked with blood clots and I almost died. I later discovered a family history of blood clot problems after surgery. I have been reading ab…

Hello All, I am a 25 yr old lady, about 3 months post op from VSG. Although I am still a ways off from it, I am already hunting for a surgeon because have a lot of excess skin and generally poor skin laxity. I live in Chicago, but because it is a a major metropolitan area the prices here are really high. I know not to skimp on surgery, but I cannot realistically spend $35k-40k on plastics. I will be financing anyhow, and already have student loans. In a perfect world I would like to find someone local-ish so I can recover at home and easily attend follow-ups. Does anyone know of any decent surgeons in surrounding suburbs or even nearby cities/towns? Anyone with prices t…

So excited, two days after submission my insuarance company approved me for my tummy tuck.i was so sure I would be denied and have to appeal. Now, I just have to try to contain my excitement and not drive myself or my husband crazy before my Nov 10 surgery date. I have watched the procedure online, listened to numerous stories, and read what seems like 100s of articles on the internet, and I still feel like I am not prepared for what I/ my body will be going through. I think what scares me the most are the drains. I have a really weak stomach and am really hoping the sight and smell of it does not make me sick. Any suggestions on how to get through the next few weeks, …

Hello all, I posted this in the guys room, but figured more eyes would see it here also. I am still in the losing phase of WLS. I started my journey at 688, and am currently at 396. I was wondering how far out before your goal weight (Pounds/months) did you start seeking/interviewing plastic surgeons? My goal when I am done is to be near 225 (after plastics). My WL surgeon estimates 60-70 pounds of total loose skin. What procedures did you have done? Costs? How was recovery? Anything you can pass along, I'd appreciate! Thanks everyone!!

Could someone please tell me if I will need to or should purchase a compression garment and if so what have you found to work best? How long should you wear them?

Some days I hate this app.... I just typed a LONG message and suddenly computer blipped and it is gone. Dang!!! Let's see if I can remember it all.... I have had my LBL scheduled for some time and now that it is only 19 days away, I am starting to panic. My dr (Dr. Peter Fisher in San Antonio) includes Extended Tummy Tuck, Butt Lift and Outer Thigh Lift in a LBL. I will also be having Arm Lift at the same time. This is out of town (about 5 hours from home) so I am staying in an extended stay hotel for at least 2 weeks post-op. My mom will be with me while I am in the hospital (2 nights) and then a friend is coming for a couple of days and then I am on my own unti…

I saw three plastics surgeons for consultations, one of them submitted to my insurance for prior authorization. I got denied. I appealed. It was overturned, and I have been approved for panniculectomy! Hooray! I am going to pay the extra $$ to get my upper belly sag fixed, as well, the whole tummy tuck, not just the panniculus. All three surgeons highly recommended I do the tummy tuck portion because of how my skin sits on my belly button from above. Regardless, I am probably doing this late September/early October, and I am freaking out. Looking for advice from people who have BTDT (been there, done that)! Things I'm most freaking out about: 1. Narcotics. I hate …

I am not getting my plastic surgery as I am to high of a risk factor. Because of everything I have gone through and still experiencing they feel that I could most likely die from it. They are concerned that I will become septic again and this time not survive. They had a ton of reasons why it was rejected. I was not expecting that. It came out of the blue for me. Here is the issue if anyone can help. Does anyone know where I can buy support for my entire body. By being able to keep it tight to me. Esp. The panni area which gives me the most issues. I feel so disheartened. But totally understand the reasoning behind their choice. But on the other hand I will look …

So, I am getting new teeth and I have some concerns hopefully you guys can weigh in on. I will get to the part where this relates to sleeve surgery later in the post, lol. If you have veneers or a full arch of crowns and don’t want to read this long post, please skip to the second to last paragraph and maybe give me your thoughts on why you picked the shade you did. To be fair, I have teeth and they work fine, however I recently had two very new crowns in the front of my mouth fall out, so I decided to go to a new dentist who is hopefully a bit more competent than the last one. As it turns out, I am a grinder in the bedroom, and not the good kind either, the kind th…

Hi everyone, I've conducted a series on in-depth interview on plastic surgery after weight loss with a couple of plastic surgeons with a specialty in this area. I've only just published the first in both series of interviews and there are quite a few more installments to come. Here's where you can get started, if interested. The first is a video series of chats with Dr. Edward Domanskis, a plastic surgeon in private practice in California. In this episode, Dr. Domanskis discusses sequencing and combining of procedures while keeping aesthetics, safety, and finances top-of-mind. http://www.mybariatriclife.org/dr-edward-domanskis-bariatric-plastic-surgery-video-1/ Th…

I haven't even had my wls yet, but I do have loose skin from my last pregnancy. The skin folds over a little on my lower abdomen and it's hard to live with. It itches like crazy, is always sweaty, and nothing I do seems to help. I assume it will only get worse after wls. Is there anything I can do (some kind of special undergarments??) to help until it's time for me to get it removed?

Was hoping that the new insurance coverage we start on Oct 1 would POSSIBLY cover a little bit of plastics- nope. Not even on the case of rashes. They are VERY specific! Guess it's out of pocket all the way. Good thing I'm a way off from it lol. Time to save! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Is there a procedure to get rid of those old stretch marks that are fully faded but clearly you can see them? Sent from my SM-G930P using the BariatricPal App

Is there anything that the surgeon needs to know about the port for my lapband when I have my surgery? I have no idea how this will affect the surgery.

Well, I'm no where near ready for plastics- I'm at 180 and have 40 to go BUT I went ahead and made an appointment for a consultation on Oct. 5 today. The point is to get an idea of cost so I can begin to plan for it now. By the time I'm ready for plastics I'll have 2 in college and the 3rd heading in- so planning is crucial!!! I love this plastics guy, and hopefully will be able to use him. He worked on my mom after her mastectomy and also did my good friend who did elective mastectomy and hysterectomy. While working on my froend he did her tummy tuck as well. Seriously no sign of a scar at all! And the breast implants are amazing on her- so fingers crossed! His off…

Hey guys I am starting to reserch plastic surgery and just looking for people's experiences. Overall I would like arms, breast lift, thigh lift, and my pani(sp?) removed. I'm concerned about the pain an length of recovery.

I had both procedures performed early Friday. It took about 6 hours to complete both. The surgeon removed 13lbs. Of skin from my abdomen and another 3lbs from my arms. I have been quite surprised that I haven't really felt a lot of pain in my arms, especially knowing that they were split and cut. I'm thankful, but surprised. Obviously my abdomen is very sore, but it is being managed by pain meds. I also read many boards and ordered some high quality compression garments because I plan on wearing them for a while to maximize my results. The first thing that stood out post surgery was that I could look down and see "Martha." It's been sinking since I have laid eyes on her.…

The count down as begun! The OR is booked, my final surgical consult is on Tuesday and I hand over my money. (I'm SO broke, but it's been worth it) I've healed well from my breast augmentation that was on 4/25. It looks like there may be one more procedure in my future, but that won't be until the winter. The girls may still need a nipple lift - but waiting to see. That will be NC. Any how...The belt lift will essentially complete a 360 lift. I understand the thigh lift recovery is the tough one. My husband has taken the week off to help me out. I'll be off work for two weeks. I'm really looking forward to it overall - just like with the panilectomy...having that…

I am almost two years post op and for the first time really considering surgery to remove the loose skin. I am wondering if anyone has had success getting insurance to pay for surgery. I never thought I would want it, but i am feeling like the extra skin is a reminder of a past life where i was dying everyday and how much I let myself go. I want to close the book on that part of my life, and for me, removing the constant reminder is a part of moving on from it, although I know I will never forget just how bad i got before i had surgery... Anyway, if anyone has thoughts Id be open to hearing them, Thanks.

I had plastic surgery on Monday. Everything seemed to go perfectly. However, I am in a lot of pain if I eat or drink. Has anyone else had this problem?

Have any of you had insurance cover breast augmentation after WLS? My surgeon tells me it may if you're getting rash/fungus underneath where the "flaps" hang. I never even considered having this done but if insurance covers it, maybe. I'm at the "wondering" stage and not in any rush to pursue it. I'll check my insurance if I get serious. Just wondering about your experiences.

I've chosen a plastic surgeon and will be moving forward with skin surgery in December! A flor de lis tummy tuck and breast implants will be my 30th bday present to myself! It's been interesting to me people's reactions, opinions and concerns surrounding skin. I've been told that it's not that bad and skin surgery isn't worth the risks.....have been told by a guy I was starting to get involved with that the skin was incredibly unattractive and the reason I'm single (screw you dude)...I have a family friend contemplating not getting the surgery because of fear of how the skin will look and feel after. I absolutely get it. I've been told to stop losing weight by phy…

Hi I'm fast approaching plastic surgery and wanted to know if anyone had used Dr Drielsma in Sydney. I'm getting body lift, breast reduction and lift. Then my arms in a latter surgery. I'm pretty sold on him so far but would be interested in any feedback. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I'm about seven weeks out from brachioplasty and tummy tuck. I'm back at work and my swelling has gone waaaay up. My job is really active - I walk an average of 10 miles a day and I'm on my feet 14 to 20 hours a day. My arms are fine but my stomach is swollen enough that I look like I'm nearing the end of my first trimester! Also, I'm ridiculously hungry all the time which is not helpful as I am constantly surrounded by food. How did you guys manage the swelling? How long did it take to go down? I'm wearing compression 24/7 but I'm not sure how much it's helping.

Hi All, I had weight loss surgery (gastric sleeve) in 2009 with a starting weight of about 390. I lost about 100 lbs and today weight 280 (275 on a good day). I went through a period of re-gaining during 2012-2013 and decided to join Weight Watchers before I re-gained everything. I joined WW at 350 lbs in the Spring of 2013. Withing about 1.5 years I dropped 75 lbs, bringing me to my current weight. I'm still a WW member but have not lost additional weight in about the last year or so. I've just maintained. I wanted to provide this background information since it might be helpful, but my (desperate) desire to have a brachioplasty began as a child. Large, nearly defo…

I'm getting wayyyyyy ahead of myself since I'm not being sleeved for 13 more days, but I like to plan ahead. Is plastic surgery eligible for FMLA and/or Short Term Disability?

Hello, So I am almost a year post op, I lost 74 pounds so far and I have extra skin on my arms, thighs and back. Do I need to lose more before its time to get it removed? Or is it time to get it removed? I can't seem to get a consultation.

Hello I'm 16 months out RNY, went underweight but with much workout and eating little more I'm stable and stronger, finally. Well is time to think about some plastic surgery. I got approved from Tricare for a consultation, and I hope they will help with surgery expense too. So this doctor I meet today advice for a tummy tuck and Brest augmentation. Possible arm and tights later but I really don't know if I want those visible scars. He told me we can do the tummy and breast on the same day, for a 6 hrs total surgery. Doesn't sound too long to be under anesthesia? How will be the pain level. He thing because I'm thin should be an easy process to do both at the same time. …