Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

I have been reading online about diastasis recti which is a gap between your ab muscles at the midline. Supposedly this is what the surgeon sews back together during the tummy tuck. I have been reading online that there are certain exercises, which are mostly geared towards women who recently gave birth as being pregnant can also cause it in addition to severe obesity. I just wanted to see if anyone who had WLS tried any of these post-natal exercise programs prior to getting a tummy tuck and did they work at all. I recently purchased one called the Dia Method. I am hoping to avoid surgery again if at all possible. I'm not looking to be 20 again. I'm looking to be a health…

Hello, I am planning on doing a combined surgery of a breast lift (with implant) and also an arm lift. Has anyone done both surgeries combined? If so, how long did you take off from work to recover from surgery? Did you need like two weeks or more like three? If you can share your experience, that would be great. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!

I'm at the beginning of my weight loss journey but anticipate I will need some plastic surgery when I get to goal. Since money is ALWAYS an issue, I'll have to carefully choose which procedure to have first. I'm pretty sure a tummy tuck will head the list. Has anyone else has plastic surgery? What surgery did you have first and are you happy with the choice/results?

I had a tummy tuck & panni in April of 2015. It's been 7 months. I've been using ScarAway silicone scar sheets religiously since then. I was putting new sheets in today & noticed the box said for best results use 8-12 weeks. I've been using them for more like 28 weeks...lol. How long did you use them? At a certain point do they quit making a difference? Thanks!

I have a wound that is separating a.little as it heals. I am using bandaids but what are the little strips that keep scars from widening?

I actually had a lower body lift (which includes TT), breast augmentation and a spiral thigh lift. My highest weight was over 250, and after having 4 kids my skin's elasticity couldn't keep up. After my sleeve surgery, it took me over a year to hit 140 pounds. I was really big into cardio that first year, but slowly transitioned to heavy weight lifting 5-6 days a week. Even though I was like a size 6/8 by the time I reached goal, my skin hung horribly. My belly button looked like a melted face; my breasts looked like a feeding canine mother's hanging milk outlets; and the muscle mass in my upper thighs wasn't seen for its full potential because of the excess skin there. …

I just wanted to update. I haven't been on here in a while. I've been trying not to get too excited so, I've avoided all PS message boards. Now that I am leaving in 10 days and having surgery in 13 I'm trying to learn as much as I can! I decided on Dr. Sauceda, mostly because of the quality of his work, the aftercare and just genuinely feeling comfortable. Not to mention he has quite a group of supportive people! Any suggestions about being in MX, or any other tips you guys might have is more than welcome!

Hi!! I am three months out and am considering getting a breast lift. My mom doesn't think I should get it right now as I am still in the early stages and 19. She says my boobs will get back to normal soon, but I hate the way my breasts look when I'm not wearing a bra. My boobs have shrunk a few sizes down since getting the surgery, but they're still pretty big. I was wondering if anyone else has gotten a breast lift or breast implants? If so, how long did you wait? And how did it all go? This is something I really want as I hate how my boobs aren't the perkiest lol

Hello - I have been on the bypass forums, but just discovered this plastic surgery forum (yeah!). I would like to hear from those who have had their arms done and see pictures if you are willing to post them. I am five months post op, but only 20 pounds from my goal. I have a consultation with a plastic surgeon today and am looking to get my arms and breasts done in late December (because I am off work for the holiday). I had my six month post op appointment with by bariatric surgeon yesterday and he said he did not see a problem as long as I was at my goal weight.

Can we wear waist trainer? Just wondering i used them before to keep everything in place. But now im not sure if its ok?

Hey guys! I posted new pictures of my 6 week post op belly. I regret nothing. I am the happiest I've ever been! www.phatchances.wordpress.com Thank you for all of your continued support!

The struggle is REAL. Had a TT in September and am going to Cancun in January. My worries are listed in my blog. Really looking for some insight. I will probably still be swollen. Ugh. I have some post TT pictures in here too https://phatchances.wordpress.com/2015/11/11/cancun/

Im close to 3 mths put of a bodylift. I just started slowly returning to the gym. 30 min on the tredmill and some thigh weights. I have had very minnimal swelling thank god. But now the muscle pain in pretty bad and there is swelling around my front insicion. Should i keep going to the gym or should i take mor time of of that?

Hi - has anyone had this? I need to have a mastectomy (probably double - waiting for second opinion) and for immediate reconstruction they are offering my this plastic surgery treatment. They reconstruct the breast from excess abdominal fat and tissue. I'm guessing that WLS people on this forum might have also had this done, even without cancer, as an alternative to implants. The cancer surgeon examined me last week and said because my breasts got so "deflated" after my weight loss, there isn't really enough to do a lumpectomy that wouldn't be very disfiguring. I meet with a plastic surgeon on Monday that specializes in cancer. I've tried to find before and after photos o…

Ok, granted I am only 2 months out but I am doing a lot of research and want to know if anyone had plastics done in Mexico? I am looking to have my arms and tummy done. My breast lift will be covered here in the states due to insurance (they found some lumps and want them out, the insurance approved a reduction and lift along with the lump removal - I just have to lose all the weight first) Anyway, I was curious about the other 2 areas. So, what doc did you use, what was the cost? Do you recommend Mexico.. etc.. Really anything will be helpful!

Hi All: Just curious if anyone has a good letter from at therapist in support of plastics? I'd like to give my therapist a sample letter. Thanks!

Hey all, I'm going to try to make this short (for full story, stalk my posts or something). I am scheduled for a panniculectomy Thursday and I am absolutely terrified. I was around 240 and my lowest was 160, now I'm back up to 185 (age 28, 5'1) and my panni gets rashes under it etc so insurance is paying to remove it. I'm scared. I've read countless blogs, posts etc on how much pain people have with this surgery. I have a very difficult time taking pain medication because it seems to make me sick. I also only get 1.5 weeks off from work (paralegal, desk job). Please please, if anyone has this done, please let me know how it went for you.

Anyone here from Boston? Who is the best plastic surgeon?

Hi all, I have lost over 100pds and the skin in my inner things hang. I want it gone! I wanted to know has anyone gotten the thigh lift? And what was the recovery/scar like afterwards?

I had my consult and was very impressed and comfortable with the surgeon. We really clicked. She's a perfectionist and relatable. It lasted about two hours. Even though I've been at my ideal weigh for a couple of months she's very ok with moving forward with skin removal. There's no way to know if my insurance will cover it new year which is why I'm looking in to it now. I asked both my WLS surgeon and her if I should gamble on the insurance and wait and they both said no. So I'm having abdomiplasty, panni, and arms done on 12/9. Pics were taken for insurance. That was weird... If the girls just needed a lift, I would have done that instead of the arms. (Really…

I'm still pre surgery and am having surgery here in the states. My question is has anyone went to the docs in Mexico for their plastics after having gastric bypass here in the states? How did you tell your docs in the states and were they supportive? Thank you

Hi everyone, I've recently launched my website, MyBariatricLife.org, and have begun to write in detail about my plastic surgery journey after weight loss. There's lots of other info on the site, but I thought my plastics journey might be of the most interest http://www.mybariatriclife.org/plastic-surgery-with-dr-joseph-f-capella/ I've also written an article about 18 Inside Tips on Plastic Surgery that I have learned over the last two years http://www.mybariatriclife.org/18-insider-tips-on-plastic-surgery/ I hope these are helpful / of interest and hope you will check out my site. It has been a dream of mine for years and I am glad to finally see it launch. Thanks ver…

I feel a bit overwhelmed and I haven't had weight loss surgery yet! I am terrified of having saggy loose skin. I seriously can't imagine having surgery after surgery to correct my body. It's just a lot to take in.

I just had my one year follow up appointment for my lower body lift and brachioplasty. I still have significant numbness that's fairly widespread, and I think it's going to be permanent. I am pretty numb from mid-waist to just below the incision in the front, my lateral thighs are numb half way to my knees, and most of my butt is numb. I have some numbness on my arms, but it's closer to the incision line. She said while it could improve, usually at one year, what you have is what you get. She also said most people don't have it that extreme, but some do. I just wondered what others experienced?

Im almost 2 month out of a 360 bodylift and im having the hardest time buying jeans. Im now with a flat stomach. My thighs havent changed much so my regular jeans fit ok in my thighs but they are way to big on top in my hip and waist area.. is it true im gunna have to buy strechy jeans?? Im not a huge fan of those.

So I had the arms and abs done 2 weeks ago. My arms are healing great. At the 1 week check up the surgeon pulled the drains and said I had an area on the back part of my 360 abdominal incision that had opened. He said it would need packing 2 times a day till it heals in. Today the wound area seems deeper than last week. Now it is 2 inches across the incision line and seems at least an inch deep. I have been doing the dressings as instructed and know the area can get bigger before it starts to heal, but am still bummed at the prospect of MONTHS of wound care. And the antibiotics are zapping my strength. Just needed to vent.

Hi, everyone. I'm expecting to get sleeved next month, and I know that after I lose my weight I will def need plastic surgery. I'm also a federal employee. Have any of you had federal health insurance cover any procedures? Deny them? Basically, if love to hear about your insurance experiences. It's almost open season. thank you!

Yesterday I had a follow up post op appointment with my spine surgeon. I had a 3 level cervical spinal fusion in June. I have also had a lower lumbar fusion in 2001 and I have severe arthritis in my mid spine that I am also dealing with. I have lost nearly 30lbs since June when I had my surgery and it seems the closer you get to goal the more noticeable a 30lb loss is. This doctor is a big wig and has an ego the size of Texas but he is an exceptional spine surgeon and I really would not have felt comfortable having someone else do this surgery so I flew in from Wisconsin to have it done. This doctor walked in the room and did a double take. After going through all the …

Well I had my pre-op appointment with the "wonderful" pre pictures (I will get copies after the post surgery pictures) I am getting the bat wings lopped off and a 360 belt abdominoplasty on the 21st. I am excited to get rid of the extra skin. Hoping I will loose a few pounds with the surgery since my weight loss stopped a year ago. Before anyone asks: the surgery cost 15K. I paid cash. My plastic surgeon is Dr Todd Case MD in Tucson AZ and I have been very impressed with the care so far.

help! does anyone know of a plastic surgeon in florida preferably south florida that has done both the panni and tummy tuck using insurance? (and u liked the results)

Im a little over a mth post op a full body lift. I was doing awsome. I did alittle of everything. And then my menstrual cycle came and its hell!!! I feel bloaded or swollen from my belly button down. I feel like it super tight and streched out. It kinda feels like im carrying weight in that area. And my lower back is killing me... never had this before. Is this normal ???

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I have been trying to find out from medicare if they will pay for cosmetic surgery after wls and have found no info. Does anyone know what their policies are?

Debating on what to get. Would love to see before and after pics and decide! I ultimately want a tummy tuck but if insurance will cover a panni I'm all for it!

I carried all my weight in my butt an thighs. Even after 145 pound weight loss my thighs still have to much fat for thigh lift. The Dr. said he would do lipo and that would take away some of the "bulk". Thigh still look big in pants and when I sit they spread over two states. The problem is that they are already lumpy and he said it could make it worse. I've talked to one person already who said they were so lumpy she had to wear spanx under her yoga pants. Are there any other experiences out there? Would you do just the lipo, or leave the bulk? Lumpy but able to in to pants, or bulk that still makes my thighs look big with my smaller waist. I'm so conflicted. Th…

Hi all, I am thinking of Botox treatment being in my 50s. I have talked to few doctors like. Francis form Francis NY Plastic Surgery but want some personal suggestion if anyone has?? Dr has explained me everything very well but a bit confused. How much time it takes to recover, and one more thing anyone has experience with Dr. Francis?

I've had a lot of people ask me for pics of my scars from my extended tummy tuck. I finally got around to having my husband take some at the same time he was taking my "after" pictures for my one year WLS surgiversary. So here you go... sorry for having some pubic area showing in the front shot and some butt crack showing in the back shot... my incision is VERY low and there was no way to avoid it. But if it's a violation of any forum rules, mods, please feel free to delete it! The last pic is just to show that my incision is so low that bikini-cut underwear easily hide it.

Do anyone that have medicaid had plastics done. Was it covered by medicaid?

I'm pre-op for sleeve (Dr. Altimarno in MX) and my bmi is close to 60. Ever since I went over about 260lbs I've had fat rolls collect at the inner tops of my thighs. I wear a shaper every day to help conceal them but they're terrible! I'm hoping weight loss will help reduce them but I'm afraid they'll just become saggy skin and I'll never get away from damn thigh shapers. Does anyone else have this issue? Is the only way to correct it with surgery?

How long after a body lift/ tummy tuck were you released to go back to the gym?

I had read some where here about the diffrent compression garment that are recommended or used. Im 2 weeks out and the binder i was givin is ok but i i only feel it tight in my hip area not so much my upper body. I havent gotten swollen but i do like the support it gives. I just want something a bit more tighter. If any one recommends any. Thanks.

I found that the skin on my eyelids developed into folds and cheeks are sagging unusually. I seriously want to do something that would be effective, sure that the natural remedies are not going to work for me (because I've been trying all those since a long time). Few of my friends advised me to go for a 3 day facelift surgery in a clinic in Mississauga. Has anyone heard about it? Is the procedure done same as that of a traditional facelift surgery?

Two weeks has passed since my body was transformed yet again by board certified Dr Victor Gutierrez who specializes in weight loss patients. After losing over 120lbs, I had a lot of hanging skin all over my body. Two weeks ago I had a thigh and a arm lift with magnificent results. My scars are unbelievable thin, flat and straight, even after this short period of time. I know these are the two surgeries that most people want to avoid. I know I did, but since I know my plastic surgeon is highly skilled and specializes in Bariatric Weight Loss Patients, I knew I had nothing to fear. My arm incisions are already almost invisible, and the flat thin groin incisions are easily…

In April I had to buy a new summer wardrobe, but I'm not complaining. I have 10 lbs. to lose to reach goal. I am wanting a tummy tuck this winter and I have questions. Does a tummy tuck help reduce the waist area? How much weight did you lose due to having the tummy tuck? Did you go down a pant size? How many days was the pain miserable? How far after the surgery did the swelling go down and you could see results? How far out until you saw final results? I weigh 145 and I plan on being at least 135 when I get it. Thanks

Does anyone have BCBS of Texas? Have you also had plastics through them? I called them today to see what kind of requirements are needed and the time limits, etc. To my complete surprise, they really don't have any. No waiting 18 months after surgery or anything. It seems like all my doctor would have to do is submit information proving that it is medically necessary, i.e. documentation of rashes, skin irritation, photos of the affected areas, difficulty with tasks of daily living, etc., and then BCBSTX reviews it and decides if the documentation proves medical necessity. This seems much less stringent than other insurance companies. Yet, it is also a bit vague in the req…

So, I'm actually two days late posting this because I thought my first plastics surgiversary was next week. I had a breast lift/augment and abdominoplasty done on 8/20/14 and this was my first and favorite of the three plastics surgeries that I had over the last year. I was always a chubby kid so never in my life have I had a flat stomach- there was always this little fat roll (or a big fat roll or rolls depending on my weight). Now that I am at a year, all of the swelling is gone. I'm a little over 5 months out from my last surgery, so I know what my final result is and I look like a very different person. I can wear tight clothing, because there's no skin or fat to…

Hey Bariactric Pal family!!! I am down over 120# over 10 months out and near my goal weight. I have never considered plastic surgery in my life, but I got a new lease on life and the skin is bothersome and I would like it gone. I would love to hear simple numbers on what you had and how much it cost and if insurance paid for any of it! I have Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Federal Employee Program (FEP). How did you find your surgeon? Anyone recommend one in Portland Oregon? Also, how long was your recovery? time off work? 2 weeks? Thanks so much for all your input!

I have scheduled a consultation for a panniculectomy. I am hoping that my insurance will cover it by deeming it medically necessary, but the one big hiccup I am seeing is that I do not run to the doctor every time I have a rash or a yeast infection in my belly button, I tend to take care of it on my own so I may not qualify. My insurance goes on to say they will deem it medically necessary if it would be adjunct to another necessary procedure for improved surgical access or healing, thinking I will visit the gyno at the same time and see if I can get a bladder lift or hysterectomy.

Well i made it.. they removed 9.5 lbs of skin... i thought maybe 5lbs.. now im just in bed. Doc said alot of bedrest. The pain isnt to bad. Its the muscles that are painfull. Nausea meds make me feel worse so i quit taking them i feel much better. Pain kills knock me out so im sleeping most of the day. I have no hunger but doc said i have to eat to heal faster. So here i am taking it slow... really slow.. also doc said to lay as flat as possible. And no to relay to much on the recliner so my stiches wont open.. anything else that might make this go smooth??

Hello All, I am new to this forum, but I wanted to post this about Kaiser's option now for plastic surgery for WLS. I understand the copay is about $3,000, but well worth it for removing the "overhang." Here is a website explaining the differences between panniculectomy and abdominoplasty and what insurances will/may pay for based on the surgeon's coding. Check out your insurance options, especially if you have Kaiser. As a previous anesthesia manager there, I have seen several panniculectomies performed. Suture for a Living: Panniculectomy vs Abdominoplasty