Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

2,848 topics in this forum

I am 3 weeks post op from a breast lift and tummy tuck. My recovery has been great with no complications. Today the doctor said I could wear spanx (compression garment). How do people make decisions on which one to use. I must say I tire and want to lay down quickly when I don't wear my binder. Quick tip for swelling I did take Bromelain and vitamin c and I really think it helped with the swelling and recovery.

So, I am 7 weeks post-op for a posterior body lift with auto augment and thigh lift, and while the thighs are fine, yesterday I woke up to feeling like the right side of my butt was bruised. Today I woke up and I look like a sausage...my back is all swollen again and I am about as sore as I was a week after surgery. Did this happen to anyone else? I don't remember major swelling this far out from my other procedures, so I'm a little frustrated now. Also, as a note, the medial part of my incision ripped open just before 2 weeks post-op so for the last 5 weeks I've had a hole in my back. My doctor resutured it two weeks ago and part of it separated again within a few …

Sleeved on 05/20/2013. Tummy tuck and flank lipo on 11/21/14 in Nogales,MX with Dr. Covarrubias (Hospital Clinica Del sol) Fat transfer from legs, upper back and pubic area to the gluteal area in March 2015 ☺️☺️

I had planned to go to DR Oscar Rafael Gastelum in July. Now insurance bouncing around to do sleeve revision to bypass thanks to Dr Quinones. He created a hernia at the top of my stomach. Dr Gastelum I'll see you when this is fixed:)

I saw my plastic surgeon a few weeks ago and we went over everything that I want to get done, and he always starts with the stomach first, then move on to other problem areas. He told me that I am an excellent candidate for the abdominoplasty (as well as the others I'd like to have done) and he told me that I can actually have it done outpatient which will save me almost $3,000.00 This plastics is also my WL surgeons husband so I trust him whole heartedly and his work is AMAZING. So, my question is have any of you had an outpatient procedure? What was the first 24-48 hours like? I'm going to be self pay for this since my insurance wont cover it (also why I'm only doing …

At 66, I am not very good at following blogs and I know I’m pretty old for weight loss surgery. That said, I find that in anticipating surgery and weight loss I am worried that I will look even worse with sagging skin than with the fat. I am also concerned that plastic surgeons will not be willing to do these procedures on someone my age with such poor skin turgor due to aging. Has anyone had weight loss surgery over 65? What has been your experience with the way your skin looks after weight loss? Has anyone had plastic surgery at this age?

Hey I'm getting my plastics in exactly two weeks and I'm getting very anxious I'm wondering how to prepare what I will need and what should I expect? I'm having a full tummy tuck and breast lift with small implant. So excited but so nervous!

I got approved today,only 7 days after paperwork was submitted

I called today and found out that I would be covered for skin removal (tummy). But they have "conditions". I've had the policy emailed to me. I'll have my bariatric group review it and go from there. I have had rashes in the folds, but wonder if that's enough. It's been recorded at my last appointment. I'm just curious if anyone has dealt with these folks before to know if there are major hoops to jump through - or if simple documentation is enough. If they cover the panni removal...I could probably pay for a full tummy tuck. Which would be awesome.

Is anyone able to share their story, and perhaps pictures of their pannus removal? I am sure I need a lower body lift and am going to get a consultation, but I often wonder how people look from just a pannus removal. Does your tummy flatten afterwards? I have rock hard abs, but a lot of excess skin. So I am sure my muscles don't need tightening. But you cannot see my abs under all this skin. Any stories to share?

I am one year out from facial plastic surgery on December 12, 2013. Today I had a tuck up and chemical peel and scar revision. I am super happy that Dr. Winslow had enough of my SMAS to augment my lips. Hopefully this means no more lips injections for filler because the really hurt! Although the lips are hurting now that all the drugs are wearing off. My lips are a bit duck like now but Dr. Winslow says that will be gone in a week or so. I just got off the phone with her. It is so very nice that she calls after surgery to see how you are doing and if you have any questions. I do not have any pain but my lips. And I cannot eat or drink anything without some of it comi…

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Hi everyone those of you that have had a tt breasts lift with inplants what was the recovery like? I'm a nurse and a bartender and was wondering how much time I'll need out of work and how painful it is?

I had my sleeve surgery last year on 9/9/13 and I have lost 79 pounds since. I am now about 29 pounds away from my goal and today I scheduled a breast augmentation and lift, a tummy tuck and lipo for my flanks, lower back, and inner thighs. Until this week I had never heard the words mastoplexy and abdominoplasty before, so I added two words to my vocabulary by just visiting the plastic surgeon. I had hoped for only a regular boob job (aka: just a minor augmentation) but apparently, they also require a bit of a lift too. The extra scar concerned me a bit, but I suppose I can either have a scar or droopy girls, so the scar it is! I had also originally only wanted lip…

Hey all, Excited to post in this section of the forum for the first time! I thought it would be nice to share my ever-evolving journey with you all To make a long story short: My name is Mark - I am a few months shy of 23 years old and live in New York City. I am a proud Bandster, having had lap band surgery with Dr. George Fielding of NYU Langone Medical Center on May 6, 2013. My highest weight ever was 357 lbs. As of February 21, 2015, I am 201 lbs, giving a total loss of 156 lbs! I have attached some pictures that are pretty recent. I am overwhelmed with joy to say that my next chapter in getting to my body goal is super near - I will be undergoing a body…

Hello everyone, it is March and I am finally ONE year out !! Yay !! I have lost a great amount of weight and I am so so grateful for my new body. I am very happy with my results. I do want plastic surgery though. I want to be able to wear a bikini in public and not have excess fat sagging there .. My family is not very supportive of going through with plastic surgery because " I don't really need it " and " god made you the way you are " I just hope maybe someone knows how I feel and can drop a comment / suggestion. I am unsure what doctor I will be using. Pic below of my before / after

Well today is the big day having a tummy tuck and breast lift. Wondering how others faired with the pain meds in conjunction with their sleeve. Post op instructions say to decrease water intake for the first 2 weeks which does concern me a little. Any good suggestions or hints to make the recovery a good and easy one.

I asked a different question about plastic surgery, but wanted to create a different thread about it. For those who have not had children yet, would you get plastic surgery before you had children. I really would like plastic surgery, and really want children. I do not have any children and to have 1 child would be a blessing (really complicated fertility d/t cancer etc). I don't know if I will ever be able to have children (and adoption is not an option d/t spouses age and cancer). Anyway this was not meant to be a woe is me thread haha. To get to the point, if you knew you were going to try to have a child in the next 5 years, would you wait to have your plastic s…

Any recommendations? I was originally going to go with Dr. Capella, but it seems a lot of his patients have issues with stuff not healing correctly and him leaving lumps of fat by the pubic area. I am now ready to consider plastics in Mexico as well if I find someone that people have had good experiences with. I will need a lower body lift and a breast lift. I haven't decided on an arm lift yet. Also if anyone can tell me about what they paid for these procedures, I'd appreciate it!

So i never really had a weight goal and am now floundering because I'm stable around 150 but I'm having a hard time figuring out if I need to lose more before I get a tt. Here are some pics. Do I look like a normal person? Should I work on losing a bit more so I can get optimal results? I really do not want to go through more consults then needed if they are going to say I should lose some more and then come back (least amount of time I have to be naked in front of strangers is best). Please be honest with what you see, Def not gonna hurt my feelings if I need to lose more.

So everyone, I posted a few weeks ago about the posterior body lift and most of you said you were very happy with your results. Today was my last consult before my surgery (posterior body lift and revision on thigh lift) and I told my doctor I was concerned about having a flat butt. I am very white girl no butt shaped and while it didn't bother me before, once all of the skin is removed and lifted, my backside will look like a flat board. So, my doctor isn't a fan of implants, so first we discussed taking some fat from lipo and placing it into the buttox, which much to my delight he pinched me in a few places and said I don't have anywhere near enough fat for that proc…

Hi everyone I just had my consultation with my plastic surgeon and she quoted me 17,500 for a tummy tuck and breast lift with implants. I am putting 8,000 down but how are people paying for this anyone financing? And how would love to know! Thankyou

My doctor asked me if I preferred to have my tummy tuck surgery in the hospital or at the surgical center. If I go to the surgical center, they will want me to stay the night in a hotel near the surgical center rather than drive all the way home. (I live about 40 miles from both the hospital and the surgical center.) I asked her which was the least hassle. She said that most people prefer the surgical center because they sleep better in the hotel than they could in the hospital. But she also said that I would have to leave the surgical center and go to the hotel very soon after surgery is completed. So, which should I choose?

I have been approved for panni and am looking for real world advice re time off work, pain levels etc. anyone?

Hi all, I had the sleeve done 2 years ago this month. I've lost 100lbs and I'm interested in have this ugly hanging skin removed from my tummy. I have Blue cross blue shield of Illinois, does anyone know if they will pay for at least a panniculectomy? Thanks in advance. ..

On another thread a few of us are discussing the anxiety we felt going into plastic surgery. Some mentioned about the nudity, the markups, etc that not only were they anxiety-provoking for someone so uncomfortable with their naked body, but also at times highly embarrassing. So I thought I'd start this thread for us to laugh at ourselves and each other with the silly thoughts that ran through our minds during these times. I'll share a few of my embarrassing moments but I want to preface them by stating how very freeing these moments were in the long run. I am now VERY comfortable with my naked body. I've even gone topless a few times on a nude beach. So, onto those very…

Hello peeps.. Relatively new to these forums. More than two years ago I had a Gastric Sleeve & have lost close to 65 kilos. I live in the Netherlands but was born in Canada. In 1 1/2 weeks time I'll be getting a Fleur de Lis TT -- and I'm a little nervous. Not sure why specifically really. Nerves combined with excited impatience too. :-/ Confusing. I was wondering what some of your experiences have been. I know the surgery is heavy-duty. My surgeon told me it would be 3 months before I felt like my old self, but I am curious how others have felt. How long before you could walk a block or two? Climb stairs? I am hoping to SLOWLY (couple hours a day at first) r…

I have decided to wait until at least the end of 2015 before I get my tummy tuck. There is some uncertainty about my company's future right now in that one of the owners is retiring. It would be prudent to wait until I'm sure that I'm still going to be employed before spending such a huge part of my savings for surgery that is not urgent. Part of me is disappointed that I won't be getting my new tummy soon, but the other part is relieved. I had breast reduction surgery at the end of last year and the recovery was slow and a little uncomfortable. I'm not really anxious to go through all that again. Also, as my weight has come down significantly since the beginning of the…

I'm down near my goal weight. My HMO will remove excess stomach skin, that's it. I heard of a Plastic surgery place in or near Santa Monica that uses supervised Medical Students and the cost is VERY low except regular price for anesthesiologist. Can't get any mor details ??? Can somebody help me or make another low cost option for arm, butt, thigh, chest removal of excess skin in Southern California ??

I know lots of folks do tummy tucks or boob jobs, but if there is one thing I want more than any other it's shapely legs. I have had cankles for as long as I can remember, my ankles are almost as thick as my knees. I am no where ready for it now, still have 60lbs to lose but I am really thinking about it. I feel like spanx or other compression garments can help with other trouble spots but I have never found a solution for my tree trunk legs. I also have some ropey veins and spider veins to add to the ugliness.

Hello. I don't know if I posted in the right section but here goes... I'm planning to have a hair transplant done this year. I'm doing some research first. I've read some articles that are quite unbelievable about this so I just want to clarify some things. Is it true sometimes a clinic will use hair from a deceased person to put in someone's head for transplant? Does it really hurt more than ordinary surgeries? Thank you.

Why can't I just delete a post? Updated version...bought a new butt and it looks fantastic. I had a little freak-out over nothing a few days after surgery...all better.

I am only about 4.5 months post sleeve and I am one pound from my surgeon's goal and about 25 lbs from what my ultimate goal is. This skin is driving me nuts... At what point does it make sense for me to seek out a consult? I plan on having my arms, thighs, stomach, and boobs done. Right now I've still been losing 8-10 lbs per month. If I got rid of the skin, I'd be happy with where I'm currently at though.

Hi All...I saw my surgeon today for my 6 week post op appointment, and after telling him that I had been using Mederma for the past 3 weeks, he told me it was better to switch to a silicone-based gel. I was wondering if anyone had used the gel's (not the strips) and which brand? I bought the Scarguard MD today at CVS but I wanted other input from other's who have gone through this. Thanks!

Hi guys, Time flew by & I am scheduled this week for arm and thigh lift! I am kind of anxious. Ready for it to be over and the healing to start. I will be going on a cruise April 26th for my 20th anniversary & hope for quick recovery! ~~If you don't mind sending a prayer up if you think about it????

Hello every one I'm new to this site. I just have a question i'm a bypass patient that lives in the Chicago area I have medicare as my insurance I have lots of access skin that needs to be removed. do you all know any plastic surgeon in the Chicago land area that will take medicare.

September 3, 2015 is my final surgery! I am so excited. In 2008 I was banded lost all my weight had a breast lift, gummy bear implants, thigh lift and tummy tuck.. In May 2014 I was revised from band to bypass because my band had eroded. So my final surgery will be my face lift and full face laser resurfacing. I'm thrilled. I have used the same surgeon for all my plastics and I love him!!! Dr passaratti in Darien, ct. The only surgery that didn't give me awesome results was my thigh lift but I don't want the scar down my leg for the median thigh lift. Im happy with them just not thrilled lol. I have been a self pay for all my surgeries so the new me has cost $87,500 …

Any suggestions on silicone strips and compression garments for arm lift and thigh lift? Thanks

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I'm going to be finishing my plastics in December. In August I had an abdominoplasty, butt lift with autologous fat flap, and brachioplasty. I love the results so far! So now I'm having a thigh lift (long scar inner thighs) and a breast lift with augmentation. I'm trying to decide what size breasts would be best. I'm interested in hearing from those of you who have had this surgery, and what your experience has been. I've always been small busted, and not particularly happy with it. My shape used to be a pear, but I'm much more hour glass now post plastics and with my Victoria Secret bra. Right now I'm wearing a VS 36D perfect shape, super padded bra. That's pretty funn…

First of all, I'm female. I look like a dude in the photo, lol. I took it in the bathroom at work and I can't take a selfie to save my life, lol. I have to wear really loose shapeless tops to hide all the loose skin on my arms and middle so I dress like a lumberjack or truck driver on most days. I'm not at MY goal yet ... I have about 40 more lbs to lose. I'm not a large person (5' 3") and my frame is pretty small (my thighs don't touch at this point), so even though I am wearing a size 6 jeans, I am still wearing a size XL top because of all the loose skin (and fat) attached to the skin. My gastric surgeon guesstimated I have 15 to 20 lbs of skin. You are seein…

I have had a few people Personal Mess. me asking to see my scar from my Tummy Tuck. I had it done April 2012. These pics are before and afters..

I went to see my surgeon for a 3-month follow up of my breast reduction. I thought I was going to tell her that I wanted to delay the tummy tuck because I don't want to deal with the recovery or expense. But my mouth opened and "I want the surgery now" came out. I realize that me having another surgery is going to inconvenience my job and affect my husband, but I really want to be comfortable. The giant mound of loose skin on my belly just has to go. I know y'all can't give me permission, but do you think I jumped the gun? I'm only 10 months out from the VSG. Although I reached my surgeon's goal in December, I have continued to lose a little weight since then and am now…

As a patient and obesity activist, I’ve spent roughly the last 2-years immersed in plastic surgery. Through my plastic surgery journey, as well as the patient journeys I’ve been privileged to be part of, and discussions with surgeons and other professionals in the business who very candidly gave me the inside scoop, much has been learned. Here are some insider tips to help you become a further informed and empowered patient. 4. There’s a lot of heavy marketing that goes on. From glitzy websites and fancy names for procedures, to spa-like practices and charming bedside manners. This is a highly competitive field, and plastic surgery is a business like any other busines…

Anybody know anything about laws/rights for taking time off work off for plastics? I live in california and work for a small business. . thank you!

Has anybody gotten their new belly button pierced post tummy tuck. I keep forgetting to ask my surgeon about it when I've been in for follow ups. Susan

Well ladies... Just wanted to throw this topic out there. Who has considered plastics after weight loss stops? Idk about u all but I'm already noticing lots of saggines in upper arms(bat wing area!Lol) an in thighs! It's disgusting.. When I was bigger than I am now it was at least smooth/firmish. I have been researching this Dr.Duran in Dominican Republic for a while now an she comes top rated. I no a few ladies that have gone her way an have had good experiences to. I guess my question is.. What is everyone's take on being so far away from home and getting work done? Also how far out from surgery should you start considering plastics? I know it's waaaay to soon for me, c…

Well, I'm about 30 lbs away from goal and totally obsessed with the idea of plastics. I have always had a large chest that is purely breast tissue so my 36G chest is sagging like nothing I've ever seen. I guess breastfeeding three kids didn't help either. My stomach from three c sections is not nice for a 28 yr old either. This brings me to my question....with savings accumulating incredibly slow - has anyone financed their plastics? Care credit interest free promotions are my interest specifically. If you have, was it hard to approve for? Curiosity needs answers ????❤️

I had my consultation with a surgeon close to home and will be having a tummy tuck and breast lift April 20. I did look at doing it out of country Mexico, Dominican, Miami, but ended up choosing a surgeon close to home in Toronto. I will be exactly 7 months post op from Gastric Sleeve and 15 lbs away from my goal weight. The doctor will see me one week before surgery for a final assessment but felt that my goal weight may be under where I should be. She does a no-drain tummy tuck which did help me make the decision to do it close to home. I did my Sleeve in Mexico but because the recovery may be harder I wanted the follow up care. Thanks for letting me share. Anyone els…

Hello, I was sleeved in MX 9/2013 and I could not be more pleased. I started at 300lbs and am 185lb. I still have 30lbs to go and I am getting there. I walked a few times a week since the beginning but am now weight training. I am almost certain I will need tummy tuck, breast lift with implants and possibly a thigh lift. It is the last thing I want but I have not come this far to not look my best. I am self pay and would consider Mexico again if I found the right doctor. I find this surgery to be way more serious then the sleeve and I would do whatever I needed to do or go where I needed to find some one with skill. I The scarring worries me and I have seen som…