Hi all! I've lost 248 pounds since my lap band in September 2008. I am now 5 pounds away from my goal weight, and I am consulting with various local and non-local plastic surgeons about my plastic surgery options. As you can imagine, after losing so much weight I have a lot of skin laxity in BOTH directions, particularly on my abdomen. I definitely need a lower body lift (as opposed to a tummy tuck), but the question is whether or not to have the fleur-de-lis or anchor incision with it. This is a vertical incision down the center of my abdomen, which would allow the surgeon to pull the skin tight from the sides as well as up/down. That is the main advantage of it. The main disadvantage is the vertical scar down your abdomen from lower chest to lower tummy. It would show in any kind of bikini, crop top, halter top, etc.

Most surgeons have told me that the only way to give me satisfactory results is to do this vertical incision. But one plastic surgeon, Dr. Agha in LA (he does a lot of body lifts) told me that he could give me a good result without the vertical incision. I'm not sure who to believe.

I would like to hear from people who have had to confront this issue because they had a lot of skin laxity, whether they chose to have the vertical incision or not.

• Why did you make the decision you did?
  
• Did you ever regret it?
  
• If you did get the vertical incision, how visible is the scar? Does it prevent you from showing your belly in public?
  
• If you did not get the vertical incision, does your belly look "funny"? Does it look poof out like you're pregnant? (I have heard this can be a problem)
  

With much trepidation, I am attaching a nekkid picture of my mid-section, with the naughty parts redacted. So you can see what I'm dealing with here. As a point of clarification, I had a panniculectomy after I had lost 80 pounds, so that's why my pannus isn't as bad as it would be otherwise. It's a secondary pannus LOL!

Thanks!

I had lost 170 lbs and so I had to have the vertical incision. The scar is 9 months old and will continue to fade. I didn't have a full lower body lift. My plastic surgeon recommended the T cut and was able to pull from my sides. The scar at my belly button is worse because I had my port and tubing removed thru a new incision 4 months ago in Mexico. I love the way she did it.

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The picture came in upside down!

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I can't get it to do right! Obviously that's upside down I hope! The would be freaky if it weren't!

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Karen, thank you for your reply. Are you happy with your look overall? Would you do it the same way again if you could do it all over and money was no object?

Thanks,

Kathy

LOL about the up-side-down picture. I admit, I did have to look at it for quite a while before figuring it out.

Yep, I love it! I would totally do it exactly the same way! My tummy is super flat! I paid $10,200 here in Houston for my stomach and then 8000 for my arms 6 weeks ago.

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Karen, did I read correctly that you went to Cosmed for one of your earlier surgeries? Is that correct, and if so, why did you not go back to Cosmed for the later surgeries? I am strongly considering them and would appreciate any feedback.

Thanks!

Kathy

Dr Quiroz at CostMed did my breast lift and neck lift. He did an okay job but the stitch work was extremely messy. Friends remarked that I looked like a vet had sewn me up. His cutting and sewing up is extremely messy. I joined a group of former patients and saw some hideous work done. They of course would go on and on about what a god he is but they didn't see how bad their work was. A friend of mine from here in Houston had a tummy tuck and ended up in the emergency room in San Diego after a badly botched spinal tap. They tore some tissue in her spinal column. He can do the work but the results are very messy. Please do your research and be aware that afterwards people really go into denial about their bad experiences. Look at a lot of the pictures you find not on CosMed's website.

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I would say YES - The Inverted T incision was the best thing I ever did! I started this at having lost about 110lbs - I was 42yrs old.

Before..

after... 12 weeks 3 days post op...

This Op was done in October 2010 (I did not have my muscles touched as had a previous hernia mesh put in)

This is my last pic taken last year (Scuse big picture but it is the only way to show the scar well)

21.10.2012 - Which is 2yrs 2 mths approx post op

When I discussed with my surgeon this Op - He told me that if I did the normal tummy tuck I would look 'boxy' as this one pulls you in at the sides and you get a far better definition in the waistline.

I have never been sorry I did this. My Mum said 'Its not going to hurt any more - And you would not want to feel you needed to go back and do it over again' - No regrets...

My scar is a little bit stretched - That annoys me but - I can give you the trick to stop this - You keep the paper tape on your scar for TWELVE WEEKS post Op - Sounds a long time - BUT - It will stop the skin stretching - It does work as I have tried it on further scars from other ops and those scars are fabulous. I only wish I had known that trick before I had this Op! I also stayed in compression for 12 weeks. It sounds drastic and silly - But - When you spend alot of money on somethign - You will do anything in your power to make sure you are 10000% happy with the results. I am very happy with the results - Even with the stretched skin a little bit...

Good luck to you - I have never felt so womanly in my whole life - Plastics has given me a gift that I can never ever put into words effectively :-)

Scamp, fantastic change. I had my wife start putting money away in dedicated CD so that when I reach goal, I will be able to do this as well.

Sue, THANK YOU so much for sharing that! That was exactly what I needed to know. My stomach looks like yours, only worse, at the start, and so I think the T-incision is the way to go for me, too. I was just afraid of that scar but yours look decent at 12 weeks and almost invisible at 2 years! Did you have a tummy tuck or lower body lift? Who was your surgeon? Did you go to someone local? How was your recovery? Thanks for the tips also on leaving on the surgical tape. I will definitely do that. If I end up with a tummy looking like yours I wouldn't hesitate to wear a tummy-bearing top or a bikini! My first bikini since about 7th grade!

Whoo hoo!

Kathy

FutureSkinnyKathy

You might want to change your user ID! Get too much skinnier and we won't be able to see you! Wow! You have done fabulous! Good luck on your upcoming surgery and keep us posted. You have given me inspiration!

Scamp

You look amazing! If I looked like that I would walk around in my underwear all of the time - LOL!

Scamp, you look fantastic! Had you had your arms previously done? They look great!

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Karen, Scamp,

You both look great. Thanks for sharing! I am now dreaming of plastics and will have to findthe money too! I can't wait to have my arms, tummy, lower body and breast lift. It has all gone south!