Just for fun: Share your most embarrassing plastic surgery moments

[My Bariatric Life 764]

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 worthwhile embarrassing moments that got me to where I am today...

First off, I never realized how nude I would be and how often going into this. So if you have not gone through plastics, be prepared for that. So, first of course was the examination for my Tummy Tuck, and although Dr Capella was very gentle and professional, I was so ashamed to open my robe. Worse was having my fat touched, ick. And then him taking my nude photos, it must have been so traumatic that I have blocked it from memory because I don't remember it whatsoever. I know it happened because I have the hideous photos as mementos.

But the absolute most embarrassing experience was when I walked into the OR and was greeted by Scott, Dr. Capella's PA. I had not at that point even known that Dr. Capella had a PA. So I was surprised to walk into the OR and be greeted by a male who quickly walked up to me and said something along the lines that he was going to have me take off my robe and stand on this little towel and paint my body with Betadine. My first thought was OMG he is gong to see my erect nipples (because I was cold). My second thought was OH MY GOD HE IS GOING TO SEE MONSTER CROTCH. As Scott was painting the front of my body, Dr. Capella came around and painted the back of my body. It seemed to take a long time, I was so nervous. Dr. Capella swabbed the crack of my butt. I asked Scott if he needed to get in "here" and what I meant by that was between my ft thighs that were blobbed together. But he thought I meant somewhere else and he giggled and said "no. we leave you some dignity." And I recall thinking OMG you are going to swab me "in there" when I am unconscious?!?! They were professional, of course, but I was tense nonetheless. I tried to break my tension by making a joke. They are both very good looking and so as they are painting my nude body I say, "Some women would pay good money for this." Good grief, did I ever put my foot in my mouth. That just made me feel even more embarrassed.

After that I became much more comfortable with them, and it certainly was helped by having that big gross panni removed and monster crotch tightened. Hilarious when I think back to how I used to feel so ashamed of my body and how I feel today. I haven't thought about this in a long long time but the other post brought my memory to light.

[HumanMerelyBeing 287]

I am just considering starting this process. It's daunting. Incidentally, did you use Dr. Capella out of New Jersey? I've noticed that he really is considered the expert on bariatric plastics and was wondering if it was worth the travel or if I am OK to stay local. I am in CT so we do have plenty of good docs in the area I'm sure - especially closer to the NY border.

[My Bariatric Life 764]

@@HumanMerelyBeing yes, Dr. Joseph F. Capella in Ramsey NJ did all of my body contouring. I lived in NJ when I had the TT but have since gone back to him from Indianapolis for additional procedures. The travel is not easy but I could not imagine going to anyone else. I do believe that he is the best at what he does, reconstructing post massive weight loss bodies to normalcy. Plus his prices are good by comparison to other plastic surgeons. I paid $25k for total body contouring. That's nothing to sneeze at but when you see that a lot of surgeons are charging 40% or more than that...

Be sure that you go to a plastic surgeon with deep experience in post massive weight loss plastic surgery. Plastic surgery is a highly competitive field and lots of surgeons are trying to capitalize on the bariatric patient base. There is a lot of heavy marketing that goes on -- I have seen it for myself and other surgeons have told me about it. Worse, I have seen some mediocre results, even some horror stories. Our bodies are far far different from women seeking mommy makeovers. Here is an interview article that I did with Dr. Capella that may help you in identifying the criteria you want to look for when interviewing plastic surgeons: http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/276918/162591/interview-capella-plastic-1/

And here is my before and after video:

Good luck!

[HumanMerelyBeing 287]

OK, wow!! What a testimonial! Stunning. And yes, I can only imagine the embarrassing things that happen along the way - going with someone trusted is a must. For me NJ is not out of the question, maybe I'll get a consult with him.

Congrats and thanks for sharing.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

So far I have had a breast augmentation and I have had some Lipo in several areas of my body. I haven't had any skin removal yet and plan to consult with Dr. Katzen later this summer to do my batwing removals. His work is too amazing... anywayyyy to answer this question...

liposuction is VERY embarrassing. Most don't know what it entails and the recovery is bizarre, and very painful! The first thing they do (besides put you in twilight sleep) is fill your fat pockets with some kind of solution that liquefies your fat. Then they suction it all out... even though I was in twilight sleep I still faintly remember this.

Well that's not the embarrassing part. The worst of it is when you are at home recovering you literally have to wear adult diapers on your wounds because the wounds continue to seep for hours! A lot too... it super gross and like I said bizarre. Would I do it all over again? I don't know. Maybe not. But I don't need to either.

[CowgirlJane 14,261]

By far the most embarrassing was my first consult. Having someone touch my extra skin, pull it around, all naked, in full light in front of the biggest mirror known to mankind. I went home and cried.

[My Bariatric Life 764]

@@CowgirlJane even now being so comfortable with my body, and a size 2, the last time I saw Dr. Capella he grabbed some skin (it still feels like fat to me) on my back. I was so grossed out by that. I think I threw up in my mouth just a little. Yeah, I was embarrassed, too, despite him saying I looked great.

Edited January 11, 2015 by My Bariatric Life

[pippinleicester 78]

I have never had plastic surgery but i recently had surgery for a compound fracture of my arm and a reconstruction of my elbow.After surgery I was in a lot of pain and this added to the fact I was in a very busy orthopaedic trauma ward meant I had no sleep for 3 nights.On the 4th night a very kind nurse pulled the screens around my bed to make me feel like I was in my bedroom.She gave me another dose of morphine (with the doctors permission of course) after the first didn`t relieve the pain.I was so grateful for her kindness i sank into a deep sleep.The next thing I remember I woke up in the DEEP END, I PEE`D THE BED.I never felt more ashamed in my life when this lovely lady who had been so kind had to come and change all of the bed and wash and change me as her reward.I still blush now when I think of it.Pippinleicester

[Sherrischeffler 74]

I recently had abdominalplasty on January 2nd & had Nashville's top plastic surgeon work on me @ Vanderbilt Plastic surgery / Dr Bruce Shack,im still in recovery mode @home but my husband sat in room when he started drawing his lines .of course i hadn't had any other man physically touching me since before 1990 &that was akward.&sll i say is that was quick drawing &he chuckled.

[AvaFern 3,516]

I think the experience of plastics has made me totally immodest, lol. I have a health care background so fortunately I recognize that to the doctor, we are really just a slab of naked meat to be nipped and tucked, so I don't care a whole lot that they are seeing me without clothing. I did see some of my before pictures though and I am making the funniest face. Clearly while my mind was telling me that being drawn on while naked was completely normal, my face was making an expression that clearly said I was not totally enjoying the experience, lol.

Outside of that another fun experience was when I got home from my abdominoplasty and breast augment/lift, my best friend had to help me get into a compression garment. She's a nurse, so no stranger to naked people high on narcotics, but in hindsight it must have been very funny to try to get a person who could barely stand up without falling on her face into a compression garment that was ungodly tight and hard to get on.

Ahh, the things we go through to look good!

[My Bariatric Life 764]

@@pippinleicester during my second surgery, my big one with four procedures, The night of my surgery I lay in the care center bed completely immobilized. I could not even wipe the hair from my face that was sticking to me because I was crying. To make things worse, my period had come early and was very heavy. I could not reach between my legs to clean myself or put the tampon in. So I lay there feeling disgusting because I am bleeding on top of everything else.

I asked the nurse to help me and she tells the aid to clean me and put the tampon in. The nurse shakes her head, "No no. I ain't doing that." I was humiliated. So the nurse cleaned me up and put in the tampon. It was really difficult for her to get in between the catheter and the mattress. More embarrassment.

The worst was when the night nurse came in and admonished me. "We don't do that here. You'll just have to lay on a cloth." Really? You don't clean patients' genitals? So all of the geriatric patients in LTC are sitting in their own feces and urine? I was so offended and humiliated by this woman, and in my weakened condition I could not advocate for myself.

The next morning I am crying when Dr. Capella sees me but I am too embarrassed to tell him about what had happened. I have always been shy like that about menstruation. I could not even tell him prior to surgery that I was menstruating. So what did I do? I sent him an email about it and asked him to intercede. It was still embarrassing but at least I did not have to look him in the face via email.

In the meantime an aide came in and asked why I was crying. I told her what happened and she apologized for the way I had been treated and she and the day nurse took care of me. Now this part is hilarious... when I finally could stand a few days later, she and the nurse had me bend forward over my walker so that they could insert the tampon from behind. That is because it was so darn hard to get it in with me lying in the bed with a catheter.

And while it was an embarrassing experience, what made it hilarious is that the aid who was 50 or so tells the nurse as she is inserting it to make sure the string is hanging out. She had never used a tampon herself and thought that the thing could somehow work its way up inside me and so the nurse had better not push it up too far and make sure there was plenty of string hanging out. I still laugh thinking how the nurse and I explained how that was not possible. She was such a doll this aid.

Edited January 16, 2015 by My Bariatric Life

[My Bariatric Life 764]

@@counrtygirl did it make it better or worse with your husband there seeing another man touch you (even though it was your surgeon)?

[My Bariatric Life 764]

@@AvaFern while that is true the majority of the time, I know quite a few doctors and surgeons and have had enough experiences to know that not all women are viewed as "slabs of meat to be nipped and tucked" by all surgeons. Even in the medical code of ethics it discusses how attraction can be a very natural thing.

[beth_b 15]

I had Brachioplasty and a breast lift on January 14th and I was not nervous at all going into it. During the pre surgery mark up, I suddenly got very lightheaded and fainted not once, but twice. No harm done and my surgeon was very understanding he said that it happens every once in a while. I was so embarrassed though because all the nurses ran into the room both times.

On my past 2 follow up appointments before he shows me the incision site he asks me if I am going to faint and then chuckles. Guess I will be forever known as the "the fainter. "

[My Bariatric Life 764]

@@beth_b oy! did you hit the floor or did the good doctor catch you?

I was so sacred about the scars that my surgeon was going to put all over my body. I told him that I was afraid I would pass out when he removed the bandages and I saw them. He laughed and said he would make sure I was sitting down. haha

In the end I was not bothered by the incisions. I surely did look like FrankenBarbie with the pie crust incisions on my breasts, flanks, arms, tummy, buttocks, mons, and inner thighs!