Arms

[Spiceyfrog 269]

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.

[AvaFern 3,516]

My arms were one of the things I had done. Check out realself.com and look at the pictures on there. I am almost exactly a year out from my arms and I really could not have asked for better results, both in terms of contour and scarring. It really does take almost a full year to heal though. Also, consider looking into the Embrace strips for your arms. At the time I used them, I didn't think they were worth the price, but a year later I don't know if I feel the same way. I had an awesome doctor, so he gets the credit for my very pale, very thin lines, along the back of my arm, but I do tend to wonder if the Embrace strips helped a little bit because I have seen a lot of people who have really bad spreading of the scar.

Amusingly just yesterday I was in the store and I picked up some Dermablend. I am a little self-conscious about my arm scars. They are the only scars you can see when I am wearing normal clothing and while most people claim they don't notice them, I feel like it is an instant red flad that I was fat before. With the right makeup (Dermablend is designed to cover tattoos) I can now make it so that my scars are almost invisible...if you know to look for them, you'll see them, but for the most part they are very, very hard to see. I was most concerned about the scars...but compared to my wings, the scars are SO much more preferred.

Although you didn't ask about boobs, you will love the results of that too. I was concerned because I needed a lift, but the lollipop vertical scar is so faded now at 14 months out I can't even see it.

Also, you only need to be within 15% of your goal weight. I was 153 when I first had my boobs and stomach done, 137ish when I had my arms and thighs done, and 134 when I had my butt and back done. The first surgery still looks perfect and I am now just over 20 pounds less than I was then.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I was so hesitant to get the arm lift due to scars....but OMG. ...they turned out great. The scarring is nearly invisible 2 years post op...I go sleeveless all the time now!

[Spiceyfrog 269]

Thank you both for sharing your positive experience! I am not too worried about the weight, I only have 18.6 to lose and am confident I can take that off in six weeks.

I had my consultation yesterday and all went well - I made my NON-REFUNDABLE deposit, so I guess I'm IN! One question I left with was is it standard that silicon implants come in set sizes, such as 300cc, 340cc, 400cc? I have always been unsymetrical my entire life, so he mentioned putting 300 on one side and 340 on the other side. Later in the consultation I asked the nurse if there were sizes in between and she said no, but the difference between 300 and 340 is not much. I am just concerned that my "smaller" side does not become larger. Is the difference really that minimal, perhaps I am overthinking this? Good news is he said I should have great results with my arms because they are not super bad, so that was encouraging. I am getting super excited about this....NOW, I have to get my first mammogram - yikes!

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I had 240 implants and people think I have huge boobs... so i don't know what to think...

[Spiceyfrog 269]

@@CowgirlJane, I also have to consider I have lost virtually everything I had, so I'm starting with and A/B. I have been running and plan to continue doing that, so don't want them to get in the way when I'm running, but also don't want to wish I would have gone larger.

[Spiceyfrog 269]

@@AvaFern, when I look on Amazon for Embrace Strips I get blood glucose test strips, are they called something else?

Edited November 13, 2015 by Spiceyfrog

[AvaFern 3,516]

@@Spiceyfrog

I had to get mine from my doctor because they weren't for sale online now, but it looks like you can buy them online now. My boxes look a little different than the kind that is on the webiste, but the price is the same and the actual way you put the strip on looks the same, so they must have just changed the colors on their box. Below is the link for the product.

https://www.embracescartherapy.com/arm-lift-scars/

[MichiganChic 3,262]

I had my arms done over a year ago and love them! My scars are on my inner arms toward the back, so you can't see them from behind. They are the worst scars I have, but they don't really bother me at all. I wore sleeveless all summer and if anyone noticed, they didn't say anything.

As for the breast lift/augmentation, love that, too! I have 400 cc, and they might be a little bigger than I wanted. I was afraid to go too small, because I heard no one ever says they wish they had gone smaller....but sometimes I sort of wish I had. Mostly, I think they are good, though! Certainly nothing to make me want to replace them.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

My lover at the time gave me a tip...he mentioned that large boobs can make a woman look big. It depends on your build, but I've got a big ribcage, muscular build so I took that (which matched the PS recommendation) and stayed moderate.

I am the type that can wear size 2/4 pants and need a size 6/8 medium top. I wanted to avoid moving up to a large top....

[MichiganChic 3,262]

My lower body has always been bigger, so the bigger boobs even things out. Now I'm an 8 or medium all over, so in that respect, it was probably the right choice. No one has ever said or acted like I had giant boobs, and I think they are proportionate. I wouldn't have wanted much smaller, and honestly, they are not in my way. But after 50 years of being too small on top, it still surprises me a little when I see them, lol! I bet if I could have tried them on, a little smaller would have been proportionate, too.

[jess9395 5,448]

Thank you both for sharing your positive experience! I am not too worried about the weight, I only have 18.6 to lose and am confident I can take that off in six weeks.

I had my consultation yesterday and all went well - I made my NON-REFUNDABLE deposit, so I guess I'm IN! One question I left with was is it standard that silicon implants come in set sizes, such as 300cc, 340cc, 400cc? I have always been unsymetrical my entire life, so he mentioned putting 300 on one side and 340 on the other side. Later in the consultation I asked the nurse if there were sizes in between and she said no, but the difference between 300 and 340 is not much. I am just concerned that my "smaller" side does not become larger. Is the difference really that minimal, perhaps I am overthinking this? Good news is he said I should have great results with my arms because they are not super bad, so that was encouraging. I am getting super excited about this....NOW, I have to get my first mammogram - yikes!

I am a big fan of finding a doc you trust and then trusting your doc so if they say 300 & 340 they probably know what they are talking about. BUT it depends on the brand. I got Mentor silicone implants and they came in other sizes. My doc said 300, 325 or 350 would be what he would use for me. They literally put sizers in while you are under, sit you up and look to see how they fit and then decide based on aesthetics. I loved the pics I had seen so trusted his judgement and wound up with 300cc. I think they are perfect for my proportions. I do at times wish they were a bit smaller because I am a hard to find bra size (32DDD) but they are in perfect proportion to my build.

[jess9395 5,448]

@@Spiceyfrog

I had to get mine from my doctor because they weren't for sale online now, but it looks like you can buy them online now. My boxes look a little different than the kind that is on the webiste, but the price is the same and the actual way you put the strip on looks the same, so they must have just changed the colors on their box. Below is the link for the product.

https://www.embracescartherapy.com/arm-lift-scars/

Wow! I had to have them done at the doc too, this is a super option! But they are tricky to apply. The nurse had to scrap a few over my eight week series of treatments and there's no way I could have applied the arm ones myself. The abdominal ones maybe.

[jess9395 5,448]

@@CowgirlJane, I also have to consider I have lost virtually everything I had, so I'm starting with and A/B. I have been running and plan to continue doing that, so don't want them to get in the way when I'm running, but also don't want to wish I would have gone larger.

Don't forget cup size is relative too--I run 20+ miles a week with my DDD's they aren't nearly as big as you'd think because my band size is 32. They are proportional to my frame and that's what is important as far as "getting in the way" goes lol

[jess9395 5,448]

I had 240 implants and people think I have huge boobs... so i don't know what to think...

Depends on your frame size and build (and how much you had left to start with). As you say you have an athletic build so that comes in to play. I have 300cc and no one believes me I have a DDD cup (even DH who has seen them up close and personal). I have a narrow build and rib cage.