Well, I thought it was time to leave the old TT thread and start a separate one for my lateral thigh lift and brachioplasty that are coming up on November 8th. I figured months and years down the road, it'll be easier for someone considering the different procedures to find info if the threads are appropriately titled, so I'll have a thread for this surgery, and then probably another for the medial thighs and mons lift that I have planned for December 20th (assuming all goes well with the recovery from the November 8th surgeries).

As backgound for anyone who hasn't followed my first round of PS, I had an extended TT and breast lift on March 28, 2007, approximately 11 months after my band was placed. I am 5'2 (when I stand very very tall!) and I started at 358 lbs. I was at 199 when I had the first PS, which was somewhat controversial because obviously 199 isn't goal for someone who is 5'2. I went ahead with it because my pannus was so large and completely in my way in terms of exercise and the timing coincided with a job change, which gave me the time off I needed. Plus, I'm in the fortunate position of having a father who is a plastic surgeon, so cost wasn't too much of a concern (it's not free, but it's close) if and when I needed a revision (which, BTW, I do need).

Lateral Thighs

OK, so November 8th. The lateral thigh lift is the last MAJOR surgery I'll likely have from my morbid obesity. It's a very big surgery, particularly for me because I have an extreme amount of excess skin on my legs and bottom. Basically, they will re-open my TT scar on the sides and continue it around until it nearly makes a circle, as if I was wearing a belt. Then they pull up the outer thigh and butt. I'm expected to lose about 5-7 lbs in skin. It's not expected that I'll need any lipo in conjunction because I'm supposedly quite thin, but for the skin (or so they tell me). Supposedly there will be some improvement to the inner (medial) thighs as well, but they do think it's a near certainty that I'll want a separate operation for that, even though the scar is bad and many people would rather live with the excess skin. Mine is extreme enough that they think the scar will be outweighed by the improvement. Medials will likely be December 20th, along with a mons lift.

Brachioplasty (arm lift)

As for the brachioplasty (arm lift), I've been working out my arms for 2 years with a trainer my muscles are really great (if I say so myself!). I toyed with not having the arms done. Like the medial thighs, the scar is really bad if you're not a candidate for having them done through the arm pit (my hang is all the way to the elbow, so I'm not a candidate). Once again, my Dad said that the scar is bad, but that my extra skin is bad enough to justify it. If my Dad weren't the PS, I don't know if I would be having the arms done. I trust him completely when he says it will be worth it. I guess it's that I know the extra skin is bad, it's just that the legs are SO SO bad that I don't question them for a moment. the arms, well, I usually wear sleeves and they just don't bother me as much. Anyway, I'm doing it. As it can be done in conjunction with the lateral thighs, there's not much more surgical risk, so that's the plan.

I will post pictures along the journey, including before shots. 16 days in counting. I expect this will take me from being a size 6P to a size 2P (on bottom) -- something I truly can't fathom as I still see a heavy girl when I look in the mirror. I don't know if my top (4P) will change a size or not. Probably not. My rib cage is large for my frame and I don't find myself not buying things because they're too small in the arms -- they're more likely to not zip up the side, etc.

So there we have it. This forum was such a major source of support during my first round of PS. I look forward to sharing this journey with you as well.

To be continued....

Dad likes the silicone sheets too, for scars that look like they're going to develop raised. He's always looked at mine around 6 weeks and said not to bother. Where do you get the sheets? The regular drugstore? I might do that this time if so....

You can get them at a regular drugstore, but the selection is limited. I ordered the Biodermis 11" x 16" Scar Reduction Standard Silicone Sheet (Self-Adhesive) from www.makemeheal.com. Considering the cost, I decided on the 11" x 16" sheet since I can cut it and get several smaller sheets out of it. My port incision has a raised scar on it that is still very red after almost a full year. I want my arms to heal better than that. If and/or when I get a tummy tuck, I'll ask for a revision on that port scar.

Awesome info Enterprise, thanks.

You can get them at a regular drugstore, but the selection is limited. I ordered the Biodermis 11" x 16" Scar Reduction Standard Silicone Sheet (Self-Adhesive) from www.makemeheal.com. Considering the cost, I decided on the 11" x 16" sheet since I can cut it and get several smaller sheets out of it. My port incision has a raised scar on it that is still very red after almost a full year. I want my arms to heal better than that. If and/or when I get a tummy tuck, I'll ask for a revision on that port scar.

enterprise-you might not have to get a port scar revision, they took my scar when they took off the skin in my LBL, I was looking the other day when I had my compression garment off for a dressing change around the drain tubes and noticed that it was gone. It depends where your Doctor put your port, mine was right and just a smidge higher than my belly button. Hopefully they'll remove it!

Julie - What does your father have to say about massaging the scar line? My doc wasn't too big on the creams either and also said not to bother with expensive products like mederma but he did want me to massage a vitamin-E lotion on my scar line twice a day for quite a long time. He says the massaging motion is more important than the lotion and that if done regularly it can help prevent the buildup of scar tissue both on the surface and down deeper. I'm not doing it near as often as he has asked me to now that I am over 2 months out but I definitely think it has helped. My scar line looks and feels no different than if I had just got a surface cut.

Diane,

Yep, Dad's big on massage for the scar line, once it's healed over (maybe 3 weeks). Sounds like our doc are on the same page....

I use the silicone gel as well as the sheets. The gel might be easier to apply on the longer incisions.

OK Julie, but how long are you suppose to be massaging it for? Mine wants me to be doing it twice a day massaging in small circles for one minute then moving along the scar line and doing another minute, etc, etc. It takes me at least 10 minutes to complete and is killing my already sore shoulder. And worse yet at 3 months out he is still wanting me to keep up with the massages. UHGHH!!! I have to admit I haven't been though it has been more like 2-3 times a week for the last month. Please tell me you haven't had to do it for this long.

I was told 2 minutes total for the TT scar, twice a day, massaging in Nivea cream. I try to do that, plus I go to the masseur once a week and let him do it for like an hour.

That makes me feel a bit better. I know the whole massage thing is helping keep the scar tissue from building but I just haven't been able to keep it up as much as I thought I should be doing it. I think I could handle 4 min a day, and I have been getting in for an hour massage once a month, wish I could do it once a week but its all I can afford right now.