Operation FIX IT! - Baltimore, MD

July 23, 2014

thanks for the update. I am sorry about your armpits,the red scars and numbness. They will eventually fade,i'm sure give it time. When is your next post-op?

July 23, 2014

I just saw the surgeon earlier this month . I go back in September to touch base and set up my next surgery . I don't think they'll fade much at this point.

July 23, 2014

When i have had surgery I also got keloid scars. My surgeon mentioned that if it bothered me they could inject steroids to minimize the appearance. I mentioned it to my dermatologist while I was seeing her for something else. She said absolutely, and injected steroids into them, and they almost disappeared. They flattened out and lightened to almost my normal skin color. Ask your doctor about it. If he says no, then see a dermatologist and see if it is an option.

July 23, 2014

You'll be surprised, In 6 months to a year they will and so on. ;)

July 23, 2014

Thanks I was going to look into that . Anything that would help I'm down for :)

July 23, 2014

Also, it doesn't hurt to come up with a good story. When my daughter had to have surgery at the age of 9 that left her with Frankenstein stitches on the back of her head (and a scar that was visible until the hair grew over it), she told people that she had been attacked by a shark. When they looked horrified she would say, "Oh, don't worry. I was saved by a pod of dolphins that led me safely back to shore." You could also go with, "I was in an accident and they had to replace the bones in my arms with bionic implants. But it was my fault. Apparently it's a bad idea to let your friends jump over you with their motorcycles even if they bet you a donut that you won't do it..."

July 23, 2014

Lol yeah I had a story already planned out prior to surgery but I'm tellin ya these are worse than I thought! Just not ready unfortunately

July 23, 2014

What about steroid injections?

July 24, 2014

Yeah I'm going to look into the injections but from what I've read that really only fades the red faster . And I'm not sure if I can afford it . I doubt insurance covers it. And it's serious crunch time ! I have so much to save for for when I'm out of work for 6 weeks for the next one .

July 24, 2014

I hear you,i can empathize,this is why i do one at a time and it's still so expensive!!! Plus to see if like my results with the doc i used.

July 24, 2014

Insurance coveted my steroid injection. I only needed one. Your doctor can contact your insurance to find out. As for me, it made mine completely flat and flesh colored. It doesn't happen over night, and it won't make the scar thinner (mine are flat, but they are the same width, just not puffy). It is certainly worth it to investigate.

July 24, 2014

Oh really ??? They covered it? Was it from a plastic surgery scar ??

July 24, 2014

No, but they didn't ask what it was from. I think it was just listed a treatment for keloid scars. I just said to my dermatologist, hey, I have these keloid scars. I was told steroid injections could help treat them. Is that true? And she said sure, do you want to do it today? And I said okay. Then she went and got the stuff and injected it. They billed it to my insurance and it was covered. I think she also numbed it up a bit first so it wouldn't hurt as much. It did suck a little, but the end result was worth it.

July 24, 2014

But ask your doctor to inquire with your insurance. They should be able to give you a written quote in advance of what your out of pocket costs after insurance (or tell you if your insurance won't cover it for some reason).

July 24, 2014

But I do recall her telling me it is more effective on newer scars. I got the injection less than a year after my surgery. It is less effective on scars that are more than a year old. So the sooner the better!

July 24, 2014

Ok cool thanks ... I'm sure the pain won't be anything in comparison to what these arms have already been through lol

UPDATED FROM Let'sDOthis

3 months post

Updated before and after pic for arms...

Let'sDOthisApril 25, 2014

So I've been asked a lot to put up pics of my arms ... I'm not completely happy with these scars right now to be honest. I misunderstood as to where they'd be placed and I also think they're a bit thick . HOWEVER... I don't regret having them done . It's a huge improvement to me . It's an amazing feeling to not have my wings flapping around while I'm doing people's hair all day . I will eventually embrace these scars . Just not yet lol ... I'm currently using some compounded prescription scar gel that will hopefully help .
I do have a tiny opening under my right arm . I believe it's a suture working it's way out. Nothing too serious but it is annoying when I'm exercising and trying to build these guns back up . I look at the before pics and I'm amazed how muscular I was even with all thAt skin. I'm working on getting that back :)

Replies (5)

jules73

April 25, 2014

Wow!!

PelsTT

April 25, 2014

Thank you!! I really don't think the scars are bad at ALL! They are fading really well and don't forget it's still early days. The difference is remarkable! Those pics are seriously making me think as to whether that is next... Looking great! x

April 25, 2014

Thanks guys .. But in person they look much thicker closer to my elbow ... Almost like a keloid scar. Not flat at all especially the left arm . And when my arms are down you can see the incision if standing behind me. Ahhh! I'm trying to get used to it. What's really killing me is that it's almost May and I'm not tan! Lol having to stay out of the tanning beds has been a challenge. I thought about spray tans but read that they sometime make the scar darker and I don't want to take any chances .

Tammy18

April 25, 2014

I think your scars look pretty good and where they are placed seems to look pretty good as well. It looks almost similar to where my scars are but it is hard to see in the picture if that is totally correct or not but mine can not be seem from front or behind if i have my hanging down next to my body. My surgery was Jan. 3rd so we are at approx. the same time frame and my scars are pretty thin just a little red on the sides but that will fade away over time. I was told not to get in the sun and even though I'm heading to the Bahamas in 2 weeks I will cover them with a sun protection cream and cover them with make up I wouldn't even mind if someone would see them. It is a huge difference seeing your wings gone as it is with my wings/flappies gone.

April 25, 2014

Thanks but actually mine are down the back of my arms when my arms are down at the side :-/ u can see them. And for some reason they look more thin and less red in pics. But from my elbow up half way they are a 1/4 inch thick and risen. They have a profile on them lol drives me crazy how bumpy they are. I'm massaging the with scar cream 2 times a day. Hopefully they calm down after a while . It is great to have those wings gone !

April 25, 2014

I've seen your pics Tammy and your arms look amazing ... Your scars definitely look better than mine. Did your surgeon use steri strips or glue to keep the incision flat after surgery? I didn't have any of that. Just under skin sutures

camitt721

May 1, 2014

Hi, I think you look amazing! I am 2 weeks post-op from arm lift, breast lift and lower body lift. My arms are the most uncomfortable at this point. Also, my left arm is bigger than my right arm and still appears fat. My right arm is beautiful. Did you experience something similar? My doc says the swelling will come down, but I think the difference between the 2 arms is too much and will never be similar unless I get a revision. I'm nervous and feeling down that my left arm is still pudgy with a bulge. Ugh!

Tammy18

May 1, 2014

Thanks and I'm sorry to hear about your experience. My arms looked similar from day one. Maybe there is a simple explanation for it but that is something your doctor will know and unless your arms were different prior to surgery I can't think of a reason why they would be different now other than the doctor not taken the same amount of skin, etc. of both arms. I would ask him if it doesn't change after a few weeks and hopefully it will resolve by itself.

May 2, 2014

Hey :) Thank you very much. My oh my you had a lot done at once I'm jealous! I wanted a lower body lift with the arms but my surgeon wouldn't combine the two. He prefers to only or surgery run about 6 hours . And the lower lift scared me honestly lol so I admire how brave you are ! How are you feeling? My arms were slightly different after surgery however one was always bigger than the other. They're pretty similar . The slight difference is probably only noticeable to me . I do wish he had done a little lipo in the Arms as well. He didn't think I needed it. But I feel like I have a little pocket of fat on the outside of my arms . But I will just have to work on that myself. I'm not crazy about how wide my scars for around my elbow . I wonder if I didn't have my Arms propped up enough and I was always sitting with the phone in my hands texting . So My arms were bent a lot. I feel like elevating them and not keeping them folded so much would've helped the waking process as far as scars. I'm trying to accept them for what they are at this point . I definitely think you should try to not stress about your Arms. Mine looked like swollen sausages for the first month lol so just keep those arms propped up and get some rest. I'm shocked your arms hurt more than your tummy and back. I know the first 2 weeks all I could feel was the tummy tuck pain. And after 2 weeks all th

May 2, 2014

Oops ! Hit post too soon! Lol stupid iphone. Anyways my arms started hurting the most Around 2 weeks also. I watched a lot of post op arm lift videos in utube prior to surgery. These ladies all seemed to be doing great at 2 weeks so I was so frustrated . But they all had only had the arms done and nothing else . I think combining it with a big surgery like a lbl or tt makes it all a little harder on our bodies. So just be patient . Focus on taking it easy and keeping your spirits up :) I swear things will get better .

camitt721

May 2, 2014

Hi, Thanks so much for the encouragement. My husband measured both of arms last night and my left arm is currently 2 inches larger than the right one. I just feel like it looks the same as before surgery except for the bat wings are gone (which is great, of course!). My left arm was my biggest concern going into this surgery so maybe I'm too focused on the results of that arm right now. Fingers are crossed that it starts to look as good as the right one!! My lower body lift has been really pretty uneventful except for an infection at the incision site near my butt. OUCH. That has not been fun - but it's all in the name of beauty, right? LOL.... I had a tummy tuck 5 years ago so this time my PS just needed to tighten the tummy skin while doing the lift. I know what kind of pain you are in with that tummy tuck. OUCH! Are you standing up straight finally? And I totally agree that the arms hurt more than I expected. I'll take the pain because it's totally worth it. I ripped lots of shirts because of my left arm just being too big. I really hope it evens out and gets smaller as the weeks go by. You said it best - we just need try to accept ourselves at this point. Geez, we've worked hard enough to get to this point and should learn acceptance at this point. :)

camitt721

May 2, 2014

Thanks, Tammy. The surgery is totally worth it and I'm so glad I did it, I'm just bummed because I think I will need a revision. After waiting so long to get the surgery done I was hoping they would finally look good. I tell ya ... the right arm is so pretty I can't stop looking at it. I feel like I have the right arm of a 12 year old girl! :) The left one...not so much. But I will remain positive and I'm sure my doc will take care of it for me. Thanks for the reply!

May 2, 2014

Yeah I would be irritated by a two inch difference too. It could very well just be swelling though. The infection above the booty seems pretty common with the lbl . Did U regret not having that done the first round of the tummy tuck? I know I wish I would've lol I may think about it down the road. But I need my upper back done first. And my pelvic area needs to be lifted and reduced more so I'll be having him do that as well when I have my next surgery. Yes we should be good friends with "acceptance " these days ! Lol but I think I'm more obsessive now about my body because I've invested so much $$$ on it lol

dissappointed_73

July 3, 2014

I had my bracho on 4/22/14. My right arm is way bigger than my left. Like an inch bigger!!! That is an inch is hanging below the scar! Surgeon also says to wait a year for swelling to go down. I have to say I'm not convinced. I've been saying that the arms weren't symmetrical from the beginning!! I asked about this at my first followup. I think I'll need a revision too but don't want him to do it. Also my surgeon has ticked me off. One of his comments was that the right arm was bigger to begin with. Seriously??? Also after the surgery when he spoke with my husband, he said that I wasn't a little girl so I wouldn't have small arms! What did he think I wanted to look like, Popeye with huge forearms??? No! I'm just frustrated because this was expensive, and was very painful for me and my scars are really bad. I also have those stretching red scars under my arms where the skin has stretched.

dissappointed_73

July 3, 2014

July 3, 2014

Aww im sorry to hear you are having a hard time ! I completely understand how you feel . My arms are pretty similar in size however my right arm was bigger ... Or hung lower before surgery. But I will say I was told numerous times by numerous People that if I wanted the best results ? The I needed to get to my "ideal" wieght. And for me it was hard enough to lose what I have lost . And my fore arms are pretty big so I do think my surgeon got my arms as small as proportionately possible. I do wish we would've done some lipo with my arm lift though.... I have little pockets on each arm on the outside that bulges a little but I'm trying to work on that my own. But funny you say that about the red stretch marks ! I have those in my arm pits and under side of my arms . And boy oh boy does that burn! I think it's from work out and getting that mobility back. My arm pits felt extra tight from the beginning. I've been putting the bio oil on that part this week and it seems I be helping with the tightness and burning. I guess it helps with the friction ? I was too afraid to put my scar cream under there . I'm sure that would burnnnnnn! Lol

June 30, 2014

I would love to see your updated pics? I think the scars are fading fast I had smartlipo on arms 12 days ago. The WORST part for me is the waiting period. 6mos seems like 1 year. Happy healing and take care

UPDATED FROM Let'sDOthis

3 months post

Updated before and after at 3 months

Let'sDOthisApril 24, 2014

Replies (2)

PelsTT

April 24, 2014

You look amazing... The before/after is incredible!! Would you mind putting some pics up of your arms pretty please? I'm really tempted xx