Brazilian Butt Lift: Stories

Definitely stuck between Salama and Cardenas Salama - no real cons. I love his side-ass (meaning he gives good projection, lol) and I'm willing to pay a little more to get exactly what I want. Cardenas - wonderful doctor and very cheap, and definitely cares about her patients. Very personable and competent. Only issue is that her bbls tend to come out looking similar - more wide with the hips than a bubble projection that Salama gives. I will visit both offices in early August and make my decision from there. I have a feeling that I'll end up going with Salama, however because I want to avoid going out of the country if I can and his prices are still affordable. Plus, some of his recent results on realself have been absolutely stunning. Please feel free to comment on my before pics. I will be updating my review as I garner more information.

4/30/2012 - Scheduled Consultation with Cardenas on August 7, 2012 and consultation with Salama on August 8, 2012. I don't plan to waste anytime. Just from one consultation to other lol. Definitely will have enough information to make my decision after the in-person visits.

Stats about me - 5'6 167 pounds, but I have a lot of muscle. Most people, even doctors, assume I'm between 130-140 pounds at most, and then they see how much I really weigh LOL. Measurements - 36-30-41. Really hoping for a 34-27-44. I don't necessarily want crazy hips because it would be too obvious I had work done. But I think that the illusion of hips is what I'm going for. I just need a smaller waist and a bubble butt and I'll be good :) I carry ALL of my fat in my upper body. It's pretty ridiculous; my legs are straight muscle from running track most of my life. I intend to have my waist/flanks/full back/abdomen and upper arms lipoed and then I'll just tell my doctor to stick as much fat as possible into my ass hahahha. Really hoping for over 1000ccs per cheek!

No more Cardenas. I've seen WAY too many shut 'em down results from Salama. I'm confident he'll be able to give me exactly what I want!
The extra $400 in the price (special bbl price is $6,499) is for additional lipo to my upper arms.

Let me just say that for some reason I'm CRAZY excited. Like I'm even excited for the pain and recovery period, not just the results. I've always been very healthy and never needed surgery. I think I just want to experience what going under feels like, what waking up feels like etc. I know I'm crazy, but ugh...I wish I could have my surgery next week! Sucks that I can't get it done till January. But I'll be waiting...patiently! Til then, I'll be creeping...obsessing lol!!!
#TeamSalama

All of you ladies are complimenting me too much LOL

You're all sweethearts! Thank you so much! Maybe I should reconsider surgery....hmmmm, nah. Imma stick with it! Hahaha, wishing you all the best!!!

ATTENTION, LADIES: I was just told by one of Salama's assistants that Salama's fee is going up to $6,799! That's a $300 increase from last week. So please, do not hesitate to book with him because his price is getting higher VERY fast. Luckily I locked in my price of $6,499 + $400 of extra lipo, but to all those who are hesitating, don't; it may cost you a lot more in the end.

ATTENTION LADIES: Thanks to my girl,Thenewbooty, I went ahead and secured my surgery date on January 4, 2013; I'll also be the first surgery of the day. It looks like you can schedule your surgery eight months in advance, after all. So please don't hesitate to secure your date! I can only have my surgery at certain times due to the inflexibility of my class schedule, so I'm really very happy that wonderful ladies like the Thenewbooty recommended that I secure the date asap! #TEAMSALAMA2013! A new body for a new year! So excited!!!

I LOVE Nancy. That woman is amazing. That is all.

I want to reserve a vacation rental very far in advance. I've decided that I'm staying in FL from Jan 3 - Jan 17. To all ladies planning to have their surgeries in early January, there are full condos available in Aventura for rent starting at $700/week and accommodates 3 people. I need to bring one person with me, so I am willing to spend a little over $500/week, and I plan to stay for 2 weeks. That means you only have to pay $200/week! Of course, there are rentals that are larger than that. I just need a head count. If we all go around the same time, we can get a larger place and save more money. Like I found one that sleeps 5 for only 900/week. If we split that cost we're looking at only $180/week per person. That's HUGE! Please, please let me know! I would rather make this journey as economical as possible. Once your dates are locked in, hit me up and let's plan together!

In less than 24 hours, I have my five ladies to rent the condo! Just wonderful :)

Hey ladies! Looks like we need another girl to share in our condo. If any of you are interested, please let me know. It will be first come, first serve! So hit me up as soon as you can! Remember, it will only cost you approximately $200/week if you're traveling alone and the cheapest hotels go for over $500/week. Let me know

Nancy just told me yesterday that Dr Salama will be on vacation from December 18th through January 6th. So I re-scheduled my date for January 7th! Excellent customer service they have going over there :) If anyone is still interested in the sharing the condo please let me know! We still have space for one more!

Just paid another $1500 today and I've been on my grind purchasing everything for surgery because I want to give myself ample time to get everything as on point as possible before the big day. What I've bought:

From MakeMeHeal.com

SinEcch Arnica Montana Post Surgery Therapy
VitaMedica Plastic Surgery Healing Supplements & Vitamins Kit (2 Bottle Kit)
Kelo-cote Scar Healing & Reduction Gel
Boiron Arnica Montana Gel

From Biodermis:

3 sheets of Epifoam. (I want to cut up some epifoam into the shape of a triangle and wrap it in gauze and place it above my butt crack (lol) underneath my garment to give myself this look (see UpgradeMe's post with pics: http://messageboards.makemeheal.com/buttocks-augmentation/triangular-butt-foam-t151326.html) zOMGsosexyrite?

From Ebay:

Ultrasound Ultrasonic Body Massager Pain Therapy + Gel 1mhz (1mhz massages to 4-6 inches underneath the skin so I can give myself a DEEP tissue massage to prevent unsightly post-op lumps and bumps)
Ultrasonic Gel for Ultrasound Beauty Pain Treatment Massager 300ml 10oz

From Elite Miami:

10 massage package - I will be in Miami for 2 weeks so I want to do all I can to accelerate my convalescence. Haha, I'll be massaging my body like crazy. Nancy told me I won't start massages until 3 days after surgery and then I'll do every other day for a 5-7 days, then do a massage everyday until I leave. Nancy btw, is unbelievably amazing and a wonderful coordinator. She was very patient as I asked question after question. I feel like I'm in good hands.

This will be my first and last cosmetic surgery; I want to make sure its done right. Have my in person consult with Dr. Salama on August 8. I want to ensure I'm making a good investment before I deposit anymore money, and I would also like to meet the man in control of my life and body earlier than 24 hours before surgery. Looking forward to it and I will be sure to update again then.

So I just went to my pre-op consultation with Dr. Salama. And I must say I was impressed. I will try to go into as much detail as possible for those of you unable to make the trip before your actual surgery date.

I stayed at the Mar Bay (Knight’s Inn) 2 miles away. I had no idea that people actually lived there! Don’t go there expecting the Ritz! It’s very, VERY basic but more than adequate for a two night stay. I think it’s $71 + tax a night. Oh, and there is only wifi in the lobby. I was lucky enough to get a room nearby so I had interwebz connection! The staff is very nice and accommodating. But having solid wifi will be important to me during recovery so I will stay elsewhere…probably the Hampton Inn right across the street from the Dr.’s suite. At 1:15pm, I was on the way to see the Dr.

The medical facility is clean, and may I even say, kind of upper class. The lobby is mahogany and gold, and Dr. Salama’s suite is on the third floor. I was welcomed by the receptionist and I quickly filled in the paperwork. I waited for maybe 15 minutes before I was asked into the medical room. The medical assistant simply said, “Take it off.” I was like, LOL what? And she goes, “Your clothes, take them off” and then giggled. I felt so silly….duh. She smiled and left the room. It wasn’t even two minutes before Dr. Salama came in. We made some pleasant small talk about my education and background before we got to business.

He asked me to stand in front of him so he could check me out. I was like, can I just stand naked in front of you?…and he was like, sure LOL. So I stood there in my panties and bra while he felt my fat. He told me turn around and pulled down my panties and said, “You already have a big butt.” I literally shook my ass in face and said, “I want a bigger one.” He just laughed and I turned around. LOL – I’m such a mess; I can’t believe I shook my ASS in his face hahahah!

I told him I was 167 pounds, but he said I had very little fat on me. (I’m an athlete so I have more muscle than the average woman, and we all know muscle weighs more than fat.) He recommended that I add 5-10 pounds of fat, but I told him that I’d rather just have him be as aggressive with the lipo as possible. He would still prefer me to add more fat, but he said at the end of the day, it’s up to me. To be honest, I’ve seen Dr. Salama’s work and I know he’ll find the fat on me. Yes, I want a bigger butt, but I also want my upper body sculpted. In fact, having my body sculpted is more important than a giant donk. I want to be able to wear backless or strapless dresses and not have folds of fat on my back and arms that make me look unsightly. Unless, anyone has any other recommendations, I honestly think I’m gonna maintain my weight. Please refer to my pre-op photos. My main objective: No fat on my upper back, waist and upper arms…I don’t see how adding weight will help attain that.

The doctor said he was gonna deal with the folds on my back, which made me feel great because I HATE my back fat. He said that in order to minimize the loose skin, my boards and foam must be super tight around that area. That’s fine…I’ve already bought my arm compression garment that extends to my upper back and upper waist. Oh, Dr. Salama said he only focuses on the lateral fat of arms, which again is great, because those were problem areas anyway. It’s like, he knew exactly what I wanted without saying too much! Serendipity haha!!

He told me where he would place the incisions, the drains, and where he plans to add the fat. He informed me of the routine complications, and recovery process. I asked him about his fat grafting technique and he said that he does not put any fat underneath the muscle because it increases the risk of fatal complications; apparently, it heightens the risk of fat going into veins underneath the muscle which can cause a clog and ultimately, death. He made it very clear, he doesn’t mess with that. He puts some in the muscle and most above the muscle.

Now to CCs and what I can expect. I asked him if there was anything I can do to increase my skin elasticity and he said there was nothing that knew of. I’ve been using cocoa butter all my life so I think I’m gonna up my applications prior to surgery. I don’t know if it will make a difference, but I have nothing to lose, but much (ass) to gain. I asked him what number of CCs he could give me, and he was like, there is no way to know until I actually start injecting the fat. Fair enough. He also said that my butt was actually quite long…which surprised me because I was always under the impression that I had a short butt. But because my butt is longer, its reasonable to assume that I should get a decent amount of CCs, just because I have more surface area to fill compared to other women. Quite honestly, I couldn’t care less about CCs, same as I don’t care about how much I weigh. As long as I look in the mirror and look fabulous WHO. CARES? Hahah

I told him I don’t have any wish pics because I’m just trying to be the best me I can be. He looked up smiled and said, “I knew you were a smart one.”

After wrapping it up, he gave me a hand shake and I thanked him for his time. He’s a really cool dude, and all about his business. I appreciate that and look forward to working with him.

After about 5 minutes, Nancy came in all smiles and gave me a hug!!! She IS SO CUTE! Like, ugh, she’s just great! She welcomed me and ushered me into her office with Rueben who, sadly, was busy on the phone so I couldn’t really converse with him. I signed some paperwork and confirmed my balance due. Nancy was just as helpful as ever and complimented my appearance. She’s a sweetheart. Before she walked me out she gave me another hug and kiss!

Let me leave you with this; I now feel even better than before about choosing Dr. Salama. His staff, facility, bedside manner and professionalism are first class. I know that surgery is expensive and it may be difficult to have a pre-op appointment like I did several months in advance. But my fears were eased, and my hopes were reaffirmed. I’m going to do this. I’ve never had surgery before and the doctor and was even surprised that I was interested in a bbl once he found out what I do for a living; think engineer, lawyer, doctor, account executive…basically, I ain’t stripping. But I’ve always wanted my ideal body. I’ve been blessed with the requisite funds, I don’t have any kids or a husband (damn, even a boyfriend) to think about so if I’m gonna be “selfish,” now is the time. I’m only 23, and I wanna enjoy my young years. Do your research, make your decision, prepare your body and mind for recovery, endure any pain or God forbid, any complications, and embrace your new look.

The next time I update will be after surgery. So after I answer some initial questions - if anyone has any – I will disappear until early January! Good luck, ladies.

.

Ok. So I lied. I'm back much earlier than anticipated :)

Finally secured my accommodation for two weeks! Ladies, I can't stress enough the money saver of renting a condo nearby. The total for two weeks for a studio that sleeps 3, with a full kitchen and bathroom, fully stacked with wifi, laundry, cable tv and 32 inch LCD tv, plus a private terrace and MORE amenities only cost me and my girl, @Bri_eautiful93 only $910!!! That's $405 each for two weeks!!! That 202.50/week! You aint gonna find rates like that at any hotel!! Find a sx buddy and rent! It's the best way to ensure company and cut down on costs!!!

Bought Vitamin C (250 capsules), Multivitamin (500 capsules) and Iron pills (300 capsules) off of Amazon for $40.24 total!!! I'm all about the bargains, baby! ;)

Wait...I did spend $125 on a compression for my arms and upper back LOL! I guess you can't win 'em all, amirite?

What's left?
$3,199 - left over balance at Elite
$200 - to finish paying my half of studio rent
$150 - to change my flight - LADIES, PLEASE DO NOT BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS TO MIAMI INTERNATIONAL. YOU WANT HOLLYWOOD/FT. LAUDERDALE AIRPORT if you're going with Dr. Salama. Ugh...another $150 down the drain :(
$? - for labwork....but I have insurance so that should cover it hahha ( i hope :/)

January 7 can't come fast enough :)

Hahaha...I meant $455 for each of us, meaning I need approx. $250 to complete my side of the rental!!! I can't do math XD

Just spoke with my BBL sister @Bri_eautiful!!! She's SOOO cute!! Super happy I have someone who wants this as bad as me! It's nice to have someone support you and you, her, in return. Super excited for this thing to go down. I don't even have to get a nurse anymore because she's bringing a friend along!!! So. Happy. Looks like everything is working out. I recommend planning as early as you can. I basically have everything I need sorted...the date, the accommodation, the plan tickets, etc.

Good luck, ladies :)

Hahaha...It's about time they fixed the update feature on RS. Now I have so many updates to read!!! Love it :)

Also, I asked Nancy today about whether I should be concerned about Dr. Salama's mediocre arm lipo reviews. Having my arms lipoed are SO important to me. It's not even a joke to me. She respond in a matter of hours; there's that top rate customer service again :) She said that most women who complain about lackluster results in that area are on the heavier side, and because I'm average weight, I should not worry. Also, if I want Dr. Salama to lipo my arms first, then she feels there is no reason why he won't. I want to be lipoed the following way - arms, then back, then flanks and abdomen. I think he should be able to get enough fat out of me if he goes aggressive with the lipo. I want to reach the legal limit. 4 LITERS PLEASE hahaha...gimme my sculpted upper body XD

My half of the accommodation paid in full. Now to take care of the outstanding sx balance....AHHH!!! SO EXCITED

Just spoke to Jennifer. Cash paid in full XD Everything is set months in advance. Good luck to all the lovely ladies :)

Per MiamiLife305's update, Dr. S's prices are going up tomorrow from $7,799.to $8,499. That's a $700 increase!!! Ladies, if you're on the fence, lock in your price NOW! It may cost you a lot more in the end! He's in high demand!

I have less than two months to my transformation and I've been in regular contact with my sx buddy @Bri_eautiful, who is indeed very beautiful :), and because neither of us want to approach our PCPs we found Doctor's Express! It's a medical franchise that provides results very quickly! Booking is free and easy to do online. They take MANY forms of insurance, too!

Please see the link below and search for one near you:
http://www.doctorsexpress.com/franchisees/search

Good luck, ladies!

In re to the deleting debacle:

1. Kristy said you can always PM her and get the pics deleted. It may take a longer time, but it's more of a matter of hours, days at the most. I'm sure Kristy will remain responsive to such requests.

2. This now give ladies further incentive to be more careful about what they put up on the internet. No one forced you to put those pictures on the internet. I've seen some of my before pics put up on other sites and although I was a little surprised it did not bother me one bit. Why? 1. My face is cut out of all my pics. 2. I take pics in different locations so no one recognizes my surroundings. Also, if you are worried about people identifying you, do not wear identifiable clothes or take pictures in your bedroom? I mean, that's not asking too much, right? Also, you can always edit your pics before they go up there so as to mitigate any chance of identification.

3. Again, this is the internet guys. If you don't think for one second that your picture has been saved by the right-click mafia, you're in denial. Just because you delete your pictures does not mean they are out of public view forever. Once they go up on the internet, they are freely available for everyone and anyone to use. When I saw some women complaining about their pics being used as wish pics, and yet said pics were up on the internet, I could not help but chuckle. A little self-awareness did not hurt anyone.

4. Relax. This is not a big deal. I'm not going anywhere. I still plan on sharing my story not only because I want to help others make a decision, but also because, aside from one person, I have not told a soul about my upcoming sx and RS is my place to vent and share common experiences. It's cathartic for me to post here; it makes me feel like I'm not doing this alone.

5. RS has the right to change their policies at any time. They are providing a service and we're using it. Also, it's a free service; we're not paying for it. For all the ladies saying they will leave or stop using RS, I don't think we have much leverage here. New people share their stories on RS everyday. We are considered fungible commodities, here i.e. we are easily replaceable. Traffic may suffer briefly, but I highly doubt such loss will be sustained.

Good luck, ladies. Remember, RS' primary objective is to share cosmetic surgery stories the best way it can, and not to protect your own identity by mitigating the mistakes of posting readily identifiable features in your pictures.

Ladies, if you have Ruben's email address, please share! I need to send him something! Thank you so much :)

I'm on RS everyday happily anticipating updates from my fellow BBL sisters. But lately, all I've seen are silly protests over the method of pic deletion and in-fighting between patients. Ladies, you don't have to like each other, but please, PLEASE, be cordial and respect each other. I used to spend all my time on makemeheal.com until the gossiping and bitching became like a crappy version of high school. Though mmh is no longer like that, RS does not have to follow suit. I come on here to learn, and interact with others, which I think is RS' main objective. All the underhanded, disparaging comments merely frustrate such an objective and ruin the pre-op, post-op experience for us all. Like many of you, I haven't told anyone about this surgery. If I lose RS as place to share my experience due to all this unpleasantness, I would be very unhappy.

Can we all just get along, again, and be supportive? Please? I'm gonna message Kirsty about the environment on here. It's getting too much.

I can't believe it's only a month till my transformation, where did my time go? Hahaha! Can't wait to be Salamafied!

So I was doing my routine RS stalking and I noticed Whorascope's gorgeous curves a la Dr. J. He hooked her up. However, I stand by my decision as Salama as my doctor :) But I would like some honest thoughts about whether you feel Salama can give shelfs like Dr. J or whether he has a signature S-curve look that gives more projection in the middle and bottom, rather than the top. I am a professional so I do want to be voluptuous but nothing too...in your face, you know? Like booty literally sitting all up in your face type ish lol. Each doctor has their own aesthetic but I think we can all agree, each patient has different desires, problem areas etc.

So I would love to hear from both Dr. J and Dr. S patients about the shape you received or hope to achieve and how it affected/will affect your work life, especially if you work in a professional environment. Of course, other women who patronized other doctors, please feel free to share your thoughts, also. I noticed that Dr. Perry and Dr. Azurin started putting out absolutely gorgeous results too!

So not only are her results to die for, but she is also a total sweetheart. Ms. FUMNB went out of her way to find some 6-inch extra firm foam mattresses for only $15.44.

http://www.amazon.com/Murano-Home-Furnishing-Foam-Padding/dp/B009ZLG112/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1355101231&sr=8-4&keywords=6%22+mattress+6x26x26

I will cut out a huge piece to accommodate my new A$$ets and then stack pillows and blankets on opposing sides for upper and lower body support. I bought two, just in case 6-inches was not enough for my butt hahha! I am eternally grateful to Ms. FUMNB. This is what RS is about; women supporting and helping each other! More beautiful results could not happen to a more deserving person :)

I want my arms to be tiny af and NO back fat. I actually care more about those things than a big booty. Should I lose weight to ensure I get what I want?

Playing with my Virtual Surgery Software and this is what I came up with. Though I don't look too big, I really have most of my fat in my waist and back and it's gross. My waist really has the potential to be a lot smaller than what it is and I want Salama to really focus on my hips (lateral butt). Anything close to that pic would have me over the f*ing moon haha!

Oh gosh! Oh gosh! Take deep breaths...I want to do this! I need to do this! *end mantra* I'm so scared of anesthesia :(

So I signed up for a new PCP, and even though he was incredibly kind, he scared the crap out of me. First, my EKG was kinda abnormal so he was like, "There's a chance you have a hole in your heart. I need to do a heart echo just to make sure..." O_0 At that point, I was like, f@*k this bbl, I might need to undergo open heart surgery!! It was a horrible feeling.

Then he was like, "Please don't get this sx done. I've cleared two patients before and both of them ended up with fat lodged in either the lungs or the brain. They both nearly died" O_O Not something I really needed to hear 9 days before sx.

Ugh...The heart echo took a while but everything eventually came out fine, thank God! And I told him that even though I know there are inherent risks in surgery, I have researched all the possible complications and made an informed decision. Though I appreciated his honesty, two patients are hardly a representative sample and it was truly a very scary moment for me. Wishing all you ladies the very best.

Any vets know the answer? The pre-op package says 12pm but that seems generic. Some internet blogs say no eating before 12 hours of sx. What say you, vets?

Made it safely to Florida but then I called Larry and he was like "I'm right here waiting for you!" But I couldn't find him! So then he asks "wait are u at Miami International?" I respond affirmatively and he's like " oh wow I'm at Fort Lauderdale airport!" Definitely told the office i ll coming in at MIA. Miscommunications aside, I dk if I'm even gonna meet up with my pre op appt on time! Ugh! Now I have to wait for like an hour! Somewhat irritated. But trying to not let anything frivolous bother me. Gotta say positive :)

I'm going in! It's finally MY TIME! Much love to all my ladies for your words of encouragement. See you on the other side :)

Have not even looked at my results but Bri_eautiful was like, "As you're lying down, all is a flat back and just ASS." Mission accomplished. LOL. The nurses and Larry said positive things too! I feel good, just sore as hell, but I'm slightly concerned about fluid retention. I'm not peeing and my drains are kinda empty. Texted and called Ruben, waiting for a reply! Thank you for the warm wishes, ladies! I feel great! You're prayers. Will write a more comprehensive review in a matter of day :)

Please bear with me ladies! I'm still doing good and I even moved and somewhat twerked my ass on the first day LOL. I think that means he put in the muscle! Yay! More blood supply. It's huge! Just huge! It really needs to go down haha! I will update with pics after my first massage on Friday! As of now, I'm still doing good! Thank God! Will respond to each message in due time :)

Hey guys! So I'm feeling great so I'd thought I'd finally post a comprehensive. Obviously, my measurements are subject to change, but I can move and twerk my ass already so I'm feeling hopeful about fat retention lol. Pics still to come tomorrow, however. I just don't want pics of a bloody garment and un-massaged waist up here. I feel those pics detract from the quality of really seeing true results.

DAY OF SX: Larry picked me up and took me to the OR. Yaniesy (sp?) was and continues to be a very sweet nurse. She told me get undressed and changed into socks, the foot thingys, the hair net, the little blue panties and white overall. I went straight in to see Dr. S who was already there chilling on his computer in the brand new OR. (They just got the OR redone and it looks very clean and very professional) We talked and then he took pictures. He mentioned that I had a double crease and he was trying to figure out which one was my real one. I was like, Do you, Doc. I trust your judgment! I simply told him I wanted, no shelf, maximum hips and maximum projection. After he marked me up, Alex the anesthesiologist, interviewed me. He was very pleasant, and when I was on the table, he talked me through the whole procedure. First, the muscle relaxer, then the stuff that makes you go to sleep. All I remember saying is "Please take care of me..." and I just felt like I was gently falling asleep. It was rather nice, actually :)

Woke up with Yaneisy pushing my hair back to check on me! I was shivering so she gave me extra blankets and pulled the heater right next to my bed. Then I had Dr. Salama check on me, he pushed my hair away from my face too and asked how I was feeling. I was feeling incredibly lucid so I responded positively and he told me that he only took a little over 3L but then he injected 1150ccs in each cheek. Awesome. I definitely wanted something around 1200ccs so, again, happy. Alex also checked on me and then I saw Ruben, so I gave him a shout out while I was still on the bed lol.

Got back and immediately drank Red Gatorade, which I'm told, is the most potent. I also think it tastes the best too! And had chicken noodle soup and club crackers. I had SO MANY CRACKERS my first night. I was up and walking every hour and it really was not too bad for me. Oh, I've also never had a problem sleeping. I usually sleep for 3-4 hours at a time. Only issue I have is I still have not mastered peeing yet. Ugh...so annoying. And my hands and face are terribly swollen. Like I'm typing with sausage fingers right now lol.

DAY 1 POST OP:
Went to the OR to get my dressings changed. Ladies, your skin will be tender as hell and when you touch your stomach it's an incredibly weird experience. It doesn't feel like your touching your own skin, it just feels detached from you...strange. Massages will help ameliorate that feeling, however. When Yaneisy first took off my garment, I felt faint and I needed to be fanned and get some ice tea. First off-moment for me. Went home, continued to drink and eat and move around. Oh, I forgot my t-shirt for my first post-op so I had to get my nurse to help me put it on at home. Which sucked because I had just had tomato soup and some antibiotics and as soon as my garment came off....chile, I was like, I need to go throw up. And I did lol. But it wasn't so much, didn't hurt and I felt much better afterwards. Those first few days, you will not want to take your garment off. AT ALL.

DAY 2 POST OP:
Had my first BM. The pain was never that bad for me so I never took any percocets! In fact, I've been chilling on CVS imitation Tylenol Extra Strength rapid relief gel capsules. I take 3 at least 4-3 times a day. My pain has been wonderfully managed. All I feel is just stiff but after a few minutes of walking around, I'm good again :) So, when I sat on the toilet, it just kinda...ugh, and this will be gross, bubbled out. Like, I actually took a huge ass dump LOL! No constipation, it just all fell out at once. That's right, ladies, I had the mud butt *Dave Chappelle voice* hahah! Tried to clean up as best as I could and then went to the office to have my post-op with Dr. S. He said everything looked great but he recommended my garment was loosened around my ass because it was tight, so Yaneisy cut it a lil bit :) Walked out feeling good.

DAY 3 POST OP:
Had my first shower. At this point, I could take off my garment without feeling faint so I just had my nurse stand there with me while I bathed myself. I am now completely self-sufficient by this time. OH, I got my arms lipoed but I've been using them from the very beginning. They're sore but nothing I can't handle. I brace myself on my fists and push up on to my knees then get my feet on the ground before using my arms again to push myself upright. Thank God for strong arms :)

So I'm sure some of you are wondering why I'm doing so well. even Ruben, Nomie and Larry commented on how well I seem to be doing. Here is what I did:

1. Plan in advance and take your supplements early. I scheduled my sx like 8 months ago. I got everything together. I faithfullly took my Vitamin C and Iron pills 4 MONTHS in advance. Yes, ladies, 4 months! It may seem excessive, but I wanted to prepare my body as much as possible. I took my VitaMedica Recovery Kit - Morning, Evening Formulas, Bromelain etc. - supplements also. I felt like my body was just prepared to handle this and aside from feeling faint and throwing up when the garment came off initially, I've been doing everything pretty much myself.

2. Work out. Hit the gym and get your strength up. I started freaking out, reading about women that said they were thankful they never got their arms lipoed because they were so dependent on them. So I did push-ups, girly push-up on my knees lol, at least 30 a day in a few months to sx, to just enhance my strength. Only drawback are my hands are so swollen. They're just gross lol. Still my arms remain helpful, even with the bandages and garment!

3. Mind over matter. You will feel sore, and you may feel like why did you do this? Or ew, I don't like my results right now, it's not worth it. JUST FOCUS ON HEALING FIRST, RESULTS SECOND. When I got back, I did not care at all about what I looked like, I just wanted to make sure I ate and drank and took my meds and supplements on time. I played mental gymnastics with myself and said, ugh, that was a huge workout...oh no, I peed on myself again lol...you know, just stay focused on healing and you'll get over it. Make yourself get up to the bathroom, and get your own meals if you really think you can do it. Shed dependence asap because I think that cultivate depressives symptoms and thoughts during this sensitive time.

Again, pics tomorrow in the office after my first massage when I'm not hanging out in a blood-urine soaked garment LOL. TTYL, Lovelies :)

Larry is a lovely man, but it would truly be in patients' best interest for EPS to hire another driver.

FIRST MASSAGE: Ladies, please invest in Arnica Montana Gel: http://www.makemeheal.com/mmh/product.do?id=11537. Rub it all over your waist, flanks, abdomen, basically anywhere you got lipoed. Once you have sx, you'll feel like your skin is not your own. It's such a bizarre and uncomfortable feeling. However, once you put on the gel, it's like the gel is literally bonding your skin back together again. After you've covered your skin, it's like a corset of numbness and relief. This numbness will help mitigate some pain but not all of it. Once Eilyn (or Celia) touches your sides and lower back, it's a burning sensation; she's literally pushing fluid out between your epidermis and lower dermis (I think?) and yes, it hurts. I 'm crazy as hell so I just laughed at each outrageous push of fluid. I guess Im a bit of a masochist :/ Some of the pain is not so bad, however. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. You'll get through it :)

Completely self-sufficient at this time - making meals for myself, bathing etc. Very good feeling to shed dependence. My only concern is ensuring that my arms heal as identical as possible; I hear it's quite possible for them to heal rather differently. Pics are still the same. Will probably update new pics in a week when I'm at home and my drains are taken out :) I already have a few club dresses that I want to take pics in! YAY! Can't wait to share them with you! LOL! Be careful sending new pics to exes, also. The thirst is real. Oh well, I'm not gonna please, I'm just a tease and you will DEAL!! ;) #single

My love for vigilantism aside and uncovering the truth, we must be careful to not simply attack others without requisite evidence to corroborate such claims. Whatever qualifications you may have, there is always a standard of error and complete certainty will only exacerbate an already volatile situation. It's probably best if people have sufficient proof of said photoshop conduct, before RS becomes, as @belleisis so eloquently articulated, a witch hunt. It will simply detract from the supportive sisterhood RS attempts to cultivate.

Also, dissent - even in comments of personal blogs - are always welcomed, as long as it remains respectful. Disagreement mitigates groupthink and contributes to a marketplace of ideas to better solve solutions one member may experience. Miscommunications are inescapable when tensions run high, but I think such instances can be mitigated if we all operate on a default assumption of good intentions rather than snark thus limiting the need to tread on eggshells with other members. We're all strangers here, unless personal contacts have been otherwise made; it's inevitable people will become offended even when there is little intent of harm. Kirsty and I are in regular contact over many issues discussed in this forum. Feel free to reach out to her all you wish, even if you are unhappy with me, but rest assured that Kirsty already knows and we are almost always on the same page.

Finally, unless you're openly apologizing to other members and explaining your action so as to assuage hurt feelings, it's probably best to limit vitriolic comments to PMs, where the drama is not continually perpetuated.

Please note, my comments are normative, and not directive, meaning that as a Real Friend and with my discussions with Kirsty, this may be the best way to remedy constant in-fighting to return to the ideal RS intended. In other words, these are mere recommendations. You're grown women; feel free to act as you wish, but there may, and probably will be, adverse effects stemming from your actions, with or without spiteful intent.

Thanks, Ladies :)

I dk about any fat loss - I'm still holding strong at 47 inches and my waist shrinks each day; I think I can see my abs!!! I've had 5 massages since sx and I have one more tomorrow, too! After my last massage I literally stared in the mirror for like 15 minutes in disbelief! I love my new silhouette :) The only issue I had, however, was my front drain. It randomly started to hurt - like that burning sensation you get during massages - throughout my lower abdomen forcing me to take pain medication after being without it for so long! It was as if my body was rejecting it or something :/ Anyway, Yaneisy took it out an hour ago after I saw Dr. S, and I feel much better! NO MORE DRAINS, yay! I go home on Sunday evening. Will update with new pics on Monday :)

Forgive me ladies, I know I promised you another comprehensive review, but now that I've returned home I have obligations that come first! I have A LOT to share with you! I will however, find the time to write back to those who have PMed me. Please bear with me and enjoy the pics :)

MASSAGES: I had 6 massages while I was in Aventura, meaning I bought an extra 4! I seemed to tolerate the massages pretty well so at times I had massages three days in a row. I think that has definitely helped in the lack of fluid build up I've experienced. If you have the extra money and time, I definitely recommend doing the same. Eilyn and Celia are wonderful at what they do! Now that I'm home, I signed up for Massage Envy Deep Tissue/Lymphatic massages for $39/hour. I actually ended up with someone who has had many Salama patients in the past! How lucky is that?!! She's great ;)

FLIGHT: Much smoother than I anticipated. I flew with American Airlines and when you check in online, you have the opportunity to upgrade your seat. I upgraded to an exit row to give myself more leg room for only $37.99. However, once the seat belt sign came off, I got on my knees and knelt the entire way there! I had to move my elbows and shoulders on my seat for comfort and put the boppy under my knees but the flight was nice! I told people next to me I just had reconstructive surgery on my back and I needed to keep my back stretched lol!

FOAM PADDING: I have yet to use it! It's literally sitting in front of my bed but I decided against it because sleeping on my stomach - I have a firm mattress - gives my foam and boards extra compression to curb fluid build up in my waist and abdomen. Will use it once the swelling on my waist subsides

BOARDS: I received a board from Dr. S' office and I bought two boards from Lipoexpress. Like many women, my vaginal area was swollen and I found the figure 8 shape of the Lipoexpress board was perfect to ease this swelling. I placed it as low as possible on my vj, slept on my stomach for a night, and I woke up to zero swelling in that area. Of course, it comes back on the sides a bit, but it's good to know that a night with a strategically placed board is all I need to relieve it. Also, I HATE the board from Dr. S' office! I can't walk when I'm wearing it because of its wide shape. So, I CUT IT UP! I noticed I had some burning on my left side where my drain used to be, and when I had my last massage, I had a tiny pocket of fluid that burned. The board did not reach that one problem area so I cut the board in three vertical pieces, wrapped them in bandages for comfort, and placed them diagonally a little above my hip bones. The center piece was straight from my pubic bone to my belly button. Slept on it and woke up to zero fluid build up. I do this every night and I've seen no signs of seromas of wrinkling or whatever. I like the fact I cut the board up because there will be times you will have random pockets of fluid that aren't seromas and can be remedied by extra compression. Having pieces of a board allows you to isolate compression to problem areas before they develop into seromas. It's best to be creative and active with your healing process. The instant you see build-up, compress the crap out of it! Problem solved :)

SITTING: Very minimal on my boppy pillow at two weeks for only 5 minutes when I'm driving. I managed to straighten myself as much as possible so that my butt is not pressured at all.

HEALING: Still taking my VitaMedica Recovery Kit supplements until I finish them. For skin discolorations and stretch marks, I use what I always did - Palmer's Cocoa Butter in the tub! Not the lotion or oil, but the thick cream that is very rich. No blisters on my butt and my skin looks a uniform tone. It helps smoothe scars too. Stretching before and after you sleep is ideal - every night I wake up feeling a little looser and more like myself. Oh, and I love my HEATING PAD!!!! Gosh, I nearly forgot. I purchased a Conair® Moist/Dry Heat King Size Heating Pad with Automatic Off: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/1/1/13050-conair-moist-dry-heat-king-size-heating-pad-automatic.html. I fall asleep with this on my abdomen or back every night and I don't have to stress about it being a safety hazard due to the auto off feature!! Just use the medium or low setting to be on the safe side. And it's king size so it gets all of my waist and all of my back and even my arms! BUY IT!

Healthy disagreement is ALWAYS welcome on my blog! Feel free to engage in intellectual debate with or without me :)

Hey ladies!! Very happy to be a month post-op :) I don't believe I have much else to add. I finished my VitaMedica Recovery Kit two days ago! That system lasts for 4 weeks; definitely invest in it. I sincerely believe it played an instrumental role in my recovery. Also, I was due to get my period this week, but even though I had some minor spotting and tiny cramps, it was no way near a usual period for me. I've heard this is normal, and honestly, as long as there are no long term adverse effects I don't really care. I'd rather spot than be heavy for 3-5 days lol.

Oh, and all of a sudden, I got a ton of compliments - all from women!!! Haha, I was walking out of class and I was wearing tight black leggings with a tight black top and the girl behind me goes, "I'm sorry but I have to say...you have the most incredible body I've ever seen. Your waist is so small and your curves are perfect!! You must work out a lot!" I laughed and thanked her and said yes I do (well I did...damn, before the surgery I did work out! So it wasn't a complete lie LOL...) and also told her I corset train to get my waist so small! (Another semi-lie...) Then, I was mentoring some of my girls at practice and I heard them talking behind me. So I turned asked if they were gossiping!!! They said, "Oh no, we were just talking about your ass...and boobs!" LOL. These girls are crazy haha! Love them very much! Well, at least my boobies are natural...and my ass too, sh*t. It's my fat. Damn! hahah. I'm happy no one has given me the side-eye since sx. A lot of people hadn't seen me in a LONG time so when I reappeared with enhanced but natural looking results, no one even considered that I got anything done! I also had some booty pre-op so it wasn't like I had nothing and then, BAM! Yep, I think I did it right ;)

My ass is holding strong and still looks the same as the pics so no reason to post new pics! Waiting a few more weeks to squat with my two 15lb weights to get it to perfection. I'll probably email Ruben for clearance on that matter. Swelling comes and goes but that comes with the territory. Any Q's, let me know!

I will update again at 6 weeks :)

New Garment can be found here: http://www.hourglassangel.com/katia-lace-body-suit-with-semi-sheer-thong-by-vedette-128

Also, I had 10 massages over 4 weeks and my stomach and back are smooth! No lumps or bumps or hard spots! Do the massages! They REALLY help!

Will update with 6 week review on Monday. hahah...I'm in love with my new shape, and I'm definitely fluffing. So happy :) Thank you Dr. S and all those at EPS.

Hooray XD Happy to be 6 weeks :) I am cleared to sit, though I've basically mastered ways to sit only on my thighs for class, and if I so choose, I can stop wearing a compression garment. Dr. S recommends that it's preferable to wear the cg for another 2 weeks, 8 weeks total. I feel like I'm just gonna keep wearing it until I don't benefit from it anymore. It's still winter in the northeast; it's not too hard to cover it up :)

NURSE DETAILS

I hired a nurse from Miller's Companion and Homemaker Services! They were awesome! This is Martine Miller's (the Head Nurse) number: 786-663-9790! Her prices are negotiable and they are all LOVELY people!! I love Ms. Dukes :) They offer nursing, general cleaning and house maintenance, like laundry and doing the dishes. They also offer deals for 2+ patients at the same time, so if you're going for sx in a group/pair, I definitely recommend them.

BACK FOAM

Ladies, please ensure that you have sufficient foam adequately placed on your back to handle that back fat. When I first came out of sx, it looked like my back was not fully lipoed. However, that was not the case; my excess skin just had not retracted. Placing the foam where your back folds used to be is imperative to effective skin retraction. It may be hard to do it by yourself, so I recommend another person help you get the placement right. If you don't, it look like you still have back fat when really, you just have excess skin. Start focusing on that almost immediately post-op.

FAT RETENTION/FLUFFING

Definitely retained a large majority of my fat and it's pretty obvious that I've fluffed. I started doing some squats with 15lb weights on and off. Will get back in the routine, sooner rather than later. I plan to follow Bodynomics on Youtube (lol): http://www.youtube.com/user/bootynomics. It's led by Buffie the Body. Last I checked I'm at a 45/46? Need a tape measurer lol.

SQUEEM

I'm now wearing an XS but if I wear it without my cg, board and foams, it just HURTS. It feels like the compression is not distributed evenly. I seriously think my ribcage is causing this trouble. My shoulders are slightly broad (I hate them) and my rib cage, though smaller, is still rather wide (imo, though I now measure a 34), but because I have like zero fat in my abdominal region, it's very small - last time I checked I was like a 26/27 waist. My squeem compresses the crap out of my ribcage, but does not do the same with my lower abdomen. Without the cg, after a few hours, I end up with red, irritated skin, even though I always use a tight vest underneath, and increased swelling on the not so compressed aread. This is my only issue and its frustrating. Need to think of solutions.

MASSAGES:

Still doing the lymphatic at Massage Envy, but reduced it to once a week for 90 mins. My body is smooth - no lumps or bumps - but some places are still hard due to localized swelling. Had a total of 13 massages, I think! So weird, my masseuse is so talented that I literally hear and feel the fluid draining.

MEN

I finally saw my um, boo (I guess lol) after like 6 months! I wore tight black legging, wedges, and a tight, low-cut shirt. His jaw literally dropped and said I have a feeling I'm gonna get in a fight with some guy when we go out together. He literally got on his knees behind me and just spent his time touching, jiggling and kissing my ass. He said I looked, and I quote, "phenomenal" YAY! He then demonstrated his appreciation for my new body over and over and over again... ;)

Ok, so I added some pics with some red booty shots. I still LOVE my results, but my newly fluffed ass is doing some crazy things around my double crease. You see that, right? :/ Oh well, can't have the perfect butt hahha XD

Happy to no longer need to wear a garment, but I still wear compression due to prolonged swelling. Oh well, I told Dr. S to be aggressive with the lipo. I got what I asked for XD

Round Two? Ok, I promised myself that I would not even consider a second round, but it is complete booty greed. I LOVE my results so I'm not thinking about it because of any dissatisfaction. Hmmm, I'll see how I feel two months from now after I transition to my gym routine and my swelling subsides further. Even at 8 weeks you can't know your true results. I must be patient. Still, I have Ruben's email bookmarked so I can reach out to him if I decide to get a touch-up, rather than a full BBL. I mean, I dk where Dr. S would get the fat from to be honest. I don't want my thighs lipoed; I love my thick legs, so, to me, that's not even an option. And I've already got my arms done. I would love to get my upper back and shoulders lipoed but I don't think doctors can lipo above shoulder blades. Is this true? Can they lipo those areas outside of the U.S? I'm not one for medical tourism, but I'm just trying to consider all possibilities. Lord knows, Dr. S will be my first choice. I can't thank him enough :)

Anyway, I have a lot of thinking to do. Let me hit the gym and see how I feel at 4 months. Gosh, can't believe I'm actively considering this again lol :/

Back and forth about second round. Check out my pics. Some close-up and some full length. Still very swollen around my waist - my body does not drain naturally- and I wear my compression garment around the house and at bedtime. Recently had a random pocket of swelling on only one side of my vag. Had to massage that out...just make sure no one else is around! They might think you're massaging down there for, um....pleasure LOL.

Appreciate the love and guidance, ladies. I'll let you know my final decision soon :)

Ladies, I apologize for being so MIA. I'm about to graduate from (insert professional school here) and I've been unilaterally focused on that!

Updates: Booty has fluffed out to something fierce and I love it. Let's see, since I had this surgery done I've had some guy friends be like, "Hunty, what did you do to your ass and waist? Bish, spill!!" My mom be like, "Your bottom is getting too big!!! It's distracting" My sister-in-law be like, "Um, WTF happened to your ass, it is huge!!! Like, I can't even..." And because I have a sweet tooth and take advantage of my high metabolism, I hit up the local McDs, and every time I come in they're like, "Oh HAI, Nicki Minaj" -__- Somewhat ambivalent about that last one LOL. Oh, and men like to do double takes when I'm in my white leggings. I mean, that's why I wear ' em, right? ;-)

While debating a Round Two, I discovered Bubbleswear booty push-up panties, that gives me that lifted, fuller look I want without any padding or extra surgery. In fact, even when I take them off I notice a more "lifted look" My fault for not asking Dr. S for a shelf, I guess LOL. Because of this, I have firmly decided that I am perfectly happy with my curvy, very noticeable, but natural looking figure. Anymore will be TOO much and because I need to wear suits in my future career, I should probably hold off!! No Round Two for me :)

Finally, my only regret is not keeping up with my scar treatment. They have definitely minimized, but still visible - my front drain one, especially. I know it will continue to decrease overtime, but if i had kept up with it, the scar would be barely noticeable.

Will now reply to comments and messages - forgive the delay.

Oh and I'm still incredibly swollen like ugh! In fact, going in for another massage after such a LONG time, tonight. My body retains fluid like nobody's business so my waist should be much smaller in a few months :)

At 15 weeks, all of this is mine!!! No more reabsorption after 3 months, I think :) Yay! Dr. S did a wonderful job and I could not be happier!