I saw Dr. Reagan to address loose skin on my stomach, plus I had a fairly significant scar under my bellybutton from an old appendectomy surgery. During my consultation, Dr. Reagan described the procedures that would address my concerns and explained how he offered drainless, rapid-recovery tummy tucks. He also presented realistic options, and I ultimately chose to get a 360 body lift because it would address multiple areas of concern.
There were about seven weeks between my initial consultation and the actual procedure, and I admit I was a bit nervous during that time. This had been a procedure I'd considered for over a decade, and I ultimately realized it was the only real solution for my stomach. My biggest concern going into the procedure was the end result — I didn't want a huge, noticeable scar. I knew I would have a scar, but I wanted to be able to hide it.
I'm about 5 weeks post-op now, and I am so happy I went through with the body lift. Yes, it was surgery, but the recovery has not been difficult. I can't say much about the operation itself, because I was fully asleep, but I was able to walk out of the surgery center and go home that afternoon. I could stand just about 100% straight, and the pain wasn't too bad. I mostly slept when I got home, but I was able to get up, use the bathroom, and walk around the house and eat a light dinner with no issue or assistance.
If you get this procedure or a tummy tuck, you'll likely be prescribed painkillers. I only had to take one, then I used OTC acetaminophen. The three days after the procedure, I stayed home and did some walking around the house. Nothing strenuous, and I was certainly comfortable enough to sit and watch TV without issue. Dr. Reagan did call to check in during the days after the procedure.
I was bandaged and put in a binder after surgery. I didn't want to remove the bandages myself, so I didn't see any incisions until my follow up appointment on day 4 post-op (which I drove to, btw). I was so happy! The scars were low, my bellybutton was healing well, and the 360 body lift definitely resulted in a great contour.
I work from home and have a desk job, and I definitely could have worked at day 4 post-op, but I took a week off to recover. After the post-op appt., I could walk more and I started incorporating more movement into my days. There was some pain, which I expected, but I was basically Tylenol-free after the first week. I got the sutures out of the incision at my waist and bellybutton 15 days post-op, and at 4 weeks post-op I started getting back into an exercise routine with weights and running.
I am so happy with my results so far! My skin is tight, my appendectomy scar is gone, and the body lift scar is low and will be hidden by pants/ underwear. The recovery was not nearly as bad as I anticipated. I followed the doctor's instructions, but I had plenty of autonomy and could work and do most daily tasks within the first week. There still is some recovery, but I get more optimistic each day and I am so excited to go to the beach and show off my results.