Brian Joseph, MD

Had a consultation with the nurse practitioner regarding Aveli treatment. She said I was a candidate. I gave my 10% deposit but unfortunately I was unable to go to my appointment. I am trying o contact them to see if they will honor my 10% no sow in order to rebook my appointment.

From the very first day I met Dr Joseph until now, I would refer this serious and very professional Plastic Surgery specialist again and again! His care team is another amazing point. They are very fast to respond, and help with any questions or concerns. Thank you for making my dream come true! I’ll see you guys soon

I have wanted a tummy tuck since my last child 13 years ago. I suffered from Diastasis and loose skin, and a c-section apron.
I went to two different doctors but I decided on Dr. Joseph because of his bedside manner and his staff. They made me very comfortable and answered all my questions and concerns. I put a deposit down and scheduled for December.
My mommy makeover included a tummy tuck, Lipo 360, Breast Augmentation and Chin Lipo.
My implants are Mentor Moderate Plus Silicon, I was a B before and I got 300cc on right and 350cc on Left.

Updated on 6 Jan 2024:
This is about 1.5 weeks post , you can see my scar. Going to have the last drain removed. The drain sites are very raw and hurting my stomach is super hard in places. I didn’t realize this is how it would feel as it was healing.

Dr. Joseph changed my life with my tummy tuck. I wanted one for over ten years due to 2 C-Sections and weight gain. The only thing I would change is to do it sooner. My scaring was almost non-existent and my belly button came out so well. I saw many reviews of the belly button alone and that concerned me. I’ve had other consultations with doctors and they all left me feeling so self conscious and just another patient. Dr. Joseph and his staff cared genuinely for my procedure, well being, and recovery from start to finish. Stop looking for the perfect doctor and second guessing your procedure! I’m three years out and still in love with my results. It helped jump start getting back into a healthy lifestyle and love for myself that I was missing for so long.

I am a 20 year old female that wanted to just have fuller breast. My mother had her breast done with doctor Jospeh and we could not recommend him enough! Dr.Jospeh and his staff made me feel so confident i’ve ever felt. Dr Jospeh really makes sure he gives your the best outcome you could ask for. 10/10 would go to him for any cosmetic surgical procedures!

I've thought about a tummy tuck for so long but was, and still am, scared about the procedure. But after a major life change, I decided I was ready to do it. I'm tired of literally carrying my stomach around. I've worked so hard to lose weight and get in shape. Even though my stomach is a lot smaller now, it still hangs over you know what and I still feel like I look like I'm 3 months pregnant all of the time. I want to feel confident in my own skin. So, I got serious about doing my research and had a consultation with two doctors. Dr. Joseph was the first doctor I met with and I walked away from that appointment already feeling like I had found the right doctor for me. He made me feel very comfortable by taking the time to answer all of my questions (and I had a lot) and explaining the procedure to me. I still thought it was important to meet with at least one other doctor. The other doctor is very popular here but I just didn't feel good about him the way I did about Dr. Joseph. So I scheduled my tummy tuck with lipo with Dr. Joseph for December 13th. My pre-op appointment is this Thursday, December 2nd. Everyone I've told that I'm doing this asks if I'm excited. But honestly, I'm not, I'm scared. It's major surgery and anything can happen. What if something goes wrong during the surgery? During recovery? Maybe I watched too many youtube videos of the surgery and did too much research online haha. As scared as I am, I'm not backing out though. Every time I look in the mirror and see my stomach, every time I feel uncomfortable and try to hide it, and every time my core feels weak when I try to exercise because my abdominal muscles are separated, it reminds me that fixing the issue is better for me than continuing to live with it. I plan to document my journey here and hopefully find others going through the same thing so we can help and support each other.

Updated on 8 Dec 2021:
My pre-op went very well. Dr. Joseph's nurse, Anita, was so sweet to me. I got super emotional during the pre-op and she was very patient. I've called and asked her or the front staff so many questions since I scheduled the surgery and since my pre-op and they answer all of my questions to put me at ease as well as follow up when I have a request. They have never made me feel like I'm asking too many questions or make me feel silly about the questions. So far, I'm really glad I chose this office for such a major surgery. I've been working on preparing for the surgery and it does feel overwhelming but I know that doing all the prep and keeping everything organized will prevent me from stressing. I've done my bloodwork, picked up my prescriptions and gotten supplies. I have my EKG scheduled for this Friday. I've been organizing things around the house to make it easier for me to get to what I need post-surgery. I've also been basically writing my family member a manual for the house and for my daughter so that everything can be taken care of without me having to worry or try to do things myself when I should be focusing on recovering. I have my to do lists and have even starting packing my overnight bag for the surgery center. I still have LOTS to do though. Just 5 more days until surgery! I still don't feel "excited" yet and I want to feel excited but I'm mostly just worried about the surgery itself and the recovery process. Still nervous and sometimes wonder if I will regret doing this.

Updated on 15 Dec 2021:
I had my surgery on Monday, December 13th. I stayed overnight at the surgery center. One of the many reasons I chose my surgeon was because they let you stay for one night to be monitored. I can't imagine being sent home the same day I had major surgery. All the nurses who took care of me were wonderful. Dr Joseph came to check on me Tuesday morning and everything looked good so I was cleared for discharge.

Thank goodness for my rented power lift recliner. I've practically been living in that thing. I would definitely recommend renting one if you can. The walker, which I bought off Facebook marketplace for $10 has also been helpful for back support.

On my first day home after surgery I did have a fainting spell but thankfully my family member was right there with me. I think it was a combination of coming off the anesthesia, being on lots of meds, and not having eaten much. I had used the bathroom and emptied my drains. Then I was walking back with the walker and just suddenly felt super lightheaded and knew this wasn't good. Before I passed out I was able to get out the words "I don't feel so good". All I remember after that is when I became conscious again I was on my knees on the floor with my family member holding me. We called the nurse and she advised me to make sure I was drinking lots of fluids, getting electrolytes and eating something. I've been sticking to protein shakes, vegetable soup and crackers for now.

Today I had my first post op with the nurse and everything went well. I'm trying to walk as much as possible and wearing my compression socks. My feet are pretty swollen. After each walk I'm completely winded. Breathing isn't the same after surgery probably because everything feels so tight. They do provide you with a spirometer to work on your breathing to prevent pneumonia. I feel like I'm getting a little better each day. The pain is bearable. Looking forward to my next post op in 6 more days when I get to remove the drains. Yay!!!

Here are some pics of me before surgery and 2 days post op.

Updated on 21 Dec 2021:
It's been a long week since my surgery. Overall things have been pretty good which I'm very thankful for. Everything is healing like it's supposed to. I will hopefully have some pics to share without my binder in my next update.

*Weight*
I forgot to share my info in my first post. I'm 39 and 5'5". I had put on quite a bit of weight last year and was determined to get back in shape. I knew I wanted to do the surgery this year in December and had a year to reach my goals. I was 222 lbs January 2021. When I had my consult with Dr. Joseph in July, I was about 186 lbs. I told him I wanted to lose 20 more lbs by the time of the surgery but wasn't sure what my goal weight was. He said that if I could get within 10-15 lbs of my goal then it would be still be ok to have the surgery. I kept up my healthy diet and exercise routine and got to about 173 right before surgery. I was hoping to get to the 160s but didn't quite make it but was very close and got my BMI under 30. The surgery will further motivate me to stick with my healthy lifestyle and keep working on reaching my health and weight goals. I'm sure my weight is up now because of the swelling so I know better than to get on the scale. I actually miss my 5am workouts and intermittent fasting. Looking forward to getting through the recovery process and getting back to a normal routine.

*Swelling and Drains*
I had my second post op appointment today and I was hoping I would get these "devil drains" removed but unfortunately I'm not where my doctor wants me to be yet. The drains are just a pain in the.... I'm just over them at this point. Sometimes they get caught in between my thighs or I feel burning where the drains come out. I was pretty bummed that they weren't ready to come out. I had even taken a pain med 30 minutes before the appointment time as was recommended in anticipation of the drains being removed. I feel like I could partially be at fault for the drains not being read. The nurse wants me to call them on Thursday to report on the drains and then they will see if I can get them out before the weekend. I sure hope I can. I've found that sitting is a lot more painful for me than being up and about. It's hard for me to sit for hours not doing anything and I already had back problems before the surgery so I'm in a lot of pain when I sit. However, me being on my feet too much and doing light things may be contributing to the swelling in my legs which has been pretty bad. I'm also having more drainage on the right and it's still a dark red. Dr. Joseph wants me to get an ultrasound to rule out a blood clot in my legs. They also gave me a blood thinner injection at my appointment today. But they really don't think it's related to a clot because both of my legs are swollen rather than just 1. It's pretty uncomfortable. I tried to get into an imaging center today for the ultrasound and got a lot of run around so I'm not sure when I'll be able to get one. It's pretty scary to think I could have a blood clot but praying there's nothing serious. So I'm going to try to take it even more easy and make some pineapple tea I read about to help with the swelling.

*Shower and Binder*
I finally took my first shower 5 days after my surgery. I was so worried about taking a shower, worried about taking the binder off and if my stomach would drop to the ground, worried about washing and drying the binder, worried about seeing my wounds. But after 5 days, and getting my period 3 days after surgery I just couldn't wait any longer. Man that shower felt sooooo good I just let the warm water hit my back and it was like a massage for my sore back muscles. The best part though was seeing my stomach for the first time since surgery. Although I'm swollen and bruised, seeing that flat stomach and no hanging belly made me super emotional. I can already see that I'm going to love my results once everything is healed. If you're scared to take that first shower, don't be. I had a shower chair which helped a lot and I also got one of those loofahs attached to a handle so I could reach my legs and feet without having to bend. Since I only had 1 binder my family member cleaned any blood stains with peroxide then threw it in the washer and dried it on low for 20 seconds. I'm not sure if it shrunk but it looked fine after. I didn't like not being in the binder while I waited for it to be cleaned so I'm so glad that they gave me an extra at my appointment today so I'd always have a clean one available. Make sure you ask them for an extra at your first post op. The binder rolls up a lot and of course isn't comfortable to wear and I'm always worried if it's tight enough or in the proper position when I have to get it back on at home. The nurse, Anita, puts it on tight the way it's supposed to which is supposed to help with the drainage too but I don't know if we are putting it on at home the right way. It makes me not even want to shower so I don't have to remove it so I have not showered every day. I do use the assurance washcloths to clean myself up each day. I took my second shower today before my appointment and like the first one, it felt amazing. I forgot to take pics. They said I will be in the binder 24/7 for 4 weeks. I'm looking forward to switching to a more comfortable garment. By the way, you shouldn't have to get any dressings for under your binder. They gave me plenty to take home at the surgery center including gauze pads and ABD pads and I still have extras a week later so I always have clean ones to use after I shower.

*Meds*
Before my surgery, they had prescribed me pain meds, nausea pills, and antibiotics. They had also recommended arnica for bruising, swelling, and pain. It's a homeopathic medicine. They sell it at their office so I purchased it at my pre-op. I've been taking arnica every day as well as the antibiotics. Surprisingly I didn't need the pain meds much and alternated with tylenol. Yesterday was the last of my antibiotics. I didn't have any issues with nausea thankfully so I never did take the nausea pills. I did purchase colace stool softener and took that in the first few days before I finally had my first bowel movement after also taking some milk of magnesia. To help with those annoying little coughs I have used halls. Coughing is extremely painful.

*Sleeping*
Last night was the first night I tried to sleep in my bed rather than the recliner. It wasn't anymore uncomfortable than the recliner so I think I'm going to sleep in the bed from now on with lots of pillows of course. I still used my neck pillow and lumbar support pillow. I also wear my compression socks overnight. Getting in and out of the bed is challenging but I have a little stool next to it plus my walker so that helps.

*Other helpful items*
One additional thing that has come in very handy is my daughter's grabber. It's a toy grabber but works great for picking things up that I may drop (e.g. remote control). I would definitely recommend getting a grabber if you can because you won't be able to bend down for a while and you might not always have someone around to help you get things. I had purchased bed pads which I used to protect the recliner then I put a sheet over it in case I had any oozing.

Updated on 24 Dec 2021:
The swelling saga continues...

I had to get an ultrasound this week on both legs. Thankfully I was sent home which means NO CLOTS!!! My legs, from hip to feet are still very swollen. It feels hard and sore in some places. I expected a lot of swelling during the recovery process but not like this and not in my legs. Have others had this issue? Was there anything you did that helped?

One thing I wish I did before surgery was measure my thighs, calves and waist. I'd like to know just how much I'm swollen and how much smaller my waist is once I get past all the swelling.

My left drain is ready to come out but unfortunately the right is not. I have a follow up appointment with Dr. Joseph in 4 more days and I'm hoping the right drain will be ready by then.

Adding some pics of my progress so far. I'm very swollen and I am a little worried about how my incision looks. Nevertheless, I still think I already look much better than I did before surgery, thanks to Dr. Joseph. On both sides of my scar it looks like my incision opened in a few places but they weren't concerned when I brought it up at last post op. I just hope it doesn't affect how the scar heals. My belly button seems to be healing well. I haven't put anything in or on it. Dr. Joseph said if I needed to I could clean it with peroxide. When I was researching tummy tucks I had seen so many go through it with their belly buttons so I feel pretty lucky that mine seems to be doing fine and looks pretty cute too. :)

Updated on 28 Dec 2021:
After 15 days post-op I finally got my drains removed today. I'm so happy. One less thing to cause me pain. I feel like a new woman. :) It didn't hurt as much as I thought it would to take them out. I was freaking myself out but sweet Nurse Anita helped me stay calm and it was over in seconds. The holes are left to heal on their own and should hopefully close up in about 2 days. I'll be able to wear underwear and pants comfortably again. I am so happy and grateful for each little recovery milestone. I'll be back to work next week Monday after 3 weeks off.

Counting down the days to the next milestone: saying goodbye to the binder after 4 weeks and hello to something a little more comfortable.

Updated on 11 Jan 2022:
From week 3 to 4 I definitely saw some significant progress in my recovery. The swelling in my legs seems to be gone (hello to jeans again). That really helped my hip to waist ratio look more natural. After surgery I felt like I looked a little extreme but I guess my hips were swollen too. I'm getting in and out of my high bed easier and able to sleep flat on my back or on my side. I'm able to bend a little more to pick things up, but I still sit on my shower chair to wash my lower legs and feet. I'm moving around a little more comfortably and have been able to run errands and go grocery shopping. I'm mindful that my body is still recovering so I don't over do it though.

I went back to work last week. I have a desk job. I was worried that sitting for hours every day could mess up my results but they said it wouldn't. I just make sure I am getting up often and moving around throughout the day.

I started bemer therapy at Dr. Joseph's office last week. It comes with the surgery which I didn't know about beforehand but glad it wasn't something I had to pay extra for. I don't know if that is something they offer to all TT patients though. I've had two sessions and four more to go. It's supposed to improve circulation and other things. You don't feel anything at all during the session and it lasts about 8 minutes. I don't know how to tell if it is working or not but I trust Dr. Joseph so if they say this helps the recovery, I'll take it.

My pubic area is still very swollen like I have a baby monkey in my underpants. It feels hard right below the incision where it meets the pubic. They said that will go down with time. Time please hurry up.

They have not cleared me to start any scar treatment yet. I was told to not even put lotion on it. It healed, dried, scabbed in a few places and then those scabs fell off. I think my scar looks pretty good though. Dr. Joseph sure was proud of his incision last week when he checked out my scar. It makes me smile to see him admire his own work. The end of the scar on the right side still sticks out a little to me. Waiting to see if it is the swelling and will go down.

I'm still sore where they did lipo but that is getting better. Coughing and sneezing is still very uncomfortable due to the muscle repair so as soon as I feel those coming on I try to stop it.

Last thing, I was cleared last week to start wearing high compression spanx or similar but they wanted me to still wear the binder over it a little longer. I've only been wearing the binder though. I went to target and purchased their assets spanx brand which has the straps and comes to mid thigh. I'm bringing it to my appointment tomorrow to confirm if it has enough compression before I start using it. I'm planning to buy a second garment so I can have 2. I'm ready to be done with the binder.

Here are my updated pics.

Updated on 19 Jan 2022:
My scar has actually been healing really well so at first I was thinking I'll leave it alone and with time it will improve. However, I noticed it was starting to get raised in a couple areas and I wasn't sure if that would go away on its own eventually or get worse. I told the nurse and she suggested the silagen sheeting which I started using this week. It was about $100 at their office. It's not something you can just go buy online or in a store. She recommemded I use it for 12hrs each day for the next 4-6 weeks. The tape feels comfortable and I forget I even have it on. Hopefully it helps flatten the scar and make it fade even faster.

Updated on 12 Mar 2022:
It's been about 3 months since my surgery and I had my 3 months post op with Dr. Joseph yesterday. Things have been going very well. My next post op with Dr. Joseph will be at 1 year.

Exercise and Diet
I was cleared to exercise around 6 weeks post op. I started out with just walking on my treadmill at home. After about two weeks or so I started to do intervals at 1 minute run and 1 minute walk then worked my way from there to 5 minutes then 10 minutes then eventually getting back to where I was prior to surgery running three times a week 2-3 miles. I also started light strength training at 6 weeks and worked my way up to being able to lift heavier again. I bought a good quality workout belt to help make me feel secure when I'm exercising. I definitely think working out consistently prior to surgery and being in decent shape helped a lot with my recovery and being able to get back into my exercise routine. I feel great overall but am not comfortable doing any ab exercises yet. That will take a little longer. I've continued to eat healthy and have even lost an extra 5 lbs or so since surgery.

Scar
I have continued to use the silagen sheeting and bought another one at my 3 month post op. I can't say for certain it is working but I think it's probably better than not doing anything at all. So I will keep using the ones I have bought until they are no longer sticky and then that's it. The doc says it will take a year to 2 years for scars to lighten. I knew having this surgery was going to leave a huge scar and it really doesn't bother me all that much. It's not like I'm going to be walking around naked.

Recovery and Expectations
I still have soreness in my back from the lipo and Dr. Joseph says that is normal. I still swell throughout the day and use compression wear sometimes to help me feel more comfortable. I just have to be patient with my body and remember I'm still healing even if I feel and look great. I'm not going to lie and say everything is perfect. I think it's important to have realistic expectations when you get this surgery. For one, I thought I was going to have this super flat perfect stomach and that is just not the case. As I look back at before and after pics of people from different surgeons I started noticing that there is still a little bit of roundness at the top, especially if your stomach was pretty large before the surgery. Also, there is still a small bulge on my right side where the incision ended. It's not a dog ear but maybe just a little extra fat there. Dr. Joseph suggested I wait a year and see where things are and then decide if I want to do anything about it and he will take care of it. But even with these things, I am 100% happy with my decision to get the surgery and I have no regrets about choosing Dr. Joseph. Every morning I wake up and check my belly out in the mirror and I smile. I feel so much better about myself than I have in a very long time. I can't wait to celebrate my 40h birthday this year on vacation and wear whatever the heck I want to wear.

Progress pics attached!

Updated on 24 Aug 2022:
I'm about 8 months post op and still happy with my result. I've also kept up a healthy lifestyle. For my 40th birthday I took an amazing trip and rocked 2 piece swimsuits with confidence. My scar is still dark and a little raised in some areas. I stopped using the silagel sheeting after about 6 months or so and I have not done any scar treatments since then. I will have to do some research to see if there's anything that can help improve the scar. I will have my 1 month post op with Dr Joseph in December and I will discuss scar treatment with him as well. Updated pics attached.

Updated on 24 Aug 2022:
I forgot to mention in my 8 month update that swelling is still an issue. It has gotten better over time but I do still swell throughout the day in my abdomen. It is not painful just more so a little uncomfortable. The swelling starts soon after I wake in the morning and gets worse throughout the day. I don't think there's much you can do about it. The body is still healing and it will just take time for that swelling to go away.

Since having kids I always said I wanted a tummy tuck. I wanted to wait until my food journey and exercise journey were sustainable so that my results post op would be too. I had two consultations and went with Dr. Joseph in Winter Park Florida. I spent a lot of time doing research and this app was A big help as well.

Updated on 8 Apr 2021:
I’m 6 weeks out and so glad about my decision to do this. I wish I would have sooner. The first week was hard and although I knew I’d be slumped over to walk I didn’t realize how much it would hurt my lower back. The drains were placed in front and came out from my public area which was uncomfortable. I slept in the couch for the first week because I couldn’t lay flat. Have help at home if you can for the first few days. By the end of 2 weeks I could stand up straight and doing simple things like showering didn’t make me tired anymore. By 3 and 4 I was mostly back to myself but slow moving. I was allowed to start exercise walking by week 4 and I really think that helped stretch some things out. I had about 5 sutures that even though they were dissolvable needed to be cut and removed.

Updated on 8 Apr 2021:
I had a tummy tuck with distasis repair. Lipo flanks and a breast lift with augmentation.

I have had surgery with other doctors but Dr. Joseph is by far the best! I love his bedside manner. He knew exact what I wanted done without having to go into detail. With other surgeons I have had a lot more bruising but with him he has the hands of an angel! I recommend him ! Will post pictures when this phone’s camara is fixed.

I am currently four and half months post op from my mommy makeover. I was going to write my review at 3 months but just got very busy. That’s good though. I have a better idea of how I am healing. I had a good feeling from Dr Joseph from the beginning. I had one other consultation before him (from a popular Orlando surgeon) but the consultation was like a conveyer belt. His staff booked another consultation in my time slot and she wasn’t the only one. I waited 90 minutes and after explaining I was in a rush, I was placed in another room (in only a robe) for 30 more minutes, to see the actual surgeon for 10 minutes (because he was in and out of other consultation rooms), at a cost of $70.

The experience with Dr Joseph was completely different. He spent time understanding my wishes, explaining everything he would do and why, showing me examples of what my results could be and examples of the implants. He gave me confidence that he knew what he was doing and that I wouldn’t be rushed off the surgical table for the next patient. The consultation was free. I knew from that consultation I wanted him to perform my surgery.

I requested a natural look and had low profile implants at 350cc. I also had a tummy tuck, with muscle and hernia repair. His staff were lovely, his nurse Anita was lovely and the Orlando Aesthetic Institute (where the surgery took place) was amazing. If I am correct, the facility holds 2 surgery patients. The facility was clean, high tech, luxurious and the nursing staff can’t do enough for you. It was the first time I didn’t vomit following general anaesthesia.

Dr Joseph did an amazing job on my body. From when I first looked down and saw my new body till this day I have been happy. The stitching in my tummy was so fine. My boobs look very natural (like I wanted). I went from an A cup to a C (I think, I haven’t been measured yet). Now that they have dropped and fluffed, they look and feel great. I have my flat tummy and a belly button again and I couldn’t be happier. I really believe he cares about his work and his patients and he not in it just for the money.

Please let me know if you have any questions about the surgeon or procedure. It’s not an easy surgery. It takes up to one year to fully heal, but it’s so worth it. I am able to shop for clothes anywhere now and I am no longer self-conscious about my body. Good luck with your decision.

I had a Brest augmentation and liposuction done. He is an amazing doctor! Great bedside manner, talented surgeon, and a fantastic eye for detail! His staff is phenomenal. He really cares about his patients. Would highly recommend!