I truly can not say enough good things about my ENTIRE experience at Bellava MedAesthetics & Spa; from booking my consultation apt. straight through surgery & beyond. I had intended to meet with a handful of surgeons to discuss my options to fix my “postpartum body” and found out at my first visit at Bellava w Dr Kim that I actually had an umbilical hernia with severe diastasis recti. I expected the consult to be awkward because I’d be talking about & showing the parts of my body that had unraveled after kids (which were the areas of my body I was the most self conscious about); but Dr Chang Soo Kim was a complete professional and made me feel 100% comfortable right from the start. Beyond his education & experience; he’s realistic, genuine, easy to talk to, straight forward with a good bedside manner and is beyond talented in his craft! I never ended up talking to another doctor because everything in my gut told me I had already found the right one!! I am two weeks postop from having a “mommy makeover” and I don’t have a single complaint. I’m thrilled with how the surgery went, how I continue to recover more everyday & the results even just a few days out are a testament to the worthiness of this surgery / journey…. I can’t believe it’s only going to get better from here!
After over 10 yers of researching different surgeons, I came across Dr. Kim and I can't express enough from beginning to end how incredibly amazing my experience has been. On our first consultation, I immediately knew he is who I wanted to work on me. For so many years I have been extremely insecure about my breasts as I've breastfed 5 sons so as most know your breast are never the same after breastfeeding! The process went extremely smooth...I went in for the consult and his compassion towards his patients is amazing. He listens to your concerns then he lets you know what he knows will look good on you. I knew from the beginning that I wanted a bigger implant anywhere from 500 to 600cc but I needed to make sure this would fit my body type. He did his measurements and sure enough he let me know that 600cc would look great on me!!! So after picking my size I was ready to schedule. Updated on 4 Apr 2021: I had not posted pics for you ladies so I will be posting now. I do want to quick say that recovery has been great. PO days 1-4 were probably my hardest with slight pain but mainly pressure. Currently I am only feeling sore as if I’ve been working out my chest, other than that I feel amazing. One thing I forgot to mention was that the night of my surgery I received a text from Dr. Kim checking up on me and that meant everything, even with his busy schedule he takes the time out to reach out to his patients. Updated on 28 Apr 2021: It’s been a month and my breast look and feel AMAZING!!! I am experiencing mild soreness which is completely normal, no pain at all and I thought I should share this, I’m experiencing what feels like a sunburn tingly tender feeling at times which is also normal. This is something no one on here has ever spoken about so when it happened I mentioned it to Dr. Kim and also did my own research and found out this is caused due to my nerves working to heal and get back to normal. They are MUCH softer now and have started to “drop and fluff”. I am currently still sleeping upright which I am now used to! Updated on 23 Jun 2021: 12 weeks post op and my breasts look and feel amazing! Still a little sore but not bad at all. Feel so much like natural breasts! They look great in clothes! Updated on 1 Jul 2021:
Dr Kim is honestly amazing! If you’re looking for the best breast augmentation please look no further. I couldn’t thank him and his staff enough. They really are truly incredible and made me feel so comfortable. I’m obsessed with my new boobs! Along this journey they answered any questions I had and continue to have. The surgical coordinator Rafella is so kind and couldn’t be more thankful for her as well. Again, if you’re looking for the best.... you have found it with Dr. Kim! Updated on 23 Oct 2019: These are some pictures to show how great Dr. Kim was! If you are looking for someone to give you great natural boobs look no further! I was a 32 B before hand and now I’m a DD. I got 400 CC high profile implants. I’m obsessed!
I had a bad breast job a year and 4 months ago in the Dominican Republic . I was desperate to find a doctor to fix that mess the prior doctor did . I had many consultations until I got in touch with dr Kim and his staff I knew instantly he was the Doctor ,it’s like my gut feeling told me so . His staff are so sweet and professional . I know am 5 weeks and I feel great and my twins are so amazing . I swear I can’t stress enough the fact that I mAde the best decision . Dr Kim is amazing . I will post pics
I am on day three post op. And here’s my advice: 1. Back pillow, neck pillow. I sleep sightly angled but mostly upright. I find getting up and out of bed or leaning to get up off a couch the hardest part. The pain beside this is not that bad ! I am pleasantly surprised since I was very nervous and doubtful right before my procedure. So please do yourself a favor order some support pillows and a neck a pillow. The first night of sleeping I woke up slouched to fat down and if I didn’t have my boyfriend there to put his hands behind me and help me lift up (which was so painful) I prob would have been stuck in that position for hours. So I’m putting this as number on on the list. 2. Take your meds on time. Set alarms. I have my boyfriend to hand me them. But if you are alone at any point during recovery, i would suggest having your pills already set to go and organized in a pill dish organizer. Opening pill containers is hard to do after your surgery. 3. Straws. Buy yourself straws. Life saver. 4. Having meals prepped before hand. Not only hasn’t it taken stress off, but I can relax easier just knowing I can go to the fridge grab out a meal and its ready to go. Also love everything to lower shelves, easy to reach spots in the fridge. 5. Buy dry shampoo. And face wash cloths. I bought cetaphil face wash cloths. Has made mornings easier and I feel cleaner. I also bought some body wipes. Which I will have my boyfriend help wipe me down. Since I cannot shower for three days post op. 5. I set up in two areas, by My bed and couch plug extensions cords. So all my chargers (for my laptop, video games, phone) can reach me at ease. I also left a book on my night stand for easy access. 6. For supplements I bought vitamin c and arnica pills. This was suggested by my surgery. I was told they help with healing, bruising and swelling. I take these everyday. (I also took these pre surgery too, double check with your surgeon). I also have my multi vitamin. But again double check with your surgeon what you can take post op. 7. I purchased colace stool softener (but I have not had to use it, as the pain is not bad and I haven’t felt a need to take Percocets). I also purchase silicone scar gel strips for future use for my scars. And also arnica gel cream for future use if I have bruising. 8. I’m putting this last but it is definitely important. And I think most people will think of this anyways ... but Wear comfy clothes! Every top I have laid out for this recovery week is either a robe that opens in the front Or a zip up loose hoodie. Anything that I can put on without putting over my head. I’ve got comfy socks, loose sweat pants and comfy underwear. I feel I am experiencing a bit of swollen tummy which happens to some post surgery sooo having kk loose sweats has been helpful. I hope this helps someone out there <3 Updated on 15 Apr 2018: Continuing from my first post of things to make sure you have for your procedure!!! 1. the first pain and soreness i really felt was top back pain at the doctors office post op, you may want to have a heating pad handy for when you get home. i havent needed to use it but some of you might. 2. GLASSES. i wear contacts, i haven't had a pair of glasses in forever. i made sure to order myself a new pair for pre and post op. i wore my glasses to my operation and have been wearing them after since, because theres no way id be able to put contacts on these past few days post op. im sure this is common sense but for anyone like me, who just have gotten use to contacts and loss their regular glasses, make sue you get yourself a pair. its the little things you gotta think about. good luck to everyone and congrats on your future boobies!!!! <3
Since I could remember I have always wanted bigger boobs. I just never developed anything. I finally made my decision to get my breast augmentation. I am currently day 1 post-op. I'm extremely sore. Getting up to use the bathroom or walking around is very painful. However, I'm very excited to see some cleavage. I was a 32AA pre-op. And now I'm not sure what I am but my doctor explained I could potentially fit in a D-cup.y PS was amazing along with his very kind staff. I was very nervous going into surgery, but they made me feel extremely comfortable. I would def recommend Dr.Kim, He was very articulate and detailed, not to mention very gentle. Updated on 22 Jul 2017:
This doctor is top in Westchester NY not to mention the staff if amazing!! I got a tt& BBl and can I tell u I barely had to explain what I wanted he delivered! Once he smile at me while marking me up I knew I'd be safe not to mention the Anesthesiologisthe was amazing! Made me feel like he was a family member! Everyone took such good care of me from the front desk to the back! My nurse was super amazing as she asked me so much how I feel and if I had questions and went in details to answe me! I want to get other things done and this is my place hands down! Updated on 18 Apr 2017: Omg best experience ever! I was so scared and the staff was so amazing! And the doctor smile made me feel like I'm safe not to mention the Anesthesiologist he was amazing! I had surgery today and to be honest I have only taken one pain pill so fare because I didn't want to be in pain lol I'm sore but my pain is bearable! I have not seen my stomach yet but the doc did exactly what I asked for round butt n hips!! I love him! Hahaha you will not go wrong with this doctor! He listens and knows what you want! I can go on and on once again love the staff also!!!
I am 27 years old, 5'1 120lbs and was in much need of a breast augmentation after breast feeding for 2 years. My breasts were very deflated and were smaller than they'd ever been. A friend of mine had recommended dr. Kim after she was concerned about me going to Miami for implants. I went for the consultation and knew immediately he was the right doctor. His work was amazing, all of his patients had the natural look I was going for. Although it was a bit more expensive than I had initially planned on spending, I felt much safer having the procedure done closer to home. I chose 375cc mentor memory gel implants, high profile. I have a small frame so I didn't want to look matronly, just nice full breasts. Once deciding on a size with dr. Kim, I was able to book my surgery for the following week. I was able to complete my lab work and pick up my prescriptions a couple days prior to surgery and everything was set. I was scheduled to go in for surgery early in the morning which was great since I couldn't eat passed 12am. As soon as I came in everything went by quickly, I met with the staff who would be in the room during surgery, got marked up by Doctor Kim, and went into the operating room. Everything went by quickly and the pain only lasted about 2-3 days it was really more a discomfort than anything. I was off of the pain medication in less than a week. I made sure to stay hydrated, drinking lots of water, pineapple juice and green smoothies each morning. It's been a month and a half and my breasts have already dropped and look amazing. I couldn't be happier. I've already been to 3 post op appointments and am so happy I came here instead of going to Miami. I don't think I would have gotten this much care and attention had I gone there.
I've been getting fillers for a while. I'd been disappointed that there seemed to be no non-surgical way to address the "drooping" I'm experiencing at my mouth. Various physicians, including Dr. Kim, have explained to me that the only real way to address that drooping and sagging is to opt for a surgical face lift. I wasn't ready for a face-lift, but I was willing to try to alleviate the sagging with some cheek fillers. Dr. Kim gave me injections of a single vial of Juvederm at my cheeks and the results were fantastic. No, it didn't solve the entire problem. I still have SOME sagging at the corners of my mouth, but not as pronounced as it was. Dr. Kim was very thorough with his application of the Juvederm. I'll most certainly be traveling back to see him for when I need more fillers. (This type of Juvederm can last 9-12 months). Dr. Kim's office in Bedford Hills is an hour away from me, but It's worth to it me. I'll try to get photos
It's too early to tell how well my results will look. I only had the procedure done 4 days ago (12/3/15). However, I have already received comments about "weight loss", so it would seem that some results may be visible through my clothing already. I had an apple shape, which, in my opinion, always makes someone look so much more overweight than they are. I know that my upper abdomen is smaller already. I'll have pics to share when I think there's enough of a difference all around. This is just to give a heads up for anyone considering this procedure, because I didn't read anything warning me about these two items: 1) The procedure itself is relatively painless because of a liberal application of local anesthetic. However, if you are an anxious patient like me, you should be prepared for the fact that the application of the local anesthetic IS very uncomfortable and/or painful. It's required for the WHOLE treatment area; not just the incision locations. Not knowing this ahead of time made me SO anxious through the whole application that the surgeon wanted to stop the procedure and have me do it under general. With another sedative dose and a lot of internal steeling, I got through it. This would have been far less traumatic for me, the surgeon and the surgical staff had I had more information about the numbing process and how long it takes. I had my eyelids done under local anesthesia. The pain associated with this local application was NOTHING like the degree of pain associated with getting injections in your eyelids. However, the surgeon who did my lid lift was very, very, VERY determined to establish my expectations for that application. (e.g. "This is going to hurt A LOT and there are 8-10 shots I have to do."). Those warnings, though seeming excessive at the time, were exactly what I needed to get through it. If you're a patient like me, whose anxiety is lessened with information, then perhaps telling you about how extensive the local anesthetic application is for laser lipo will help you too. 2) You can and should be prepared for treatment area swelling. This is surgery, so your body will react with water retention in trauma and the fluids injected into you will also be retained. However, I wasn't prepared for swelling in NON-treated areas. I had my upper and lower abs done along with flanks. I've been wearing my compression garment and only taken one shower since, so I don't quite know how swollen they really are. I expected the swelling there, so I haven't checked. But when I went to put jeans on - jeans I'd worn only days before the procedure - I was unable to get them past my thighs. That's how swollen my thighs and hips are. It isn't swelling I'd consider "excessive", in that the sight of my legs is frightening or distorted or anything. It's just that I know that I cannot get my jeans on. In fact, I may have to go 3 sizes larger - provided I still have them - just to wear jeans. I've had other surgeries. I know this can happen. (e.g. my whole torso bloated when I had neurosurgery, etc.). I just want to warn others as to the possibility. Pictures will follow. Updated on 8 Dec 2015: Day 5 Post Procedure: You'll read a lot of personal testimony that speaks to the swelling post SmartLipo, which is supposed to be lesser than it is with traditional lipo. I think there needs to be a distinction drawn between a degree of swelling that will alarm a health care professional and the degree of swelling that will discourage a patient. My swelling is likely NOT that which would alarm a surgeon. I don't look swollen or bloated to some distorted degree. When I had neurosurgery, my entire body swelled up as if I had been treated with steroids (I wasn't.) However, my current post SmartLipo swelling is to a degree that is extremely discouraging to a patient. I've had to fight back tears as I took my measurements and tried on the clothing I own. I wore a Size 4 jeans a month prior to the surgery. I gained some weight (by lapsing my diet and being distracted from my exercise). This led me to wear my Size 6 jeans for two weeks before the SmartLipo, once again reaching some 4s in the days before the surgery, because I cut out grains again. Today, I attempted to find jeans or pants I can wear AT ALL. I lost a lot of inches (and 20+ lbs) in the past 2 years of rigorous effort in diet and exercise. Once I realized that I was was holding the new, smaller size, I got rid of the larger clothing. I held onto some of them solely because they had been expensive or had sentimental value to me. Those larger sizes - the size 8s I saved? I can't get them on. Unlike the 4s and 6s, I can get the Size 8s past my hips and thighs, but I cannot close them. I have a single pair of jeans I can get on at all. I have two pair of elastic waistband pants that I wore post-partum, when I weighed 25 lbs more than I did prior to my surgery. Those too fit me. That's it. Those are the only pants I have that aren't lounge wear/yoga pants than I can get on. 3 whole pairs of pants. I got rid of my size 10 jeans years ago. I need those now. I know there's no way I have any dresses or skirts that I will be able to wear. When I was post partum - and at my largest ever - I didn't wear any dresses or skirts. I never had any that were Size 12, 14, etc.. I've gained the following in terms of inches (from measurements taken the day before the procedure): Waist: 4-5 inches (with compression garment, since I can't take it off) Hips: 2.5 inches Thighs: 0 inches, but I don't understand why the pants are all tight there Lower abdomen: 3 inches I am going away for the holidays in two weeks. I need to pack clothing that I can wear. So, I've since read more about the expectation of swelling. There's the Physician Swelling category - that can last for up to 4 months. Then there's the Patient Swelling category - that many patients are reporting to last up to 6 weeks. I am not hopeful that this swelling will subside enough in time for me to be able to wear the clothing I owned (ironically, when I was a size I deemed needing surgical help). I'll wait a week before I buy anything, but am now currently shopping for "fat clothes" on Amazon (clothing that is passably flattering to apple shaped, overweight women). The timing was unfortunate and I knew the swelling could last long (on the outside for some patients). I was hoping to be in the portion of patients that see swelling decrease quickly. PLEASE keep this in mind when planning your procedure. Do NOT hold expectations of some event a month or even two months away from your procedure date. CERTAINLY not 2-3 weeks. Updated on 13 Dec 2015: The good news for Week 2: My waist measurement has gone down by 2.5 inches. The bad news for Week 2: Nearly every other measurement on my body has increased and continues to increase. (And I'm back on my protein-shake, low grain, high fiber, high water diet.) The more detailed and informed my internet searches get, the more post procedure testimonies I'm finding. And it's now clear to me that I had absolutely ZERO realistic expectations about recovery. The pain comes and goes. It was actually worse this week than it was during the first week. Based on what I've read, this was likely due to the fact that the local anesthetic used in the procedure can stay in minimal effect for longer than 2 days. So, in some cases, the patient's recovery experience in the first half of Week 1 can see pain management aided by remnant local anesthesia. Although, even so, during Week 1, I was still in a goodly amount of pain. I've had other surgeries including even neurosurgery. I've never used up my narcotic pain meds after any prior surgery. Typically, I have to throw them out because they expire. This is the very first procedure in which I used them up at all and I did that in a week's time. My clothing update: 6s will now go on, but nowhere close to being able to close 8s will go on more easily, but still cannot close. Still wearing elastic bands pants. You'll see a lot of commentary from physicians that your clothing will "fit better" after liposuction. I can report that this is accurate in terms of my tops. Tops that once made me look enormous no longer do, even though I'm nearly a full three jeans sizes larger than I was pre-procedure. The reason for this appears to be that my silhouette is now a straight line at the abdomen instead of containing a big bump below my navel. So, there's that. I leave for my vacation in 8 days. I have very little hope that I will be able to bring any of the pants I currently own and precious few of the tops. Therefore, be forewarned, if you are planning this procedure near or around a vacation or any season in which you can't wear bulky sweats or workout clothes (like the holiday season), expect to add a few additional hundred dollars to the cost of your procedure to purchase "Swelling Clothing". Also, if you're reading along here, please understand that my current experience has NO connection to surgical skill and is every bit connected to the realities of this procedure. Lipo's recovery reality is just not spoken about to a sufficient extent. It is absolutely critical that one find a talented, skilled and board certified surgeon for this procedure. Another thing that is becoming very clear to me as I continue to read more testimony is that I did. That part will be the most important one of this long recovery process. Updated on 16 Dec 2015: The good news: I have a recommendation for anyone considering this procedure: Lymphatic Drainage Massage. For those who have an ab procedure, you will likely need up to six treatments. I've read that those who have the procedure on their hips and thighs need about 3. If you're in the Sound Shore area of Westchester County, I will recommend my massage therapist as well. She's amazing. (Once I have her go ahead to publish her company name, I'll post it in the comments) I went for my first LDM on Monday and I could FEEL the difference in the amount of liquids I was retaining. I felt more "loose" (as opposed to stretched and bloated). For the first time since the procedure, I could get into my car without discomfort. And when I woke the next morning, my waist was measuring a full half inch smaller than it had been the day before. The bad news: I am still so swollen in other areas that I now have to buy larger jeans and bras. I feel horrible when I look in the mirror. It's as if I paid nearly $5,000 to look like I gained 20-25 lbs. I don't dare go sleeveless. My upper arms and shoulder areas are THAT bloated. I won't wear leggings because I'm ashamed of how my legs look now. (My thighs didn't touch as much as they are now.) I was once proud of how my legs and hips looked for my age, given my running habit and a life-long habit of walking everywhere. Now, I won't even wear thin leggings because of how big my legs look. I just went through my entire wardrobe. I tried on a pair of jeans that I could not get past my lower thighs. Those jeans had a receipt in the pocket. It was a receipt from the day of my consultation for lipo. Seeing that just depressed the hell out of me. I just spent a couple of hundred dollars on new tops because I need to hide a bra bulge I didn't have before and to disguise my swollen waist and abdomen. (Did this because I am leaving for vacation in 5 days.) I wish to repeat my warning of a previous post: If you are not prepared - both on a psychological and practical level - to spend the next 3-4 weeks 2-3 full sizes LARGER than you were on the day of your procedure, do NOT plan this procedure. Plan it for a time at which you can hibernate under baggy clothing. NO beach vacations within 6 weeks (or longer). NO holiday season. Updated on 19 Dec 2015: I said that I would recommend my massage therapist. If you're in the Sound Shore area of Westchester, RUN to book a lymphatic drainage massage with Touche Moi massage. http://www.newrochellemassage.com/ Nathalie Pouponneau is a NY state licensed massage therapist and nothing short of a magician. Updated on 19 Dec 2015: Just over two weeks. I still can't get dressed. All of the stretch pants I'd been wearing through the past two weeks were being washed, since I have to bring every pair I own on vacation (to have anything to wear). I was able to get just one other pair of jeans on. Tomorrow morning, I'll be trying my Size 8s on again. If I can't get them on (and I don't expect to), I will be heading out to purchase new jeans. Being two sizes larger AFTER lipo is too depressing for words. I'll try to post photos tomorrow. (Clothing on) Updated on 31 Dec 2015: Im thoroughly discouraged at this point. I've been on vacation for the past week or so. I've spent those days sightseeing on foot, using public transportation sporadically. Normally, that sort of activity leads to tightening at my abs by at least an inch. Instead, the swelling that had been concentrated at my hips and legs - pushing me up three sizes in jeans - is now back, raging all over my abdomen and stomach. I tried to post photos, but on my mobile devices, they're all coming up sideways. As soon as I can fix that, I'll post photos that show HOW big I've gotten. It's especially disheartening because I worked so hard to get my abdomen down in size over two years of dedicated hard exercise and careful dieting. Now, I can't even look forward to getting it back down that way again (provided I was even able to get back the willpower to try over another two years), because activity is making me BIGGER. I hate the way my body looks. I can't report anything else. Updated on 15 Jan 2016: I've changed my overall review to "Not Sure" it was worth it. At this point, I am not sure when I will ever see results. If they take this long to see, far too much can happen in the intervening time in which one is waiting to see results, especially with restricted exercise. I had my post-op check up earlier this week (Monday). My surgeon behaved as if he was bewildered by the lack of appearance that I'd had anything done. When I attempted to discuss my research on the net leading to my learning that the swelling can last for months, he didn't really seem to acknowledge that. I had considered CoolSculpting as an alternative procedure but decided against it since it's stated that it takes two months to see results. I am now wondering if I should have gone that route instead. This seems like an awful lot of discomfort, distortion and cost for very little gain. I'm shuddering at the thought of having to do this again to get any results. I took more photos last night. I'll upload when I can. I was able to get a pair of Size 6 jeans on today, but they're not very comfortable. My current measurements are: Bust: 37 inches Waist 30 inches Lower Abdomen: 33 inches Hips: 39 inches Thigh: 23 inches Weight: 148 My measurements pre-procedure Bust: 35 inches Waist: 29 inches Lower Abdomen: 32 inches Hips: 37 inches Thigh: 21 inches Updated on 24 Jan 2016: I'm near to losing all faith in this procedure. I am still much bigger than I was before it. I still weigh more than I did. My weight went up 8 lbs the day of the surgery and has stayed there since. Given the high level of activity I did on vacation and my change in diet since coming back, I doubt this is actual fat gain. I don't know what it is, but since my measurements are all two inches bigger than I was, it seems that it's still swelling. Two inches on every measurement - bust, stomach, abs, hips, thighs - would be a gain of a lot more than 6 lbs. I bought two more packages of lymphatic drainage massages. Adding those to the costs of the bigger clothing, the surgical compression garments and the additional binding garments, the additional costs have come to about 1300-1500 dollars. That means that this entire ordeal led me to go through 7 weeks of compromised comfort, restricted exercise and spend a total of more than 6000 dollars to look like I've gained 15 lbs. I have no idea how much longer I'll look that way. It could be another month. It could be another 4 months. It could be another 10 months. I'm about to start Weight Watchers and an exercise regime again. I hope to lose 10 lbs in two months. I have no idea if my stomach will go down with it, but at least my non operative areas will decrease. And, for the record, my surgeon removed 1700 cc during the procedure. I was 143 lbs on the day of my procedure. According to my surgeon, 1700 cc is a lot to remove from someone of that size. Not that anyone can tell, of course. Updated on 24 Jan 2016: These photos show some of the problem, I think. Updated on 24 Jan 2016: Later photos Updated on 28 Jan 2016: It's been 8 weeks to the day since my procedure. Just this week, my natural waist measured 29.5, just half an inch larger than my original size. My lower abdomen measures at 32.5, also half an inch larger than my pre-op size. In other words, these measurements are the same as they were in the photo in which I'm wearing a gray tank and a black top. But I spent 4800 dollars plus all of that pain, inconvenience and additional expenses to be SMALLER than 29 inches. My current silhouette APPEARS to be in better shape than pre-op because my hips are still bigger than they were pre-op (and therefore bigger than they were in the Gray/Black photo). My hips are currently 39 inches - still 2 inches larger than they were pre-op. My thighs measure 22.5 inches each; 1.5 inches bigger than they were pre-op. I wasn't aiming to simply APPEAR more contoured, but at a bigger size. I could have simply stopped exercising and lessened my walking to gain weight on my hips and thighs and achieved the same results. Cool Sculpting is said to take 60 days to see results. I didn't opt for Cool Sculpting because I considered that to be too much of a delay. Yet, here I am, 60 days post SmartLipo and I still can't see results. Supposedly I need to hit the 3 month mark to really see the advantage of SmartLipo. With some amazing skin tightening being complete in a likely 6 months. CoolSculpting doesn't come with skin tightening, just fat cell reabsorption. However, CoolSculpting comes with less down time and is far less costly. If I needed a further skin tightening, I could have investigated that after-the-fact. If, in 30 days, my waist isn't smaller than my pre-op measurement, my vote on this procedure will change to "Not Worth It". Of course, these results will be blurred. I was too concerned about my hips and thighs to wait any longer. I'm back on Weight Watchers. I will recommence an intense exercise regime shortly. As you can see from the comparison of first photo (Black sports camisole with neon print) to the second photo (gray/black), I was able to subtract a lot of inches with diet and exercise. The smallest I was able to get my lower abdomen down that way was to 30 inches with my natural waist at 28. (The Gray/Black is not the absolute smallest I was). Let's hope I see some SHAPE difference a month from now, because if I don't, it will be too difficult to tell if it was my diet and exercise or the procedure that resulted in the smaller size. But I'm too miserable with my body as is to keep on waiting. I have to take some action and I KNOW, at least, that diet and exercise DO work. They just work more slowly. (e.g. Diet and exercise would NOT have taken off 4.5 inches in two months. But neither do diet and exercise ADD 4-5 inches in two days.) Updated on 16 Feb 2016: It's been 2 and a half months since my procedure. My massage therapist noted that most of my swelling is gone, save some odd rigidity in my waist. As a result, my waist is still an inch larger than it was before the procedure. My weight, however, is 3 lbs less. So this isn't weight gain. And even if it was weight gain, it's not supposed to show up in my waist. Allegedly, those fat cells are gone. My hips have come down, as have my thighs, though I still have some "pooling" of lymph in that area (according to my massage therapist). Both areas are still measuring larger than they were before the procedure. The only area showing any desired change is my lower abdomen. It has finally reached a measurement of half an inch LESS than it was pre-op. However, as the day wears on, it usually returns to a measurement of the same size it was on the day of the procedure. In the photo array above, the photo in which I am wearing a green tank top and blue checked pajama bottoms is the most recent photo - taken about 3-4 weeks ago. Those measurements are all only slightly larger than my current measurements. I'll try to get a more recent photo up. I intend to postpone my scheduled follow up with my surgeon in two weeks. I don't anticipate any real changes by that time. I'll postpone it to early April. That will be four months post op. I've started to investigate CoolSclupting. I'm really, REALLY angry about how poorly LaserLipo has performed so far. Updated on 1 Mar 2016: I'm leaving my overall review to "Not Sure" that this procedure is worth it. I've finally seen some dramatic improvement - but only in my upper abdomen. My lower abdomen is still an inch larger than it was when I went in for the procedure. My hips are still two inches larger. Please note: they are LARGER than they were before the procedure. Four months later, my abdomen - the site of the procedure - is still LARGER than it was. My new photos show a sleeker profile, but this is aided largely by two things; i) the upper abdomen lipo worked; providing definition for my bustline and ii) my hips are so much larger than they were before I went in, that my lower abdomen merely LOOKS smaller in comparison to the older photos. I still can't get the same pants on. They won't go on over my hips. I feel as if I could have handed that same 5000 dollars to a personal trainer and gotten these same results by now. In fact, I believe if I'd gone that route, my results would be superior. Updated on 8 Mar 2016: I mentioned these jeans in earlier posts. They're the pair of Size 4 jeans I wore to the consultation for Smart Lipo in November. Today, I got them back on for the first time since the procedure. They're not comfortable, mind you. But I could get them on and close them. 3 months post procedure. (Mistake in my last post. It's only 3 months.) This means I am CLOSE to the size I was before the procedure. Not SMALLER. Just only slightly bigger. Is that the goal of Smart Lipo? I don't think so. Updated on 3 Apr 2016: No new photos. I don't look much different from the last series of photos. My measurements are still bigger. They're pretty much the same as they were in March with the exception of my hips, which have decreased by a half inch to an inch, depending on the time of day. This HAS to still be swelling. My stomach gets larger through the day and gets even larger on days in which I'm very physically active. I LOATHE the way my body looks from the front, because I am so much wider than I was pre-procedure. My measurements currently: Bust: 36 inches (this is larger than pre-op) Waist: 29 inches (same as it was in January) Lower Abs: 32 inches (sometimes 31.5) Hips: 38.5 inches Thigh: 22 inches ALL of those are larger measurements than I had pre-op. My weight is in the same range as it has been these past 4 months. At this point, any decrease will likely be due to weight loss because I am back on Weight Watchers and back to exercise, which, I can add, no longer exhausts me as it did in the months immediate post-op. (By 2 months post-op, I was STILL getting winded from hill climbing and stair climbing. That is no longer the case.) In other words, this procedure did nothing except POSSIBLY return some indent at my waist. But since my hips are so much bigger than they were, it's hard to know if that's because of the surgery or because of the now-greater contrast. Updated on 22 May 2016: I've waited the 6 months I was told to wait for "full results". That was after having been told to wait 2 weeks; No, 4 weeks; No, 3 months; No, 13-16 weeks. No, more. Wait more! Wait! Wait! It.doesn't.work. I have been larger since the day I had this procedure done. I fear I will never again get a waist below 28 inches. If I can even get it to 28 inches ever again. I have never heard of lipo not working - until now. Perhaps it works much better on younger people. I wish I had never had this done. I can't possibly reverse the damage I've clearly done. I won't have any kind of "redo", because I loathe this procedure and its horribly long "recovery" (in quotes, because there is no real "recovery" to anything except slightly smaller than the massive bloating you endure for the first three months following) I have been starving myself attempting to get rid of my larger size. I've tried going without food entirely. I've tried starting exercise again. I only get bigger if I exercise at high level effort. I tried dialing it down. I still can't get smaller. My weight won't budge. I'm in such despair, I don't know what to do. After my class ends, I'll be dedicating all of my time and energy to losing these inches, attempting to undo the damage. I'll update after a month or so of that to let you know if I was successful in reversing the damage this procedure brought. I could have spent the same 4800 dollars on a personal trainer and been so much further along than I am right now. Instead, I'm actually where I was two months before I got to my lowest measurement of 28 inches. That was more than a year ago. I've UNDONE a year's worth of work. I hate myself for having this done. Updated on 22 May 2016: This was taken a few weeks ago. Since increasing exercise, I'm even bigger than this photo shows. (About an inch all around.) Updated on 16 Jun 2016: Things are just getting worse, and everywhere I seek on the internet, some physician is explaining that it must be the patient's fault somehow; the patient gained weight. Except that the whole point of liposuction is to remove fat cells from the body. If weight gain occurs after lipo, it would theoretically be on some other part of the body. Except that the largest part of my shape is where the lipo was done. Yes, my hips and thighs are bigger - but they've been bigger since the day of my procedure. And I've been doing everything I can think of to decrease my weight. Three weeks after the procedure, I went on a two-week vacation that involved walking for hours each day. I stayed in an apartment, where I cooked for myself and my family. I bought the same whole foods I typically buy. I have a child, so my husband and I don't go out to bars any longer. I wasn't drinking more alcohol. Normally, on these vacations with that much walking I DROP in weight. I didn't this time. I just swelled up more. I was told to massage my surgery site. I not only did, but also bought several packages of lymphatic drainage massage. It relieved pressure and pain in the first few months following the procedure, but I only just swelled up more after I didn't have them anymore. That was two months after the procedure, long past the point at which I was told I would be a smaller size. I haven't been a smaller size yet. I haven't been the SAME size since the procedure. I've read that it's my fault. I must have gained weight. I must have gained fat. I must have eaten a lot. Except that I was in such despair over HOW much bigger I was getting that I started cutting my portions immediately. It took months for me to be able to start jogging again, but I walked as much as I could. I began with walking a lot. Up hills. Speed walking when I could. The surgery really knocked the wind out of me, practically literally. I didn't have my cardio capacity back until about March. (3 months post op) AS SOON AS I COULD, I began jogging again. All it did was make me blow up more. I went back to walking and interval jogging. It still made me bigger. I increased my intensity. It made me even bigger. I went back on Weight Watchers and followed the plan to a T. I got bigger. I went back to SparkPeople meal plans - eating whole foods, watching portions, limiting calories. I got bigger. I cut out ALL grains and sugars from my diet, continuing to limit calories. I got bigger. I went back to weight lifting. I swelled up more. I got a really bad cold last month. I had to live on pseudoephedrine 24/7. That typically robs me of my appetite. I spent a week not eating much. I got bigger. At this point, I am starving myself and speed walking every other day. I got bigger. Nothing is working now. NOTHING. At this point, I have completely undone the previous two years' worth of work through diet and exercise. But even now repeating those steps is making it all worse. I recently saw photos of myself from this past March and April - when I THOUGHT I was seeing improvement in my upper abdomen. It WAS somewhat smaller than in previous photos. Except that my LOWER abdomen is now so much bigger, that I have a belly roll again and it was obvious in these photos. I was in tears. I can't believe HOW much I have screwed up my body. I don't know what WILL work now. I have two years' worth of size loss to now undo and I wasn't at the size I wanted to be even then. I sought this procedure because I thought it would help resistant areas to make them SMALLER. Instead, it made my lower abdomen BIGGER than it had been at the point at which I was desperate enough to seek surgery. If you're anything like me, you're researching this procedure a lot before you have it done. Listen to this one piece of advice: IF YOU ARE OVER 40 DO NOT - DO NOT - DO NOT !!!! - HAVE THIS PROCEDURE DONE. You WILL regret it. I won't even ask for a redo when I see my surgeon in a few weeks. I loathe the hell out of this god-awful procedure and NOTHING will ever make me trust it again. I'm now considering Coolsculpting as a POSSIBLE remedy to the huge lower abdomen I have again. No amount of exercise is working. Updated on 20 Jul 2016: I have an appointment for CoolSculpting on my lower abdomen. I've spent t he past 4 weeks on a diet and intense exercise plan (6 days a week with weight trainng and cardio plus yoga). I haven't lost any weight, despite creating at least a 500 cal deficit daily, typically more. My measurements tightened though, which means that the swelling is subsiding slightly. I'm still bigger everywhere than I was last December. I thought I would update with this photo to show my sillhouette. Compare to the photo above in gray and black. (Post exercise/diet, pre-lipo) Updated on 20 Jul 2016: My CoolSculpting procedure will add swelling and then likely eliminate some fat over the next two months. Therefore, I'm taking my final measurements that won't be confounded with CoolSculpting. As of July 20, 2016 - seven and a half months after my procedure: Bust: 35.5 inches Upper Ab, Below Bustline (Bra line): 32.75 inches Waist: 29.75 inches Lower Abdomen: 32 inches Hips: 38.25 inches Thighs: 22.25 inches To review, my measurements pre-procedure were: Bust: 35 inches Waist: 29 inches Lower Abdomen: 32 inches Hips: 37 inches Thigh: 21 inches Every measurement, save the lower abdomen, is larger than it was eight months ago. My sole comfort in this hellish journey is that my size seems to have STOPPED swelling up with exercise and may actually be decreasing. A great deal of anguish could have been avoided had I only been fully advised of the possible extent and duration of the swelling. Of course, had I been informed that I could possibly be bigger than I was for as long as a year, I never would have opted for this procedure. Had I been warned that I could spend the next four months SIGNIFICANTLY bigger than I was (due to swelling), I would have never even asked after this procedure. Updated on 26 Dec 2016: It's been a year since my lipo procedure. I'm still bigger everywhere. The swelling was, indeed, permanent. (At this point, I'm also thinking about scar tissue formation). Having this procedure was one of the stupidest things I have ever done. Now freed from obligations of school, I'm about to embark on a five-week intense diet and exercise regime in the hopes of eliminating the extra inch on my waist that this procedure added as well as finally getting a small waist than the 29 inches I had preprocedure. Had I taken the 5300 dollars I spent on this (4800 on procedure, 400 on lymphatic drainage massage, 200 on special binding garments) and, instead, spent it on personal training sessions, I would have superior results and no permanent damage. (At least an inch worth of it). Do.Not.Get.This.Procedure. Just don't.
