I am 41 years old, and though my Mexican skin has kept me youthful looking, I noticed my parentheses lines had gotten a lot deeper since turning 40. I asked my doctor for filler, and he recommended Juvederm XC. I LOVE the result. It was painless and took at least five years off my face immediately without being obvious. It just gave me my old face back! My doctor is very skilled and good at not over injecting so I didn't end up with the dreaded overfilled "monkey mouth."
I am in very good shape after two kids, and do either "the happy body" weights routine or bikram yoga every single day. My entire body is lean and muscular except for a small "donut" of fat around my belly that I couldn't get rid of even when I was 105 lbs on my 40th birthday. (I am 5'1 3/4" tall and normally am btw 110-114 lbs.) I went to Dr. Michael Cedars in Oakland (practices with Katie Rodan of Rodan & Fields), and he is wonderful. However, eight days out from smart lipo on my abdomen (upper/lower plus a tiny bit from the sides), I am really bumming due to the following: 1) I weigh 2-3 lbs more than before the procedure and my clothes don't fit right; 2) my waist is 2" bigger than before the procedure; 3) I am really wanting to get back to my exercise routine and release nervous energy; 4) I am not sure this recovery will be worth it as I'm losing muscle every day and I can't get back to bikram yoga for three more weeks. The procedure went well and I think I am healing as expected - no need for pain meds after first few days, now numb and swollen but otherwise no issues - but I maybe broke something that wasn't broken in the first place. Will update hopefully with progress when I am cleared for exercise. :/ Updated on 27 Jul 2014: Doctor cleared me for some happy body exercises two days ago, without crunches or twisting moves. Feeling much better, and fitting better into my clothes. Tummy is definitely flatter than before, though this morning I have a hard pooch in my lower stomach. I go back for a checkup August 8... Updated on 29 Jul 2014: Not sure if swelling/fluid retention is supposed to happen in non-lipo'ed areas, but I took my measurements this morning and my bust was normal, waist was normal/ maybe an inch bigger than pre lipo, and my hips were 2" bigger than normal. No wonder my work pants were tight yesterday. Today is exactly two weeks post. Ugh...I wish I could sweat out the water retention. I've been eating mostly clean with a few cheat days... Updated on 7 Aug 2014: Well, my recovery is progressing and I hope to be cleared for yoga at my appointment tomorrow. Three weeks and two days later, things are improving, but in my harsh bathroom lightning I see a lot of bumps. Also, my pants size has gone from 2 to 4, and won't com back down. I wonder when the swelling will go away? Updated on 11 Aug 2014: Still dealing with some swelling and in need of dropping a few lbs gained during the recovery month, but my doctor cleared me for all activities/ dropping my compression garment, and I feel mostly normal again. Tummy is still numb and a bit lumpy but looks okay in gentle lighting. Updated on 5 Sep 2014: I've noticed swelling toward the end of the day, and I still get weird dents in my stomach from my slightly too tight pants (I gained 5 lbs after surgery and it all went to my hips, legs, butt). Most sensation has returned, except for numbness right around and under my belly button. I am able to do my full bikram practice, and started in week 4 ( only took till the third class to regain my regular torso flexibility and strength). Twisting and stretching was a bit rough at first, but now is okay.
Wow, I cant believe I'm writing this after having read so many of your wonderful and inspiring reviews! I am almost 42 yrs old mother of 4. I am 5'1" and weigh 135lbs. I have never had a flat stomach and always been a little overweight. I gained a lot of additional weight with each of my pregnancies, and although I have lost a great deal of it by dieting and working with a trainer and a nutritionist, I still have the lovely flabby belly that we can all relate to :-/. I am scheduled for a full TT with MR on Monday. This whole process has been incredibly surreal up until this point. It is hard to believe that this is really happening! I have a very supportive husband. I live in a wonderful community where I work at my kids' school and am very involved. I am fortunate to be surrounded by lots of friends but I just haven't been able to tell more than 1 or 2 people about this surgery. Ive been telling everyone that I am having back surgery, including my kids. I really hate lying but this feels like such a personal issue and I don't want to be viewed as shallow or vain, or to be judged by anyone. I am worried about the recovery and swelling. I have been keeping a journal to help me get a handle on the emotional roller coaster so far. I've been nesting like a fiend, trying to get the house in good shape and tie up all my loose ends before the holidays. I've filled my prescriptions and purchased my supplies. Tomorrow is my last day at work but Ive already 'checked out' emotionally. Its hard to think about anything else but the surgery! We've got some holiday parties this weekend so I will be occupied - I am trying my best to avoid getting sick as there are kids around me all day at work and at home, and everyone is coughing and sneezing - ack! Ive been carrying hand sanitized in my purse and taking my vitamins religiously. My ps doesnt want me to use a binder or a CG at all! I think that's strange since so many of you have used them for weeks. I will have the lovely drains though :-/ I've also been dealing with guilt issues as many of you have. I know I deserve this but its definitely hard feel be ok about spending our savings on this, and worrying about getting through and being healthy and functional once I'm on the 'flat side'. This board has been amazing! Thank you ladies for all your support. I will continue to chronicle my experience over the next few days and weeks! Updated on 16 Dec 2012: Well tomorrow is my big day!! Had a last minute change of plans for childcare for the morning which was a little stressful but I think we've got it worked out. We have to be at the surgery center at 6 AM! I took the magnesium citrate drink twice - it made me go just once. I'm hoping to have another BM in the morning. My PS wanted me to do a liquid diet all day, but I couldn't do it so I had a small breakfast, soup for lunch and a very light dinner. I went to my staff holiday gathering but all I had was a ginger ale. As I was pulling out of the driveway I got a call from my PS! I panicked bc I thought he was calling to cancel! But he was just checking in - phew! I've got everything packed and ready to go. Nerves are so jittery - I hope I can sleep! Updated on 17 Dec 2012: On my way to the surgery.center! It's pouring rain!! Nervous excited nervous excited!!! Updated on 17 Dec 2012: I made it to the flat side! Although I can't see anything because I am wrapped up like a mummy!! Too groggy on meds to write much more but will update soon! Updated on 18 Dec 2012: PO Day 2!! Ok here is a recap of my experience yesterday: We got to the surgery center at 6am in the pouring rain. My hubby was holding my hand the entire car ride - so cute! The receptionist was a mean crabby lady who made me sign a bunch of forms and took our final payment. We waited a few more minutes then a nurse came to get us, well I thought they would let my hubby come along but sadly they made us say goodbye at that point which was disappointing and unexpected. :( The nurse took me in back and asked me a bunch of medical history questions. She weighed me and checked my BP. I was very surprised to see that I had gained a few pounds over the past few weeks - all that stress eating yikes!! They also gave me a preg test but I had done an at-home test the day prior just to be sure. Next I got undressed and put on the gown and shower cap. The put on the compression stockings and inserted my IV (agh!) My PS appeared at that point with his purple marker. I had to stand up while he marked my fat belly all up. He was very reassuring and nice but it took a long while and he kept pulling and tugging on my belly fat ouch! After that was over they laid me back down and the anesthesiologist came to say hello. At this point I was starting to get very nervous. I was wishing they had let my husband stay with me. Luckily the nurse put some Versed in my IV and I immediately felt relaxed. The rest of the details are fuzzy - I can remember them wheeling me into the OR and that was it! It seemed like just a short while later I was waking up to more smiling nurses in recovery. It was hard to see at first everything was blurry. Finally they let hubby in to say hi. I was so relieved to see him!! I could feel a lot of abdominal pain so they gave me lots of meds in my IV. I couldn't believe it when I looked at the time - I had been there for hours!! I heard the nurses tell my husband that they were going to get me ready to go home so he left to go bring the car around back. When they got me into the wheelchair I started to feel very dizzy and sweaty. Turns out my blood pressure had dropped bc I was dehydrated. So they put me back in the gurney with more IV fluids for another hour. I dozed in and out then finally started feeling better. The nurses dressed me and got me out to the car. I don't remember many details. Hubby got me home and into bed. I took my first Percocet and fell asleep. Later it was time for him to get the kids from school so I dozed somE more until they got home. The rest of the evening I just laid in bed taking it all in, trying to manage the pain and stay hydrated. Difficult to get in and out of bed but trying to get used to walking hunched over. At one point I had another BP drop and I almost fainted on the toilet. We have a BP cuff at home so it was helpful to keep track of my BP and pulse. My PS called us a few times to check in and it was great to be able to give him my stats. I had a Popsicle and an applesauce which helped me to feel better. I guess my blood sugar had gotten low too so it helped to get some calories in. I didn't sleep very well - trying to get comfortable. I got very itchy from the meds and the only thing that finally helped was to take a Benadryl - zzzzz!! Anyway I am feeling pretty positive about this whole thing so far. My PS keeps calling to check in and lots of friends are available and bringing food, etc. I haven't seen my tummy yet bc I am wrapped up so tightly. I am excited to see the results soon! Bests wishes to all the ladies on this board!! Updated on 20 Dec 2012: Well I hung in there for a few days! I've been gradually getting better and stronger. Today is PO day 4. I got all my Xmas cards out and all was well until this evening when our teenage babysitter returned to replace the adult friends that we've had helping. She somehow managed to break the house key in the lock! My daughter was being a little sh*t and the dinner got burned. My two year old started throwing a fit just as my husb got home from work - in other words, the normal chaos of my house! But unlike a normal day, I got completely overwhelmed since I couldn't do anything. I got up to go to the bathroom and discovered that aunt flo had just arrived! Argh!! So there I was with a burnt dinner, 2 screaming kids, blood all over the place, and my dear husband, bless his heart, changing my maxi pad! Ayayay! Tomorrow will be a better day! Updated on 26 Dec 2012: Hi All So I'm 9 Days Post Op today - feeling pretty good! Finally had a chance to post some pics. As you can see Im pretty swollen still so the changes are kind of subtle but im looking forward to big improvements once all that swelling goes down. Im still hunched over and Ive been using a walker that my PS office lent me. Today we purchased a walking cane which I feel helps me to walk straighter. I got it just in case I am still hunched when I return to work - the walker is too cumbersome for that since I work at a school.
Well, I'm 39, 5'6" and have never had body issues. But then I started poppin' out dem babies and "poof" the body that I thought I would have forever was gone. I'm so nervous and scared - the big day is TOMORROW! I've been in a literal haze since I decided to get a TT. Everything has moved super fast for me. I had my fourth child last year and I just got tired of people asking me if I was pregnant again - one year later!! The last straw was when my electrician said to me a few months ago that I must be tired. I said "why?" and he pointed to my stomach - then said "what are you ... like three months pregnant?" Turns out I have an umbilical hernia and so no amount of exercise would have helped get me to the flatside. So here I go, to repair my hernia and as the cherry on top get a TT and lipo of the flanks. Updated on 8 Sep 2012: Hello lovely ladies! Just had my hernia repair, TT and lipo of the flanks yesterday morning. Can you say TERRIFIED. I was sure to give my husband a long list of to-dos in the event of my untimely demise :) the scariest part was actually signing the anesthesia waiver that included risks like hemmoraging, heart attack, broken teeth and DEATH? Now what's up with the broken teeth!!?? Anyhoo, the last thing I remember was telling the anesthesiologist that I would haunt him if I didn't wake up. Woke up in a shared recovery room with a gaggle of folks -- okay, like three people. I'm sure I looked like a hot mess. The pain has been more than I expected. I was taking one tablet of hydrocodon every 4 hours, but took two pills last time and that seemed to give me a bit of relief . Besides the pain, the other hardest part has been getting in and out of bed to pee. I managed to take one picture with my iPad. But it's not very good. Hubby confiscated my camera so I would "relax". HA! Spent the afternoon eating jello and soup with like 4 crackers with my first-grader sitting next to my bed reading me stories. I noticed a lot of people stacked up on supplies before their procedures. Not me. Only thing we made sure to have in advance was jello:) Also, unlike a lot of people that were dieting before surgery, I was living it up - eating whatever I wanted. Now I have no appetite. Updated on 10 Sep 2012: Had my TT/lipo/hernia repair on Friday and just went in today for my first PS post surgery visit. Is it me or does my stomach look like a cone shape? He says the swelling will go down a bit more -- "a BIT"??!!! he even said he lipoed part of my stomach to give me a two-pack, which will be noticiable once the swelling goes down. What do you gals think? Be HONEST!! Updated on 16 Sep 2012: I read all these stories about women feeling great 3 to 5 days after surgery, so I am feeling a little discouraged. I am 10 days postop and am still hunched over and in pain. What's up with that? I have my third doctor's visit this coming Thursday. Hopefully I will finally get my drains removed. Updated on 28 Sep 2012: I really wonder about all the women on this site that were able to squeeze into their dream bikinis / outfits three days after surgery. I'm not sure if it's because my Dr used glue and not tape on my incision, but I didn't like clothes rubbing against me so I've been wearing the surgery bodysuit corset 24 hours a day, every day and only yesterday felt good enough to try on all those vacation swim suits I've been storing in my closet. So everything fits WAY better, but I'm still swollen, especially at the end of the day. I go back to work in a couple of days and am worried about getting tired and driving a long distance, but hey - gotta earn that $$$$ ! Anyhoo, I'm liking my tummy better these days, but am looking forward to the day the swelling will disappear and the scar will be less noticeable. Updated on 28 Sep 2012: Forgot to mention, finally got my drains out. Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm 41, 5'7" and 150 lbs (a size 10). I've had cellulite for as long as I can remember. My mother has the worst (honestly) cellulite I've ever seen (although she's tall and thin) and as a kid I remember looking at her legs (covered from top of thigh all the way to her knee, front and back, in pretty severe cellulite). Since having kids, mine has worsened. I actually suspect that if I toned my legs more, the appearance of some of it might reduce, but barely enough to make a difference. I can see my legs are becoming my moms and while I've never been showy with my legs (I'm small waisted, flat tummy, big hips and thighs figure), it's gotten to the point where it takes a shot of courage for me to head to the pool with my kids (and the rest of our community) and wear a bathing suit. My size, while not petite, I can deal with. I'm okay with my figure and feel fine in clothes. But the amount of dimples and ripples from my bum to my knees (now back and front) is hard for me to look at. I'm pulling the trigger and having it done next week. Honestly, it feels a bit hasty as I'm having it done by a plastic surgeon who's done lipo for 20+ years (but only a handful of Smart Lipo cases) and has only done 5 Cellulaze treatments. However, he's a very well regarding plastic surgeon and only a mile away and was willing to give me a significant break in the cost. I hope I won't regret this choice. Because I'm having so many areas treated (buttocks, back of thighs to knees, front of thighs to knees, side of thighs to knees), he opted to split the treatment into two separate days (to avoid lidocaine toxicity). My first treatment will be Tuesday, May 15th (buttocks and back of thighs) and my second treatment will be Friday (3 days later), May 18th. I can only imagine after wearing the compression garment for 3 days, I won't feel too incented to return for more, but he feels this is best/safest (and certainly it's no financial gain for him to do it this way, so I appreciate his conservative approach). The office took before shots last week. I will ask for them and (gasp) post them. I realize it's likely I won't see results quickly (sounds like all the MDs are touting 3 months as the litmus test), but I hope to feel even 50-70% improvement by mid-July (two months post-procedures) when I'll be taking a major beach vacation with the family. Hoping I'm not hoping for too much. I'll post again after my 1st procedure on Tuesday. Wish me luck! :) Updated on 15 May 2012: Just home now from getting Cellulaze done this morning. Getting the anesthesia in was more painful than the procedure, although at times during the procedure, I felt a sharp pang of heat (where perhaps the anesthesia was wearing off) and that was not fun. It was a LONG time to be face down -- 3 hours. I am very groggy, a bit woozy/nauseous and was wrapped in a combo of the following in order of when they were put on my skin: 1. Chucks to both thighs to absorb leaking fluid; 2. HUGE rectangular foam pads over the chucks (Doc feels they go a very long way to prevent bruising but THEY LOOK RIDICULOUS and feel not so great); 3. The compression garment. Despite all that stuff I'm sausaged into, I'm leaking fluid like crazy -- already stained the big flowy knit skirt I wore. Doctor wants me in this solidly for a WEEK without a shower or anything! I'm not to take it off (garment is crotchless, so obviously toileting is possible). I did not get stitches. I will be going back into his office on Friday for my second round of Cellulaze (today we did the back (lower buttocks, back and sides of thigh); Friday will be front of thighs. Right now I feel groggy and ready to pass out. I am mostly upset about this foam -- it makes for a very wacky visible, regtangular contour under the clothes ... which to me means ... wait ... all of a sudden, unless I can find a way to disguise this ... I'm in a "down-time" situation and that was not discussed. For a week? Foam under this garment for a week? I don't see me complying, but I'll stay in it till Friday and discuss with doctor when I head in for round two. I did not anticipate this nausea. They gave me some Zofran and I may just take it. Sure hope I get some results for all this. :) Updated on 15 May 2012: End of Day 1: I'd planned to attend my daughter's recital tonight (and I did), but it was a bit of a bad call. I'm leaking so much from my left leg (the fluid is pink-to-red like blood), that it soaks through the garment and through my clothes. So I stood the whole time with a pair of leggings over the garment and a big flowy skirt over the leggings and still, I soaked through (even while standing!). Thank goodness she performed first and after she was done, I left as opposed to staying for all the other groups to perform as I'd usually do. I'm now home in bed, legs up, draining and leaking like crazy onto chucks and towels. The pain is manageable for me without taking drugs. The compression garment is very tight around my waist and uncomfortable. Doc called this evening to check in with me and said the leaking is normal (even at this rate) and should be 90% finished draining by the morning. Laying and marinating in this totally soaked, tight garment is not so great feeling. And the swelling is significant. Looking forward to time passing and getting all this foam and packing off of me. Updated on 17 May 2012: Day 3: The leaking stopped last night (evening of Day 2), thank goodness! I haven't needed so much as a Tylenol for the pain. I'm definitely sore, sore, sore ... but it's not *pain* per se. When I'm laying down or standing, nothing hurts or feels sore at all. However, when I sit down, sit up, etc. it hurts at the moment of impact or lift. Super tolerable. I'm very swollen and the compression garment is probably the worst thing I'm contending with now (that and the fear of little-to-mediocre results. As I mentioned, I"M GOING IN FOR PART TWO OF CELLULAZE TOMORROW -- THE *FRONT* OF MY LEGS. I have to admit, I'm dreading it. There's just no way after all this I'm ready to do this so soon, but my doc wanted to split it up between two days ... so here we are. Because I'll have to get out of the compression garment for treatment anyway tomorrow, I asked the doctor if I could wash the garment before coming in for the 2nd treatment. That was ok'd and so, while the garment was being washed ... I snapped these Day 3 Recovery Photos. As you can see, I am very, very bruised. I'm taking the Arnica, drinking lots of water, and have worn the compression garment with foam non-stop since the procedure. Still .... there you have it. At first peak, I want to say I notice a few dimples are missing from my left thigh ... but I'm so dang swollen and bruised, how can I really tell? (A girl can dream). Once the office sends my befores (HIDEOUS), I will post. Until then, I thought I'd post these so folks can see how bruised one can get from the procedure. The photo quality is awful as I took the shots with no flash in the mirror, but representative enough to see what the bruising situation is. I'll post after Round Two tomorrow. At least this time I know to expect the pain when the nubing meds are injected along with the nasty, nasty two days of leaking (so much for weekend plans). I can't believe I'm posing these photos. I've honestly refused to look at my own backside for the past 5-7 years and here I am broadcasting it. Hope it's helpful! Updated on 18 May 2012: Day 4 of 1st Procedure (backside) / Day 1 of 2nd Procedure (frontside) I got home four hours ago -- this time I asked for a 2nd Vicodin so I'd be more out of it during the procedure (good call). I also took the Zofran for nausea post-procedure (another good call -- I was nauseous after my first round ... not as much today). Today I went in with a bit of a dilemma. I knew we were treating the front of my legs, but we hadn't decided to do the top of my legs or the bottom (by the knees). We ultimately went with the bottom of the front of my legs, but I feel sad for two reasons: 1) I saw my before pictures (which I'm posting). And I'm disgusted. No amount of cellulite erasing or reduction can fix a patentily ugly body. I don't know what a plastic surgeon would suggest for my knees (they are my mother's exact knees -- they are hideous), but I will simply remain grateful that I have healthy (albeit horrific looking) knees that allow me to walk and run and live an active, healthy life. I can't imagine, though, EVER feeling okay about wearing anything above the knees. I have ugly legs. Period. Cellulite is just part of their unsightly-ness (yeah ... I'm making that a word). 2) We did not touch the top of my thighs. I have a fair amount of dimpling there that bothers me. When I signed up to do this, I imagined we'd cover the entire front of my thighs. No matter how much improvement I get on what was done on the back and front of my thighs, I will still be covered in cellulite on the top front of my thighs and the interior/partial sides of my thighs. So, even if I get 100% improvement in the treated areas ... am I going to feel more comfortable in a bathing suit? I don't know. But it makes me very sad to realize I just spent $5,000 and may not ultimately feel more comfortable when in a bathing suit. Ugh ... those knees. I don't know what is needed (exercise? lipo? a leg lift?), but I'm motivated to really work out and do my best. I'm more embarrassed than ever seeing these photos. Enough about me. Back to today's procedure: Here's what I can say: The injection of the numbing solution is by far the worst part. It hurts but it works. Way less drainage today. WAY. Barely anything. I have no idea why. Also, I can already tell doing as much work near the knees as he did is going to be a more painful recovery. I felt it while he was doing the procedure and I feel it now. It hurts to bend my knees or walk. Hopefully, this will subside. I will see the doc in three days (Monday) and have been instructed to keep my medical-grade compression garment on for two weeks solid, followed by another two weeks in Spanx. I can't believe I'm posting these pictures. Mortified. At least I have a good heart, my health, healthy kids, a pretty face and a blessed life -- if life was measured by body appearance, I'd be as distortedly unhappy as I'm feeling today. ;) Updated on 19 May 2012: Day 5 of Procedure 1 (backside) / Day 2 of Procedure 2 (frontside): Oh my goodness ... the PAIN. Yesterday (Friday) I had my knees done. On Tuesday, I had the back of my thighs done. I had no pain (just soreness) with the first procedure. But ... I can not BELIEVE the pain I'm in with my right knee especially. It hurts to bend it, extend it or walk. It hurts to sit down or get up. It hurts when I'm just laying down. I'm caring for our toddler on my own today and this was not a good idea. I can barely hold him and getting up and down any stairs is beyond painful ... I'd say a "6-7" on the universal 0-10 pain scale. I can deal with soreness, but this is downright PAIN. I can not walk normally. I am very swollen at the knees. I'm hoping this will fade in time and nothing was done to damage any of my knee. The left one is just tolerably sore. The right knee -- well, something feels wrong. I see the doc on Monday for post-op. We'll see how much better I am by then. Feels like it needs ice and elevation. I mean, I can barely move the thing without wincing. A bit disheartened here. Updated on 2 Jun 2012: 2 Weeks Post-Op The good news: The bruises are fading, but are still there. I'm still pretty sore, but no longer in any pain. The incisions are healing nicely. The bad news: Still a little swollen. And ... I see absolutely no improvement. None. Many people see an immediate improvement in the more pronounced dimples they had pre-Cellulaze. Not me. I am very disappointed. I have looked at my before pictures and then looked in the mirror. It all looks the same to me. I saw my doctor yesterday, pointed out all the dimpling that still remains, and he said, "Yes, I noticed that when you stood up after the procedure. I noticed that they were still there and I didn't expect them to be. What that tells me is that your "dimples" are not really "dimples" (or else they would have responded to the bands being cut by the laser), so your appearance of dimpling must be a result of sagging skin." Needless to say, this is something i would have loved to have heard BEFORE I spent $5K and put myself through the process and recovery. Now, maybe this is something a doctor can not tell until s/he gets in there and does the treatment, but it seems to me that a huge part of a doctor's job is assessing who will be a good candidate for any given procedure. The doctor attempted to reassure me that he still believes that we'll see some significant improvement from the skin tightening that occurs around the 3-6 month post-op time frame. And perhaps we will. But ... I signed up to get those rid of those dimples. That's what they were selling. And that I see no immediate improvement anywhere has me doubting how much of an improvement I will see with final results. So disappointing -- as you can see from my before shots, it looks like I have tons of standard cellulite dimples -- dimples that are pitted dimples, alongside all the saggy skin. I'm left wondering: - is the doctor correct? Are my dimples not clinically dimples, but saggy loose skin? - is the doctor incorrect? And perhaps am I still dimpled because he's newer to the procedure and didn't go after that area correctly/aggressively enough? Honestly, I just don't want to think about it anymore. There is nothing I can do about it. I chose to go with a physician that I was aware did not have a lot of experience. And I can't do one thing to impact the results from here on out. I was very much looking forward to that "some immediate improvement" that's always mentioned regarding Cellulaze for an upcoming beach trip in July. Given the fact that my dimples remain as deep and prominent as they did pre-procedure, I have a feeling I'm going to be looking pretty much the same as I did pre-op. Time will tell. For now, even though the doc said I could switch to Spanx for the next two weeks, I'm finding I'm more comfortable/secure in the garment. When it's off, it feels like my skin is going to fly off or detach at any moment! :) Just a weird sensation. I hope to start exercising again this week and plan to stop looking in the mirror at it. I certainly wish you all good results. My two cents? Soreness, bruising, swelling and this lasting numb sensation are no small thing. If you are going to invest your time, money and weeks of discomfort, go with the most experienced doctor you can find so you don't second guess it in the rear view mirror. Hoping to post a much happier update in 2.5 months. Updated on 6 Jun 2012: Really quick -- I realize that in my last update, I posted that "I chose to go with a physician that I was aware did not have a lot of experience." I should absolutely clarify that my physician is a very experienced and regarded plastic surgeon with over 20 years of body contouring experience in liposuction, etc. He just has not had much experience with Cellulaze or the Smart Lipo Triplex. Updated on 18 Jun 2012: ONE MONTH POST-OP REVIEW: I met with my doctor a few days ago. It'd been 4 weeks since my procedure and I'd felt that I'd seen absolutely no improvement. I was feeling fairly discouraged, especially on the heels of my last post-op appointment (see former review). Well, this time ... he took some post-op pictures. I'm so glad he did, as I truly felt there had been no change. While not the striking difference I'd hoped for by now, there does appear to be some smoothing (especially my left thigh) and I concede (gladly) that the dimples that remain (which I'm not happy about at all) are at the very least, visibly more shallow. At least I think they are. Or am I grasping for straws here? ;) I know we've been told to wait three months for full results. I was so disappointed to not have any "initial improvement or smoothing" that so many report. But, perhaps I actually *have* had some initial improvement that is just very subtle, especially in light of my loose skin, etc. I'd appreciate any feedback on whether or not you happen to notice any difference. Tomorrow, I should get my 4-week post-op photos of the front and will post as well. I will see my doc in another 4 weeks, take another round of photos and post them then. Really hoping that while the dimpling wasn't cured, at 3-months post op I'll be smoother and tighter. Updated on 23 Aug 2012: I am 14 weeks post-procedure. I waited the full 3 months (plus a few weeks) before posting my "Was It Worth It?" response. For me? No. Not by a long shot. While I'm sure I've had some mild improvement (I'll have to go back into my doc for some "after" shots), to the naked eye ... just looking in the mirror as opposed to comparing before and after shots ... the change has been minimal. Areas that were dimpled before are still dimpled. Perhaps a bit shallower, but the cellulite remains. The all over look is not a significant "smoothing" as shown in Cynosure's "before and after" photos. At all. What I wish I knew beforehand? - That 3.5 months later my legs (front and back) would be significantly discolored. - That 3.5 months later my legs (front and back, but mostly the front) would still be quite tender. - That 3.5 months later my legs would still have a numbness sensation ... in some areas, quite a bit. I took a risk. I went with a well regarded and seasoned plastic surgeon with years of liposuction experience who was honest about his relative INexperience with Cellulaze and the "smart lipo triplex." My guess is the two things that contribute most to my lack of results are: 1) My physician's lack of experience with this particular technique 2) Perhaps I was not a good candidate for the procedure, but due to my physician's lack of experience ... he could not easily identify this. (Meaning, the cause of my cellulite or type of cellulite might be due to factors not helped or altered by the Cellulaze surgery. My doctor is a nice man, a good man, and I don't fault him. I love that he is not one of those sleazy cosmetic derms who runs a surgical mill and is so transparently driven by profit. I love that he is also a well regarded plastic who serves at our local Children's Hospital. I also would have loved some results ... BUT ... I'm a grown up and made the choice to do the procedure. I was a perfect patient in terms of my compression garment, follow up care and I've even lost a few pounds and have been exercising more. So ... I fault myself for going with an inexperienced physician and also ... not waiting for a season to pass to watch reviews come in on Real Self so I didn't spend $5,000 that we really (honestly) didn't have to ultimately end up with discolored legs that I'm embarrassed of. My legs are worse off from than before (due to the underlying bruising or WHATEVER this pigment is), but I am trusting that their discolored appearance is transient and that by next summer, hopefully, it will have faded and returned to normal. I long for my legs to no longer be tender. I long for the strange numbness sensation to fully subside. I long to rid every reminder that I made this choice. The ugly, patchy, discoloration is ALL OVER my upper legs and man ... is it unsightly. What can I say? Live and learn. I had ugly legs covered in cellulite before. I have ugly, discolored legs covered in cellulite now. You know what I also have? Two functioning legs that are otherwise strong and have taken me walking, running, hiking, swimming, bike riding, dancing and surfing (for the first time!) this summer. So, I choose to focus on gratitude for two strong (but -- UGLY) legs that get the job done. I hope they serve me just as well for the next 41 years! ;) But was it worth it? Hell no! :) Best to you all.
One week away: EEK Taking the plunge for a BL with augmentation. Still pretty private about it, aside from my PS, GP, and one friend (only because my doctor won’t let me take an Uber home or spend the night by myself.) Haven’t even told family. I have a co-parenting schedule, so have a few days of recovery before child comes home & hope to be able to hide it. Struggling with the optics (literally & figuratively) of it all. I was always larger-breasted for my frame (hereditary), so they were never perky (also hereditary). Was about a 32C thru my 20s, when I became a D/DD. My mother struggled with deflation & sagging for as long as I can remember, so I always knew it would be an issue someday. Then nursing & weight loss (gained/lost 50 lbs after an injury) made it all bit certain. The shape & size has changed a lot over the last year or so (even though I got measured again last year, my PS says I'm definitely not a D cup anymore), so I'm doing it now before the sagging/deflation gets too far along. And it's easier to recover in quarantine anyway. Struggling with how it feels so vain & extravagant for me to do (mind you, I felt guilty the first time I got house-cleaning & got an earful from my mom, too.) BUT, last Christmas, I mentioned the sagging to her & SHE was the one who brought up the BL: “If you’ve ever thought about doing it & you have the means, you should.” I can tell she wishes she had. So here I go! ???? Still not entirely sure I know what I’m doing or what I’ll be getting, despite looking at ~500 boobs online (my phone’s photo album makes me look like an absolute pervert.) Appreciate any tips you have on how you came to a clear vision & communicate that with your doctor! PS. I'm about 8-10 lbs heavier than normal (I tried to fight it, but the holidays + quarantine creep got me. Have been fluctuating all year!) Also makes me a bit nervous: what this downtime will do to the bulge & what losing it again will do to the boobs! Updated on 21 Aug 2020: ”It has been a privilege playing with you” [queue Titanic string quartet] Updated on 29 Aug 2020: Thanks to this app & all of your stories, I’ve been prepared for the emotional roller coaster of the last couple days. While my PS and surgical staff were great, the recovery period is no joke (my implant is under the muscle & that muscle pain is REAL.) I couldn’t even lie flat on my back without horrible muscle cramps until last night (still there but bearable) And seeing my boobs for the first time at my post-op appointment (Day 2) – well, I know not everyone loves theirs straightaway since they’re not in final condition. I didn’t love mine at all. In fact, I was so overwhelmed with regret I thought I was going to pass out, I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. (I mean, there’s really nothing left to do but pray the next few weeks away & hope things turn up.) I felt like I’d gone from one type of mom boob to another – they were super full like when I was nursing, but didn’t have as much lift & perkiness as I’d expected. I’d asked for a more natural look – I didn’t want fem-bot boobs & always liked my original breasts, so just wanted to restore them but with extra lift since I never experienced perkiness as a big-breasted teenager. I even remember joking with my doctor about not being able to hold a pen underneath them. So I’ve been staring at them a lot the last 24 hours since my post-op. Already there’s a difference, with the swelling going down. They are looking more natural, but do wish there was more lift – even just a quarter or half inch. My doctor did say some of the emptiness at the bottom of the right boob may sort itself out or we may take care of it in his office. So I’m crossing fingers & praying we get closer to wish pics with each day. I know it’s still an improvement from before, in a way, but I still could’ve lived with my girls. By doing this surgery, I wanted to experience perkiness while I’m still young in a way I never had before. (Oh and ps, the post-surgery bloat is real, too!! I think that’s also throwing things off) PPS – I ended up with 255ccs in each breast Updated on 12 Mar 2021: So first lesson learned: Trust your gut. The reviews I read here all say to wait a couple week. And I think that’s correct for most patients. But unfortunately in my case, my first impression of the results ended up being final. My results still looked saggy & the shape of my breasts (which I loved!) ended up being much wider & generally just a lot. Not at all the cute, perky results I expected. And then I developed capsular contracture early on, but it wasn’t really acknowledged until a follow up visit on January. The response I received after my surgery & thru January was, well let’s just wait besides you can’t do anything for a year anyway. But when I sought second opinions following my last PS visit, several surgeons told me I didn’t need to wait a year & they generally had the same assessment of what was going wrong (capsular contracture, too much skin from my nipple to fold, wrong type of implants, anchor should have been used vs lollipop, etc.) So, after 3 consultations of what a revision would look like, I decided to work with a surgeon here in San Francisco. These are his before photos – next review is on the revision ????????????
I am patiently waiting on my transformation that happens on May 30th! I’m so excited and nervous and can’t wait to shop for new bras and to have full breasts again. My daughter is 12 now and I never thought I’d actually go through with boob job but I seriously got tired of looking at these saggy breasts and my husband is excited too. I will keep you guys posted on my progress! Updated on 30 May 2018: I got my front zip bras today and taking pics of the girls before surgery, I’m seriously going through a range of emotions and having a lot of anxiety right now. My husband can’t contain his excitement for the new boobs. I can’t wait to see how they look but dreading the discomfort and pain afterwards. Wish me luck! Here’s a few photos of me in the sports bra I bought for after surgery and a tank top I can’t wait to try on after some swelling has gone down. Updated on 31 May 2018: My PS decided that 270 was best for my frame and although I’m in serious discomfort and moderate pain right now, I truly like what I’m seeing. Can’t wait until the swelling goes down and they start to drop Updated on 2 Jun 2018: Updated on 7 Jun 2018: They’re starting to drop, they’re smaller than I thought they’d be but I’m totally ok with it and love them more and more every day. I can’t wait to go bikini shopping! Updated on 23 Jun 2018: I am so happy that I can sleep on my sides now and my range of movement is at about 90 percent now, they’re still kinda stiff but starting to drop. Updated on 27 Sep 2018: I’m so happy with how my breasts look. They look so natural and fit my frame well, I am now wearing a 32C and in some brands a 32D. I don’t obsess over them as much as I did at first and now they totally feel like a part of me. I love the way I look in my tops and I’m actually filling my bra cups now, it’s awesome! Updated on 28 Sep 2018: Has anyone tried savage x fenty bras by Rihanna? I have about 2 so far and they make the girls look so good, they’re pretty good quality and pretty comfy too! I will definitely be buying more in the future.
I have always had a hooded upper lid that I disliked and as I got older it bothered me more. I had been getting Botox for a few years to elevate my brow and using Japanese double eyelid tape, but was growing tired of having to rely on these costly methods. I decided that for my 40th birthday I was ready to take the plunge and invest in an upper lid blepharoplasty. I am currently three days post op and waiting for the swelling to subside. One eye is more swollen than the other.
Four weeks after getting the first of two planned treatments I look worse than when I started. My face is bloated, saggy and the area under my eyes is baggy, discolored, red and puffy. On day two I developed a staph infection. I only hope my face returns to the way it looked before treatment but have grave doubts as I enter the fifth week. Many of the sun spots are already returning. I honestly see no improvement; only a face that looks ten to fifteen years older than before treatment. The doctor is responsive, professional and caring. Nevertheless the truth is I look much worse and regret every day I did this. I try to not look in a mirror at all and just go about my day keeping busy. What a disaster. Updated on 30 Oct 2013: It is now six years after that miserable laser experience that was exacerbating by getting a staph infection at Dr. Cedar's office. I would never do it again! Besides taking a year to truly heal the results were disappointing. A year ago I had a full facelift including browlift and upper lower eyes. At the same time my surgeon did a chemical peel. While I experienced a much longer recovery than others getting similar surgery without the peel - some surgeons think the peel should never be done simultaneously - the results are terrific! My skin is smooth and 95% of the sunspots are completely gone. Yes, I had a lot of swelling that lasted at least six months (that must be the way my face reacts to trauma as well as salt and sugar on a regular basis). I would recommend the chemical peel to anyone getting a facelift. Then it is all healed and over with at the same time. From here on I am just going in for "upkeep" with Botox and fillers around my mouth. Soon I will get some sort of spot treatment for the few sun spots that have returned despite staying out of the sun. I intend to maintain regularly all this time consuming expensive work so that I never again have to do surgery or a whole face peel. I will be 70 in January. Updated on 30 Oct 2013: My previous post failed to say I had a BREAST LIFT as well as implants. Updated on 14 Feb 2014: I hate to face another surgery but the displacement is getting worse even though I have been wearing support bras nonstop. The displaced breast is uncomfortable and at times aches. The scar leans to the side as well. The nipple points doen and out compared with other breast pointing slightly up and straight ahead. The nipple is now over one inch lower than the other side and the scar for some reason is worse than the other one. It is unthinkable to go in for another revision but this is untenable. I am forced to wear tape over my nipples so the uneveness of the nipples is less noticeable. I am going to the doctor I almost chose first. I hope he can fix this but worry it will get even worse as he tries to deal with scar tissue and blood supply issues. And I will be paying about the same- again! - as the first surgery if he has to revise both breasts (and perhaps go submuscular this time) in order to get best result.Nevertheless I will screw up the courage to go in for a consult. Here's hoping...! Have I learned anything? Yes. Choose you REVISION surgery carefully. Revision is much more complex to prove it. My doctor said he did. Obviously, he did not.
You raise several issues. In terms of safety, age 18 for surgery is not at any higher risk than another age. In fact, age 18 is typically associated with excellent health. In any event, I ask all of my patients to see their family doctor for "medical clearance," that is, for their own doctor to certify that the patient is in good enough health to undergo surgery. Breast reduction is done under general anesthesia, that is, asleep, and we use only board-certified MD anesthesiologists. Modern anesthesia techniques are almost always safe for healthy patients, but having surgery is rather like driving a car on the freeway--we almost always get there in perfect health, but there is always a tiny, tiny risk of bad things happening. Most plastic surgeons have never had a patient die from surgery.Another issue--a B cup breast rarely is a candidate for a breast reduction. Now the bra manufacturers don't all agree on sizing. If you buy bras from 5 different companies, they are likely to be different bra sizes by the numbers. So it may be that your daughter, with her bra being too small, simply needs a different size bra, rather than surgery.. It may be worth going to a store that has employees who are experienced at sizing and asking them to recommend a bra. Certainly you could go to a plastic surgeon to get an opinion, but a department store or lingerie store may be simpler and perhaps cheaper.Many, many patients with large breasts find that their back feels better after breast reduction surgery, but it is not a certainty.
It depends on how full the surgeon's schedule is at the particular time, and that will vary depending on time of the year. In our practice it can be from 2 weeks to 3 months. The insurance company may place an arbitrary time limit, for example saying that the authorization is good for only 3 months.
