Gregory Ruff, MD

I have met with several plastic surgeons to discuss breast implant removal followed by a breast lift from Southern California ( where I once lived) to the Raleigh/Durham area. Someone recommended Dr.Ruff to me , I called and made an appointment for a consultation. His office manager spoke to me at great length during the call. When I met Dr. Ruff during my consultation I knew with in 15 minutes he would be the surgeon of my choice. Dr. Ruff Is kind, compassionate and caring. He is an artist and it shows in his cosmetic work. I am 3 days post op from having breast implant removal, breast lift and a mini tummytuck, the job he did is beautiful. I have been a nurse for 26 years and have seen a lot of work done on patients and Dr. Ruff far exceeds any of it. The office staff is excellent, just as caring and kind as Dr. Ruff. I had a great experience and will continue to visit his office for any skin care needs I may have. Thank You Dr. Ruff for for such a beautiful job.

Dr. Ruff and his team are top notch. They are professional, skilled and compassionate. The care and perfection given by Dr. Ruff and his entire staff is exemplary. He has an artist’s eye and the precision that you want when it comes to your face and body. I am absolutely thrilled at the results from my procedure and would recommend him without hesitation

Simply the best in the business. As a male I highly recommend Dr. Ruff. I have undergone several procedures and have always been truly and extremely happy with the results. Hope you consider him for a consult.

I've always been slim, but because of my heredity had a pouch belly, even before having kids. No matte what I did I couldn't get rid of it. Liposuction was the answer and made all the difference. . .even though I'm still kind of a square look, I have more definition to my tummy area and overall more feminine look.

Can't say enough great things about Dr Ruff and his staff. Dr Ruff truly cares and you can tell he loves what he does. He makes you feel like you're the only patient he has, is very open, and listens to your ideas. He has decades of experience and practice under his belt that I felt so calm before surgery. He's one of the best and most caring doctors I've ever been to. I'm very happy with the results of my explant and would highly recommend Dr Ruff.

I'd been considering breast augmentation for quite sometime. After having lost 95 lbs, my breasts were left looking "deflated" There was alot off loose skin and minimal volume. There were so many clothes I had still longed to wear ( sundresses, swimsuits, halter tops etc..) but I still felt uncomfortable. Strapless push up bras just wouldn't do the trick!

I had gone to another plastic surgeon for a face lift and, to his credit, he did not preform the procedure stating I did not need one. I saw Dr. Ruff on TV late one night and decided to give him a call. He told me I did not need a full blown face lift but he could see and understand why I felt I needed something done. He told me about the new he had just developed which was the equivalent to a mini or micro face lift. It takes about one to one and a half hours, it is minimally invasive, it did not require general anesthesia, it does not require cuts on your face, and your down time is 1-2 weeks. And the cost is a fraction of what a full blown face lift would be. I have no words to express how happy, thrilled, wonderful, great, relieved, impressed, etc., I felt at the results of the lift. I felt and looked like a million bucks. The procedure had knocked off ten years. People kept telling me how good and how well rested I looked. They could not tell that I had any face lift procedure done.

I spend a boat load of money on smartlipo about 5 years ago. I was told then that I was a better candidate for a TT, but I had made up in my mind that I would never undergo an invasive surgery experience. I was happy with the results then but 5 years later, I had put on a lot more weight. I started exercising with a personal trainer about 8 months ago and while I built muscle, was stronger, and lost a reasonable amount of weight, the tire around my waist just wasn't going anywhere. I went back to that same provider a few weeks ago hoping for retouch and this time he told me that smartlipo would not do anything for me. He gave me Dr. Ruff's name and number, I had a wonderful consult with him and his team, and I have a date scheduled for June 10th! I will post more pictures on the day of my surgery. Updated on 10 Jun 2015: I went in for my procedure at 8am and was home by 1:30pm today. I was very groggy and could not remember anything until about 3pm. I ate and took a Percocet at 2:30pm for pain and dozed on an off for an hour at a time. I immediately began with my fresh juices (kale, spinach, carrot, beets) and water, which sent me to pee every hour. Every time I went to pee, I walked a circle inside me house and then flexed my legs. I rented a lifting recliner which is amazing, even with a home health nurse. I'll be sleeping there a few days. My pain level was a 2 out of 10 (don't laugh or cough), until about 7, then it went up to a 7 out of 10. I ate spaghetti (no food restrictions), took 2 Percocet, and feel better now. My back is beginning to ache a bit but I've gotten relief from putting a pillow behind. I'm also trying a lot of homeopathic approaches Arnica, Bromelain, natural stool softener - not a laxative! The most incredible thing about my PS. He uses a barbed, no tension suture and NO DRAINS! He called personally to check on me around 7ish pm. I will shower tomorrow and post pics then! Updated on 16 Jun 2015: Having a few mixed feelings.... My recovery has been almost too easy. I've not not had any pain or needed any meds since Day 3, slept in my own bed last night for the first time (still with lots of pillows) and made it out this morning for a hair appointment. No bruising. No major swelling. I was able to do about 4-5 hour of office work from home the last 2 days without any difficulty. The no drain thing is amazing. My 5-year old granddaughter gently sat in my lap this afternoon. Now the complaints.... The compression socks are irritating. I still can't drive yet. My major physical woe is this dull, annoying, chronic back pain that is most likely due to me still only being able to stand up with about a 5% bend. Also, I seem to get winded very easily. Again, probably due to the bend. I engage in a lot of Lamaze-like deep breathing to get me through. Did I mention the backache? Now the worries... Could he have pulled me tighter? Why do I still have some loose skin? Why didn't I insist on getting lipo to sculpt my flanks? I don't want to pay for that separately, have another procedure, and have more downtime. Why does my belly button look so pitiful? I try to remind myself that I only wanted a semblance of a normal figure - which I can clearly see when I have clothes on. I haven't seen my belly button in 25 years so why does it matter now? I try to remind myself that I know it will get better over the weeks. Tomorrow is my 1 week follow up. I also have my first lymphatic massage scheduled to help speed of the rest of the healing. The pictures below are at day 1 postop, so I get that I'm still swollen. Will post more pictures at my 1 week. Updated on 25 Jun 2015: I went back to work parttime at day 8 and fulltime (a desk job) at day 11. I was still wearing some light spanx during the day, until today. I am pretty flat in the mornings and can stand up pretty straight. Then I start to swell slightly in the afternoons and I start walking with a slight bend. No pain, just weird. The area around my belly button is still very numb. I have gotten 2 lymphatic massages, which are wonderful. So far, I'm estatic about my side profile but bummed about my love handles. I think my PS did a fabulous job with my TT. But... I know that have fat in my flanks and without lipo or something, I honestly don't think I will happy with the front silhouette even once the swelling goes down. I don't want to wait 6 months to follow up with something else. I see so many other pictures where the lipo was safely done with the TT and say, why not me? But then I try to convince myself that if I had gotten more done or with a PS that does do lipo with the TT, I may have had drains and my recovery would not have been nearly as perfect. I've read all the PS's replies to others with the same concerns and they keep saying, wait 3 months, 6 months, etc for the swelling to go down or to have lipo done after the fact. The truth is, many of us are spending almost $10K or more to finally fix our wrecked bodies years or decades after the fact. We want the money, pain, and recovery to be a one shot deal that feels worth it.

Weight loss & gain due to eating habits & pregnancy my boobs are worn out. They used to be high Ds & now they're flat Vs that need a lift. I've decided to go big or go home, since I'm getting a lift might as well get them back to the size of their former glory as well. I used to think implants were so ridiculous and a waste of money. But after my boobs have hit the floor I have learned to be a lot less judgmental. Do you, and be happy! I don't owe anyone an explanation, I'm going to stop apologizing for the decisions I'm making. I'm also getting a tummy tuck done at the same time, I have a separate review for that since the decision came @ separate times. I'm going to rock these boobs with no shame in my game! As of right now I'm going with 400cc silicone implants, will see what happens when they go in there. They will order some slightly bigger and smaller Updated on 26 Mar 2015: I have been 34 D, 34 DD when I gained weight or was pregnant. Now my boobs are so deflated and droopy. I don't want stripper boobs or to look cartoonish but I would like large breast as I've had them naturally before and was to achieve that look again. When I told my PS to make me a D/DD again he explained that cup size is not very reliable and varies by manufacturer. Its very subjective, plus most people are wearing the wrong size bra anyway. He wanted me to bring in wish pics so I have been all over Realself looking for the "Dream" lol. I was wearing a DD bra I have at my consultation with was great because when I was trying on implants I could see which one filled the bra up to its former glory :-). Anyway, I found this information on the net about size and playing with size that I would helpful so here it is: THE RICE TEST Take a knee-high stocking and fill it with rice. For starters, try 300 cc's or 350 cc's. (There are 30 cc's to an ounce, which means that 10 ounces is 300 cc's.) Use a measuring cup for accuracy. Flatten out the rice in the hose and place it inside your non-padded bra. What do you think? Add or subtract rice based on how it looks. Some women may prefer to use water in a Ziploc bag to get an idea of breast implant sizes. Allergan Inc., maker of the Natrelle collection of implants, offers a pre-consultation kit that includes sample implants and a profile bra to help women make these important choices about breast size before surgery. These are also ways to communicate your desires and expectations with your plastic surgeon. He or she will then try to meet these goals with an anatomically appropriate implant choice. Remember that volume refers solely to size, not breast shape. If your breasts have changed shape, a breast lift in conjunction with breast implants can help raise and firm your breasts. Updated on 26 Mar 2015: Having a large chest my whole life a lot of consideration goes into tops. No low back dresses, strapless, halter top or spaghetti straps. Why??? Well the breasts were large but never perky, even as a teen. So I had to make sure to wear the right engineered equipment. Also heavy breast that hang hurt the neck. So I had to make sure that all my bathing suits were bra top. Even one peice suits were a challenge if the breasts weren't supported. Strapless bras are a nightmare with all the weight of large saggy breasts. I can't tell you the embarrassment when the girls would pop out of a top or swim wear. Soon those days are over :-)! Updated on 30 Mar 2015: Today I purchased two inexpensive front open bras for after my breast augment. I also got some paper tape recommended by the realself Docs for scarring. only thing left is milk of magnesia or laxative and I should have everything the nurse recommended. well the paper tape I got all my own, I wanted to get something for scarring and looked at what people asked the Docs in the past and seems like paper tape is the way to go!?! Updated on 2 Apr 2015: I'm starting to have second thoughts about the implants. I definitely want the lift. I started thinking about the implants when I realize that I would probably be smaller. As a former D looking at maybe being a B I definitely wanted to be bigger than that. I a crunchy person, organic, national, non GMO excetera. How do I justify an implant in my body when I'm all about the natural. I feel like everything else in my life is about trying to remove chemicals (food/skin care/cleaning products), but the implants are these 2 round bags of chemicals. But I really really want them lol. I guess I have to decide if I'm willing to be a hypocrite to have amazing boobs? Sigh.... Updated on 6 Apr 2015: It's been nearly 5 months since my youngest decided she didn't want to breastfeed anymore and I'm still making milk. Not enough that my breasts are engorged obviously because they're flat as pancakes but if I were to give my nipples a squeeze I would still get some milk. I wonder if that's going to be a problem with the breast augment or if its normal to have some continual lactation. I've basically either been breastfeeding or pregnant for the last 4 years so maybe that's just my body's new normal. Side note I do not blame breastfeeding for my saggy boobs. Please breastfeed your children lol, I will probably end up with better breasts after all this work haha. I think the weight gain & the weight loss with the pregnancies and yoyo dieting was the main cause. Also pumping makes made my body produce more milk than naturally possible (46oz a day!) So I was constantly engorged then empty. That's my PSA :-) Updated on 8 Apr 2015: Hopefully this process will leave me with boobs that look like this! Updated on 8 Apr 2015: Updated on 9 Apr 2015: Paid for the process in full today! Now that is official I made done rice sizers. I'm thinking 400cc to big now. I like the way 350cc looks. Maybe go 375cc to account for the loss of tissue due to the lift. Updated on 21 Apr 2015: I am so excited about having pretty breasts soon! The time is just flying by. I think I'm most excited about the lift but when I start to get cold feet about the employer's I put it in the rice sizers with a nice dress and I get excited about the improvement and old cold feet are resolved. I feel like I'm prepared but there's still that anxiousness due to the unknown factors but everything that I can control for I have so nothing to do but pray and look forward to the light at the end results! Updated on 26 Apr 2015: Updated on 13 May 2015: Very happy w/ how the breasts turned out. I thought I was gonna get 400s but when I woke up my husband told me my PS put in 440s based on my wish pics. I'm glad too, perky and large without being "stripper" boobs. Updated on 15 May 2015: Worst part about all this is wrapping my breasts up high near the underarms. So painful, but I'm gonna do everything I've been instructed to do. PS said that it was necessary to keep implants from sitting to high. I can't do it all day, just here and there as tolerated. I can't say enough about dr.gregory ruff and his nurses, Kristy and Cindy. They are the best! Glad I went through with it all Updated on 17 May 2015: Never in my life have I had perky, it's awesome! Glad I had the lift and implants too or I'd be a small B or worse I'm sure. Anchor lift took a lot of skin/breast removal to get my saggy sad boobs in the right position. had a tummy tuck too so the nipple placement is higher than it looks on the pics because I'm bent over still. TT review separate, it came first then boob review because they were an after thought. Wearing ace wrap underarm like PS wants, he says this will keep them from looking "to high in the pocket" or "HP". They look HP now but hopefully with continued ace wearing they will look more moderate profile. I can only really see how big they are in a bikini top, I'm clothes they don't look perfect on my frame. Like medium/large youthful breasts. I love the size ;-)! Updated on 18 May 2015: Comparison Updated on 27 May 2015: Had my 2 wk checkup up, breasts healing well. I have a little raw area on one nipple that needs some neoprene but PS not concerned, neither am I. Implants still riding high, PS wants me to wear ace wrap tighter and use RN Kristy's sock suggestion. It does make it more comfortable so I'll do the sock/ace wrap when at home. I know I didn't wear ace wrap enough week one. PS likes to see progress at 2-3 wks then I don't have to wear ace wrap unless I notice implants riding up again. I'm willing to wear it as tight as I can stand so I can stop wearing the ace wrap! Now that I can see exactly what is my tissue and exactly where the implants are I feel like I could have gone without implants, what was left is a nice size. I'll reserve my final opinion for when the implants settle though. Either way I'm SO happy with the anchor lift & trying to be patient w/ the implants. I also had TT at the same time and the implants are the worst part of recovery. Finding tops high enough to hide the ace wrap has been a challenge. Trying to think long-term though, I know it will all be worth it. I'm hoping to look back on this whiney post in a year and say "girl you were tripn, look at these boobs!" ;-) Updated on 8 Jun 2015: Sized at Victoria ' s Secret, 32 DDD. I don't feel like I'm that large. I'm proportionate, my breasts don't overpower me. I do wonder what they would have looked like without implants. I feel like I retained a lot of breast. I got the implants because I thought I would go from a saggy C to a perky B (or worse) after the anchor lift.....far smaller than my former D. Afterwards I saw my PS was able to lift me and lots of boob remained. These implants up in my neck seems like lol, I know they gonna drop. Caring for them worse than TT, would have been painless process w/out them. Just wondering, still happy w/ results though. Looking forward to them dropping to really see what the deal is. Updated on 18 Jun 2015: Breasts healing great, incisions look great. Breast still not dropping. We gonna give it time, PS says worst case scenario we will go in & widen the pocket. No additional cost except supplies they use. Hopefully it won't come to that as I don't wanna start all over again. Fingers crossed! If he does have to go in I'd be tempted to go bigger, if they drop I'm happy right were I am. Updated on 22 Jun 2015: 6 wks, hope they'd drop on their own Updated on 28 Jul 2015: Hi! Not much to report. Implants still riding high. Will be ecstatic when they drop but until then wearing the wrap as much as I can stand. Breasts look so great wrapped ;-) keeps me motivated. My incisions look great, barely have a horizontal scar & gets better each month. Toodles Updated on 3 Sep 2015: Hello all, things are going well. Boobs dropping slowly but surely. Can't wait for next summer :-). I came across this myth vs. fact article from cracked. #4 is silicone breast implants. More proof of their safety. Here are some fresh pics as well. The tops are VS 34D that I bad to have like 2 days after surgery. Well I measure 34DD/32DDD so they are small. Have patience and wait before buying new items lol! Cheers!

Big step, date set! I can't believe I'm going to have a tummy tuck. I am the same weight as I was before the kids but I have a lot of excess wrinkly skin over my belly button. My skin just was not able to recover from the size of my children. It's a bummer but that's life. I'm looking forward to being an "AFTER". I worked so hard to lose the baby weight just to look at destruction in the mirror lol. Obviously my kids are worth it, I wish there was a way to avoid this. Somebody needs to invent an "anti-immigration tuck" cream to help you ride out the pregnancy better. Although I probably wouldn't use it anyway just in case there was a side effect to the baby. Anyway, I'll be working out, staying hydrated, praying and waiting for May to get here.................... Updated on 7 Jan 2015: Only my husband know that I'm having a TT. I don't know how to bring it up with my close family and friends. I feel that I will be judged for having an elective surgery especially since I did lose the baby weight and am back to my normal weight. I feel like people would understand more if I was larger, but this excess skin is no joke. The struggle is real lol. I have a lot to be thankful for, I am very happy. This is something I would like though to put the cherry on the sundae. Something for me.......and that makes me feel guilty too I think. Updated on 8 Jan 2015: I'm usually around 135 - 140 but clearly I've been cutting up over the holidays! The goal is to get down to 125 lbs before the TT so that the 6wks of inactivity won't negatively affect my GAINS in the gym! When I ate clean (google Tosca Reno & Oxygen Magazine) and lift heavy the flab doesn't have a chance. Updated on 12 Jan 2015: I have a week off from work in March were I could get the TT done but I'd barely have a week to recover before heading back to work. I chose May for the TT because I have the summer off to recover. Plus I' d have all those months to continue to eat right and be in great shape to see super results. Especially since my PS doesn't want to do lipo since he does the no drain/1 drain procedure. But there is that part of me that wants to get it done in March, grin & bare it at work so that I can be ready for the summer. Thoughts? Advice? March or May? Updated on 15 Jan 2015: I watched a TT surgery video here on Realself. Actually seeing the PS tighten the connective tissue around the muscle to make the pretty tiny TT waistline was amazing. My PS decided no lipo was necessary but most before and afters I've seen have some sort of lipo on the sides or abdominals. After watching the video I have no doubt that the muscle repair and removal of excess skin alone will produce the desired result. Excited :-) Updated on 8 Feb 2015: Slow and steady progress! Updated on 21 Feb 2015: So Valentine's weekend I put the diet on hold, had some wine... some cake etc. That would have been fine but I kept partying all week. And now I'm back to square one with my weight and feel like crap. I think part of the problem was that I stopped getting on the scale everyday....because you're not supposed to get on the scale everyday.....but when I know I've gotta answer to the scale ever morning I behave myself. On top of that I no longer have a ride to and from my TT :-p. My PS is 2 hrs away from my house. Plus my poor ride has to sit around for 5 hrs while I get beautiful then drive me back......It's a lot to ask. Ugh, discouraged...... Updated on 21 Feb 2015: TT veterans, how in the world am I supposed to sleep on my back after the TT? I've never been able to sleep on my back. I sleep on my sides, if I'm really really tired I may end up on my tummy. But I have never been able to sleep on my back successfully. Any tips for managing this after the abdominoplasty? Updated on 2 Mar 2015: So I try to eat healthy, I have good days and I have bad days. Red velvet cake for breakfast days. I'm no longer trying to cut 20 lbs before the TT. I'm going to do my best, and let Dr. Ruff earn his $$$ when when surgery date arrives lol....I'm gonna be fly even if I'm not 125 lbs on surgery day. Reality sucks, but I've got a great life no complaints. I'd be happier if I wasn't always so hard on myself so that's what I'm doing ;-). 2 fingers in the air lol Updated on 18 Mar 2015: I came across this video that went viral of a young man with excess skin after losing hundreds of pounds. My heart went out to him as I know all to well where he's coming from. Sometimes I think "should I really get this TT" "I could just invest in some nice one piece swim suits, it would be cheaper and a whole lot cheaper". I am happy with who I am and what I see I'm the mirror is one piece of a big puzzle. Could I love without the TT, of course! But I'm blessed to be able to be in a position to fix my loose skin. Check out the video, maybe a Realself.com PS would be able to help him out. http://www.upworthy.com/its-the-side-of-extreme-weight-loss-rarely-seen-but-thats-why-its-needed?c=ufb1 Updated on 22 Mar 2015: So I put on this cute jumper I bought bit didn't realize it had a large opening in the back. I'd need a clear bra, no bra is not an option. Boobs would be all over the place. I wonder if it would be easier to get boobs done at the same time as TT or if it'd be better to wait a year or so. I wonder if there is any discount to getting it all done at one time....... Updated on 25 Mar 2015: I've always had nice breasts, D cup, DD with weight gain. But now that I'm getting healthy and losing weight my boobs have deflated. I would say they are around a c-cup right now. And the PS was explaining that they might get even smaller with the lift because of how much skin he's going to have to remove. I do want a nice perky breasts with a lift but it would be nice to be back to the D or double D so we're going with the silicone implants 400 species. I'll start another review for the boobs and keep this one the tummy tuck Updated on 25 Mar 2015: So my pre-op was supposed to be over the phone in April, but since I was already there we went ahead and did it. I talked to my PS about concerns I had about this that and the other. My questions were answered thoroughly, I felt like I was his only patient today. He is very intelligent, so much so that he'd be intimidating if he wasn't such a sweety. I can't wait for my results, they are going to be amazing! The RN Kristie is great, during my photos she said she couldn't wait to get her hands on my tummy! And I wanted to say "well shoot let's do this then" lol. It's nice when people take pride in what they do, I'm so excited. Updated on 26 Mar 2015: Headed in the right direction, PS not doing lipo on flanks so I'm trying to be fit enough before surgery that I don't have luv handles. I've been 125 lbs before but my skin was so wrinkled and I still had a belly. I didn't know at the time that I could get the muscle repaired and skin removed. I was so defeated and gained the weight back. I figured if I was going to be unhappy with my body, I might as well be unhappy with my body with ice cream lol. but this time is different, this time I understand what happened to my body because of pregnancy and once my PS fixes it I'll be good to go. My PS says that he tightens the muscle until it squeaks, I almost squeaked with happiness when he said that :-) Updated on 5 Apr 2015: I can't believe that in a little over a month I'll have all this extra skin gone and be on the flat side :-). I'm not 125 but I'm done dieting. I'm happy with my shape at 130lbs/19.4% body fat and feel like I will get a great result. The goal was to make sure that I didn't have love handles after my tummy tuck and I'm confident that I won't now at my current body fat percentage. I'm going to focus now on continue to eat healthy and lifting heavy. If the scale goes up I'm fine with that because muscle weighs more than fat. I can see the finish line! Updated on 21 Apr 2015: holy smokes! 3 weeks away :-)! I'm going to get out the booklet they gave me, I remember there were things like no ibuprofen and green tea and things like that that I should avoid. I'm so nervous, don't want to accidentally do any of the things on the list. I can't believe I'm going to have this excess skin removed in 3 weeks :-)........... Updated on 25 Apr 2015: Still losing weight although not on purpose. Just eating clean and exercising. I'm aware it is important to eat enough calories/nutrients/vitamins a minimum of 3 wks prior to aid in recovery. I'm starting to see a lil ab definition. 12-15% body fat is were I've heard females have great ab definition. I've never been there so I'm not sure how accurate that is. Looking forward to getting this excess skin off to see were I really am. Getting my zinc and vitamin C up to aid in recovery. I installed an auto timer on my vegetable garden so I'm not out there trying to handle that while I'm recovering. I need to get laxatives to prevent constipation and extra pillows to put under the legs. Other than that I think I'm good. I've seen some people buy things to make using the restroom easier, not sure if that's something I'll regret not buying??? P.S not sure why realself downloads pics sideways sometimes....mybad Updated on 28 Apr 2015: Researching what to expect after TT, several people advise against getting on the scale after the procedure for a variety of reasons. I get on the scale often even though I know I shouldn't. So I'm giving my scale to a friend for safe keeping lol. Maybe for a couple months, maybe forever. Sometimes "willpower" is just not enough, sometimes you just have to set yourself up for success and take away hurdles. This is the same rational behind why I don't buy Oreos ;-). Every time I buy a bag to prove that I can just have a serving size and go about my business I eat the entire package. Gotta set myself up for success. So there will not be an update pics of me on a scale for a long long time. Would stepping on the scale and seeing a # under 125lbs make me crazy happy......heck to the yah....but instead of jumping on the scale I'm gonna take that time to focus on my blessings and be content/ grateful. Updated on 4 May 2015: I know I'm going through with the surgery but I'm starting to get nervous now. I find myself talking myself out of it. I'm looking at cute one piece bathing suits online! If I get a bunch of great one piece suits nobody would even see my extra skin. And how often am I in a bathing suit! I never show my mid drift any other time. I could get some spanks and hide the extra skin in form fitting outfits anyway. Summer is only 2 months out of the whole year. I'm to old to be in half shirts. I could get away with all this extra skin and saggy boobs. I could invest in better bras. And do I really wanna be so skinny? Wouldnt I be happier not exercising, and eating ice cream, french fries, cookie dough, eggrolls and chocolate chip pancakes everyday? why does everything delicious have to make you fat? With my first pregnancy I tore and it sucked. Worst part of the whole labor, and that was only like a inch or 2. TT scar is like 18 inches!?! Holy macaroni !?! And I only have like 6 pain pills, my PS must really have faith in my pain tolerance. Have mercy! I was that kid that climbed down off the diving board ladder instead of jumping, I feel like I'm looking down at the water on the diving board......and wondering if this is such a good idea...... Updated on 12 May 2015: Ok, couldn't help it. Got back on the scale 125.2 lbs ;-). Today is the big day, thank you all for your advice and encouragement. I feel very prepared thanks to you guys and Realself.com! Keep me in your prayers! Updated on 13 May 2015: Please look at scar, It looks crazy high I'm in tears. My abdomen is very hard and tight, do you think maybe incision will drop as it becomes softener? Sucks because everything else if perfect. Perfect hooded belly button! No drains to worry about is awesome. The way dr.ruff uses the barbed suture makes that there is no tension on the incisions. Which means I don't have to bend over,2 day and I'm nearly upright. I do t have to wear binder if I don't want to. Wear it anyway though. Updated on 15 May 2015: My scar placement is much higher than I wanted but I'm feeling a lot better about it. First, my PS is literally a genius. He was a professor at Duke, he conducts evidence based peer-reviewed medical research. In fact, there was a PhD student watching my surgery. So I'm sure there is an excellent reason behind his choice. Perhaps I didn't have enough quality skin to go lower. I do remember mentioning to him that I didn't want a vertical scar that sometimes is necessary for TT patients my size. So maybe he got in there and had few choices. Especially since he gave me everything else I wanted. My belly button is already beautiful so I can't imagine how it will look in a year. All my extra skin is gone and a flat wrinkle free tummy remains :-)! I have had little to no pain, only soreness like I did a million crunches. Only pain comes from ace wrapping the breasts (see breast aug. profile). Now that I've had the TT I'm having a hard time comparing myself to others because Dr. Ruff uses a no - tension barbed closure technique which he invented (I know, he's a Rockstar). I'll just wait and be patient. All things considered I am happy with how things are going. I would definitely choose my current body with a high scar placement to all that excess skin. So glad I didn't have to deal with a drain either! Updated on 15 May 2015: Updated on 17 May 2015: Has anyone done the lymphatic massage? Worth it or waste of time? Updated on 18 May 2015: I ice off & on all day and am taking ibuprofen for the anti-inflammatory properties but at this stage in the game I'm still quite swollen. It's not even a week yet though so to be expected. I think there is always that hope that you're the one person that doesn't swell and just steps out of surgery looking like a 1 yr post op lol. At least I'm still an AFTER :-D! I must be good and swollen because I didn't have love handles pre-op (lost 20lbs pre-op to make sure of it) and I have them now. Updated on 18 May 2015: Updated on 20 May 2015: Everything looking great, PS happy with how everything is healing. I'm happy with how everything is healing. TT Scar already dropping, belly button scars are hidden so there are non visible. Same for breasts, healing great. The no-tension barbed suture closure is amazing. Looking this great at 1 wk I know I'm gonna he ridiculous in a year. I didn't get refill on pain meds, haven't taken them in days. Only taking ibuprofen for the swelling, which is getting better everyday. PS injected the muscles and incisions with pain meds during the surgery which I think aided in my comfort level during the first week. Updated on 27 May 2015: Had my 2 wk checkup and everything is looking great. I'm swollen but that is to be expected. Dr. Ruff does a no-tension closure with the barbed sutures he invented. The incisions look "raised" and slowly flatten, putting no tension on the incisions which allows for them to have an optimal environment to heal. He places the incision at the natural bend in the abdomen as well to reduce pull & stain. Ideally it will result in a nearly invisible scar. I'm excited to see it in a year, still very early yet. Updated on 3 Jun 2015: http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2015/06/02/nypd-maryland-woman-dies-after-botched-butt-injections/ Silicone injected into buttock, woman gurgle & struggled to breath. Doctor fled scene & left her to die, still on the run....... Updated on 8 Jun 2015: 4 wks and feeling great. Can sleep in normal positions, moving around with ease. I am working hard not to lift things, paranoid not to mess up muscle repair. Has been more difficult than I anticipated because I have young children but I have been working around my limitations. Looking forward to working out! When I'm able to lift whatever I want I know I'll feel 100%. I wear Spanxs w/ corset, I love how the support makes me feel. Probably continue that for a while. Looking forward to seeing my results after swelling is gone. Very happy with current results. Updated on 18 Jun 2015: PS says no more binders/ compression garments. Only time and nature will get the swelling down. Incision looks great, no tension closure still raised to keep no tension on incision. He said it should be smoothed at next checkup, by then tension will not affect scar healing. I switched from neosporen to silicone gel/ vitamin e although PS says no topical ointment necessary. It makes me feel like I'm doing something to help. I was cleared to workout and do everything I was doing pre surgery! I worked out today, so glad to be back exercising. Updated on 22 Jun 2015: I didn't have love handles b4 the surgery, thats swelling. Incision looks great, still raised to keep tension off it but will start flattening out soon. It is already starting to and there is virtually no scar. Patiently watching the progress, looking back at the b4 pics helps a lot! Hitn the gym too, you have to take personal responsibility for your success as well. The plastic surgery is a tool, not magic. you can't sit back and not be proactive. I'm eating clean again as well. Updated on 28 Jul 2015: The no-tension stitches have devolved and my incision looks great. I anticipate not having a scar at all in a year. I was freaked out at first because my incision seemed higher than most but if there is no scar who cares were it is. It is so very very thin, pic doesn't do it justice. I gained weight on vaca and noticed a bulg above my belly button. Getting on track again, eating and exercising like before. Dr.Ruff does not like to do lipo @ same time as TT so I've gotta do "gym-po" to get it right, get it tight lol ;-)! I'm so happy, before I had f I much redundant skin and now it's gone! This time I slim down I'll be able to see the results. TTYL RealSelf!