POSTED UNDER Drainless Tummy Tuck Reviews
Tummy Tuck
UPDATED FROM LivingHealthy61
1 year post
8 months post revision
WORTH IT
My scar from the revision is healing very nicely. The scar itself is light and there's very little pink left surrounding the scar. It is not raised like the original scar was. I couldn't be happier with the quality of scar compared to what it was before I had the revision. My scar was hypertrophic before the revision.
It's been over a year and a half since the original surgery. I have maintained my weight well. I love my tummy every day. I couldn't be happier with my results. I'm still very tight. I have absolutely no excess fat when standing.
I just turned 56. My next project will be my face at some point in the future. I went for an evaluation with a different plastic surgeon. She said that I have beautiful skin and that I did not have enough sagging or enough volume loss to warrant any procedures at this time. That really made my day! I have taken really good care of my skin my whole life and it has paid off. So for now, I'm just doing a little Botox in my brows and a small amount of filler around my nasolabial folds. I'm sure by the time I turn 60 I will need some work and this gives me time to save for future renovations!
It's been over a year and a half since the original surgery. I have maintained my weight well. I love my tummy every day. I couldn't be happier with my results. I'm still very tight. I have absolutely no excess fat when standing.
I just turned 56. My next project will be my face at some point in the future. I went for an evaluation with a different plastic surgeon. She said that I have beautiful skin and that I did not have enough sagging or enough volume loss to warrant any procedures at this time. That really made my day! I have taken really good care of my skin my whole life and it has paid off. So for now, I'm just doing a little Botox in my brows and a small amount of filler around my nasolabial folds. I'm sure by the time I turn 60 I will need some work and this gives me time to save for future renovations!
Replies (4)
August 4, 2015
Looking great, Suz! I totally agree that your scar looks much better than the previous scar! Great that you've been able to maintain your weight! I'm up a few pounds but thankfully it doesn't show. I no longer have that tight feeling and I still have excess skin rolls when sitting. Still, I have no regrets. For an old broad I don't look too bad (below the neck). I have seen two surgeons about a FL and will be seeing a third one tomorrow. Not sure yet wether I dare to actually do it! I'm so scared about a possible botched job that it might be better just to leave my face as is and learn to accept these horrible age-related changes to my body!
August 5, 2015
Hi BBNM, So great to hear from you! Yes you do look great, I aim to be fit and trim like you when I'm in my 60's too! Not so very far off now.
If you are a bit scared about the face lift then you probably haven't found the right surgeon yet or you are just not ready to do it. I'm not sure how I will feel when I get to that point. It is a really big surgery in terms of how you will feel about your looks afterwards. With a tummy tuck you can hide it under your clothes. I believe that if you have an experienced surgeon you can feel confidant that he or she will do a proper job. That being said, it's really more of an emotionally charged surgery than any other I can think of. Good luck with your decision.
If you are a bit scared about the face lift then you probably haven't found the right surgeon yet or you are just not ready to do it. I'm not sure how I will feel when I get to that point. It is a really big surgery in terms of how you will feel about your looks afterwards. With a tummy tuck you can hide it under your clothes. I believe that if you have an experienced surgeon you can feel confidant that he or she will do a proper job. That being said, it's really more of an emotionally charged surgery than any other I can think of. Good luck with your decision.
August 5, 2015
Another concern I have about the FL is going into hiding for almost a month as apparently it can take that long before all bruising is gone and incisions to fade. Don't want others to know that I'm as vain as I am!! I wasn't impressed with the facial surgeon who I consulted yesterday so I'm no closer to making a decision. I might be better off spending all that money on travelling and enjoying myself. Decisions, decisions!!
August 5, 2015
I know! it's always a struggle when we're talking this big chunk of change :) I am giving myself another year or so to reconsider it and find a few otehr surgeons. I love my surgeon but he's getting old and I'm really concerned about his hands - it appeared slightly shaky this last consult and I certainly want very steady hands cutting up my face!
August 5, 2015
We love you too SuzyQ!! I think the scar revision for me is a no brainer - it can't really get worse. So I am inclined to give it a shot plus a bit of lipo since I'm there already. :)
UPDATED FROM LivingHealthy61
1 year post
4 months, more pictures
My scar is doing well this time around. I'm healing nicely. My incision line has dropped to 3 1/8" below my belly button. I'm hoping for another 1/4". Massage is helping to soften the area and reduce the tightness I feel when I suck in my stomach or stretch. The PS placed anchor stitches below the incision to keep it from rising. I'm not using anything on the scar at this point. Just using lotion or cream.
Replies (5)
May 6, 2015
Daaaaaaaaaaang! Look at that flat belly! And I love your belly button! You look awesome :-)
UPDATED FROM LivingHealthy61
1 year post
Scar at 3 1/2 Months
I'm not seeing any big changes at this point. My scar is looking better at 3 1/2 months than it ever did the first time. It's not nearly as red or inflamed as the first scar was at the same time. It's a much, much finer line and I have no hypertrophic scaring. I'm not going back to see my surgeon again he was a really big jerk again when I saw him in February. I had all of my questions answered satisfactorily and see no point going back. I have one large area of numbness below my scar on the right side of my mons. The sensation is coming back slowly, but it is coming back. I think my scar is actually starting to fade a little bit already. I'm very happy with my result. My scar is 100 times better looking this time. I'm glad I did it. I just wish the circumstances would have been different. I've been getting massage therapy on my scar every other week. It's really helping to stretch out the pelvic girdle muscles underneath my skin. I didn't realize how tight I was. Now I don't have to pee every two seconds. My pelvic girdle muscles were so extremely tight that every time my bladder filled even a little, I felt like I had pee immediately. It's helping with the softening of my scar and keeping the adhesions from forming. I love this whole new world of cosmetic procedures. While I was at the PS office getting my massage I opted to get IPL on the small spider veins around my nose. I love the results. No more little red veins! I hope everyone is doing well!
Replies (3)
March 15, 2015
With regard to having had to pee every two seconds, I can totally relate as I have the same problem. It's darn inconvenient. So now I'm wondering if perhaps my pelvic girdle muscles are too tight and that massage therapy might help. Definitely something to think about for me. I'm glad that you didn't go through all that pain, anger etc. for nothing and that your results are worth it to you. I'm still happy with my revision results but still think I could have been pulled even tighter. It would have been nice to have been as tight as a drum and depending on what I wear I still have a bit of a waist roll when seated and still don't really feel comfortable in a two piece bathing suit. I haven't updated my review in a couple of months but will probably update again when it's been a year since my revision. That will be in May.
March 15, 2015
I know that part of it is post menapausal incontanence, but it was really bad after each surgery. I couldn't sleep the night through without getting up to pee in the wee morning hours. I noticed a big difference after the first time my massage therapist worked on the area. The difference it made for me was amazing. I'm also working on retraining my mind and body to hold it a little longer. I had been in the habit of going every time the urge hit, and because I had been so tight, it made the urgency that much worse. I'm looking forward to your update in May. It's really difficult to guess what surgeons consider when doing these makeovers, and why some people come out tight and others a bit looser. Since my revision I often think that I'm too tight, and question why my PS didn't wait 6 months longer. I really wasn't any looser at my 1 year check than I was at my 6 month check when he told me I was still too tight to do a revision. When I suck in my stomach or stretch out my torso my entire lower stomach/pubic area feels and looks pulled way too much. It's a bit scary really. Thank goodness that spring has finally arrived in my area! I'm happy to start working outside a bit more! Wishing you the best BBNM!
March 16, 2015
Did you get much swelling after the scar revision surgery?? I'm getting my scar revision in Sept and then we are going to Mexico 7 weeks after the surgery for a wedding. I'm curious if I'm going to look swollen for Mexico when I'm in my bikini?? Is the swelling anything like the first time you had your tummy tuck or is minor? And how long does the swelling last?
March 17, 2015
I definitely had some swelling in the area around the incision, my skin was firm. It was nothing like the first time around. I think by 7 weeks most of it will be gone. I still have a small bit of firmness just below my BB at this point. It is not as bad as the first time because the surgeon is only revising one area compared to all the work he did before. It's a bummer to wait for the scar to mature all over again, however mine is healing so much better and faster this time. I'm sure by December it will be a fine white line, whereas if I had not done the revision it would still be pink now. Be confident that you will look fabulous in your bikini! You look great now! You won't have very much swelling at all!
April 10, 2015
Hey SuzyQ, Scar is looking great. I am now thinking of getting a scar revision as well as lipo. Still trying to figure out a date to get it done. It may be this December again as I get 2 weeks off work.
April 10, 2015
It's a good idea to get both done at the same time. You'll have one recovery and your PS can do the scar revision while you're out. I keep reading that tension is a big factor in the development on hypertrophic scars. I tried to get my PS to listen to me about using a topical device like Embrace, but he blew me off saying there wasn't any real testing to prove the devices work. I tapped my scar for the first six weeks. I think he also did a better job of securing the tissue. I was and still am very tight and I did not have any hypertrophic scaring this time around. I think you'll be quite pleased with both the Lipo and the revision! Keep in touch!
I think you look fabulous! I'm very happy I did the scar revision! It's only a 1/4" lower, but soooooo much better looking in terms of scar quality and its straighter too. It doesn't go up in the middle or look so jagged. Now I can look forward to it really fading and almost dissapearing over the next several years. I don't think that would have ever happened if I hadn't gotten the revision. The center is a very fine, thin line. He put sutures into my fascia to keep tension off the area and to keep the scar from migrating up. The only bad aspect of him doing this is that when I suck in my stomach I can feel a pulling in that area. It will never feel normal again. Oh the price we pay for a nice flat tummy!
I don't believe that you will regret a scar revision. I'll be watching for your updates!