"Awake" Arm Liposuction

This was my first cosmetic procedure I have ever had done and I am beyond glad I made this decision!
I am 29 years old. I do not smoke or drink alcohol. I eat healthfully and I exercise 3-4 days per week. However, I just have genetically large arms -- thanks mom! It was incredibly frustrating to never be able to lose weight in my arms regardless of how many arm exercises I performed. So, I decided to look into cosmetic surgery.
I come from a family of health care professionals, so my standards for care are typically higher than most. After months of research, I narrowed it down to Dr. Gabbay. He is one of the few doctors who performs the "awake" liposuction. The idea of not needing to be completely anesthetized for such a procedure was brilliant and intriguing, so I scheduled a consultation to chat about my trouble area.
I live in Portland, OR and Dr. Gabbay is located in Beverly Hills, CA. My consultation was virtual. He and Melissa, the patient coordinator, instructed me on the photos/poses they would need to see in order to give the best advice possible. I had my partner take the photos as instructed and emailed them over to Melissa. After Dr. Gabbay had reviewed the photos, they set up a Skype call with me to discuss all of the nuances of the procedure, the expectations, etc. I did not feel like I was missing out on anything simply because my consultation was virtual. It was so convenient that they were willing to work with me as an out-of-state patient.
After the virtual consultation, I set the date and paid my deposit. I flew down to LAX and had my pre-op appointment the day I arrived. During pre-op, I was given my medication prescription. The doctor examined my arms in person (since this was the first time I had been in the office). He seemed just as confident that this was the right decision given my stubborn fat in that area. Dr. Gabbay and Melissa answered all of the last minute questions I had and we took "before" photos as well.
The next morning was surgery day! I showed up to the surgical center and signed all of the necessary paperwork. The nurse took my vitals and then Dr. Gabbay came into the room to do all of his pre-surgical markings. I took my medication -- oral antibiotics to prevent infection, Xanax and Percocet. Then I walked into the surgical room and the nurse instructed me to begin inhaling nitrous oxide. I felt a bit drowsy, but I was still completely awake. Dr. Gabbay came in, made sure I felt no pain, and then began the procedure.
Being awake during liposuction seems scary, but it just felt like a firm massage. I felt zero pain!
After the procedure, the nurses put on my compression garment and wheeled me down to my dad who was waiting with the car downstairs in the pickup area. I slept for the rest of the day. Dr. Gabbay called the next day to make sure I was doing well and to see if I had any other questions during the initial few days of recovery.
My in-person follow-up was scheduled for a week after surgery. Everything looked excellent, even a week out from surgery. Yes, I had swelling. But even with swelling, I could tell a big difference. I was thrilled.
I flew back to Portland about 10 days after surgery. The staff at Gabbay Plastic Surgery checked in on me many times via email. I sent update pictures every couple of months so that they were up to date with my healing process. Eight months later, I came back down for another small, in-office procedure and Dr. Gabbay took official "after" photos.
Seeing the before and after photos side by side is so refreshing. The result is subtle, but still amazing. Dr. Gabbay kept my arms proportionate to my frame, but he took out so much fat! Now, you can actually see the muscle I had in my arms from all of my weightlifting. And most importantly to me, my clothes fit SO much better.
I would do this procedure again in a heartbeat and I am incredibly happy I trusted Dr. Gabbay!