40 Years Old, 4 Kids, Drainless Tummy Tuck, 5"3', 123 lbs

Thanks friend! Hope you are doing well these days!!

Thanks so much! Feels great doesn't it? :)

Yes, it does! I feel so good when I look in a mirror or a store window, while walking, lol.

Hello, my ps told me to leave the paper tape (that she put on after surgery) on for 4 weeks after surgery. I just trimmed the ends towards the end of that time period as they peeled up. I was told it is important to massage my scar in a circular motion from outside to the middle 3-4 times a day so that is what I have been doing. I am to continue this daily messaging for 6 months. That is really all I have done. I did try silicone gel strips twice for two days but both times I feel I had an allergic reaction to them because my incision got very itchy and started to peel. I even had some scabbing due to the strips the second time so I discontinued using the strips pretty quickly. That is really it!

I should have added that I started the massaging of the scar at 6 weeks post op. :)

Hello, I didn't use much at all really except that I left the paper tape on initially for about 4 weeks and since then have been very diligent at massaging my scar 3-4 times a day starting at about 6 weeks. I did try the silicone strips for a few days but I had a reaction to them and stopped using them.

Thanks so much! Hope things are going well with you, enjoy the holidays!

Thank you! I do find the crease looks nice and athletic now too! Let's go with that. :) I run and do a lot of push-ups. I love push-ups, they are so good for your arms and your abs. I do some arm weights and also do a variety of core exercises that target abs that I have found on the Internet. If you are interested just search core ab exercises and there are many videos to follow. Good luck!

Ha yes I'm opting for that too! I love my running but still not doing anything but run walk run which is so far from what o did pre op. My muscle repair hurts at times so have avoided any core work how do you find that? Thank you x

Hello, that's interesting! Dr Maclennan was my PS. Who did you see? It must be due to the way they do the stitching perhaps? I found a few women on this site and on another cosmetic surgery site that had the crease and now it looks nice and more like muscle definition. I am hoping that is how mine looks in a few months. Has yours improved at all? Will have to go take a peak at your pictures. :)

Hello! I had a look at your pictures tonight and think you look great! It's easy to be hard on ourselves when so many people look great right after surgery. I try to remember where I started from and that helps me be ok with where I am now- crease and all! I never did set out to be perfect. I always told my husband that I don't even want to look perfect after this TT, after all I am 40 and have had 4 kids! I just want to look and feel better than I did before. When I look at my original pics and compare them to what I see now I feel great. You also have come a long way and look amazing! Looks like we both had the same PS! Do you think you will go the revision route? Tough decision. How has Susan been with follow up? I actually still haven't seen her since leaving the hospital 3 days after surgery since I have to travel quite a distance to see her. Nice to connect with someone else that traveled the same road I did. Coincidentally your last review update was the day I checked in to Banff Mineral hospital, I did love it there and thought it was an awesome place to spend recovering for a few days after surgery. Take care :)

Hey! Thanks so much for your kind words. It's true, I do look "better", but am still not exactly where I'd hoped/ thought I'd be. It's especially troubling when I bend over and still have this "mama cat" look - you know, all loose and floppy and hanging and droopy! *LOL* Perhaps I always thought I'd have to have a FDL because the first (second?) PS I saw (in Halifax) said that in order to be entirely happy with my result, I'd have to succumb to an extra scar because of my skin laxity. And now I see what he meant. Will I have a revision? Verdict is still out, although I'm leaning towards "yes" simply because I'd rather look/feel good in my clothes than worry about one more scar outside of them. I still find myself fixating on the "upper roll" because of the laxity. Must decide shortly to book myself back in. Sigh...
Yes, I LOVED the Banff Mineral Springs too... and I loved, especially, being able to stay in for a couple of nights post surgery. I cannot imagine getting up and going home the same day as so many sistahs have had to do. I do think it went a long way in my healing. (You never did say where you travelled from...?? I'm in Calgary.)
Susan has been pretty great with follow-up, especially since I'm sure I make her crazy with my endless lists of questions. There was only one time that I was taken a bit aback and that was the last PO visit - I drove 2+ hrs to get to Banff for my appointment, she was late coming in and had to leave early and she knows how many questions I have (especially when weighing the pros and cons of revision). So I wasn't too happy about her that day - but she did offer a phone consult at my convenience to make up which I am currently compiling another list for!
You really do look amazing, you know. I can't imagine there is anything that you would even consider revising and especially since you're only a month out... you won't believe how much more improvement there will be in the next number of months.
So great hearing from you!! Hope you're gearing up for a festive season! :-)))
P.S. Would love to have the names of the other "creasers" you've seen on the site... it helps to have some references in my decision-making.

Just private messaged you! :)