A Life-changing and Empowering Experience

I waited 18 months to post a my results with Dr Yannis at 111 Harley Street to make sure I could give the most accurate review possible. I have wanted to share my journey throughout the healing process and I’m so happy to finally be able to do so!
Between 2020 and 2021 I underwent two BBLs, the first with 360 liposuction and the second with liposuction focused on my upper arms and upper back.
Before meeting Dr Yannis, I had lost a total of around 4 and a half stone through diet and exercise and had achieved my ideal weight. However, through that process I had lost all volume in my bottom and hips and was left with a large amount of loose skin and a body shape that I felt was disproportionate. My upper body retained fat where my lower body was significantly slimmer. Frustrated, and not wanting to lose any more without losing what viable fat I had left, I made my first consultation at 111 Harley Street.
My biggest concern was my lower belly, which hung down like an apron and my very saggy bottom. I had just reached a point in my life where I could walk through the world confidently in clothing, but could not look at myself naked. It impacted every part of my life, and although I was so incredibly proud of my weight loss, that happiness was totally undermined by the skin and disproportionate body I’d been left with. No amount of exercise or diet would shift the areas of fat my body and my genetics naturally clung to, and I was terrified to even take off my clothing in front of Dr Yannis.
My immediate impression of him was one of calm. He was assured and assertive in his mannerisms, but listened and responded with compassion when I told him my story. Straight away I felt comfortable and at ease in his company. Although nervous and embarrassed of my body, I showed him, and to my relief he told me that I would be a great candidate for a BBL. He was clear, though, that there was a limit to what he could achieve and that we needed to be realistic with the goal. I explained that I was not, in any way, expecting or requesting a perfect Kim K body, just a body that was in proportion and in alignment with the woman I felt myself to be in my mind after all my hard work. I explained my insecurities, and that although I knew intimately the pressure women face to have the ideal body that media and society enforces on us, a body that less than 10% of all women in the world have naturally, and although I firmly believe that we are no less feminine or beautiful if our body shape opposes the status quo of beauty, I still wanted to undergo the surgery.
The biggest challenge was my belly. Dr Yannis was honest and clear when he told me that I would likely not have a flat smooth belly after liposuction and that there would likely be loose skin remaining, and I told him that I would take loose skin over what I currently looked like any day. And so we booked a date and went ahead.
I must say that the team at 111 Harley Street are outstanding in every way, and have been supportive and reassuring throughout my journey, both before and after the surgeries. I must also say that the nurses, doctors and aestheticians at the Harley Health Village (where my surgeries took place) were above and beyond wonderful. They cared for me in a way that was overwhelmingly lovely and kind, and I am eternally grateful for their care.
I saw Dr Yannis on the day of the surgery when I was in my gown and we went over my problem areas and he mapped out his plan on my body. What I found really wonderful was the way he lit up in the hospital setting. He was more animated and smiled often and when I commented on this he said very simply “this is why I do what I do. This is where I am most comfortable”. And it is true, as a surgeon he works absolute miracles - I am serious. Seeing his confidence and his assuredness was deeply reassuring. I did not go into the surgery nervous. Rather, I instantly felt calm and certain that this was going to be the beginning of something wonderful.
When I woke up, there was a lot of pain. I will not sugar-coat it: liposuction is extremely uncomfortable. The fat transfer itself did not hurt at all, but the areas of my body that were targeted by lipo (jaw, abdomen, belly, back) were very painful. The very first thing I noticed (having woken up on my belly) was how empty the space where my stomach had been, felt. And how heavy my bottom felt too. It was the strangest feeling, but I remember that despite the discomfort and soreness I was so excited. Reminding myself that it would be worth it was very helpful.
During recovery (as you probably know already through your own research) you must wear a support garment 24/7 for the first 6 weeks. Putting on that garment with the help of the nurses immediately after waking up was quite possibly the worst part of the whole thing, because every part of your body is sore and you are dizzy and nauseous from the anaesthetic. But the nurses were so incredibly kind and they helped me every step of the way, and were so patient when I needed to take breaks, and once I was finally hooked into the suit I felt immediately better. The garment serves to re-adhere your skin to your muscle wall and is vital to your recovery. It prevents water and fluids from building up in the space created by the surgery. It also makes you feel supported and secure.
The first week was the hardest because of the pain. This, I’ve heard, is different for everyone, but I had not expected it to be so sore. It feels very similar to pulling a muscle, but everywhere at once, and movement was difficult. Even still, I did not mind it because the immediate transformation of my body was unbelievable to me. Every ache and pain was worth it a thousandfold when I caught myself in the mirror or saw how different my clothes fitted my body. You need an awful lot of patience during those first 6 weeks as there will be days where your body is extremely swollen, and your shape takes a long time to fully settle. But having said that, the transformation is still immediately impactful.
During the first few weeks I developed a huge amount of swelling in my lower belly and pubic mound. This was because the support garment compresses every part of your body except a small gap around your pubic area which is necessary for using the toilet. It looked horrendous; the skin was deep purple and distended and full of blood and fluid and I remember being terrified. But after talking with Dr Yannis and the nurses over the phone I was immediately reassured, and after following their instructions it went away. Again, their support and kindness and patience has been unparalleled.
Beyond that, my recovery was smooth. I spoke with Dr Yannis at my follow-up consultation about how happy I was, how my life has changed, but that I would like there to be more fat in my bottom. This was simply because plastic surgeons in the UK are regulated on how much fat they are allowed to inject at a time, and because my body had been so disproportionate and my bottom had literally been just skin, the maximum amount (which Dr Yannis used) along with the normal loss of fat that happens during recovery (around 20%) meant that there I would need a second round to achieve the look I wanted.
So, again, we went ahead, and as before the team and Yannis himself were above and beyond amazing. My recovery was free of incident, and I seemed to recover a little faster than before.
Now, I can say with every fibre of my being, my life has been transformed. I am confident both in and out of clothing. I look at myself in the mirror and adore what I see. I feel beautiful in a way I have never experienced my whole life. I have cried many times because I do not recognise the empowered, fiercely confident and brave woman I have become, and because I have never felt happiness as strong or as sure as I do now. I attribute this to two things: Dr Yannis, for his genius and experience, and myself for finally embracing my body, for looking myself in the eye and finally recognising the woman staring back at me as the woman I have always been inside.