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*Treatment results may vary

1 year this month!!!

Can't believe it's already been a year since this new journey! Tummy tuck: muscle repair and skin removal with new belly button. I'm due to go back for a check up but has to cancel my last one due to emergency kids dental visit. I was suppose to get my belly button corrected last month in office BUT I decided to put it off. I'm training to do my first spartan race in April and I refuse to have another set back with stitches and put training on hold. I'll wait until winter again. My abs are really starting to show. I feel like with all this weight training I'm getting bigger instead of smaller but I'm gaining muscle so it's starting to show. I've gained about 7 pounds since my surgery but in muscle mass. I still can't do the amount of ab work I use to do at the gym. In fact I feel my abs tire very quickly. I'm ok with that I guess since they look good lol. I am considering tattooing over my scars. My long incision didn't heal quite as thin as I had hoped. It's kind of wide in certain areas and I'm self controls about it showing when swimming. I think I'm seriously going to tattoo over it so I won't be worried about it. My belly button still looks the same. No improvement there. Still looks like a fake belly button but I'll live until until it's fixed. Anyways, not complaints besides that, loving life and hope everyone out there is happy and well!

So leaking belly button

Last night I took as clothes off to jump in shower when I noticed a crusted belly button. I touched it and then I smelled this awful smell. This has never happened before. I didn't panic just took my shower, cleaned it with q tip and alcohol and went to bed. Woke up this morning, and again, the same thing! What the heck is going on? It's not a huge amount of puss but enough to worry me. Now, I have been working out a lot. The past two days I did hit some ab work outs and my abs are a bit sore from that. Did I cause this? Seems like an infection though because of the smell. It isn't a constant leaking I don't think. It didn't get on my clothes. Of course it's the weekend and the surgeon office is closed. So I have his cell phone number and I sent him a message about 30 minutes ago. No reply yet. I'm kind of freaked out a bit. Anyone else have this problem? I mean dang, it's been almost 7 months since surgery!

7 month update!

Things are good! Been training hard lately on those weights about 4-5 days a week. I can plank now over 3 minutes and getting back to where I was before surgery on crunches and ab work. It sure took long enough, right?! Geez but anyways, no complains or pains. I am still numb in belly button area. Not sure if that will ever go away. Oh and about belly buttons, I'll be scheduling an appointment about that really soon! Gonna get it corrected the way I wanted it. Hope everyone is doing well!

Provider Review

Dr. Appel
Overall rating
Doctor's bedside manner
Answered my questions
After care follow-up
Time spent with me
Phone or email responsiveness
Staff professionalism & courtesy
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Dr Appel was referred to me by two of my gym friends. He is a perfectionist and is very soft spoken. He far exceeded my expectations with my tummy tuck. He is very honest and professional. My pain management was handled well and he was always concerned with how I was feeling. I highly recommend him to anyone for plastic surgery.