Could not have wished for more

Provider Review

• 7 Jan 2018

Dr. Bijoy Methil is an extraordinary exponent of his craft and if you are currently struggling with loose skin after having lost a significant amount of weight then I would strongly advocate him as the right cosmetic surgeon for you. The procedure I underwent was chest reduction and some skin excision on my arms, relics from a past life. I strongly feel that procedures such as this one go well beyond one's appearance, they bring about a transformational change to one's self-confidence, interactions with others and in one's ability to perform better. For me personally, I hope it makes my life a whole lot more fulfilling and I’m hoping for it to eventually enable me to go out and do the things I love, like swimming, diving and going out to the beach. Background: - A series of administrative blunders from a reputed local hospital were the real reason I met Dr. Bijoy Methil and I couldn't be more thankful for their incompetence. When I did find out about him, I looked him up thoroughly and I couldn't help but be very impressed by what other reviewers had to say about him and his skills. The main procedure I was looking to get done was skin removal on my chest, thighs and arms. Having naturally lost more than 60 Kg (130 lbs) around 7 years ago, loose skin has been a persistent issue for me. I had a tummy tuck roughly 4 years ago from another surgeon and wasn't all that happy with the results. I still have a visible muffin top appearance and loose skin on my abdomen when I bend over and, one of the objectives for me here was to both have more realistic expectations and to be more aware of what I wanted before taking the plunge. Prelude: - All of my interactions with the Doctor have been really pleasant. He makes you comfortable in his presence and is focused on what you are looking for instead of being the one telling you what you need. We had a very productive first interaction in his Andheri office, which I left knowing that I would be going in for surgery with Dr. Bijoy, only question was deciding on the 'whats' and 'whens' rather than the 'if'. Surgery had always been my last resort for addressing loose skin and with prior experience of going under the knife I was not particularly excited to repeat the long recovery process and less than ideal results. The Decision: - I was very keen on a non-invasive procedure which would be equivalent to a surgery and be an easy solution to all my problems. However, after several hours spent online looking for answers and my discussions with the surgeon left me in no doubt that surgery was the only reliable option available to me. Dr. Bijoy listened to me patiently, outlined all the potential areas we can treat and also made it clear that the extent of skin to be removed meant that non-invasive techniques were out of question. Big Question(s): - I had two big questions that had to be answered before we went ahead with the procedure, 1. Areas to treat and 2. Specific procedure for the chest. I had three major and one minor problem areas. The abdomen, chest and thighs being the major ones while some sagging skin around my elbows the minor cause for concern. Since it's quite a lot to work with, we decided to break these up into two procedures with the chest and arms being treated in one sitting, while the rest would be dealt subsequently. Since we had picked chest to be treated, we had to deal with the other big issue, choosing whether to get a traditional procedure with a pedicle incision retaining the Nipple-areolar complex and all its blood flow or to get a free nipple graft. This was the biggest contention as we were made aware of the pros and cons of each option. Pedicle incision seemed to me to be the more 'natural' way of dealing with the problem which would lead to the least loss in sensation and function while the free nipple graft would only retain the nipples for aesthetic purposes with all the underlying tissue excised. After some research and deliberation with the doctor and my parents we decided to get the latter (free nipple graft) as that seemed to fit my case best. In addition to excising skin on my chest, the doctor also aimed to pull skin on my abdomen up to improve existing appearance of my tummy which I haven’t been a big fan of having previously undergone a tummy tuck (from a different surgeon). The Procedure: - After having fixed a suitable date for the surgery, we went through the usual pre-op screening with all vital tests were conducted. As my diagnostics were clear, I was ready for the procedure. As the day for the surgery drew closer, my pre-op nervousness went down, and I was almost sure of the outcome. I met the doctor a day prior to the surgery at his clinic for markings, he meticulously made lines on my body like an artist sketching out his drawing and I was all set for the big day. The surgery lasted a good seven hours and naturally I have only very scant memories of the day besides having been asked for my favourite band and passing out to 'The Who' ringing in my ears. I don’t recollect being under any real prolonged period of pain or discomfort which should give anyone reading this a sense of comfort. The immediate post-op phase is always a nightmare and immediate feeling of nausea, giddiness and melancholy is something you wouldn’t wish on anyone. However, that phase is only brief, and I was lucky enough to be sanctioned for a discharge the very next day. Recovery: - This is probably the most important phase after the surgery itself and was a major source of anxiety for me. However, to my astonishment I had almost no discomfort after the first couple of days. To manage fluid build-up from the massive excision in the body, doctors put drains which are bottles attached to unnaturally long tubes. These tubes are then inserted into the body via openings in your skin. Despite how horrific the thought may seem, once the initial shock wears off they quickly become inconspicuous in their role. The doctor tried to limit the amount of this fluid build-up through some new techniques, and more stitches to the skin and as a result, I was very surprised at how little fluid there was as compared to my previous experience with the drains. Within a day and a half, the drains were out, and thus I was much more mobile. The pain one experiences is probably dependent on several factors and I can only speak for myself when I say that the amount I went through was unexpectedly on the lower side. The recovery phase, which I was expecting to be the worst was quite surprisingly 'easy'. However, I'm sure having had prior experience made a world of a difference in how I perceive this. Individual recovery will, for most part, be a very personal experience for everyone. What will not be variable, is the accessibility of the Doctor, he's always available for advice, on Whatsapp or on phone if needed. In addition to his approachable nature, his sense of humour and more importantly his attitude towards recovery was certainly a big factor in my personal recovery journey. He's careful with the care and attention one deserves but he'll cut out everything unnecessary such as long hospital stays and too many restrictions on food or on getting about one’s business. As soon as I was ready to leave, one set of compression garments were waiting for me at the hospital. These, as I have been informed, help in reducing the possibility of developing seroma which is one of the more common complications in surgeries like mine. Sadly, this compression garment would be a part of your life for a good 6 weeks and would attract questions from co-workers and friends. Scar management is another large part of the procedure and I’m still quite early in my recovery to comment on my scars. I have a scar that runs around the circumference of my chest just below the nipples, around the back. It will be visible, I know, but hopefully it would be small enough to not be too much of an eyesore. The entire surgery is about weighing the positives and negatives from getting such a large amount of skin removed and some trade-offs are naturally part of the equation. Looking Ahead: - As of this writing, I am still recovering from the surgery and I'm yet to start heavy lifting or exercise. Although I have been given the green signal to start working out, it still seems very difficult for me to sprint and not feel as though my scars are stretching out so for now my exercise involves only low impact walking and cycling on a stationary bike. As I’ve been advised, the true results would be visible only after 6 months to 1 year, I will be positing an update on how things have progressed. Closing Thoughts: - I cannot overstate how happy I am with the procedure and the attention and care provided by Dr. Bijoy Methil. He's truly one of a kind, he's compassionate, professional, highly skilled and above all he's always available. I cannot recommend him highly enough. It is also important for anyone considering this surgery to be prepared for trade-offs as this procedure will have scars and an appearance which cannot mimic the natural appearance of someone who’s never been obese. Having realistic expectations is key and if you’re thinking about going under the knife, be well researched on the kind of surgery you want and look at as many pictures as possible to get a good idea of how the surgery will turn out. Thankfully we live in an age where information is readily available, so make good use of the resources at your disposal. You could ask the Dr. Bijoy to look at my pictures if you’re considering having a similar procedure yourself.