POSTED UNDER Tumescent Liposuction REVIEWS
43 Year-Old Male Getting Chin, Waist and Chest Lipoed, on Taltz (ixekizumab), an Immunosuppressant
ORIGINAL POST
My procedure is actually later today, on the 12th....
WORTH IT$5,000
My procedure is actually later today, on the 12th. The system just didn't let me put the same day.
Anyway, my story is that I was pretty heavy since my mid-20s. Then about 5 years ago I get serious about my health and lost about 60 pounds. I have been able to keep it off, but there are some stubborn spots. The biggest issue is in my boob area. Lots of fat there I can not get rid of. Also, my waist. I work out a few times a week, and have developed some nice muscles, but they are hidden behind fat.
I have been ambivalent to get something like this done, but my girlfriend had the tummy done, and that fat moved to her butt. She is very happy with the results. We visited the office where she had it done, Inifini in Scottsdale, AZ, and they had a contest that I won. So that prompted me to use the winnings to get this done. So the price would be higher for the three areas had I not won the contest.
I research practically every purchase I make thoroughly, so I have read a lot on the procedure, and it does not seem to dangerous. One thing that was of extra concern for me is that I am in study for a drug for Ankylosing Spondylitus (AS). The drug I am on is Taltz. It is normally for plaque psoriasis, but I am part of a study for it to get approved for AS. My Rheumatologists felt it would be OK for me to get the procedure done as long as I was off the drug for 2 weeks. The manufacturer suggested 8 weeks, but only got back to me a couple days ago, and I have decided to go ahead with the procedure. From everything I have read, everything should be OK, and I have followed my Rheumatologists' advice.
In the pictures you can see I have stretch marks from when I gained weight. Those will not go away, but they are typically less visible than what is seen in these pictures. You can also see my chin, man boobs, and waist.
In a way I am excited to get this done, and hope to enjoy the results, but I am a bit nervous of course. I get blood taken and am poked and prodded each month for the drug study I am on, so I am used to it and hopefully that will help. BTW, on a side note, the Taltz does work for my AS. I was on another study for a drug called Simponi. That one worked a little better I think, but Taltz works as well.
I will fill you all in on what happens next!
Anyway, my story is that I was pretty heavy since my mid-20s. Then about 5 years ago I get serious about my health and lost about 60 pounds. I have been able to keep it off, but there are some stubborn spots. The biggest issue is in my boob area. Lots of fat there I can not get rid of. Also, my waist. I work out a few times a week, and have developed some nice muscles, but they are hidden behind fat.
I have been ambivalent to get something like this done, but my girlfriend had the tummy done, and that fat moved to her butt. She is very happy with the results. We visited the office where she had it done, Inifini in Scottsdale, AZ, and they had a contest that I won. So that prompted me to use the winnings to get this done. So the price would be higher for the three areas had I not won the contest.
I research practically every purchase I make thoroughly, so I have read a lot on the procedure, and it does not seem to dangerous. One thing that was of extra concern for me is that I am in study for a drug for Ankylosing Spondylitus (AS). The drug I am on is Taltz. It is normally for plaque psoriasis, but I am part of a study for it to get approved for AS. My Rheumatologists felt it would be OK for me to get the procedure done as long as I was off the drug for 2 weeks. The manufacturer suggested 8 weeks, but only got back to me a couple days ago, and I have decided to go ahead with the procedure. From everything I have read, everything should be OK, and I have followed my Rheumatologists' advice.
In the pictures you can see I have stretch marks from when I gained weight. Those will not go away, but they are typically less visible than what is seen in these pictures. You can also see my chin, man boobs, and waist.
In a way I am excited to get this done, and hope to enjoy the results, but I am a bit nervous of course. I get blood taken and am poked and prodded each month for the drug study I am on, so I am used to it and hopefully that will help. BTW, on a side note, the Taltz does work for my AS. I was on another study for a drug called Simponi. That one worked a little better I think, but Taltz works as well.
I will fill you all in on what happens next!
alebuddha's provider
UPDATED FROM alebuddha
Day of treatment
Day 2
The procedure was very strange. It did not hurt as much as I was braced for. But it is weird to feel and now what is happening. It made me tense. The doctor and the staff were great. 24 hours ago I was getting the procedure done. I have mostly been resting since then. No real pain, yet. I just feel funny all wrapped up. I am excited to see the results. I am going to take a shower soon.
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UPDATED FROM alebuddha
7 days post
One Week Post - So Far So Good
First, I'll say I am happy with the results. I have been hesitant to get too excited, because there is a long way to go before I will know the full benefits of the procedure, but things are looking good.
Chest and Waist
You can see in the first picture that there is a significant reduction in my chest and waste. There was a lot of man boob fat to remove. You can also see that the holes are healing well and not very visible, and there is very little bruising left. This is great, because I have a cruise to go on in a couple weeks.
I know doctors advise differently regarding follow-up, but here is what I was told. I was told to wear the vest you see in the picture in the day after photo for one week, which I did. I then could move to a compression garment, like a Spanx shirt. I actually found a couple of them on Amazon at like $10 each that work very well. SUPER comfortable. I will need to wear it for a week or so. I actually had to wrap some bandage up near my armpits. There was swelling getting pushed up there in the gap between the vest and my pits. A few days compressing it with the bandage fixed that.
My whole torso was very sore, but after a couple days most of that subsided. However, the love handle area and my chest are still very sensitive to the touch. Both areas also felt numb, but that is also slowly subsiding. I was told the numbness could last a few months, though.
So these areas are doing great. I am sooooo excited to see what it will look like in a month or so. One of the hard things to deal with, though, is not working out. I am trying to eat well and not gain weight, but I was told to not work out for three weeks after the procedure. However, I was told to take daily walks, which I have.
Chin
This area is taking longer to enjoy the results, but the fat is gone. I was told to wear the head band for 48 hours straight after the procedure. I actually wore if for 72. I was told then to wear it nightly or as much as possible, when not at work. I have read some people wear it to work and in public, not me. hehe I did not leave the house for the first 72 hours. Of course, you don't really feel like doing that anyway. You really want to rest and take the occasional pain pill.
At first the chin was very swollen, but that subsided quickly. However, as you can see, there are some hard lumpy areas left over. I was a little concerned, but did some research and I found a great explanation in the Q and A on Real Self. I'll post it here..
Richard J. Bruneteau, MD wrote:
"It’s not uncommon for patients to develop lumps and bumps following liposuction of the neck. During the liposuction procedure a cannula is repeatedly passed through the neck subcutaneous tissue which removes cores of fat and creates a series of tunnels.
This process disrupts the neck lymphatics and also causes cellular injury. This predictably causes swelling, scarring, and bleeding which causes the lumps and bumps that are frequently seen following this procedure.
The vast majority of lumps and bumps have resolved in 2 to 3 weeks following surgery, but it’s not unusual for them to persist for several months. For this reason, we generally recommend the use of a chin strap and massage following neck liposuction.
Massage is easily accomplished by gently rolling your fingers across the area. In some cases, warm compresses can be utilized to facilitate this process. The majority of patients respond to these maneuvers with flattening of the areas of bumpiness.
When patients fail to respond to massage, residual fat may be the cause. Under these circumstances, additional liposuction may be necessary.
It’s important to be patient and maintain good communication with your surgeon. Your surgeon should be able to help manage your lumps and bumps and alleviate your anxiety."
At my one week followup with Dr. Schuell, he said this was actually a good sign, but I forgot why. He advised that I wear the head strap as much as possible when I am at home and at night for one more week. He also suggested I take an NSAID, like Alleve, daily to help reduce the inflammation. He also suggested that I put a warm wash cloth in a sandwich bag and hold that against the area for little awhile every night.
He was not concerned and says there should not be an issue with the lumps going away. As you can see in the pictures, there is no visible improvement in my chin yet, due to these lumps, and because they are irregular, look weird up close. Needless to say, I am anxious for the lumps to go away, but I trust Dr. Shuell and the post from the doctor I pasted above.
I will update you all in a few days to see how the chin goes.
Chest and Waist
You can see in the first picture that there is a significant reduction in my chest and waste. There was a lot of man boob fat to remove. You can also see that the holes are healing well and not very visible, and there is very little bruising left. This is great, because I have a cruise to go on in a couple weeks.
I know doctors advise differently regarding follow-up, but here is what I was told. I was told to wear the vest you see in the picture in the day after photo for one week, which I did. I then could move to a compression garment, like a Spanx shirt. I actually found a couple of them on Amazon at like $10 each that work very well. SUPER comfortable. I will need to wear it for a week or so. I actually had to wrap some bandage up near my armpits. There was swelling getting pushed up there in the gap between the vest and my pits. A few days compressing it with the bandage fixed that.
My whole torso was very sore, but after a couple days most of that subsided. However, the love handle area and my chest are still very sensitive to the touch. Both areas also felt numb, but that is also slowly subsiding. I was told the numbness could last a few months, though.
So these areas are doing great. I am sooooo excited to see what it will look like in a month or so. One of the hard things to deal with, though, is not working out. I am trying to eat well and not gain weight, but I was told to not work out for three weeks after the procedure. However, I was told to take daily walks, which I have.
Chin
This area is taking longer to enjoy the results, but the fat is gone. I was told to wear the head band for 48 hours straight after the procedure. I actually wore if for 72. I was told then to wear it nightly or as much as possible, when not at work. I have read some people wear it to work and in public, not me. hehe I did not leave the house for the first 72 hours. Of course, you don't really feel like doing that anyway. You really want to rest and take the occasional pain pill.
At first the chin was very swollen, but that subsided quickly. However, as you can see, there are some hard lumpy areas left over. I was a little concerned, but did some research and I found a great explanation in the Q and A on Real Self. I'll post it here..
Richard J. Bruneteau, MD wrote:
"It’s not uncommon for patients to develop lumps and bumps following liposuction of the neck. During the liposuction procedure a cannula is repeatedly passed through the neck subcutaneous tissue which removes cores of fat and creates a series of tunnels.
This process disrupts the neck lymphatics and also causes cellular injury. This predictably causes swelling, scarring, and bleeding which causes the lumps and bumps that are frequently seen following this procedure.
The vast majority of lumps and bumps have resolved in 2 to 3 weeks following surgery, but it’s not unusual for them to persist for several months. For this reason, we generally recommend the use of a chin strap and massage following neck liposuction.
Massage is easily accomplished by gently rolling your fingers across the area. In some cases, warm compresses can be utilized to facilitate this process. The majority of patients respond to these maneuvers with flattening of the areas of bumpiness.
When patients fail to respond to massage, residual fat may be the cause. Under these circumstances, additional liposuction may be necessary.
It’s important to be patient and maintain good communication with your surgeon. Your surgeon should be able to help manage your lumps and bumps and alleviate your anxiety."
At my one week followup with Dr. Schuell, he said this was actually a good sign, but I forgot why. He advised that I wear the head strap as much as possible when I am at home and at night for one more week. He also suggested I take an NSAID, like Alleve, daily to help reduce the inflammation. He also suggested that I put a warm wash cloth in a sandwich bag and hold that against the area for little awhile every night.
He was not concerned and says there should not be an issue with the lumps going away. As you can see in the pictures, there is no visible improvement in my chin yet, due to these lumps, and because they are irregular, look weird up close. Needless to say, I am anxious for the lumps to go away, but I trust Dr. Shuell and the post from the doctor I pasted above.
I will update you all in a few days to see how the chin goes.
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