Not At All What I Was Expecting; Several Complications; Seeking Revision - Lutherville, MD

Prior to having this surgery, I had tried diet, exercise and shapewear to get rid of my post-baby "jelly belly," which was considerably worse after having my second child. Finally, resigned to my fate, I did extensive research on the procedure and saw six surgeons before selecting Dr. Shermak. In choosing a surgeon, I had many considerations: 1) I wanted an experienced surgeon who does many of these surgeries; 2) a short surgery time (for safety reasons); 3) a pain pump; 4) to be able to go home the same day and not stay at the facility (for safety reasons); 5) the smallest amount of liposuction possible (not a fan and did not like what I had read about it); 6) a TT performed using drains (performed by most PSs and generally considered the safer way to do the procedure over the drainless TT); 7) cosmetically appealing scars (not a fan of the “W” shape, scar low enough to wear my target panties) and belly button (looking for a “natural” looking one; 8) a standard, hip to hip TT (versus an extended TT, where the scar extends past the hips to the back side); and 9) a surgeon who is OK with doing minor revision, such as fixing the “dog ears” common to this surgery. I asked lots of questions and was assured that everything would be the way I wanted it (with the exception of the belly button, where Dr. S. did not promise that the belly button scar would lay inside the belly button). I did more homework, checking the doctor’s credentials, the ambulatory surgical center’s credentials, and reviews on Real Self. I went into the surgery very excited and hopeful about the results, feeling sure I would obtain my desired results.

Note to other Real-Self readers: a con of this surgery is that it is very major surgery. This was the longest recovery from any procedure I've ever had including childbirth and other plastic surgery. It took me four months to fully recover from the liposuction and recovery from the muscle tightening is one year. I am still working on the large and painful scar above my pubic region which will either be removed by being cut out or get broken up by a cortisone shot. (You have to wait six months to do either of these interventions.) Have already tried massage and ultrasound to break up the major scar tissue. I also got a secondary infection that would not go away from taking the antibiotics because I did not take a probiotic (forgot).

Saw my derm and a PS about getting some of this taken care of. Specifically I wanted the area in the first pictures I've posted, which is just above my pubic region, taken care of because it causes great discomfort. The deem, who had previously stated that he could look at it at six months and do some cortisone to break it up, clarified that he was actually talking about the accompanying TT incision scar. I said no, that's not healed yet and I think it will probably heal well. (This was based on my BR scar. I'm treating the TT scar the same way, so I'm expecting similar results. The BR scar took 18 months to fade.)

Saw the PS that I had used for the BR today. The good news first: he should be able to do something with my uncomfortable area just above my pubic region and the weird flap of skin on my left hip, which I was told by the other surgeon is my fat that "needs more liposuction" is a dog ear and he should be able to take care of it. The bad news: my new (old PS) wants to wait another six months for more healing to occur before he is willing to talk about doing the dog ear or the fat necrosis above my pubic region. A second bit of (very) bad news also: as I had suspected, there really is nothing much he can do about lowering the really high TT scar. He is unwilling to try. He has stated that the scars should heal well and not be as visible, but I know you will always be able to see them if they're not hidden by clothes, which they aren't unless I'm wearing full coverage granny panties (EW!). Further, I'm in my mid-forties so I was looking forward to this operation so that I could wear (and look good in) some sexy panties before I hit menopause and my waist widens again. Looks like I will have to content myself with buying hi-cut lacy briefs

I was asked by others on Realself to put up some pictures.

Scar is still way too high. Have appt. next month to have something done about dog ears on each side. Have not changed since last posted, unfortunately.

Drain scar looks better but still need to treat everyday. This is one of the "extra scars" I got from this surgery along with an odd one that looks like my drain mark on my left where it looks like the doc made a cut, then changed her mind. (Isn't that what the surgical markings are for?)

The scar tissue from the fat necrosis is down a lot now from constant massage. Sex is fine now, but there is still a very nasty bruise right above my pubic hair that I'm not at all pleased to have.

Maintenance everyday on the surgery is scar treatment two times a day and daily massage of scar tissue. Scars have not faded near what I'd want them to considering how high they are, so no chance of wearing bikini bottoms to the beach anytime soon ;(.