Much Needed Lipo and BBL (Fat Transfer) DR. DIMARIO - Philadelphia, PA

Here are just a few updated pics. I took 2 butt pictures this morning as well as a stomach picture. The one pic with my belly button ring was taken June 16th. You can see my incision scars are still very noticeable.

I haven't posted in a while because I didn't wanna repeat myself but I'm seeing much better results so here I go... I'm 8 weeks post op today. This recovery has been a roller coaster for me. My first 2-3 weeks were the worse! I was stressed, depressed, and regretting. I am finally able to now say that I don't regret my surgery. I am seeing very great results. My stomach is still very sensitive and I have a few lumps (fibrosis); some days my belly looks flat and some days you can really notice the lumps! Some parts of my stomach are softer than others and some parts are still numb but my stomach looks better each day. I don't have any loose skin but I also never been pregnant so idk if it's different for women with kids.. The only pain I have in my belly area is on my sides and lower abdomen when I rub or press down on it... I no longer wear my faja 24-7. I stopped being so aggressive with it once I reached my 6th week because when u wear something tight for too long, it can create problems with your insides. I had got very sick and couldn't wear it for a few days. When I do wear it though, I notice a difference compared to when I don't have it on. My stomach gets very bloated/swollen when I eat and don't have the faja on. Depends on what clothes I wear, I put my faja on.. In 6 weeks, you're able to sit on your butt :-) BUT it's not comfortable because it still hurts. If I sit too long or try to run, my butt hurts. It's soft though and definitely lost volume but it's still BIG! I'm not disappointed with it because it actually looks very natural & fits my body! But it feels so weird and I get uncomfortable sometimes when it looks huge! When I wear jeans, my butt doesn't look as big but when I wear a dress or leggings, it looks humongous! It's crazy... At my surgery center, after 6 weeks they start putting these "suction cups" on your butt and it's supposed to make it look more natural, rounder & as even as possible on each side. My butt used to look like one side was bigger than the other but it doesn't look like that anymore so I guess the suction is working, lol... Oh I have also lost weight and started going back to the gym... I'm very careful about what I eat which is extremely important... Anyway, if you ladies have any questions, feel free to comment below! (I'll post new pics sometime this week with a new update).

WARNING: very long post. LMAO... I can't believe it's been 28 days since my surgery. Doesn't even feel like I'm on my 4th week because everything isn't back to normal yet... I saw Dr. Dimario today!! I told Janet I needed to speak to him because I had concerns, and I was able to see him as soon as he got there. I expressed my stomach AND butt concerns to him (1 side is rounder & wider than the other) and he told me I won't see final results until 3-6 months post op! I didn't wanna hear that lol but he was honest with me and made me feel comfortable so I wasn't even mad. He told me I'm "ONLY" 4 weeks post op and that wasn't enough time. I could've sworn it was since my butt is considered "healed" in 2 more wks and I didn't think liposuction was such a big surgery that you take months to heal- but IT IS MAJOR SURGERY. I told him I didn't feel like that was swelling (butt unevenness) and he told me it surely was and that asymmetry is common and actually normal because no person is perfectly asymmetrical. That worries me but he told me I would be fine.. He DID tell me that I had fibrosis but with the therapies it would subdue and that I shouldn't worry. I had googled liposuction fibrosis or fibrosis after liposuction and read that almost 90% of liposuction patients get fibrosis post op.. He showed me my before pics and told me I had a lot of work done because of all the excess fat I had in my abdomen. He also said I had no hips and no butt, so he sculpted me very well. Which I thanked him for because he really did. He said every person is different and heals differently. Also, that the more fat one has, the longer their stomachs take to get back to normal. Someone with less fat in their abdomen before lipo would heal faster than someone who had a lot of fat and more work to do in the abdomen, flanks, back & waist (that was me, not including my butt). So I guess I'll just have to suck it up and wait another 2 months for final results. I'm not even halfway there yet until I get to 8 weeks, which he said is when I'll see better results. He touched and pressed down on my stomach and told me it was fine and it was normal for it to look/feel the way it does... The massage therapists take care of all the post op care and if they have any concerns or something doesn't seem normal, they'll let him know asap.. They actually really care about the patients results so I trust them! I always have the same massage therapist and I love her. First we had a love n hate relationship because those drainage massages my first 2 weeks were HELL lol but she always helped me take my faja off, get me on the bed, get me off, dress me from my faja all the way to my sneakers, etc. She has always treated me very well and with much respect & care. She didn't rush me to force myself; she instead encouraged me and told me when I should move faster at times, etc. but it was all for my own good and to cause the minimum amount of pain possible. I used to do everything very slow because I was scared of the pain or hurting myself but she was always patient with me...

About my surgery center and surgeon- You know the saying "a closed mouth don't get fed"? Well that's obviously very true lol. I complained about the center and surgeon when I was 12 days post op because I was stressed out about how I was healing. (It wasn't as bad as I thought but I'm my worst critic!) I wrote a post about my experience thinking Dr. Dimario didn't do a good job, that I had fat in my sides still, about not being able to see the doctor until my massage therapies were complete & the customer service at the center. I don't regret writing it because I'm sure a lot of you women can relate to my frustration during your first couple of weeks. The first 2 wks are the worse, BEWARE. Lol! However, although I don't regret writing it, I can say that I feel very much different now! 2 days after I wrote that blog, I turned 2 weeks so I re read it and realized I was angry and taking my frustration out on all of them; I updated the blog then too and mentioned this... Ok so back to a closed mouth doesn't get fed- I can't see the doctor if I don't ask to. Dimario normally sees patients after they finish their therapy which is almost 3 months after surgery and he told me today that he does that because that's usually when all the swelling should be greatly diminished and you can see a pretty good view of how you/the patient would look at 3months which is the average length of full recovery. BUT if there's an issue during your recovery period or if u ask to see/speak with him, they're gonna be sure u do. I mean they can't really deny u from seeing your surgeon! He doesn't turn down any patients who are going to their post op appointments and wish to see him for any reason. If you have a concern or think there's an issue that the massage therapists don't think is one, you can always ask for him and if he's not in surgery by then, he will see you, check you, and answer any questions you may have. *i wanted to clear that up* I don't think they have bad customer service skills either- it's just they have so many patients, it's understandable for things to get overwhelming. They DO provide each patient with individual attention and cater to their needs but again, you have to voice your opinion (IF U HAVE CONCERNS OR DONT FEEL RIGHT ABOUT YOUR SURGERY) and get your answers from the person you feel the most comfortable getting them from (which in my case was the doctor!) I feel comfortable with the therapists as well and they been doing this for years but sometimes us as humans just wanna go straight to the highest person which is the surgeon in this case lol... Sometimes the main receptionist brings her personal issues and attitude with her to the office but she's the owner's daughter and she pretty much has a lot on her plate. And she doesn't treat me any type of bad way so I don't have an issue with that. My issue about their responsibility/ office management was them getting to the office late after the first morning patients do, but I don't worry about that anymore because I know the routine... Oh and let me not forget, I don't have fat on my sides. That was swelling which is slowly diminishing. Dr. Dimario took A LOT of fat out of me & sculpted me well. I have good faith and positive thoughts about my final results...

How I feel- Very little abdominal pain, some pain in back from sleeping on my stomach, little neck pain. Overall, I feel better. I have a board on now in the front of my stomach which is so my stomach won't bend (I needed it asap!) It goes all the way around to my back (cushioned). I no longer have the bottom diaper on my lower back but I still have a maxi pad rolled up in the middle and the diaper around my upper back but it's not uncomfortable. They sell the fajas and boards there. Fajas are $130 & boards are $20 & $50. The $20 one is very small and literally only covers the front of your abdomen. The $50 one goes all the way around to your back and it's better. The hard board part is only in the middle but you have cushiony support all the way around to your back and it closes by velcro...

*This surgery is a work in progress! U gotta have patience!!! I mean u have no choice because u can't do anything to change how your results are gonna be. Just follow the diet they give you because it extremely helps during your first month. My first 2 weeks I had zero sodium, salt & sugar besides the sugar that was naturally in fruits. I then turned into a low sodium, low salt, low sugar diet.. I haven't ate pizza or pasta because it's very high in carbs and I'm not just gonna let myself go after I spent my hard earned money on this painful surgery. Yes I'll have cheat days but only when I'm ready... Continuing to pray for a speedy recovery as a whole...