Lower Body Lift revision, Spiral Thigh Lift, Breast Lift - San Antonio, TX

Update: 4.5 weeks post-op from thigh lift, LBL revision, and breast lift. Breast and LBL incisions look good. There are still a few small scabs here and there, but when they're gone, I'll start using scar tape. My thigh lift incisions, on the other hand, have decided to be temperamental. I still have the incision opening on my left leg that I described last week, and now I also have two separate places on my rear right leg crease that have opened. They're each about 1" long, and located on the 'spiral'/back portion of my thigh, and into the groin area. They aren't super-deep, but they're oozing some, and they *hurt.* I don't know if it's the increased sitting, or slightly increased activity, or simply common complications from the necessary vectors of a thigh lift. I shower with Hibiclens every day, and then swab the incisions with a little alcohol, apply a little triple antibiotic ointment, and slap on a Telfa pad so nothing sticks. The seroma from last week has refilled a bit, but the incision there has closed, so my body will just have to reabsorb it.
Let's see, anything else I can whine about? Some days I get claustrophobic in my compression garment and can't do anything until I'm released from its restraint asap. I also have bouts of extreme itching of my extremities (not near my incisions at all), but that seems to respond well to one Benadryl capsule.
I need to keep reminding myself that this was elective, that it's a pretty typical course for my surgery type, and that it won't last forever. In other words, "Suck it up, Buttercup." :-)

I'm a little over 3.5 weeks post op from thigh lift, plus revision of lower body lift, and breast lift. I was feeling rather smug that I hadn't had one whit of complication after 2 and a half weeks. However, in just the past week, I've had a groin incision opening, and a seroma. I'm still terribly swollen, I think/hope, because if I'm not, that means I didn't get any smaller at all. I've decided one of the reasons this thigh lift is such a difficult surgery is that the recovery period seems much longer than, say tummy tuck or breast surgery.

The first few weeks, I adopted just about every suggestion written here on RS by persons who had undergone a thigh lift. Some I didn't use/need, and next time I'd wait to see if I needed everything recommended. However, going back to work full-time, and not paying super-meticulous attention to my every movement may have worked against me. The glue used to close the incisions has all come off now, too, so that means more tension on the incisions. I think I was feeling good enough that I started to not be deliberate in how I was using my body.

I was sitting, and twisted as I was getting up. I felt & heard a ripping sound in my groin, and knew what had happened----About a 1.5 inch opening in my incision. It's not super deep and it's not gotten bigger, but it's still kinda gross, with whitish webbing over bright red flesh. I tried to close it initially with steri-strips, but that didn't help much. Now, I'm just keeping it clean and covering it with a Telfa bandage so clothing doesn't rub against it. Still have some twinges and zingers of pain, and it's difficult to start moving in the morning. Otherwise, not bad.

Then yesterday, I thought I had a swollen inguinal lymph node, because I felt a smooth, hard mass about the size of a small egg underneath my incision, just on the inner front of my thigh. I palpated it to figure out what it was, and whoosh--- clear serum came out through my incision. Another Telfa pad. Ugh.

I know these sorts of minor complications are to be expected. I read intensively to try to figure out how to prevent complications. There seem to be lots of factors, with persons who have more concommitant surgical procedures, larger amounts of skin excised, are too active too soon, etc. more likely to have a complication. It seems that there have been several RS posters with thigh lifts lately who have had zero complications-- Good for all of you. I'm jealous!

If I have any advice, it's: 1) anticipate that you might have a few complications, particularly if you're a MWL patient, or you have other procedures at the same time, 2) even if everything seems closed up and you're feeling good, continue to be slow and deliberate in your movements, 3) wear your compression garment and rest. Although you may feel and look healed, you're still at high risk for problems. There's a reason why one is restricted from driving for 2 weeks, and from exercise (except easy walking) for SIX weeks. I've been super-dosing the protein and vitamins since before surgery, and there's no sign of an infection.

Now, all I need is some patience. :-)