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*Treatment results may vary
This turned out to be a lot more extensive than I...
This turned out to be a lot more extensive than I was planning. See my other reviews - I had a lower body lift in May, and had my outer thighs liposuctioned then. I had a breast lift/implants and brachioplasty in September, and then came time for this. I didn't like the fat bumps on the inside of my knees, and I realized that even with the lower body lift (which does lift your butt), I still had a baggy area below my lower buttocks.
Thus, to fix those areas as much as possible, my incisions run from just below my knees, up the inside of my legs, to my groin, and then "T" ... the incision runs all the way along the bottom edge of my panties, about 4 inches from the inside center inseam of my thighs. That's in the front And in the back, to remove that "baggy" saggy back thigh below the butt, it runs 3/4 of the way towards my outer inseam line (if you think of jeans) of my outer thighs, in the back.
While I had a LOT of trouble sitting - and had to find a way to pee standing up for the first two weeks - I am VERY happy with the contour. We'd agreed that I needed to be realistic (I am almost 60, and I have lost 165# - I am not going to look 18 years old... I just wanted to look BETTER). I had sharpei, melted wax looking thighs that were so bad they impeded me from swimming unless I wore tight swim shorts (and I love to work out and do swim, but wear full coverage elbow to knees previously because of the skin issues... ). But I do look MUCH better, and I am happy when I compare my before and after. (I will try to post)
I've had - again - healing that is ahead of schedule and I attribute the following:
* Again, used a wonderful, board certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience with weight loss surgery patients. (That's critical).
* I took all my vitamins, supplements and focused on the right diet and protein amounts.
* I obeyed every instruction.
* I did "toes above nose" 24 x 7 (except to get up to go potty), for almost 3 full weeks. That means elevated with pillows, legs up, sleeping on my back with my head/heart below my thighs. (We have an awesome zero gravity recliner/sleeper chair - I recommend renting if you don't have a zero-gravity bed or ability to set up something to replicate it. I even set up a camping cot in our home office, and telecommuted/worked from zero gravity on my laptop (using the wireless keyboard, mouse and lap board, with a bigger monitor) starting at week 2.5 (had to go back to work). I still - at 1 month - am sleeping with my legs/feet elevated and on my back, but in my regular bed now.
I even rode in the car buckled laying down in the back seat, with my legs up on pillows and my head down (buffering the door handle above my head with a 4th pillow). It takes 3 really big ones for me (I'm about 5'6") to get my legs completely up to fit in the Explorer, but I was able to ride everywhere and walk (slowly and gently) as needed to the doctors those 3 weeks. (I got permission to return to exercise before I started riding around in the car in "regular" mode, and even then, I sit on an extra pillow unless I'm driving).
I was able to bring back family member/ caregiver, who I really needed the first week/ 10 days a LOT. She cooked, did the bandages, kept me from doing anything, and fetched and carried. I couldn't even put on my socks. (I chose to wear TED - anti-thrombosis socks - and a support garment and/or ace-wrapped my legs/thighs, in order to maximize the circulation for my legs). I didn't even bend over or stretch in any way until week 3. We also paper taped every square inch of incisions, and bathed every time I used the bathroom seriously. With the intersection of the incision lines at the top of my thighs/groin area, it required real diligence to keep everything clean, dry and dressed (neosporin) and taped to ensure no infection. I am happy I had my outer thigh liposuction done 6 months earlier (with my lower body lift); that meant that I did not have as much swelling and I think less pain (frankly) with this surgery.
I'll update when I'm 3-6 months out, to let you know if I'm still as happy!!
Thus, to fix those areas as much as possible, my incisions run from just below my knees, up the inside of my legs, to my groin, and then "T" ... the incision runs all the way along the bottom edge of my panties, about 4 inches from the inside center inseam of my thighs. That's in the front And in the back, to remove that "baggy" saggy back thigh below the butt, it runs 3/4 of the way towards my outer inseam line (if you think of jeans) of my outer thighs, in the back.
While I had a LOT of trouble sitting - and had to find a way to pee standing up for the first two weeks - I am VERY happy with the contour. We'd agreed that I needed to be realistic (I am almost 60, and I have lost 165# - I am not going to look 18 years old... I just wanted to look BETTER). I had sharpei, melted wax looking thighs that were so bad they impeded me from swimming unless I wore tight swim shorts (and I love to work out and do swim, but wear full coverage elbow to knees previously because of the skin issues... ). But I do look MUCH better, and I am happy when I compare my before and after. (I will try to post)
I've had - again - healing that is ahead of schedule and I attribute the following:
* Again, used a wonderful, board certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience with weight loss surgery patients. (That's critical).
* I took all my vitamins, supplements and focused on the right diet and protein amounts.
* I obeyed every instruction.
* I did "toes above nose" 24 x 7 (except to get up to go potty), for almost 3 full weeks. That means elevated with pillows, legs up, sleeping on my back with my head/heart below my thighs. (We have an awesome zero gravity recliner/sleeper chair - I recommend renting if you don't have a zero-gravity bed or ability to set up something to replicate it. I even set up a camping cot in our home office, and telecommuted/worked from zero gravity on my laptop (using the wireless keyboard, mouse and lap board, with a bigger monitor) starting at week 2.5 (had to go back to work). I still - at 1 month - am sleeping with my legs/feet elevated and on my back, but in my regular bed now.
I even rode in the car buckled laying down in the back seat, with my legs up on pillows and my head down (buffering the door handle above my head with a 4th pillow). It takes 3 really big ones for me (I'm about 5'6") to get my legs completely up to fit in the Explorer, but I was able to ride everywhere and walk (slowly and gently) as needed to the doctors those 3 weeks. (I got permission to return to exercise before I started riding around in the car in "regular" mode, and even then, I sit on an extra pillow unless I'm driving).
I was able to bring back family member/ caregiver, who I really needed the first week/ 10 days a LOT. She cooked, did the bandages, kept me from doing anything, and fetched and carried. I couldn't even put on my socks. (I chose to wear TED - anti-thrombosis socks - and a support garment and/or ace-wrapped my legs/thighs, in order to maximize the circulation for my legs). I didn't even bend over or stretch in any way until week 3. We also paper taped every square inch of incisions, and bathed every time I used the bathroom seriously. With the intersection of the incision lines at the top of my thighs/groin area, it required real diligence to keep everything clean, dry and dressed (neosporin) and taped to ensure no infection. I am happy I had my outer thigh liposuction done 6 months earlier (with my lower body lift); that meant that I did not have as much swelling and I think less pain (frankly) with this surgery.
I'll update when I'm 3-6 months out, to let you know if I'm still as happy!!
Provider Review
Dr. Kenneth Bermudez
Dr. Bermudez was even more of a perfectionist this time. He did warn me - rightfully - that my needs were vast and that I needed to set expectations. That horrible baggy area below my butt, the genetic fat lumps on the inside of my knees, the skin that draped like melted candle wax - all were a challenge. To lift and fix them all? In one surgery? Challenging. He rose to it. The contour is great. His perfectionism shows. My husband is delighted. I am delighted. I don't expect to wear a miniskirt (see my age above), but his work has enabled me to pass for normal now, not a weight-loss freak. It was definitely the right call to find someone with his level of expertise with excess skin.