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I am about 2 months out and I thought I would...
I am about 2 months out and I thought I would provide an update. The healing process has been loooonnnggg and drawn out. Sore one day, fine the next. Bumps one day, none the next. Sometimes I think I look the same and sometimes I think there has been a big change. Lol. I think I am staring at myself too much and now I have forgotten when I looked like before.
I had quite a bit of bumps at about the 1 month mark, but they have definitely improved. However, I do have one area on my arm that looks like either small bumps, too much fat taken out, or skin adherence. I have been going every 10 days to see a massage therapist. I started out getting lymphatic massage and have graduated to more deep tissue to work out any lumps and hardness. It has really helped. I went to see my massage therapist today and she did something called "skin rolling", particularly on my arm where I have that spot to move the skin around so any adherence would be released. It actually seemed to have helped! So we shall see.
Basically, the idea here is just to be patient. They say you have swelling up to 6 months or even a year. So I am patiently waiting bit by bit to see results.
I had quite a bit of bumps at about the 1 month mark, but they have definitely improved. However, I do have one area on my arm that looks like either small bumps, too much fat taken out, or skin adherence. I have been going every 10 days to see a massage therapist. I started out getting lymphatic massage and have graduated to more deep tissue to work out any lumps and hardness. It has really helped. I went to see my massage therapist today and she did something called "skin rolling", particularly on my arm where I have that spot to move the skin around so any adherence would be released. It actually seemed to have helped! So we shall see.
Basically, the idea here is just to be patient. They say you have swelling up to 6 months or even a year. So I am patiently waiting bit by bit to see results.
I have been looking through this site since I got...
I have been looking through this site since I got my procedure done and it has been very helpful, so I wanted to contribute my review to help others! Just a note, I am not going to post photos since I have a lot of tattoos that would identify me :). That being said, for all of you ladies out there who have tattoos and are worried about them getting ruined, none of mine are distorted at all and I have arm tattoos, and a full back piece!
I am 30 and weigh about 118 lbs. I have been unhappy with my arms, underarm, and back fat for a few years now. I have always been thin, but as I have aged my metabolism has slowed, plus I have large breasts so I have some of that boob fat. I especially noticed my back and arm fat in my wedding photos and 1.5 years later I decided it was time to focus on my body. I started working out more but didn't notice too much of a difference.
My mother is actually works in the beauty industry, so she was able to steer me in the right direction as far as surgeon and procedure. I decided on Smart Lipo for my arms, underarms, and full back. I am 2 weeks out.
THE PROCEDURE
I was VERY nervous about the procedure itself, particularly that I would be awake during it. Now, I have a lot of tattoos so it wasn't necessarily the pain, I just didn't know what really to expect. The total procedure took about 4 hours. The nurse did a very good job at making me comfortable. I took some pain killers and halcion and was on my way! I actually don't remember much during the procedure, I think the halcion wiped my memory as the day went on, but I do remember being able to kind of feel the liposuction as it was happening. Not painful per say, but I could feel it at times. The doctor was very good at walking me through what he was doing and making sure I was comfortable.
AFTERWARDS--THE FIRST FEW DAYS
I actually wasn't in too much pain for the first day--better than I expected, but I was really nauseous and I vomited, which is supposedly common. I took some sleeping pills though, which helped me through the night. I also took a lot of care to make sure I elevated my arms and didn't over-extend myself. I started taking Arnica 12x and I really think that helped my bruising, as I almost have none. I actually started noticing results right away! Even after the first day my arms looked great. I noticed it less in other areas, but I couldn't believe how skinny my arms looked.
COMPRESSION GARMENT
I wanted to write a whole section on this. Lol. What a pain in the ass. I have 2 garments--a black one and a nude one. I actually recommend two for different colors under your clothing and so that you can do the wash less frequently. My garment is almost a full body. 3/4 sleeves, full bodice, and bike shorts. And man do I hate this thing. The worst part about it is that it is hot, and I am usually cold. So, in my office I feel like I am sweating profusely. The other difficult part is that it is hard to hide. I had to go out and get new clothes just to hide this. No one knows about my procedure other than my husband and mother, so it is super important that I don't start to get eyebrow raises for wearing the same clothing day after day. However, I have actually gotten compliments a couple of times on the lacey sleeves (which often poke through my shirts), so I guess that is a plus. Another downside to note is that if you are big breasted (like me) it will smush your boobs so you will have a uni-boob. To combat this problem (kinda) I purchased a Nubra featherlight, which is a silicon backless bra that sticks onto your boobs. It goes up to a D, so that is perfect. I am happy with it, it does the trick and creates a bit more of a shape. Plus, it won't create any indents since it is backless and only goes over your breasts.
THE DAYS AFTER
So, the big thing to note here is that "it's only liposuction" does not apply. It hurts and is no joke. I think a lot of woman think it is an easy procedure, I know that I wasn't expecting this much discomfort. But treat it like any other surgery. You will be sore, you will be uncomfortable, and it will affect your day-to-day. I got my procedure on a Thursday and went back to work on a Monday. The first day was hell. I work in tech and am on the computer writing constantly, so I could feel my arms getting swollen from it. Plus my office is hot, so that doesn't help. When I got home that first day I wanted to puke I was so uncomfortable. A hot shower helps and hold on to those pain meds!
2 weeks out I notice less pain daily, but it definitely is still there. My arms are sore, they are tight feeling, and I am generally uncomfortable after a long day. When I get home and relax it gets better. Sleeping is still tough as well.. I purchased a Homedics percussion massager and have started to use that and I think it has been helping.
RESULTS SO FAR
I am really pleased with my results so far. My arms look great already and I am looking forward to even more great results as time goes on. I am also starting to see a difference in my underarm area. It is very tender still and there are a couple of small bumps, which is to be expected, but they are WAY looking better than they did before. My back I am not noticing so much yet, but that is probably because I haven't put a bra on. Plus, I know that I will see results consistently from now all of the way up to 6 months,
SUMMARY
So as a summary, here are some things to keep in mind when deciding if you want to go through with it:
--Smart Lipo can be a painful procedure, so be prepared for downtime!
--Wearing the compression garment kind of sucks, so plan on being uncomfortable and irritated
--Be patient! Some people don't see results until 3-6 months, so it is important not to feel frustrated
I am 30 and weigh about 118 lbs. I have been unhappy with my arms, underarm, and back fat for a few years now. I have always been thin, but as I have aged my metabolism has slowed, plus I have large breasts so I have some of that boob fat. I especially noticed my back and arm fat in my wedding photos and 1.5 years later I decided it was time to focus on my body. I started working out more but didn't notice too much of a difference.
My mother is actually works in the beauty industry, so she was able to steer me in the right direction as far as surgeon and procedure. I decided on Smart Lipo for my arms, underarms, and full back. I am 2 weeks out.
THE PROCEDURE
I was VERY nervous about the procedure itself, particularly that I would be awake during it. Now, I have a lot of tattoos so it wasn't necessarily the pain, I just didn't know what really to expect. The total procedure took about 4 hours. The nurse did a very good job at making me comfortable. I took some pain killers and halcion and was on my way! I actually don't remember much during the procedure, I think the halcion wiped my memory as the day went on, but I do remember being able to kind of feel the liposuction as it was happening. Not painful per say, but I could feel it at times. The doctor was very good at walking me through what he was doing and making sure I was comfortable.
AFTERWARDS--THE FIRST FEW DAYS
I actually wasn't in too much pain for the first day--better than I expected, but I was really nauseous and I vomited, which is supposedly common. I took some sleeping pills though, which helped me through the night. I also took a lot of care to make sure I elevated my arms and didn't over-extend myself. I started taking Arnica 12x and I really think that helped my bruising, as I almost have none. I actually started noticing results right away! Even after the first day my arms looked great. I noticed it less in other areas, but I couldn't believe how skinny my arms looked.
COMPRESSION GARMENT
I wanted to write a whole section on this. Lol. What a pain in the ass. I have 2 garments--a black one and a nude one. I actually recommend two for different colors under your clothing and so that you can do the wash less frequently. My garment is almost a full body. 3/4 sleeves, full bodice, and bike shorts. And man do I hate this thing. The worst part about it is that it is hot, and I am usually cold. So, in my office I feel like I am sweating profusely. The other difficult part is that it is hard to hide. I had to go out and get new clothes just to hide this. No one knows about my procedure other than my husband and mother, so it is super important that I don't start to get eyebrow raises for wearing the same clothing day after day. However, I have actually gotten compliments a couple of times on the lacey sleeves (which often poke through my shirts), so I guess that is a plus. Another downside to note is that if you are big breasted (like me) it will smush your boobs so you will have a uni-boob. To combat this problem (kinda) I purchased a Nubra featherlight, which is a silicon backless bra that sticks onto your boobs. It goes up to a D, so that is perfect. I am happy with it, it does the trick and creates a bit more of a shape. Plus, it won't create any indents since it is backless and only goes over your breasts.
THE DAYS AFTER
So, the big thing to note here is that "it's only liposuction" does not apply. It hurts and is no joke. I think a lot of woman think it is an easy procedure, I know that I wasn't expecting this much discomfort. But treat it like any other surgery. You will be sore, you will be uncomfortable, and it will affect your day-to-day. I got my procedure on a Thursday and went back to work on a Monday. The first day was hell. I work in tech and am on the computer writing constantly, so I could feel my arms getting swollen from it. Plus my office is hot, so that doesn't help. When I got home that first day I wanted to puke I was so uncomfortable. A hot shower helps and hold on to those pain meds!
2 weeks out I notice less pain daily, but it definitely is still there. My arms are sore, they are tight feeling, and I am generally uncomfortable after a long day. When I get home and relax it gets better. Sleeping is still tough as well.. I purchased a Homedics percussion massager and have started to use that and I think it has been helping.
RESULTS SO FAR
I am really pleased with my results so far. My arms look great already and I am looking forward to even more great results as time goes on. I am also starting to see a difference in my underarm area. It is very tender still and there are a couple of small bumps, which is to be expected, but they are WAY looking better than they did before. My back I am not noticing so much yet, but that is probably because I haven't put a bra on. Plus, I know that I will see results consistently from now all of the way up to 6 months,
SUMMARY
So as a summary, here are some things to keep in mind when deciding if you want to go through with it:
--Smart Lipo can be a painful procedure, so be prepared for downtime!
--Wearing the compression garment kind of sucks, so plan on being uncomfortable and irritated
--Be patient! Some people don't see results until 3-6 months, so it is important not to feel frustrated