Thigh Lift/Thighplasty and Arm Lift/Brachioplasty

I’m One week post op from arm lift & thigh lift. Looking back, I’d definitely recommend doing these surgeries separately if you can. I am on a time crunch from work so I chose to do them the same time.... which of course makes for a more difficult heal, but what I needed for my limited schedule. The first five days my thighs were the more painful areas, especially the incisions in the groin area. Thankfully they let me take the catheter home otherwise I would have definitely peed myself multiple times. I had a hard enough time getting into a sitting position, let alone standing... and even on day three, it was incredibly hard to sit on the toilet. You can’t even get your legs far enough apart to not pee all over yourself or your compression garment, I learned this the hard way. I recommend buying a female urinal or the ‘go girl’ so you can stand peeing. I wish someone would have told me to get one before hand. I’ll be recommending my surgeon add it to his aftercare instructions. This is my sixth surgery, after breast lift / augmentation, vertical/horizontal tummy tuck, and revision.... and this is by far the most painful one. The pain seems to jump from one place to another. Moving on my own isn’t even possible.... and there’s no bending my elbows past a 45° angle, so I can’t even feed myself. Even given the swelling and how bad incisions always look right after surgery... I’m pleased so far. While doing my surgery, my surgeon ending up finding out that my left silicone implant had ruptured (only two yrs out from augmentation) which was a huge surprise. He had to clean out the whole breast pocket and replace the implant. He also removed some extra skin under my breasts and along my side. Typically your brachioplasty incision ends in your armpit, however mine both go continuous from my elbow through my armpit (removing sweat glands) around my breast-removing excess side skin and under my breasts up to my aureoles. I literally have about 9’ of incisions. At one week I seem to be over the hump. I can get up by myself, get on/off the toilet by myself.... just still need help getting the compression pants. I will update as I heal :)

Photos update

So I’m 4weeks out and although the two openings on my inner thighs have closed and healed nicely, I have had a few complications. My right breast incision opened up about two weeks ago..... which is pretty common, and I was set up with wound care. No big deal. Last Monday I was put on Antibiotics since the tissue around my breast opening and as well as my lower thigh incision appeared to have signs of infection. The ends of my incisions on my knees are painful, red, and angry. My breast opening was healing, but also growing. One opening had turned into two and I was scheduled to have it sutured back up this coming Monday. However, last night when I changed my dressings, I noticed an opening on my left breast and this one was much different.... I could see my implant. I was devastated, as I know an exposed implant can turn into bad news real quick. I sent photos to my PS and went into his office this morning, where he sutured the exposed implant and my right breast’s two openings. I’m happy I didn’t have to go back in for surgery, but now I’m super anxious because I don’t want the sutures to re-open. I’m 4weeks and 2days post op and my PS was pretty adamant on waiting til 5weeks. He says the skin is strong enough to hold the new sutures and it has a low chance of re-opening..... but we all over think it, don’t we? Hoping to heal up soon..... this is fairly annoying.