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Tummy Tuck Plastic Surgeons
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Question: Anyone here have personal experience with having skin reduction surgery after a major
weight loss? In anticipation of needing this surgery to ever look normal, I am
researching this on the Net (i.e. places like plasticsurgery.org, rather than
doctors' advertisements), and I plan to visit with a couple of plastic surgeons in
town. I feel quite scared about doing this but it doesn't seem right to have worked
so hard and still hate how I look. The more I lose, the worse it gets. I have lost a
total of about 160 lbs, and my skin is unlikely to recover from that. It's truly not
*that* bad, now that I've seen some "before" photos of other formerly-morbidly-obese
skin reduction patients, but I really don't foresee it improving on its own
Here's the questions I'm planning to ask board-certified plastic surgeons during
consultations, and I'd appreciate any suggestions of other things to ask:
1. How long do I have to wait before I can undergo the surgery -- should I get to
goal weight and remain there 6 months -- would that be better than undergoing it when
I still have 20 lbs to lose?
2. Can I get multiple procedures done at once, or will that multiply the risks too
much?
3. What kind of recovery time / procedures?
4. What kind of results and scarring to expect?
Answer: 1/ My opinion only - get to goal weight first, stay there for 6 months. Why?
I went into a plastic surgeon for a consultation. I was still 20 lbs over
goal weight and he told me I would need a full tummy tuck - which requires
an incision from hip to hip, which stays dark purple and gnarly looking for
about a year. He said the skin would never retract. I lost most of the
weight so far, and my skin is not loose. As I lost the weight, the skin got
tighter. So I think you should give your body a chance to adapt first.
2/ The risk should be minimal if you are with a highly qualified doctor.
3/ I know lipo is 2 weeks no exercise, extensive bruising for 10 weeks.
4/ Like the tummy tuck, there is a very obvious dark purple scar that will
lighten over time - takes years. Here are some pics
http://www.horowitzmd.com/cases/index.html
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