<!-- DEEP.  THOUGHTS.  BEGIN. --> I put on a (new) bikini yesterday to take a picture of myself for this 6 week post op milestone.  When I was cropping my head out of the picture on my phone, I was taken aback a little (okay alot) at how my body looks now.  For some reason, I never noticed until yesterday how my abdominal muscles are so much more noticeable these days.  I knew I had them (I could feel them under my skin), they just never stuck out they way they do now.  And my new lifted arms look nice and trim and toned.  My arms have NEVER been trim nor toned. I look at this picture and find it hard to believe that its me.  I have never looked like this in my life.  Even when I was a thin, 105 lb teenager, my body never looked as fit as it does now at 47 years old.  Crazy.  Thanks WLS.  Thanks Plastics.  Thanks ME.  I am forever grateful and only wish I did more sooner. <!-- DEEP.  THOUGHTS.  END. --> Anyway, some 6 week post-op highlights/updates: SWELLING & PAIN My waist has returned to pre-op measurements (thank goodness). My lower abdomen and upper thighs are still bigger than post op.  So my pants remain tight in these areas, but at least I can button them up now without feeling like I'm going to bust out of them. My right boob is comparatively hard and swollen (vs my left boob) and I have taken to applying ice packs to relieve the achiness. Of all my PS areas, my boobs cause me the most pain (which is fitting since they were the least of my worries in the first weeks after surgery) There are distinct areas on my various incisions that are causing some pain due to the sutures being expelled and breaking the skin when rubbed against.  These areas don't bleed, but they ooze. I went for a run this morning and had to stop due to pain.  Turns out a spot on the incision of my right side boob split open and bled quite a bit.  I had to steri-strip it closed and put a large bandage on it. I still cannot raise my arms to its full extension.  There is no pain, just tightness.  I need to practice raising them more often. SCARS & SILICONE TAPE I have been using silicone tape for almost 2 weeks now.  I take them off to shower and put them back on when I'm dried off. I prefer having silicone tape on my incisions than none.  My incisions feel less "tight" (especially in my armpits); the tape holds down any wayward sutures, as well as protects them from any rubbing from my clothes.  I don't put tape on any areas where the skin is broken.  I put some tape on a couple old WLS keloid scars and I swear they are flatter! They are still dark, but they are not as raised as they were.  I guess this stuff works. The areas that have not split nor rubbed raw are healing nicely (no keloids!). There are no raised areas except for one end of my tummy incision, at the exact spot where one of my drains were.  And this was the drain that I had accidentally pulled on a and caused bleeding (and PAIN!) while I was still in hospital. FOLLOW-UP APPT with DOC Pleased with my healing, told me that the aches and pain and wounds and oozing is normal.  Just keep washing my incisions with soap and water everyday. He applied some silver on all the areas where the skin was broken and it STUNG.  But then he applied some silver on the part that I split open during my run and OH MY GOD it HURT.  I cried.  It's been 5 hours already since he put it on me and it STILL HURTS.  I even took a pain killer and I still have to hold the area whenever I move. Told me not to wear the silicone tape all the time, and that I should have about half the day when they are uncovered. No need to wear compression garments anymore...told him I like them, and he said I can wear if I want to, but to have some time (half the day) not wearing them. I am cleared for all "controlled" exercise (lifting, yoga, running, etc).  I am not to participate in any contact sports or activities with sudden movements (for some reason zumba falls under this category, lol). Apparently I have not been massaging myself with the correct degree of "firmness".  He showed me how hard I should be applying pressure and OH MY GOD, the amount of pressure he applied HURT.  I was not massaging anywhere close to that level.  I don't even think I can!  Speaking of massages, he said I can go get regular ones with my masseuse, no adjustments necessary. Told me I MUST stretch my arms more, as he was not too happy about how far I could raise my arms without feeling tightness.  Told me I was in no danger whatsoever of undoing any stitches so I need to aim to stretch further and further and would like to see me have full range of motion by our next appointment in 1 month.  Guess i have some work to do! The no swimming, nor submersing in water ban continues. That's all for now. Oh, and here is a side-by-side body comparison pic: