sillykitty

I wasn't told any time frame, but I didn't ask. The instructions just put the fear in me because except for this one topic my surgeon was pretty much 'your surgery is done, there isn't much you can do to affect the outcome either positively or negatively'. So this is one of the few thing I was told specifically to not do. I don't believe scar massage though falls under these instructions for me at this point. I can feel the solid scar tissue underneath. So breaking that up would only be a positive.

I also got a Shein order, and also 7 items 🤣, 6 dresses and 1 coat. The coat for me is the only total win, it looks great, IMO. I will keep two dresses. One is a maybe for work, and a yes for date night, and one is just for looking hoe-ish on date night. I don't love either dress, but they were exceptionally cheap so they're worth keeping. Sizing for me was inconsistent. The jacket is a small, it fits well, but would be tight if I needed layers underneath. The dresses I got 6/M. Some were fine, some were too large and some were too tight.

Thanks everyone! I got a LBL not to have to deal w a poochy tummy ever again. I think the points made about me not being 100% comfortable are spot on. Another consideration is swelling was down when I took that pic, so on the actual meeting day it is likely to be worse. I have one faux wrap dress picked out that skims the belly and makes me feel fab. But, I need a second dress (and 3 pants outfits, but that's easier). I have like 75 dresses coming over the weekend, so maybe I'll find a winner. This dress is in the solid maybe category until then. Also don't think there is need to hide the boobs, it's not like you are showing alot of cleavage or anything, and they look awesome (I dont see any asymmetry in height ether...) My boob issue is two fold. The asymmetry isn't a big concern. Someone would have to take a GOOD look to see it in clothes. But my breast shape, especially the right is odd, similar to the below pic, but not as extreme. So there needs to be something going on at the neckline to distract from the shape, which is why the cowl neck works. V necks also work, but I have to make sure it's not showing too much boob. My company is Asian, and pretty conservative. So I'm comfortable in fitted clothes, but not anything too short or too low. are you wearing your butt panties since having the LBL? Lol, YES! Butt panties in place in the pic. I HAD a cute little perky butt at first after LBL, but it was apparently swelling. Just last weekend after I got out of the shower my bf says "Babe! I think you lost your little butt!" 😭 Do you have a silver chain belt? Not sure if i would wear this at a high profile meeting. I would lean more to a cute skirt and probably button down shirt I don't own a chain belt, but do have several in my "Saved for Later" Amazon cart. (Did you guys know it will only hold 500 items? 😂) I have never done the button down shirt thing, I don't even own any or have any in my cart. I'll put figuring out of I can pull that off on my to do list, but no time before my meetings next week. Thanks again everyone! To be continued!

Brutally honest opinions needed! New compression gear has arrived ... but is this still too much tummy? High profile meetings next week and I'm struggling with hiding both my boobs and my belly

My surgeon is a believer in "tissues need to bind together" as well (just doesn't think compression is necessary to do so after the first day). I was told absolutely no traditional types of massages, or anything else that would affect the surgical area tissues from healing together. (Lymphatic massage was given the ok)

Interesting, my mom has used it before and the results were less than amazing. Pro-tip, much much cheaper in MX (I'm also terrible at any kind of beauty routine, I doubt my own reliability on applying it daily )

I think that is the crux of it ... I'm ok with with subtle results from low cost options. But for real money, I'd be beyond disappointed at some of the "afters I've seen! That's great you see results in your neck. I definitely need some help in that area I also have one of those microneedling rollers. I don't think it has any effect either. What I am interested in is a combo of RF & Microneedling. One of the machines/companies is called Profound RF. Their before and afters are pretty dramatic. In the office where I got my filler, they had posters up for a different machine/company, and their neck example was AMAZING. But the prices I have seen are high, like over $1K. I'm just not willing to take that kind of financial risk In my plastic surgery thread @ms.sss brought up a facelift vs. theses non-surgical alternatives. I think it is a good question. If a facelift will cost $10-$12K, and be dramatic. How much does it make sense to pay for these more subtle alternatives?

Ok, I feel less like a lazy blob in that case 😂

My boobs are hidden under a sports bra and a too big non-fitted shirt 😂 That outfit must provide quite an illusion because I'm as short as I've always been and now swollen as well 😞

Sooo much to catch up on! @summerset I'm convinced you're an extra on a SciFi show, your work gear, those shoes! 🤣 @BayougirlMrsS, those earrings are gorgeous. I love that they are classic and not too flashy. And I love those boots. Off to google Duberry's. You know I don't own a pair of brown Chelsea boots ..hmmmm @GreenTealael I can't believe you're trying on clothes just cause. Just getting out of my robe for the day feels like an accomplishment 😂 @FluffyChix Love he big hoop earrings paired with the all black outfit @shanza I plaid! I have a near identical outfit. We could be twins (except for our 5" height difference!) @Winchell Hope the interview went well! @AngieBear Look at you shrink! @Arabesque You manage to always wear black (and sometimes white), but you're able to make your outfits so varied. @Sophie7713 You look more put together 1 day post op then I do at 6 wks 😔

Agree with this @Sheribear68! I'm also 4" shorter than you, and get so many compliments in my palazzo pants. I also agree, keep the top fitted. I think you have a bit of body dysmorphia because you are definitely not short and stubby anywhere

I was JUST thinking about you today, and wondering when exactly your surgery is/was! Congrats on what sounds like a successful surgery and a smooth recovery so far! I concur w @ms.sss, you are standing awfully straight, and hopefully that will spare you the back pain!

Why would compression affect your results so dramatically do you feel? I think I'm pretty tight and taunt, and don't think compression would change or improve my results. But I didn't have lipo either. So compression for me would just be to combat swelling. It's a trade off between feeling like a balloon and feeling like a stuffed sausage 😂

I have this one on the way Your faja scares me 😳 I also want something that is super smooth, so it won't show under my dresses. I have another garment that hooks like a bra in the front, but it is visable under a lot of outfits. I feel like the faja would be as well. What do you think?

My massage therapist told me to massage and stretch gently. The scar tissue areas have interestingly had most of the sensation return. So they are now tender and sore, so I'm hesitant to massage too much. I'm also a big baby, so there is that. The scar tissue may have been there for a while, but I just didn't feel it because it as under my raised incisions. I don't typically scar badly, but the amount of scar tissue scares and worries me 😟 Also forgot to update on my lymphatic massages. I have had 5, and have my 6th and last one tomorrow. I'm bummed because they don't seem to have worked for me at all. I'm just as swollen on days I do and do not get the massages. My therapist is very well regarded, so I don't think that is the issue. I felt like I had to try it in hopes it would help. But in retrospect, I'd love to have that (pretty significant amount) of money back

I have thought a lot about facelifts vs. non surgical options. There are some amazing facial surgeons local to me! Some form of a facelift is definitely on my wish list. But I think I'm a little young, it's too early for that (early 40's). So to me the Botox/fillers are a stopgap measure. Botox is inexpensive compared to fillers. But of course the part of my faces that ages me the most, IMO, is my smile lines, which need the filler of course. Oh, and I was just checking my face in the mirror, and I realize I should have gotten my "11's" Botoxed as well. When did those show up?? Super duper big important meeting is next week, eek 😱. I have spent far more time working on what I will be wearing than on my presentation 😂 I'm waiting on some super compression (hopefully) gear to see if I I can wear sheath style dresses, or if I'll need to camouflage the belly. I am trying to work around the boobs as well. V necks work best, but can't be too show-y, ugh, especially considering my company is more conservative than most.

Two more updates I forgot .... I'm a little concerned, I have scar tissue that has formed under part of my LBL incision. It is hard and lumpy, and mostly over my hips, outer side of my bum. I freaked out when I first felt it and called my surgeon, thinking it might be a seroma. Well, it wasn't, but I'm anxious if it is temporary or permanent. LBL vets, any insights? My tummy muscles seem to be healed up again. I'm no longer sore. all. the. time. Sneezing is still the enemy, bu other than than I'm no longer in pain from the muscle tightening. I do try to be more conscience of what I lift though, I don't want to re-injure. It's tough though living alone, sometimes things need to be picked up!

Six weeks post op checking in! My LBL incision is progressing nicely. Starting 2 or so weeks ago, I started feeling/hearing some "pops" along my incision line. The internal sutures were giving way (like there were supposed to) and the raised pie crust incision was flat where I could feel he "pop". It was very satisfying to feel/hear/see that. I am now all flattened out except for a few inches the very front, on top of my mons. Weepiness at the crack continues. It is my biggest frustration. It seems to have stalled, and has not closed any amount that I can tell. I am considering pursuing some wound care locally to encourage healing. But anxious if my insurance will cover. I think a bill for a hyperbaric chamber would be sizable! Some good news, it's at least no longer smelly. I think the silver gauze has taken care of that at least. Breasts are progressing, slowly. My left has dropped significantly. It just needs to fall into the bottom fleshy part of my breast (called fluffing), and it will be complete. My right breast is stubbornly stuck high. I've been wearing a band a massaging periodically to encourage it to relax. It presents some unique wardrobe issues. Next week my professional dressing life starts again, which will be interesting. Swelling persists, ugh! Mine is pretty consistent, it never goes away, it just lessens occasionally. It's uncomfortable, and makes me feel like I am stretched and sore. I'm waiting on some super compression gear to arrive. My old faux spanx aren't up to the task. My swollen belly is hard vs, my extra skin belly was squishy. Further complicates dressing professionally. My incisions are still a bit scabby and crusty in spots. I'm holding off on scar tape for now. I have started using bio oil. I know it has a lot of proponent here and elsewhere. But I'm skeptical personally. It means something to me that silicone is the only proven scar treatment. Also, bio oil has a terrible old lady rose scent, gag. I started on my facial treatments I bought during the pre Xmas Goupon sale. First I did the laser resurfacing, as it should be a pretty major deal that take a week to recover from. Well, it was like absolutely nothing happened. So I'm working on getting a refund on that since they've given me the run around when I asked for a redo. I had Botox of my crows feet and filler in my nasolabial folds done yesterday. Botox was super fast and easy. It will take about a week to see the results. The filler was a little longer and more painful. I am surprised by how swollen and bruised I am. It is definitely not a lunch hour type procedure. But I think I'm going to really like those results once it settles in about a week. More vanity treatments planned for this week, hydrodermabrasian & eyelash extensions. I've gone down the rabbit hole I'm afraid!

Brachioplasty I originally was interested in a crescent style that only had the incision in the underarm area. The feedback I got was it doesn't have great results, and can have healing issues. So I dismissed that pretty quickly. At some point down the road I might have a full brachioplasty, we'll see how my scars end up.

Keep us updated on the results, if you could. I started on RF treatments on my face and neck. I only had a few because even the results the nurse was prod of and showed me were subtle. The suggested number of treatments would be in the $1K range, and then regular maintenance after that. It just felt like money poorly spent, IME. I am curious about microneedling + RF. They have fantastic before/afters. But even more expensive, and are they realistic results?

It depends on what YOUR goals are once you have lost the weight. For me, I looked (mostly) great in clothes, IMO. Lots of pics on the OOTD thread if you're interested. But naked, or in a bathing suit, not so much. I really wanted to be as happy as reasonably possible both in and out of clothes. So I knew going into WLS, that plastics was part of the process for me. In my case no amount of patience, exercise, toning, non surgical treatments etc would make me happy with my naked self. I had lost my breasts nearly entirely. I missed them, and wanted full breasts again, so I needed a breast augmentation. I had saggy skin on my stomach, hips and thighs. I had a lower body lift and 4.5 lbs of skin and tissue were removed (no lipo). Nothing short of surgery would have made that kind of difference. It's a very individual decision. There is no right or wrong answer. You have the balance how you feel about your appearance against the pain, scars, risks and expense of plastics.

#curveenvy 😩

Super casual playoff 🏈 Sunday

Alright. it may take a couple of weeks to find the shop again. Have to retrace all my steps .....

I've never been so grateful I live where I live ... ever ....