Plastic Surgery - West Hartford,CT

Hi M.,

As women, we feel like we'll be abandoned for someone younger if we aren't a size 6 and weigh 110 lb. Look at all those commercials and magazines with those gorgeous younger women. We're being set up to feel insecure so we eat and then diet and then eat and spend money on tummy tucks and hospitalization.

I keep thinking about that infuriating commercial:

"Wow. All I can say, is...wow. She looks so young to me now. She's lost 10-15 years. She looks just like I remember when we met. Sigh.... It was worth all the pain she went through for me to see her look so young. And even though I'm in horrible physical shape with a huge belly, I may make love to her tonight, just as a reward for how she looks. Wow." [The last part is my addition.}

Sorry, this lack of self-consciousness is what happens when you get older...reality strikes, and you get to like your body because it's your body, and you take care of your body, because you've only got one. I don't think that people had this luxury in the past unless they were wealthy.

P.S. Infuriating means: maddening, annoying, irritating, exasperating, galling.

Hi M. -
I have never had what you are thinking of doing, but my coworkers mom did. All I can say... is like the other poster, make sure that you have a board certified surgeon whose office is in a hospital!!! My coworkers mother ended up with perforated bowels and multiple hospital stays (and more surgeries) from the procedure.

here is a website for you to find a board cerified surgeon.
http://www.aboardcertifiedplasticsurgeonresource.com/

I am totally not against plastic surgery, as I have had it myself for a birth defect (two completely different sized boobs...I have an implant in one now). But make sure that you do it at a hospital, and see if you can get references for the surgeon.

Good luck.. (and I wish that I could get rid of my fat.. but I think that would take about 10 surgeries!) :)

L.

M.,

Make sure you have a Board Certified Surgeon. And a Board Certified anesthesiologist. Make sure you know how many surgeries they have done. Make sure its done in a Hospital in case something goes wrong. I really don't know why you would put your life at risk to wear a bikini. Sorry if I sound judgmental....I just worry about things going wrong and you have three small children. Good luck!

When you find one, let me know. All as I had was one child but I was small and she really stretched my stomach out. There is something called smart lipo that is getting great reviews and its very minimal recovery and no big scars. I know a vascular surgeon that is great in I think Westboro named Dr. Burgess. He is awesome at that and also does botox, and all that stuff. Good luck.

Once my mother had decided she wasn't having any more children, she had a tummy tuck, and she said it was one of the worst decisions of her life. It gave her this huge hard bump on her upper tummy which hurts and puts pressure on her internal organs. The doctor who performed the surgery said that it is accumulated tissue and it happens sometimes with tummy tucks.
There are so many better options than plastic surgery, like specific exercises which target the jiggly mum belly area. This takes time, of course, whereas plastic surgery is immediate but the easy, quick way isn't usually the best way for your body.

Hi M.,

After my 4th child was born i had an umbilica hernia that needed to be repaired. I also had a lot of extra skin from all my pregnancies. I decided to have both procedures you are considering at the same time I had my hernia repaired. My OB recommended my general surgeon(for the hernia) and she recommended my plastic surgeon. I used Donald Morris from Longwood Plastic Surgery (www.longwoodplasticsurgery.com). He operated at Beth Israel in Boston. He was great and the results look wonderful! The recovery is pretty rough and you be in bed for at least a week and not able to do much of anything for two weeks. After that you will not be able to lift for a good six weeks. The recovery was tough but I am glad I did it. If you children are very little I would wait until they are a bit older or just make sure you have great help for the first two weeks. My husband stayed home for the first two weeks. Good luck and do what makes you happy!
D.

Hi M.,
I've never had this type of surgery, but I recommend that you take the advice of people who recommend finding a Board-certified surgeon, one that specializes in this type of procedure. And only go to a hospital to have the surgery (not a spa or similar). If I were you I'd wait until you've done as much as you can naturally (exericse) to see how much fat you can lose on your own. You may be able to firm up enough so as not to require the surgery, or a different, less-invasive one. Get the consult when you're sure you're at the stage that you've done all you can on your own.

I'd make sure that you have enough help/childcare coverage so that you can make a full recovery without having to worry about the kids. Proper recovery, as I understand it, is just as important as the surgery itself.

In the end you should do what feels right to you and makes you happy, always understanding the risks. Good luck and be happy!