My Experience with Smart Lipo & More

🙈 Transparency Post 🙊

2018-02-06T18:18:00.001-05:00

🙈 Transparency Post 🙊

On Friday, I shared with all of you how my stomach is one of my biggest insecurities. The picture on the left is what my stomach looked like after having lost 80lbs. I was the smallest I’d ever been in my adult life, I monitored every piece of food that went into my mouth, I did cardio 5-6 times a week and lifted 5-6 times a week. My level of commitment was intense. Borderline psychotic.

I was so disappointed that I had worked so hard and fought so hard to become this version of myself only to have this constant remirnder of the 10+ years (from when my mom died forward) that I found comfort in food.

I got so much attention from guys everywhere I went because I exuded an enormous amount of confidence - with clothes on. But the thought of being in even a two piece bathing suit was out of the question. I always joked that I was complete false advertising with clothes on. I looked like I had this tiny body, flat stomach and big boobs because I wore clothes that flattered me in all the right places. But when the clothes come off, I had pancake boobs down to my belly button (slight exaggeration) and this upside down heart shaped bag of skin hanging.

Now before you start in on me about how I didn’t need to be getting naked in front of any men - this was a very different time of my life & I thought that men could fill the void I felt. Live & learn.

I lost all my weight in 2006. I fought like crazy for 6 years to transform my body. But loose skin will only shrink so much. I was making really good money, I had paid off all my debt and felt that I had earned the right to explore my options to have the skin removed.

I decided to have Laser Lipo done (sometimes called Smart Lipo). They make incisions at various points on your body and insert the laser into your body separating the fat cells from the skin. The skin will shrink because it’s essentially like getting 3rd or 4th degree burns on the underside of the skin and the burn pulls the skin taunt.

It looked amazing after the procedure but as my body healed and things went back to normal, I started getting divots under the skin from where more fat had been removed in that one particular spot, or the skin didn’t adhere the same, etc.

The reason I did laser Lipo over a tummy tuck was because I fully intended on having kids. If I cut off a large amount of skin pre-babies, there would be a chance that I would get exponentially more stretch marks when pregnant (since I’m clearly predisposed to them - not all women get them to this degree) and there was less chance of the skin retracting after giving birth.

With this option, unlike a tummy tuck, I was left with all my lovely stretch marks. I spent another $400 after having spent $8k on the laser Lipo to have laser resurfacing done on the stretch marks. I’m not sure which was more painful. It did help to tighten the skin some more and reduce the size of the stretch marks, but nothing will remove them.

I say all of this to say - the girl on the left is just as beautiful as the girl on the right.

I am not ashamed of my decision to have a procedure done to reduce the excess skin or improve the appearance of the stretch marks.

I worked hard for this body & I worked hard for every dollar I earned that I put into it.

Loose skin is a reality of extreme weight loss. It’s even worse if you lose the weight rapidly.

Our bodies are such incredible masterpieces. The way they work is mind-blowing. I remember going through a 3-4 month plateau. I was so pissed. But that’s because I didn’t understand and appreciate what my body was doing FOR me. Your skin rebuilds itself in a years time. I could write a novel about collagen production, cell turnover, being properly hydrated, etc. to help with tightening the skin during your weight loss journey.

There is a reason why weight loss is a PROCESS that your body goes through. And a SLOW one at that. If you trust the process, give yourself the time and be committed, I guarantee you will be so thankful you did.

I understand that some people believe that weight loss surgery is the best option for them & I know there are some people that had they not taken that route, it could have cost them their life. But it’s important to know what to expect going into it - realistically. The impacts of losing weight that quickly and how it effects the body (not just loose skin). I just challenge you to really explore the dangers vs the benefits. Read people’s “what I wish I would have known” experiences. I wrote a blog about my experience with laser Lipo because I wanted people to know what it’s REALLY like. I posted regularly with updates and what the pain was like, the recovery was like, etc.

Clearly, I could never pass judgment on someone for having an elective surgery. We do what we think is best. I am simply sharing my perspective and what I’ve learned

Do I regret doing the procedure? Not often but at times. I question if I tried hard enough. Waited long enough.

Did I know enough to make the best decision? Probably not. What I know now about the body and how it works, I wonder what might have been.

BUT - here I am now. Proud of the woman I’ve become. Proud of the lessons I’ve learned. Proud of the insecurities I’ve overcome. Proud of my commitment to staying the healthiest version of myself.

The most important thing I can bestow upon any one of you is to love yourself no matter what society says, no matter what Cosmo says, no matter what you see in movies, etc. We have to stop judging ourselves. We have to stop measuring ourselves against a false reality. Hello photoshop and video editing. Our standards of beauty are based on unrealistic expeditions.

You. Are. Beautiful.
You. Are. Worthy.
You. Are. Enough.

& I love you just the way you are 💕

but I am not afraid to tell you that there are some decisions that you have to make regarding your health & becoming the best version of yourself 💪🏼when you are ready, I am here 💗

Are you sick & tired of being sick & tired?

2018-02-02T18:20:00.001-05:00

Are you sick & tired of being sick & tired?

Did you know that you're not supposed to be tired all the time? Your body shouldn't be in pain all the time. There's a reason why you're feeling the way you're feeling. It's poor gut health!

Look at this list of symptoms. How many do you struggle with?

Asthma
Blurred vision
Brain fog
Chronic pain
Chronic fatigue
Chronic heartburn
Cold hands and feet
Colitis
Constipation
Cramping
Cravings for sweets
Cystitis
Depression
Diarrhea
Distention and bloating
Dizziness
Earaches
Endometriosis
Food & chemical sensitivies
Food cravings
Gastritis

Hay fever
Headaches
Hives, rash
Hypoglycemia
Inability to concentrate
Increased body hair
Itchy ears
Joint pain and stiffness
Kidney and bladder infections
Loss of sex drive
Memory loss
Menstrual irregularities
Mood swings
Numbness and tingling
PMS
Prostate irritation
Sensitivity to alcohol
Sinusitis
Sleep disturbance
Vaginal or rectal itching
Yeast

Do you have your number?

Imagine if in 30-60 days that number could be reduced drastically by 75% or more. How would you feel? What would your quality of life be then?

Interested in learning more? Enter your email and I'll send you some information on 3 simple steps you can take to change your health forever! It's really as easy as 1, 2, 3!

After Pictures Update

2013-04-14T13:00:00.000-04:00

I am truly sorry that I haven't posted in a while. Not a whole lot has changed in terms of my body as of late. Well, that's not entirely true. I've been working on my tan - and let's be honest, everything looks better tan! I've also put on a few pounds. I'm not sure if it's due to the stress at work or the sheer amounts of alcohol I've consumed as a result of that stress. Either way - I'm up to 187lbs, which is clearly not where I want to be. I've decided it's time to redirect my energy and start using exercise as an outlet instead of alcohol. It's not an excuse, but some days I just want to go out with friends and vent about all the things that are stressing me out - and as a society, what do we do to be social - either go to a bar for drinks or a restaurant for food. I did get my best friend to join the gym but that presented another problem - too much talking and not enough working out. Like with everything in life, it's about finding balance right?

Ok ok, enough rambling ... here's the pics .. these were taken 10 minutes ago :)

As you can see in the image below, there is still obvious areas of opportunity!

People say I have a swimmers build, I see it more as a football player build - but what can you do?

For the purposes of giving viewers the most consistency, I've always posted pictures wearing the same thing. It's a cheap $10 bathing suit from Walmart. I don't feel sexy or confident in it. I think that comes across in the pictures, even when they're staged for the purposes of this site.

I think every woman will agree, it doesn't matter what the scale says .. you could be at your thinnest but still feel gross and bloated. If you're not confident in what you're wearing, you're not going to feel sexy or attractive... here's a different bathing suit shot that demonstrates how important it is to find something that you feel flatters your body, not just one that fits!

The stretch marks are there to stay, but I'm slowly coming to terms with it.

There are definite times when I feel sexier half naked then I do with clothes on - which for a former fat girl, is pretty impressive lol .. I know in this picture I weighed 185lbs, but no man would ever believe it.

Regardless of what the scale says, you know what effort you're putting in to your health - you just have to own it. I know that I've been slacking hardcore the last couple months. If I don't lose any weight on the scale in the next couple months but my diet and exercise is what it should be, I'll be happy with me. You just have to rock what you got :)

My Body - Today

2013-01-26T08:08:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry I haven't updated pictures in a while. Not a whole lot has changed other than the fact that I started working out again and went from 165lbs at the time of the procedure to 180lbs today. I'm still in my size 8 pants but I can feel the difference. My stomach feels swollen all the time for the extra weight. No one else can tell because I still wear the body garment but I have got to do something to lose at least 10 lbs. I'm extremely stressed out right now in my home life which I think is a driving factor, but come the 1st I'm moving so fingers crossed, life will improve tremendously.

Now this picture below, is with the flash on so it looks different than the one directly beneath it even though they were taken seconds apart.

This is what I mean when I talk about dimples on my stomach or bumpy looking. It's not flat and smooth. Unfortunately, you never know how the skin is going to reattach itself to the muscle.

You can see that I still have some skin elasticity issues the way the skin hangs over the bikini bottom in this picture. You can't really grab anything on my stomach, even when I bend over, but the skin just refuses to be taunt. Remember, I have been bigger than most kids my whole life, and got up to 243lbs at age 26. Genetics is also a factor. If I had Italian in me I've been told my skin would have more elasticity from all the oil in my skin. Who knows!

Now every woman knows everything looks better tan! I'll see how I feel after I go tanning a few times. My friends want to go on a cruise and everyone thinks I'm retarded because I still wear a one piece bathingsuit. Maybe this time I'll be brave but I can't be this white! LOL

Thighs One Month Out

2012-12-13T22:36:00.001-05:00

I'm sorry I haven't been real good about updating the after pictures. I got a promotion at work and it's been keeping me VERY busy but I love it :)

As for the procedure, the skin is still not completely back to normal from the Laser Resurfacing. The skin isn't perfect, but I'm giving it more time before I make any decisions.

This first picture is from the 25th .. it shows the skin issues I am referring to

Here are two pictures from today. Tomorrow will be exactly one month out.

You can see from the side view that there is absolutely no bulge anymore! I can actually wear dress pants to work now. It's amazing :)

There is still a lot of healing going on. I'm going through the hardening and softening still. Some days it looks good and others I am like, ugh. I know that it is just going to take time. I really need a tan too. Everything looks better tan :) lol .. but I don't want to make it appear better than it is for the purposes of giving the most realistic after results.

The Thighs Today

2012-11-25T22:47:00.002-05:00

Ok so it’s been 10 days since I had my thighs done .. day 13 since I had my upper body done again. Here is what they look like now. You can see what I mean about the skin not looking as good now as it did 3 days ago right after taking the garment off.

Day 10 After Pictures

2012-11-25T22:36:00.001-05:00

The thighs have definitely improved a lot, but they don't look as good as they do in the last picture here. These were taken right after the garment was taken off. I've been wearing it less and less, so things haven't been as "held tight" if you will. It didn't seem to be making a lot of difference so I made a judgment call. The doctor will likely tell me that the body was still making improvements, but I have been through this enough to know that if it doesn't happen in the first

Full Body Garment

2012-11-25T22:15:00.001-05:00

This is the garment that I have been having to wear for two weeks. Let me tell you, if you ever plan on getting this procedure done, definitely do it during the winter time if you're going to have to wear either the arm or leg compression garments. For whatever reason, they cause you to really over head.

There is an opening in the crotch so you have to wear your underwear over it so that when you have to go to the bathroom, you don't have to take the whole thing off. I was constantly paranoid that I was going to get it "dirty" if you know what I mean. Never happened, but didn't cause me to stop worry about it. LOL

Day 4 After Pictures

2012-11-25T22:08:00.000-05:00

Here are the progress pictures for Day 4. Not a whole lot of change but since I took them, I thought I would post them. Sorry there's a lot of draining going on again.

You can see there is a lot less bruising on the back of the thighs in just one days time.

Smart Lipo - Inner Thighs - Day 3

2012-11-18T04:02:00.000-05:00

Monday, I had my upper stomach and back done. On Wednesday, I went back to have my inner thighs done. The pain was minimal in comparison to what I had experienced on Monday. That could also be due to the fact that my body was still in shock.

The procedure was pretty quick. The doctor decided to do CO2 Laser Resurfacing on the outside of my thighs where I had the most excess skin. I was beyond surprised when she brought it up. I knew what it cost me to have the stretch marks done on my stomach and here she was going to do both of my thighs - for nothing?!?!

The one thing that means the most to me about my experience with Dr. Kaufman, is that she is a perfectionist. Yes, she has made a good amount of money off of me, but at the same time, she could easily be in it just for the money and suggest such a service and then say, well, that will be an extra $1,000. They are so incredibly good to me at that office! I absolutely love them!

In these pictures, you're going to see the scabbing from the CO2 Laser Resurfacing on the thighs. That's why they look the way that they do. You can also see serious sagging of the skin, which I was in full blown panic over!

Here you can see the sagging that I was talking about

The skin is incredibly sensitive. When I took a shower and the water hit my thighs, it felt like constant needles hitting my skin over and over again. It was beyond awful!

You can also see there was a lot more done on my left thigh as it was the "bigger" of the two and has a lot more bruising.

There's still a lot of healing to do, but definite progress.

After Pictures - Day 1 - Upper Stomach

2012-11-18T03:32:00.003-05:00

Here are the pictures that I took the day after I had my upper stomach and back done

I apologize for the drainage, but there was no way to avoid it. I've never drained so much before. The doctor said that the reason it seems so much worse this time is because the incisions right above my hip bones were the lowest drain points, where before the lowest incision was on my vagina.

I was extremely nervous the first day after the procedure given how much my mid section was bulging out. I was assured it was just fluid and swelling, but that doesn't stop me from worrying about it!

I was surprised that I didn't have more bruising given how painful the procedure was and the fact that it was mostly all over my ribs.

Before Pictures - Smart Lipo Round 3

2012-11-18T03:17:00.001-05:00

Here are a series of pictures that I took the night before the procedure. The first procedure was done on Monday and focused on my mid section from the belly button up to under my ribs. The doctor also did my back so as to have the best results possible.

So many people think I'm crazy because I complain about my body all the time .. particularly how much I hate my thighs. No one understands why. I've always been pretty good at buying clothes that hide the parts of my body that I hate.

These pictures should make it clear why I feel the way that I do!

I have a bit of a boyish shape - very square. The doctor said that with the focus being above the belly button, she could help give me more of an hour glass shape.

My biggest issue is with my left thigh. If the left thigh looked like the right thigh, I probably would have just deal with it. But I cannot stand how there are clumps of fat on my inner thigh.

I have little to no fat on my outer thighs, which is surprising. All those years of running has done me some good, but it hasn't done anything for the inner thighs.

The turning point for me was really when the dress code at work changed and we were required to wear business attire on a daily basis. I cannot tell you the number of dress pants that I tried on that looked HORRIFIC. It went from a "flat" stomach to having my inner thighs sticking out. I decided that I couldn't deal anymore so I made the appointment.

I know there will be people who will disagree with my choice. I have already had a friend asked me if I am addicted. Anyone who knows the amount of pain that you endure going through this would never assume you were addicted. Every day I questioned if I really wanted to put myself through this again. I knew it was going to be really bad. Ultimately, I decided that I was worth it. I could handle the pain and I would be happier once this was all over with.

More to come!

10,000 Views & Counting

2012-11-14T22:28:00.001-05:00

I can't express enough how much it means to me that so many people find my blog beneficial. It's the reason that I started this.

Thank you all so much :]

Procedure 1 - Upper Stomach & Back

2012-11-12T23:27:00.001-05:00

Well, I had my stomach done again today. This will be the third time. The focus was above the belly button.

As I've been working out 6 days a week, doing abs 6 days a week, there have been some interesting changes on my stomach. Although the appearance is not perfect, there are still divots .. My lower stomach is rock hard. Above the belly button .. I refer to it as jelly belly! It's unbelievable how different it is.

During the pre-op, the conversation was centered around what needed to be done on my stomach. When I went in today, and I'm standing there practically naked, she had me keep turning so she could get an overall assessment of my body fat. The markers come out and the roadmap is drawn.

The doctor started on my stomach. Then she had me turn around so she could mark my back. I was standing there thinking, I totally didn't pay for all of this. When she was done, I got on the table and the prepping started. They sanitize your entire body area where the work is being done.

I'm not going to lie - I was extremely nervous. I knew they were going to be going over my ribs in the front, but now the doctor planned on doing it on my back. The ribs are so painful. So painful. They had me take two Valium and two hydrocodone before the doctor started.

The fun then begins! The doctor numbs the incision points and then starts cutting. I had four incisions. Two right above my hip bones and two on my my back at just about the same area.

First they start to numb the skin using a metal rod that distributes the numbing agent inside your body. You can feel the rod breaking through the fibers under the skin. As she got closer to and was going over the ribs, I got very tense and said the F word numerous times. The doctor apologized but told me that she's learned with me it's so much better to go fast and get it over with then to draw it out. I can handle extreme pain long enough for her to get it done in one attempt.

After my body was numb, the doctor inserted 4 ports. This was new. The doctor now does Vaser Shape Lipo. I guess the tip of the Vaser laser is extremely hot and the ports are put in to prevent burning the skin. This part only hurt when the laser got close to the skin. I had asked why she included this part. She told me that because its much hotter, it melts the fat much more quickly. When she had finished and removed the ports. There were yellow chunks of fat that has fallen out in the bad. Not huge chunks but something you may blow out of your nose if you had a sinus infection. (Yeah, sorry, that was the best I could come up with).

We then went on to using the laser she used the first two times. This was used predominantly to burn the underside of the skin to help with shrinkage. That was pretty quick as well.

Next, the worst part - the PAINFUL part. The suction. I looked at her and said "take it easy on me!" lol

The best thing you can do to get though the pain is to focus on your breathing. I am beyond adequately prepared for the breathing while giving birth at this point. I had significantly less fat on the right side of my body. The doc did that first. There were a few moments when I made screaming type noises. When she went over to my left side, it started ok but then started becoming extremely painful. When she had me turn slightly to get my side, I'm not sure of she hit my hip bone or what but I screamed! She tried to work through it but I kept screaming and literally started pulling away from her trying to get it to stop. It seemed like a long time, but it was probably a period of 15 seconds. I was crying. She decided to skip the side and got to the back. Again, more screams. This happens every time. The last part becomes very painful because my body metabolizes the numbing solution much faster than most people. Probably because I work out 6 days a week.

In that moment, the doc got very real with me. She told me that we have to finish, she understood it was becoming very painful but to see if I could get through it. I agreed and told her to start. I focused on breathing. I didn't make any "holy pain" noises unless it was bad. When she asked if I was ok, I didn't answer - just kept breathing. When she took a break, i asked for two more pain killers. There were two spots that she knew would be bad. The first that she stopped doing because I was screaming and one on my ribs. She told me, give me 10 seconds and its done. I said ok let's do it. The assistant counted, I kept doing my long deep breaths and got through it.

The last part, you have to stand up so the doctor can evaluate and look for misses spots/problem areas. Again, I screamed. The office manager came on the intercoms and said that there were a series of clients waiting for their follow up appoints and everyone could hear me. I was tempted to make a joke about a ball gag but I honestly just didn't have it in me. I was hurting so bad. I felt like the pain killers had no impact.

The doctor was running late because she decided to do so much more than we had originally planned for.

There were final touches done to my stomach and backs that were not only painful but hard to stand up long enough for. My legs were shaking something fierce.

Once done, I laid back on the bed and asked if I could have a moment to gain my strength. The assistant came back with a Sprite and pretzel sticks to help me increase my calories. I made the comment that the doctor did way more than what I paid for (which I paid the full amount in advance, which was what was quoted to me - not at any time was I concerned they were going to say that I owed more money. I definitely don't want anyone thinking that!!!) The assistant said that she had brought that up to the doctor and the doctor said, this is what needed to be done for her to have the best results, so I did it.

What doctor have you ever met that would do or say that?!?!??

Are you kidding me? I wanted to cry and hug her but I knew it'd hurt like a bitch lol

I can't wait to get my thighs done. I think I'll take my camera with me on Wed to get pictures of where I'm at two days out.

I've now had 11 liters of fat sucked out of my body. Some may disagree, but I think it's the best $12,800 investment I've ever made in myself.

I will be sure to post pictures as soon as I have them!!

Hope everyone had a safe and super fun holiday!

Plastic Surgery – It’s Not an Easy Choice

2012-06-20T00:15:00.000-04:00

Here I am, still contemplating whether I want to get Smart Lipo done on my thighs. I hate my thighs. Absolutely hate them! I know I posted some pictures before but this one really shows the issues that I was talking about.

The way the fat protrudes out is apparent no matter what I’m wearing whether it’s jeans or shorts. The only way I can get away from it is if I’m wearing a dress or a skirt.
But I’m not going to lie – I’m scared. Does it look bad now? Yes. But what if it ends up looking worse.

You may be wondering where this is coming from. Well – I must say, I regret getting the CO2 Laser Resurfacing done on my stomach. It may have improved my stretch marks SOME, but it caused other weird problems. I didn’t have divits before and now I do.

Granted. a tan would help too. However, I’ve been doing ab exercises every day. Switching it up constantly so that my body doesn’t get too accustomed to any one particular thing. Mind you, I haven’t put on any weight either but it certainly looks like I have. Damn, this picture depresses me. I do recognize that the before picture was only two weeks after the procedure so the skin was still going through the hardening/softening phase.

I woke out every day doing a minimum of 30 minutes of cardio but most days I do 45 minutes. I use a machine at the gym that is a combination between a stair machine and an elliptical. It’s a Cybex Arc Trainer. I don’t use my hands, they stay on my hips the whole time because I know I’m not doing myself any favors by redistributing my weigh across the machine. I tried to find a picture of the exact machine that’s at Planet Fitness. These are the best I could find.

I push myself so hard. I try to do more, do better, every day. I’m starting to feel defeated.

I’ve decided that I need to give myself more time. Time to see if having the procedure done is really what I want. It was an easy choice when I was considering doing my stomach. Look at this! Was there ever any hesistation? Hell No!

This is also really making me want to get a tan lol .. I’m a Florida girl .. tan is what we do .. I don’t think I’ve ever been so pale in my life. But, I hit the 30 mark, and the wrinkles seem to appear in bulk now.

I guess I should get to my point – having plastic surgery is not an easy decision. People may assume others have it done because it’s the “easy” solution. There is nothing easy about it. If you’re considering doing it because you think you’ll be more confident after – you won’t be. I still have all the same insecurities I had before. I definitely feel better in my clothes, but naked – I’ll always be a fat girl.

No one can make the decision for you. No one can persuade you it’s the right or wrong choice. Ultimately, you have to decide what you want, what risks you’re willing to take. There are no guaranteed outcomes. You lay on the table and hope for the best.

The Thighs - Have To Go!

2012-06-03T18:57:00.004-04:00

I’ve decided that I am definitely going to get the SmartLipo procedure done on my inner thighs. I am so unhappy with them and nothing I’ve done for the past 4 years has made any significant impact. I’ve been running, cycling, stair machine, strict diets and even had a personal trainer for an hour three times a week for three months – I’ve still got seriously fatty inner thighs. I’ve reached the point that I just don’t know what else to do but elect for plastic surgery.

When I think about how big my thighs were when I was heavy, I really shouldn’t complain about how tone 75% of my legs are. I tried to find a picture that would show you just how bad it was .. I found this one from when I was in the Dominican Republic in 2004. I seriously just started crying.

How do you let yourself get that big? How do you not see what is happening to your body? It seriously disgusts me that I ever let that happen to myself. I can blame being depressed from the death of my mom, but ultimately, I choose to eat the way I did. My mom was constantly on me about eating well. Clearly, it didn’t register.

Moving on to the topic at hand, I decided I’ll go ahead and post my “before” pictures even though I haven’t decided when I am going to get the procedure done. All I know is, with clothes on, this is serious false advertising

When you creep the shorts up, it’s a very different story.

I can’t believe I’m posting this. Putting your biggest insecurity out there for the world to see is a little overwhelming. At least when I posted my “before” picture of my stomach, I had a nice “after” picture with a flat tummy. For now, this is how the thighs are and will remain until I decide when to take the time off work and when I want to drop the $1800 on the procedure.

You can see the left thigh (when looking at the picture) has a very distinct bulge of fat. It’s not as obvious on the right but it is still there. I probably should have taken one from the side to show how much it sticks out. I think having my stomach done made my thighs seem that much more prominent. I can’t even wear size 12 shorts because the thighs don’t fit. I wear size 12 jeans because the 10′s don’t fit around my thighs. It’s extremely depressing.

I have some fat on the outer thighs, but not enough that the doctor is willing to touch it. I think that once I get rid of the inner thigh, I’ll be more motivated to hit the weights. Since I’ve had my stomach done, I’ve been doing ab exercises every day because I know that it’s only going to help with the skin issues.

I really wish that shows like “The Biggest Loser” were more honest about the impact losing 100+ pounds has on your skin. For some people, who have been heavy for years, they’ve lost a lot of elasticity. Why do people talk around the issue? Why do they not want to share their stories? This is life – it’s real – it happens.

I’m not proud of who I used to be, but I am proud of the person I have become. I have worked very hard to lose this weight and I have earned the right to fine tune it through plastic surgery or whatever means I choose. There are still only a handful of people who know that I’ve had my stomach done. I don’t think it’s anyone’s business what I choose to do, how I choose to live my life, the decisions that I make for myself. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but I choose not to open the door to hear them. This is about me – no one else.

SmartLipo (aka Laser Lipo) – thighs

2012-05-30T18:03:00.000-04:00

I went to the doctor on Tuesday to discuss having my thighs done since the Vaser Shape had no impact whatsoever.

I have been told by multiple medical professionals, including this doctor, that the thighs are the least forgiving area of the body in terms of skin retraction. There is no guarantee that if I do this my inner thighs won’t have sagging skin.

Is there ever a guarantee with anything in this life? Other than we all die at some point – I don’t think so. There is no reward without some risk.

I expressed my concerns to the doctor. Mainly, I’m scared of doing more harm than good. I know I’ve never posted any pictures of the hated thighs so it may be a little hard to understand my issue. The fat is very centralized to one specific area. Even the doctor commented on how bizarre it is. There is almost a distinct line down my top front center of my left thigh down into my inner thigh were the fat bulges. The skin all around it is tight and flat. I can’t wear shorts that fit around my waist because they’re too tight around my thighs.

I was trying on clothes tonight to pack for my trip to see my boyfriend. I have skirts that I used to wear all the time so I figured it’s summer time and it’s ubber hot in GA right now, might as well give them a try . . . *sigh* . . . some actually cut in above my thighs and bulged out.

Talk about depressing. I’m seriously wondering why I ever started running. My thighs have gotten HUGE. When I’m at the gym, I don’t compare them to the thighs of other girls – I compare them with the guys – more times than not, mine are bigger!

I took this candid earlier while trying on different skirts .. You can kind of see the start of the bulge on the inner left thigh right below the skirt line.

It just makes me want to get the procedure done that much more – just in case there being enough friction between those thighs to start a forrest fire wasn’t enough of a reason

The doctor is also willing to cut me a break on the price. Inner thighs usually costs $3000. The doctor is willing to do it for $1800 since the Vaser Shape didn’t work out.
If, worst case scenario, the skin fails to retract like my stomach did, the doctor can remove the skin – literally cut it off. That is something she doesn’t want to do unless absolutely necessary. Is it sad that I’m not opposed or even concerned that may be the last option?

I think it just demonstrates how much I hate my thighs. To workout as much as I do, and eat the way I do, and still look like this depresses me.

People comment all the time that I have nice legs and I can’t even say thank you. All I think is, that’s only because I hide the disgusting part.

I haven’t decided when I’m going to have the procedure. I’m going to have to take 3 days off work so that’ll be factor. Mostly though, it’s summer time and it’s in the 80′s by 9am. Do I really want to wear a compression garment on my thighs for 2 weeks during the summer? Then there’s the money factor although I’m sure Visa would love some business

I’ll post a “before” picture when I go for the pre-op and you’ll definitely understand why this is so important to me. But I can also see why you may be thinking “she’s addicted” too.

Until next time

Vaser Shape - It Is Not For Everyone

2012-05-30T17:54:00.001-04:00

I had my 4th of 5 appointments today. Instead of having the technician do today’s treatment, the doctor wanted to do it herself.

It would appear that Vaser Shape is not the right choice for me. Although I don’t feel so bad since they told me that there’s quite a few people not getting the desired results. There’s no rhyme or reason to it.

We’ve decided that doing SmartLipo on the inner thighs is likely my only option at this point. I’ve heard of the stocking lift but I haven’t had any lucky finding a lot of information on it.

I’m not going to lie. I’m not super excited to go through the SmartLipo again. It’s not that I had a bad experience – I just know its going to be painful. I’ve put this body through a LOT in the past year.

I’m not super excited to spend more money either. I feel so poor lately

Just a lot to think about. As I was standing there having the doctor’s critical eye all over my body, I certainly wished I had taken charge of my weigh sooner. I try not to beat myself up too much for the initial weight gain – watching your mom die from leukemia at 15 is beyond emotionally traumatic and brownies were easier than conversing :-/ such is life, right?

But here I am now, working hard to keep a healthy active lifestyle that’s not centered around food or alcohol. No looking back – just focusing on the here and now

Vaser Shape

2012-04-21T23:42:00.002-04:00

Have you heard of Vaser Shape?

When I went to the doctor to have the CO2 Laser Resurfacing done, I saw advertisements for this new body sculpting technique. I was very curious as to whether it would be a good choice for my inner thighs .. aka football player thighs!

Today I had my consultation. The doctor thinks that this would be an excellent choice for me. Now, you may be skeptical in that it is her practice and she obviously wants to make money. However, I originally wanted to have the laser lipo done on my inner thighs and she said no as the results would not likely be what I was hoping for.

The pricing is $1500 per area – an area being approximately an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper. It takes 5 sessions that are approximately 30-60 minutes long. There is no down time or garment like with the SmartLipo. It uses ultrasound technology and the body metabolizes out the fat.

I’m so excited .. I have my first appointment on Tuesday Of course, I will post plenty of progress pictures – as always!

CO2 Resurfacing for Stretch Marks

2012-04-13T21:30:00.000-04:00

I went and had CO2 laser resurfacing done on my stomach yesterday to try and smooth out some of my stretch marks. I spent an hour with topical anesthetic on my stomach to help ease the pain. It was an extra $35. I wasn't sure if it would really do a lot of good. When it was finally time to start, I started to get nervous. It didn't tickle but it didn't hurt substantially. Not yet anyway. She had me turn some and all of a sudden it was horrifically painful. The assistance commented that the Doc was going outside the lines of the topical anesthetic. The doctor is a bit of a perfectionist. Her comment, "well, you have stretch marks here too, I'm almost done." My legs were shaking from the pain.

The procedure overall didn't take but maybe 20-30 minutes. The doctor told me to keep cold packs on the area to help with the swelling. I was also advised to continue to wear the garment to prevent any friction against the area.

I think wearing the garment helped with the pain. However, because the skin has literally just been burned, there is some oozing. Well, my skin stuck to the garment and I had to literally peel it off, which was NOT pleasant.

For now, the pain is minimal, but my skin is very rough - like sand paper. It does hurt to bend over though. I'll keep you posted .. but for now .. here are some pics

I tried to get a good picture of the stretch marks, but because my skin is so pale it wasn't easy.

This one is a little better

Here is what it looks like, less than 24 hours after the procedure was done.

This is what the garment looked like once I had peeled it away from my skin. That was not a pleasant experience.

Thursday is the day!

2012-04-11T01:17:00.000-04:00

Well, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't getting nervous. I'm not exactly sure how much pain I'll be in and that scares me. I also don't know how long it will take for the skin to heal. Or if it will show any great improvement once it is healed. I keep telling myself, I've come this far, I might as well see it all the way through with the CO2 resurfacing. I'll let you know how it goes :)

CO2 Resurfacing

2012-03-11T21:23:00.001-04:00

Well - the skin isn't perfect, but I didn't expect it to be. There area where the skin is crinkling due to the stretch marks hasn't gotten any better. After my last follow up appointment, I've decided that I'm going to do the CO2 resurfacing on my stomach. It should help soften the stretch marks and possibly help with the skin on the surface. I've been looking at before and after pictures on google and there aren't a lot that focus on stretch marks specifically.

Like always, I'll be sure to take plenty of pictures so you can see just what impact, if any, the procedure made. It's costing me $600. I figure, I already spent $6,200 on just my stomach area. Might as well go the whole way and try to get the best results I can. Why not right?

3-Week Post Procedure Before and After Pictures

2012-02-23T22:50:00.000-05:00

Here are my before and after pictures from 3 weeks after the procedure. Not a whole lot of change in the last two weeks. Just like the first time. All the major changes happen in the first two days. If I would have thought about it, I could have pulled my belly button apart to ensure it looked more normal. The skin would have adhered accordingly, but instead, I'm stuck with this one. But I'm ok with it :)

I slept without the garment on for the first time last night. It was nice. I'm still wearing it during the day while I'm at work as I do a lot of sitting. I'm still really happy with my decision to buy maternity pants. I think they've really helped with the smooth healing of the skin.

Almost 3 weeks out

2012-02-20T22:29:00.000-05:00

So, I'm almost three weeks out since my procedure. I'm still having weird pains. I guess it's just all part of the healing process. It's funny how it's only been 6 months since my first procedure and I've already forgotten how I felt 3-4 weeks after getting the procedure done.

My skin has retracted so much that my stretch marks have caused my skin to look crinkly. You can see what I'm talking about in the picture below.

This was taken right after I woke up too - if you're tummy has a time when it looks it's best, that would certainly be it!

It upsets me a little bit. I knew it was a possibility but it looked so good after the first week I was really hopeful that it wasn't going to happen. But, the skin does continue to tighten for up to three months so I guess my optimism was a little premature.

The massage therapist thinks that it could potentially get better once the hardening and softening of the skin has gone through it's cycles, but she said that it was unlikely that it would completely resolve itself.

I'm hoping that once I start hitting the gym and focusing on my diet, I'll be able to tighten it up a little more.

And, if all else fails, I'll just have to get a tan. Skin always looks better tan :)

Smart Lipo / Laser Lipo and Weight Loss

2012-02-19T18:20:00.000-05:00

Just a random comment that I wanted to share with those considering Smart/Laser Lipo. You may think that having the fat sucked out of you would certainly cause you to weigh less. That's what I expected anyway.

This is not, however, true. You don't lose any weight on the scale due to the procedure. You will certainly lose inches. I tell you this so that you do not go into this with false hope or expectations.

My Experience with Smart Lipo & More

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After Pictures Update

My Body - Today

Thighs One Month Out

The Thighs Today

Day 10 After Pictures

Full Body Garment

Day 4 After Pictures

Smart Lipo - Inner Thighs - Day 3

After Pictures - Day 1 - Upper Stomach

Before Pictures - Smart Lipo Round 3

10,000 Views & Counting

Procedure 1 - Upper Stomach & Back

Plastic Surgery – It’s Not an Easy Choice

The Thighs - Have To Go!

SmartLipo (aka Laser Lipo) – thighs

Vaser Shape - It Is Not For Everyone

Vaser Shape

CO2 Resurfacing for Stretch Marks

Thursday is the day!

CO2 Resurfacing

3-Week Post Procedure Before and After Pictures

Almost 3 weeks out

Smart Lipo / Laser Lipo and Weight Loss