Before & After Plastic Surgery with Yalena from TLC’s Skin Tight!
February 2, 2016Obesity has always been a huge part of my life – both negatively and (now) positively. As a child, obesity affected me in ways that a child never realizes until they grow up. As an adult, my weight was more than just a physical problem, but a strain on my mental health as well. My weight had always caused body image issues and, for the most part, I believed those were the worst part.
It wasn’t until the age of 25 that I realized there are worse things out there. Standing at 5’6” tall and my highest weight of 357.8lbs, I found myself unable to do normal physical activities.
I wasn’t able to stand for more than two minutes without excruciating pain and numbness occurring on the right side of my body. Daily tasks, such as running errands or going to the grocery store, required me to take breaks by sitting on the floor wherever I was so the pain would stop for a few minutes. I was not able to take my kids to the zoo or park without the pain slowly destroying me. I realized that I was slowly killing myself after so many years.
After many medical exams and scans, I was told by a physician that my almost 358lbs was causing my spine to compress down on my nerves, and if I didn’t lose weight, I would lose my mobility entirely.
How can a 25-year-old mother of two lose her freedom to walk? How selfish have I become to let myself go to this extent? How can I live with myself if I don't fix this?
I knew I had to make a change. In 2012, I looked into bariatric surgery and decided on the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (VSG). I educated myself on weight loss surgery from the forums on ObesityHelp.com and YouTube videos. At that point, I started documenting my journey on Instagram. It would be a long road, but I knew it would be an effective one that would change my life.
My Second Chance at Life With VSG Surgery
On January 7, 2013, I gave myself a second chance at life and had my VSG. It was not easy by any means. There were some complications three months after surgery with an undetected leak and abscess that had formed.
After overcoming the complications and hurdles that come with any life changing surgery, the weight came off, and my mobility returned. I started living life as I never had before. Everyday tasks became easier and being active again became a huge part of my life. I was able to join a gym and take control of my body.
After losing 188lbs, I was in the best shape of my life. I felt fit, healthy, but happy was still missing. The body image issues intensified because of the excess skin I had after such an extreme weight loss. The excess skin had become my new prison. It was a daily reminder of how I had failed myself in the past. A little over two years after my weight loss surgery, it was time for me to close this chapter in my life once and for all.
TLC's Skin Tight Series NSV
I was blessed with the opportunity to have my excess skin removed with plastic surgery procedures, and have it documented in a TLC television series, Skin Tight. The production company reached out to me and 11 wonderful people to participate in this journey. In episode 2, my journey to the excess skin removal is shared with the world in a joint episode with another participant. I had a 360 tummy tuck, arm lift (brachioplasty), upper back lift, and a breast lift done in two surgeries.
The 360 tummy tuck, also known as a lower body lift, along with the brachioplasty, were done in one set of surgeries. The breast lift and upper back lift were done as a second set of surgeries. Even though only 22 minutes of my experience was shown on the show, it was a small snippet into how much truly goes into excess skin removal.
The road to recovery for the skin removal surgeries was difficult but well worth it. Having it broadcasted on television has made it a memorable experience that I can share with my family, friends, and the rest of the world.
Too often we believe that we have all the time in the world to fix our mistakes, to get healthy, to do better. In reality, time is limited! My wake-up call was when I lost my ability to function in the simple tasks of daily living. I was fortunate that my mobility is all that it took for me to change my life and have weight loss surgery. The issues with mobility were reversible but so many other obesity-related issues are not.
My hope for anyone reading this article is to take away the message to "never give up on yourself!" Love yourself by taking care of your body. WLS is a powerful tool but it all starts with the knowledge that you deserve a better life…even if it is one small step at a time.
Photo Credits: TLC.com, Yalena Figueroa
 | ABOUT THE AUTHOR Yalena Figueroa is an engaged, 29 year old mother of 2 from New York City. She is a makeup artist, social media addict, and a weight loss surgery warrior who has been featured in TLC’s new series "Skin Tight". The series shows how excess skin after a massive weight loss affects 12 individuals and follows their journeys through excess skin removal. Watch Yalena in episode 2 [Megan & Yalena]. With her story featured in January 2016 on People.com & the New York Post, she loves sharing her story via social media. You can read more at www.LifeasYalena.com |
