Body lift/Tummy tuck costs

Also from what I have heard for guys especially.  It takes approximately 2 years to reach your lowest...I reached my lowest in about 14-15 months post surgery.  Then I have heard that without hardcore exercise it can take an additional 2 full years from then for the skin to tighten almost completely.  I'm only 28 so being younger my skin will tighten faster, that combined with my exercise program and drinking water...lots and lots of water.  Plastic will not ever be an option for me, so even if I have a little extra skin....just seeing a 6 pack makes me feel all giddy inside.  My wife likes it too so that is what really matters.  Just knowing that I am making myself and my wife happy.  Its kind of a nice feeling to get the wife jealous and turn another girls head when I walk down the street.  Last night I stopped off at  a restaurant to pick up some Gyro's (I throw away the bread) for supper for my wife and I, and I made the girl behind the counter stammer and I caught her doing a tripple look.  I had just got done at they gym so I was wearing a sleaveless shirt and drenched in sweat.  Last night was 5x5 Bench (65#, 75#, 85#,95#, 100#), 5x5 KettleBells (35#), 17 consistent 65# Bench.  Then my workout of 12 rounds 1 min apart of 5 pushups, I made the first 3 min, but the rest I had to drop it down to 3 pushups for the last 9 rounds.  Oh and my warmup was 3x10 Pushups, Situps, Squats, and pullups with the Blue band.  I love doing Crossfit!  I can't wait until class tonight!  I hope he has me pull the sled soon, that will be fun! (a sled is a metal slab with a pole on it that you put weights onto, it has a thick strap connected to it made for towing, and you put the strap around your chest and walk through the parking lot along a major highway for as long as you can with as much weight as you can)

Things will tighten up with working out, but you won't get rid of all your excess skin that way. Some people want to look somewhat normal post op...I lost 300 lbs and even though I looked "ok" with cloths on; I looked like a used hefty bag without cloths. I didn't do "everything" but I did a lower body lift and chest reduction and have been very thankful that I was able to do it.

Scott

"...My "alien"/sternum has almost completely disapeared..."

OK, I've gotta ask you to describe an alien / sternum. Now that I've lost a bit of weight I'm able to see a strange bump at the bottom of my sternum. Is that what you mean?

Yes, that is exactly what I mean, it sticks out a lot when you drop a lot of weight.  You will see it better when you lay on your back.  Just start doing a lot of crunches....just try doing 15 an hour every hour you are awake.  It will tighten up.

Amazingly, there are still surgeons out there who tell people there is no way your insurance will cover plastics.  This is not true, in many cases your insurance will cover a medically necessary panniculectomy (Tummy Tuck) along with hernia repair from open surgery, and a mons lift for urinary/sexual issues.  Wish I had know this when I had my original rny in 2001, first plastic surgeon told me it wouldn't be covered, I took his word for it and ended up having to wait until 2005 to have it done.  Of course it all depends on your personal situation as to how you should proceed but if you have a hanging pannus no amount of excercise in the world is going to get rid of it and it is painful but worth it to get it gone.

For those without insurance coverage:

Fair cost for a tummy tuck in the U.S. should be about 8,500 including professional fees, anesthesia, operating room and overnight stay at a general hospital.

Arm lift/chest reduction about the same as above and then the same again for an inner thigh lift.

I have had the lower body lift and I am getting ready for chest reduction, my question for anyone who has had it done is whether they grafted the nipple or did a T incision and if they did a J lift or long scar from chest around side.  Anybody who can weigh in on this, I'd appreciate your input.

"...I am getting ready for chest reduction, my question for anyone who has had it done is whether they grafted the nipple or did a T incision and if they did a J lift or long scar from chest around side.  Anybody who can weigh in on this, I'd appreciate your input."

30+ years ago (when I weighed 180 lbs) I had my moobs removed. They were rather large, firm, and it looked like I needed a bra to support them.

For my surgery the doc made a half circle incision on the bottom of each nipple (right on the dark areola line). Those incisions were used to remove the internal excess tissue making up the moobs. I honestly don't remember if they also trimmed any excess skin but the skin was nice and taunt after surgery. The scaring the minimal and certainly not as invasive as some of the T incisions I've seen on others.

They then inserted a drain tube under each arm pit and snaked it through to the center of the chest. That scaring was also minimal since it was hidden in the arm pit.

Not sure that your "chest reduction" and my moob removal are the same procedure. But, I suspect they could be similar. I did have an obvious sunken chest for a few months until it naturally filled in. Now, I doubt anyone would know I ever had the surgery.