Xpost - 4 Days Post-Op Panniculectomy Pics (graphic)

Thought I'd post my after pictures because:

1)  I'm under the influence of narcotics;

2)  Most people opt for the full tummy tuck and don't know what it looks like if you "just" have the panniculectomy.  I didn't know what to expect.  Note that my surgeon did give me a new and improved navel.  Also, I had too many stretch marks to get rid of them all.  Surgeon said that had they been confined to below the navel, they could have all been removed. 

Front view:


Side view - you can see how swollen my tummy is:


I didn't take a "before" but I think many of you can imagine that anyway.  So far, I'm quite pleased with the results.

Hi,

Thank you for sharing -- I appreciate when people do that!  I've always wondered what the difference was too? It looks like your surgeon pulled down and tightend the upper abdomen skin too.  Is the only difference that they don't tighten up the underlying muscles?

Wishing you a speedy recovery!

Trixie

Thanks! 

you look great!  I just had my LBL last week and i am sooooooo swollen- my pre-op jeans dot fit- I had to struggle just to pull them up.  Hope your recovery is quick and easy!

Looking Real Good Girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Looks great, Laura! Congrats on doing so well!

you're looking really great..... but you didn't have the basic panniculectomy. If you had, then you would have had only the hanging tissue excised from your lower abdomen. You would have retained your original belly button and any hanging/floppy tissue above the belly button. You're lucky that your surgeon removed the excess about the belly button and spent time giving you a new and very cute belly button. I suspect, but I don't know, is perhaps you didn't have any muscle tightening which is normally an expected part of a tummy tuck or Lower body lift. It's unfortunate but all this terminology that we use, and the plastic surgeons use it too - is that it means different things to different people. The reason I write this is I wouldn't want someone to decide to only have the panni removed hoping to look as good as you do and then find out that they had a different and less satisfying result.

Thanks everyone!  I'm trying not to take any meds today... so I'll try to answer some questions:

I had some saggy skin in the upper abdomen - but it was not too bad.  I know someone who has been thin forever and had about the same amount of upper sag.  The plan was for no tightening of the abdominal muscles but a tiny hernia was found in the area of the laproscopic incision near my navel - so that was repaired. 

At my consult the difference in procedures was explained.  I was told that I would still have the slight sag in the upper abdomen and that my navel would be misplaced.  Because my waist was well defined and the gap in my abdominal muscles very small, the plastic surgeon thought that I could get a good result with whichever procedure I chose.  The upgrade cost was $5000.  I took the risk.

The plastic surgeon did tell me that she has never had a panniculectomy turn out so well -- but I bet she says that to everyone!

Thanks again,
Laura

 You look great!

I'm really impressed!  You look wonderful.