The plastic surgery decision - LBL vs TT - vanity vs necessity

** Warning -  censored nudity at bottom link - not for work **

I'm gonna do a cross post on this one. Just wanted to get some different opinions. So I have come to a crossroads so to speak. I have got my nutrition and eating down to a science. I have mastered the discipline of going to the gym. I have sweated and pushed myself to the max to transform my body into the body I have desired for a lifetime. I set a goal for 190 which is a number I pulled out of thin air. I based it on a weight when I was 18 years old. I was thin and scrawny back then. Now I am 36 and after losing tons of weight and hitting the gym I have gotten pretty strong and have bulked up with muscle quite a bit. So here is the dilema. I am battling vanity vs necessity.

I have come across a sum of money. It is sitting in the bank and reserved for my plastic surgery. Now I already contacted a doctor in mexico to get his opinion on what procedure would be best for me. A lower body lift and inner thigh lift is what he recommended. My main issue is with all the extra skin around my abdominal region. A tummy tuck would get the job done. So whats the problem you may ask. Well - how vain should I take this plastic surgery journey. I have the opportunity to get a tummy tuck in Miami Florida now or wait and save up to get the Body Lift in mexico. What makes this decision difficult is that I am also trying to get back to college to accomplish a goal of being a pharmacist. If I wait to save up the money for mexico it would delay college again because I would have to work alot to save the money. I may be able to take a class or something but I would not be able to attend full time.

Then of course there is always the option of getting the tummy tuck now and later on getting the rest done but that would be multiple major plastic surgeries and I don't know if I want to put myself through all that. Needs vs wants. Do I really need a tight butt and inner thighs that no one will see unless I am naked? Yeah I want it, but do I really need it.

I think I am at a good weight right now and I think 190 is too low of a weight for me. While I could get there I would look too scrawney. I think Im ready to take the plunge and get the rest of the job done with plastics.

The link below is a link to a mostly nude semi censored shot. Yeah Im brave and its pretty revealing but the purpose of the pic is to help me decide what to do. If your offended by partial nudity than please dont click the link unless you want to be offended. lol.  Put yourself in my postion and pretend you were a 36 year old guy. What would you do? Well thats enough rambling on for me. Thanks for the help.

** warning - censored nudity - not for work **
s1070.photobucket.com/albums/u485/smbergie215/

Last August, I had a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy (brca1 gene mutation) with reconstruction from my abdomen.  What that got me was 80% of a TT.  The reconstruction looks wonderful and I am very happy with the results.  What I am left with though  is a set of thighs that I hate.  I have always carried a lot of my weight in my stomach and thighs.  It is difficult to choose pants - I need to make sure that I look for a relaxed fit or a pair that is roomy in the hip and thigh.  So as long as you are willing to live with that then the TT alone is your answer.  I am now looking at doing a thigh lift which I am sure will be less out of pocket in the long run for me.  Its just that I look disproportionate between the two procedures.  Although I still look better than I did 100 pounds ago.

OK in my opinion (which is only worth the price of admission) is do
the Tummy now and then go back and get the thighs. I can see how
hard your working on your abs. Your legs are not that bad (too me)
With the fact that men wear long shorts to swim and to work out they
can be hidden.

And as for someone seeing you naked, don't get me wrong here cause
I am a woman and don't know Male locker room etticate, if they are looking
that long in that area I think they already like you. And any relationship
that your gonna venture into it doesn't really matter. A one-night stand (hope not)
*****ally cares what they think of your legs. You just wanted to get some action
and if its a realtionship (hopefully) they already care enough about you and
dont care about your so called flaws. Because we all have them.

And as for pharmacy school, CONGRATS! Scary thing to do, go back to
school. Your gonna do awesome!!! 

Dani

You have a tough decision. 

If money weren't an issue, I'd say have the LBL and get surgery over with. 

But money is an issue.  I know it is a delay, but will you be able to save money and afford surgery as a working pharmacist?  My guess is yes.  Think of your education as a financial investment in your future.  It will payoff and you can save for any surgery you want.

I had a LBL in January.  I'm happy with the results.  My body still isn't perfect, but whose body is?

Kay

 Did you just have your surgery last summer? I think that's what your profile says...

I'd do the TT alone now. Ask the surgeon to go "extended" which is where they go further around the sides and sometimes slightly onto the back. That will help a bit with back skin and hips/butt for now. 

Your legs aren't bad at all. You are early out - that does settle in a bit if you give it time. In two years you might not want to do thighs. Thigh lift can leave scars - sometimes bad ones. I'd always recommend people give their thighs time to settle in before surgery. And as someone else said - unless you're really into speedos, you can hide that from all but the most private encounters. 

 I am going to be the lone dissenter. Get the LBL or do nothing. It is human nature to notice that which we don't like. The minute you get that tummy tightened your butt and thighs are going to bother you. Which means instead of being happy with your tummy YAY! You're going to be focused on what you aren't happy about. There's nothing wrong with wanting to look your best. The very fact that you're considering delaying school for the LBL tells me a lot about your personality and how important this is for you. Otherwise you'd have gotten the tummy tuck and called it a day already. 

I've never been a fan of pretending things are what they are not. You feel how you feel. Call it vanity. Call it pride. Call it wanting to look normal. Call it a business decision (let's face it, the nicer the body the better the job offers. That's a fact) Call it whatever you like. I don't put a moral judgement on feelings. You feel how you feel. Do what is going to make you happiest with yourself and your world. Life's far too short. 

I agree, I would get the tt then later the lbl. With the extended tt they can lift the mons area which will help with your thighs.

T

On May 6, 2012 at 7:32 AM Pacific Time, samiamiam wrote: I agree, I would get the tt then later the lbl. With the extended tt they can lift the mons area which will help with your thighs.

A TT doesn't help with your thighs at all. I have had both. The extended TT didn't help my thighs. The LBL helped my outer thighs.  And men don't have a mons pubis. 

I don't know who you are going with in Mexico.  I went with Dr. Sauceda and it was my best choice ever.  He happens to be doing consultations in Las Vegas on June 1 and 2. 

I LOVE my Body by Sauceda! 

I would go with the LBL and thigh lift.  I am so happy that I did.  I will try to paste a couple of pictures.

One week Pre Plastics










Two months post LBL



You can't see the back rolls because of my camisole but they are gone except for one small one. The LBL took care of them.







Four months post Lower Body Lift.  You can see the small bit of back roll in this picture.

 Lee, I think your results are amazing! Your arms and tummy are just lovely! Dr S is not only an artist - he is safe, caring and has a lot of experience with weight loss patients.