Surgeons in Maryland & also: Breast lift + Aug vs only lift, and Body Lift vs. Fleur de lis...

Hi folks. I'm seriously looking at surgery ASAP! Doing research, consults, etc.

I've already visited one surgeon in Maryland, but does anyone know of a local surgeon who has lots of experience with massive weight loss? I've lost 200 lbs and the guy I visited did not have a lot of examples of patients with my amount of skin. I'd prefer Maryland surgeons but would be okay to travel to PA, NJ, VA, DC or WV. 

General Questions: 

- I'm not sure whether I want an augmentation, but I think a lift would be good. I like my current size, but I do care about the shape. Does the lift reduce the volume of the breast since it removes so much skin? I've looked at pictures at realself, but most of those patients were not massive weight loss patients and they don't always list cup sizes, so it's hard to tell.

- Does the chance of sensation reduce with implants? I saw that a lift has a 15% chance of permanent numbness according to some surgeons on realself.com. Does that figure jive with folks here, or is it more common because our lifts are probably more severe than standard mommy makeovers?

- The surgeon that I had a consult with already recommended a fleur de lis TT and does not do body lifts, saying he felt Fleur de lis was sufficient. I don't know if it is, but would like to consult with another surgeon who does both. Thoughts?

- Also! This surgeon only will do the fleur de lis and breast lift in one surgery and separately the arms and thigh lift in a second surgery. He said doing the arms after the breast lift is better for recovery and lets him grab more skin. This means 2 surgeries for me though, which is sadness. I know some surgeons do everything at once. Thoughts?  

Thanks folks!

I had plenty of breast tissue for a lift only.  What you lose is upper pole fullness, but you can use a push up bra.  Dr Sauceda also did a reduction in my left as it was bigger than the right.  I lost no sensation in either nipple.  Dr S also lipo'd my muffin top, mons area and a few areas that needed it. 

If you have any loose skin on your backside or sides of thighs, a lower body lift will help address those areas along with the front.  I traveled to Monterrey Mexico so that I could get all my surgeries done at once.  I had a lower body lift, breast lift, arms and small thigh on a Thursday, a full face lift with upper and lower lids on Monday.  I was in Monterrey for 2 weeks, most are there for 12 days.  I went back 2 yrs later for an upper body lift, which he'd told me I needed, but I said I can't see my back it's ok.  Well trying to wear cute little tops (now that I could), they'd roll from the back fat, so it had to go!

You can takes pics from the front, side, back and other side and email to [email protected] and he'll get back to you with a quote.  Dr Sauceda practice is almost entirely WLS folks.  We have a group here on OH, you can click on Dr Sauceda in my siggy line to get to our group.

Thanks Crazeru, I super appreciate your reply! So, I heard that if I had surgery outside of the states for plastics that insurance wouldn't cover any follow-up care. Like hematomas or complications like that. Is that true?! I was considering Dr. S because I heard so much about him! I'm part of the group, but I've got to research so much!

I'm a 30 DD and I don't want to be too much bigger, but would like to have a nice shape. I don't know how to achieve this, really. I used to be like a 46 DDDD so I have a lot of sag!

Also is there a huge difference between a fleur de lis abdominoplasty and a lower body lift? Does Dr. S do both of those? 

I will probably send him pictures soon for a quote... hmm. Thank you so much!

Hi!  I am having a lower body lift and breast lift with Dr. Joseph Michaels - his office is in Rockville and he does surgery at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Bethesda.  I LOVE him - my pre-op experience has been incredible.  He specializes in people with significant weight loss and you can see his before/afters on his website http://www.josephmichaelsmd.com

I did an initial consult with him, then went and learned some stuff on my own, went back for a true consult and quote, and just went today for before pictures and to pick up prescriptions.  He is caring, intelligent, and talented.  Unfortunately a lot of doctors use the same terms for different surgeries - for example, I had a lower quote for an LBL with a doctor who doesn't do auto-augementation of the buttocks, or a mons lift, but still calls it an LBL.  Feel free to PM me with any questions.  

Dr. Michaels and his assistant Leah are super responsive via email and phone for any questions I have.  I am so excited!

I initially wanted an extended tummy tuck but Dr. Michaels shifted my skin and pulled and grabbed it and showed me how saggy and pronounced my backside would be once I fix the front.  I 100% need a LBL.

And yes, Dr. Michaels will do a breast lift on me this time and perhaps implants and arms if I want them in a year.

I have also lost 215 lbs :)

Good luck!

Oh wow awesome, thank you! I will have to see if I can go visit him for a consult too. Yeah, I was thinking I could do a breast lift now and then decide down the road if I need implants. I don't really want big boobs again, just full ones. 

When is your big day btw? How long did it take for you to go from consult to the scheduled day? I'm hoping to get mine done within the first half of the year, but not sure if that's too fast or what. I'm SO ready, ugh. Good luck with your procedures! :D

Oh that is totally doable!  My first consult was maybe late October but I had more weight to lose.  Now that I am maintaining, I went three weeks ago and the big day is March 20th!  So he was booking about six weeks out at that point.  I am SO ready so I can only imagine how ready you are (my RNY was three years after your DS!).  Good luck!  It's a big decision but one I am excited about :)

I had lbl/bl/ba/brachioplasty 10 weeks ago.  I expected to have the fluer de lis and lbl at the same time but the surgeon decided during the procedure that the fleur de lis wasn't necessary.  Before wls I was a 40DD to 44DD depending on my weight.  I ended up getting the implants because without them I would have been a small B and I wanted the fullness.

10 weeks later I can't say that I would get the implants if I had to do it all over again.  I am a 34 D now but fake D's are nothing like my real ones.  They look fantastic  ( and no longer at my bellybutton)  but they are not soft, squishy and comfortable like the real ones. These don't feel like my own yet and are very uncomfortable to sleep on. I lost nipple sensation in one but hopefully I will get it back over the next few weeks.  I got the gummy bear Sientras which look natural.  They have dropped and are definitely softer than they were but not soft like real ones.

I saw Dr. Detlev Erdmann at Duke University in Durham, NC. He specializes in massive weight loss plastics. Very reasonable rates. 

I had a lift and would like an augmentation - they look great for little ones - but I was never ever big chested even when I was obese.

I had two surgeries.  Arms/breast/tummy in the first and butt lift the second. I really should have done outer thigh lift or lipo -- it's all a work in progress lol.