Are you happy with your panni ?

I read a post saying that panis leave you disfigured and that they do not make you a belly button. 

What at are your experiences? 

I would love to see before and after pictures.

I haven't had a panni and plan on getting a lower body lift (full 360 degree cut) because of issues people have had with their pannis.  The panni is NOT a tummy tuck, meaning there is no muscle repair and all it will do is remove the excess apron of skin.  The cut may not even go hip-to-hip and there will be "dog ears" or excess folds of skin at the ends of your incisions.  Imagine cutting out a wedge-size piece of cloth and then matching up the cut ends together.  You're going to have extra fabric at each end of the cut.  

Pannis are great for people who haven't lost massive amounts of weight and don't have every much excess skin.  For me, it wasn't going to give me the result I wanted.  

Specifically ask your own surgeon. Some take pride in their work and go the extra mile to do things they are not paid to do. Others do only what is paid. Pannulectomies are difficult to revise with a Tummy Tuck later due to the incision location. The ones that are done traditionally are disfiguring and not attractive. The mons pubis isn't lifted and that many times can appear as a scrotal sac. The only way to know what you'll get is to ask. Discuss it all. The mons, the belly button, the incision, if a revision later is possible. 

Lastly, looking at others' pictures will not help you. I have seen some that were absolutely henious and a few that were ok and some that looked like a tummy tuck. Your particular surgeon is the ONLY one who can tell you how yours will look. He or she decides how much they will do.

Ask your surgeon to see before/after pictures of patients he has performed panni's on. The people I know who have had them are not happy with their results and they wish they had used my surgeon. Sadly you usually get what you pay for.

I totally agree, I was approved by OHIP for my panni removal but I was not going to leave it at that. I upgraded and paid for a full tummy tuck with muscle repair, lipo of flanks and mons reoair. 

A panni, for me would not have been enough, I don't know many who only opt for the panni.

Seriously, speak to your surgeon, better yet have more consults before you decide. You don't want regrets.

Annette 

Quick question. I am also going through HRRH and already know I will need to have a panning done at the very least as I already have that lovely pouch plus I had a c-section. How difficult was it to get covered by OHIP and what was the difference  to pay for the tummy tuck (if your comfortable sharing that info). I also heard it was difficult to find a Dr who will work with OHIP. I am still in the pre surgery phase so it's quite a ways off but I'm making sure to do all my research before hand.

Thanks for your time.

I am also looking for answers to the same questions!  It has been 4 yrs post op and I am a happy person except for my tummy....Need help finding answers!

Don't go the Pannulectomy route.  It's not worth the time or money.  Go for the full tummy tuck and have a result you can be proud of.  You've worked too hard to lose the weight, why end up with something that looks so disfigured when you're undressed?

I did the full abdominoplasty with lip. The difference that insurance wouldn't cover was $4000.