Body Sculpting or no???

I met with a plastic surgeon today about my remaining problem areas.  I know I have a lot of loose skin on my upper abdomen with some fat and that my lower abdomen has some as well (what woman doesn't).

I had seen some before and after photos of women who had liposuction and it really smoothed out the looks of the tummy.  So, I made an appointment.  I went in with high expectations.

Well, today I learned that it's mostly skin & little can be done with liposuction.  Yes, they can reduce the volume, but I may look even bumpier on my upper abdomen.  And, my lower which is nice and smooth (while a little plump) could look like my upper once the remaining fat is removed.

The good news?  They can totally smooth out the fat on my bra line - something I wasn't even considering doing.  I think I've looked at it in the bathroom 20 times since they pointed it out.  (Great – something else to pick apart when I look in the mirror!) To be fair, the doctor wasn't that concerned & said it was minimal; the nurse is the one that pointed it out.

So, what to do?  A tummy tuck/body lift seems very extreme since you can't see the bumpiness with my clothes on.  I figured since I was already going to be on the table, I might as well remove the pooch on the bottom abdomen. I'm trying to reconcile how far I'm come with my "perfect" image of what I want to be.   Maybe that sounds vain or like I've gone to the "dark side".  And to be honest, I'm not sure.  I need to think on it some more.  The one thing I do know is that the quote was $800 over what I had set as my "top end" on price for now.  I'm not silly enough to let $800 stop me from something I really want to do ... but for now, it's enough to make me step back and consider what I really want.

Anyone have any advice or suggestions on what they have done or plan to do?

Thanks!
MINI

PM me we can talk.  I can tell you what I did and how it turned out.

I do not think the 800 dollars making you reconsider all what you want is a bad deal, I mean, its not like its on sale and soon it will be 2000 over your top end right?

Anyway, I do not have anything helpful or experiential to add except I really hope whatever you get comes out just like you want it!!  I am excited for you to get the chance!!

I believe in never being cheap with yourself.. you are worth every penny and your quality of life. You have worked very hard to lose weight.. you deserve to have help with your extra skin! I'm cheap and look for deals when I buy laundry soap or clothes.. but not with things like this. I think you should go for it!

In my case it's not my tummy that bothers me, but my face -- I traded in my double chin for a big ugly "turkey neck" and some facial sagging I didn't have when I was heavier.  So I've scheduled a lower facelift and lower eyelid surgery for July.  It's costing almost as much as it cost for my sleeve in the first place, but we have the money and I've decided (and my DH agrees) that having come this far, it's crazy to leave the butterfly stuck halfway out of the cocoon!

Interestingly enough, my tummy is kind of a mess with no clothes on but for whatever reason it doesn't bother me, so I'm leaving it alone.  My philosophy is "fix what bugs you and leave what doesn't!"

Edited to add:  I did meet with a few cosmetic surgeons and picked the one who wasn't the cheapest, but he wasn't the most expensive, either.  I took into account a variety of factors in making my choice, including price.  So you may want to shop around a little.

I am not sure this would work, or if I should even suggest it, but what about telling them their quote is US$800 over your budget and can you get it for US$800 less...

Just a thought,

Cindy

Oh, great point!  That would TOTALLY work!  I got my surgeon to knock $500 off the price just for asking!

You can also ask for a cash discount.

 Thanks for your support.  I am definitely calling on Monday to see if they are willing to come down on price!