Question:
How do you handle having your Plastic Surgeon do revisions?

I have spent almost $40,000 (no thanks to my insurance company) having my entire body overhauled after losing 255 lbs. I still have very giggly thighs and stomach (top belly) and need them to be revised. The surgical assistant peaked into one of my post-op appointments and wanted to see my thighs. She even said that it looked like he didn't take off nearly enough skin. I am broke from the first 2 surgeries and am wondering what others have experienced as far as money for the plastic surgeon to do revisions. I can't afford another $15K to have my thighs and tummy done again!!! HELP!!!!    — SMG I. (posted on December 7, 2004)

December 7, 2004
One option is using a surgeon in Brazil...many of us (including myself) have gone over. For example I got my tummy (upper and lower), arms and mons lift done with hernia repair for $5900....even with travel it was under 8500 bucks for the entire trip! Check it out! I'm saving to go do the legs and boobs! (and I lost 232 so I know what you are saying about wanting this fixed!)
   — amillman

December 7, 2004
Dear Shawna, Most plastic surgeons will do minor complimentary post-operative "touch-ups" in the office under local anesthesia. For example, dog-ear excisions after TT or scar revisions. However, when a trip back to the operating room is required, the patient will usually have to pay for the anesthesia and the operating room/facility fee. In your specific situtation, it seems if you spent that much on the original surgeries and you are still not happy, your surgeon should offer you some kind of deal (if he or she is reasonable). Just schedule an appointment and state your concerns. I also recommend to bring a family member or friend with you to the appointment. Additionally, there are several finance companies that will loan you money for aesthetic procedures, similar to a credit card. I hope this information is useful to you. Joshua Kreithen, M.D. Lakewood Ranch Plastic Surgery, Bradenton FL - www.lakewoodranchplasticsurgery.com
   — Joshua Kreithen, M.D.

December 7, 2004
My PS will do revisions for up to 1 year after the original surgery at no charge. I've never had him have to do any revisions (thankfully!!).
   — Patty H.

December 8, 2004
I don't have an answer for you on the PS revision, I am just out a year and I still need to lose some more weight...but I just wanted to tell you how great is must be for you to have loss so much weight. 255lbs! That is so awesome! Even though your body appearance is not where you want it to be, and I don't blame you for wanting to do whatever it takes to get it there, I just wanted to really congratulate you on such a great loss. Reading stories like this makes me know that I can and will reach goal in another 50lbs weight drop...Lyric
   — Lyric

December 8, 2004
So far my PS has done all revision work for free (belly button; vertial incision right above pubic area-twice; significant tightening of upper torso). These revisions were done at the same time as my 2nd and 3rd PS, so he was already there operating etc. However, I did have to cover the facility costs with this last one because the total surgery was self-pay, so there was no way to hide the time in with the insurance portion. Besides it was about 2-3 hours of revision work this last time, versus about 45 minutes with the 2nd PS. I could have had the vertical incision revision above the pubic area done in his office if I wasn't having any other surgery, but the rest of the work needed to be done under general anesthesia. <p>I just had a medial thigh lift done a month ago and still have more mass to my legs than I assumed I would. However, it is mostly on the outside and would not have been affected by the inner thigh work. I also have already had a lateral thigh lift done with the LBL, but because I had so much weight in my legs yet it kept pulling at the sabble bag areas. Ideally the saddle bags need to be redone. If I combine it with some other work, then I suspect he will do it for free or a greatly reduce fee and I will just have to cover the facility fee. However, that may not resolve the somewhat baggy knees I still have and likely always will. He had indicated that in some cases like mine, it is necessary to directly excise the skin at the knee in order to get the right result. However, I am not real sure I want an incision going all the way around my knee. I may just have to learn to live with slightly baggy knees. I probably carry 2/3's of my weight in the legs, so it's no wonder I am running into this problem. I am skin tight and bones sticking out from the hips up, other than the bat wings. LOL <p>A lot comes down to whether your surgeon did anything wrong. My guess is he did not. I've lost 252 lbs so I know what kinds of skin issues we former SMO have. The bottom line is we have crappy, non-elastic, super stretchmarked skin to give the PS to work with. Consequently we will never be as tight everywhere as someone who has some life left to their skin. As tight as my lower belly is, if I lean over forward the skin hangs. The incision line is anchored tight but the skin hangs around it when gravity is involved. Yet when I am standing and laying one would never guess my skin would do that. <p>A revision is also much less work and healing time, so the cost should be significantly less than the first time, if you have to pay for it. You need to have a heart-to-heart talk with the surgeon to determine just what kind of results you can expect if a revision is done. Is your skin going to be good enough quality to stay as tight as he pulls it or will it still tend to sag some. <p>Make sure you give your body enough time to totally heal and anchor down before doing anything. I am having the same problem jumping ahead to what else can be done with my legs, yet they've only had 30 days to heal. I would not likely do any revision to my legs before at least 6 months.
   — zoedogcbr