From FUPA saddie to flat tummy baddie

If you’ve considered cosmetic surgery, you should check out RealSelf. RealSelf is a website that provides information on the latest cosmetic services available in the plastic surgery industry. On the site, you can find medical professionals who will answer the most common questions of someone who is considering surgery to alter his or her body.

Prior to receiving an abdominoplasty with diastasis recti repair, I did my research. After researching for more than a year, I found the answer on RealSelf.com. A community member posted information about the Penn Plastic Surgery Clinic. They offer affordable cosmetic procedures performed by a Chief Resident Surgeon. These procedures are overseen by a Board Certified Attending.

In layman’s terms, I determined I needed a full tummy tuck with ab muscle repair. I needed it done cheaply but professionally and I was done waiting. After having children, and a few non-elective surgeries, my abdominal muscles separated and I was left with saggy loose belly skin that hung over the top of my lady parts.

How did that happen? I gave birth five times. Four out of my five babies were over 8 pounds. Both prior to and after having my kids, I had 2 laparotomies. A laparotomy is an abdominal surgery that leaves a large scar. I had benign tumors that needed to be removed.

I lived almost 20 years being dissatisfied with how I look naked. After giving birth, I understood that I would not look the way I did before all the children. Heck, I wasn't even fully-grown when I had my first child. What I did know, is that I could improve my physique.

So, I worked off 25 pounds going in hard at FitCamp and following the advice of a nutritionist by way of my bestie. These actions yielded noticeable results, but also revealed something problematic that would not be denied.

My face slimmed down, my arms were diesel, my ass had dwindled, and my legs were more muscular. But the major body part I wanted to change the most, was looking like a slightly smaller hot-damn-messness. My belly was flabbier than ever and looked like a shriveled front butt. You can't work off saggy loose skin. My elasticity was shot, and I ended up with scar tissue from being repeatedly cut open.

This discouraged me. I stopped exercising as hard and regained some of the weight. However, I remained conscious of my eating habits because you can't un-know things once you're enlightened. (Thanks a lot, Bestfriend's nutritionist.) So, I had to take things up a notch.

I was in need of something that did more than reveal a pretty belly, I needed something that would strengthen me to my core. A tummy tuck with muscle repair is both reconstructive and restorative. Along with having a belly that resembled a mutant walnut shell, I suffered from muscle separation known as diastasis recti.

When the muscles of the abdominal wall have separated due to the trauma of multiple pregnancies or previous abdominal surgery, a technique called plication is used. Plication is the folding of the abdominal muscles and sewing them together. Therefore, the abdominal core, beneath loose skin and excess belly fat, can be repaired.

The difference between a full and mini tummy tuck is that a full tummy tuck requires a larger incision and relocation of your belly button, while a mini tummy tuck is performed lower in the abdomen and requires less excision of skin. I had a lot of loose skin and stretch marks up to the top of my rib cage. It was a large surface area so a full tummy tuck was my best bet.

Since my muscles were shot and required repair, they were brought closer together and then secured with sutures. Undergoing muscle repair, allows you to strengthen your core. This has benefits, such as alleviating back pain and providing help with balance and stability. Of course, it ultimately allows you to reveal muscle tone as you resume abdominal exercises.

It was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. Sexy as I want to be, restoring my outside healed something on the inside. Sure, some might say cosmetic surgery is superficial. But happiness is not. Happiness is essential. And if making adjustments to your body brings you happiness, I say, “Get it, (enter preferred pronoun here)!”

Who says beauty is only skin deep? Sometimes, you have to go in a bit deeper to restore much more than the mere surface. For me, my tummy tuck with muscle repair did more than get rid of my FUPA and make my belly pretty, it strengthened me to my very core. RealSelf helped me reveal my real self.

Go here for more information about my healing and recovery process.

If you’d like to see more from me, kindly give a coin of encouragement.