Home, Mommy Makeover, Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

December 13, 2014

My favorite part about being a Plastic Surgeon is fixing stuff. I have been this way for as long as I can remember. I was one of those kids who loved taking things apart to see how they worked, and putting them back together like new, but improved. The ability to combine fixing stuff with helping people makes being a Plastic Surgeon the perfect profession for me.

Why Plastic Surgeons Like to Fix Stuff

I received the nicest email this week. A patient, who is a decade or so out from her Tummy Tuck, made my day by dropping a little note about how her Tummy Tuck is holding up. Rather than paraphrase, here are her words:

Hi there! I am a former patient who had a T-Tuck I think ten years ago. I was getting dressed this morning and still ADMIRING the work you did an how great I still look so I wanted to send you an updated “after” photo so your patients can see what really can be achieved with this procedure. I’m 56 now and I … look this good in a bikini. So, I just wanted to share this with you. If you can respond with your email address I will forward it – – and come by you have time to prove its not a fake!! ; )

The Proof is in the Selfie

Of course, I responded. And here is the proof:

Ten Years After Tummy Tuck at 56-years-not-so-old.

The Before Picture

To make her feel even better about taking care of the “work,” I sent her the before picture:

The “infamous” before Tummy Tuck picture at 46-years-old.

Plastic Surgery is a Partnership

It takes two to get a great Plastic Surgery result. At 46, my patient was in pretty good shape, but a lot can happen in 10 years. I suspected my patient was doing more for herself than getting an Abdominoplasty. When I inquired she responded with:

Well ok – I work out 6 days a week running and doing strength training also and I am in better shape now at 56 than I was in my 40’s when I had the procedure done. Here is the key – -Getting the surgery gave me a whole NEW level of confidence that inspired me to take it all to a new level! I don’t think I would have been motivated to really change my whole “lifestyle identity” if I had gotten from the surgery a glimpse of the potential I could reach. So thank you so much for everything! ; D

Make My Day

I hope you can see why this made my day. It is a privilege to be a Plastic Surgeon. Plastic Surgery is a lot of work, and it takes a lot of ongoing training, but the rewards are wonderful. Just like many of the things I took apart in my youth, my patients are not “broken.” In fact, many of them look very good without my help. While the changes we see in these Tummy Tuck Before and After Photos are physical, the changes that I often see go beyond that.

Excellent Plastic Surgery is a Partnership between the patient and the surgeon.

Improved Self Esteem?

It is often said that Plastic Surgery can improve self-esteem, and there are numerous studies that bear this out. Since most of us do not have best friends who are also Plastic Surgeons, it takes gumption to present your least favorite body part to a complete stranger. I think Plastic Surgery can remove some physical barriers, but the psyche and the body must be healthy to start with. Removing an uncomfortable physical barrier can awaken a healthy self-esteem like it did for my Tummy Tuck patient above.

San Francisco Bay Area Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

If you are considering Plastic Surgery in the San Francisco Bay Area, call (925) 943-6353 to schedule your person consultation appointment. There is a lot of information available about the many Cosmetic Plastic Surgeries I perform here on the San Francisco Plastic Surgery Blog, and the other web sites listed under “Useful Links” above. Also, feel free to ask questions via the contact form located in the column.

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