REAL-LIFE STORY
RESTORING BODY CONFIDENCE
How removing excess skin through cosmetic surgery can help your everyday life Losing weight has become an important goal in many people’s everyday lives and might now be even higher on the list of priorities after the pandemic. According to a survey of 1,200 participants, 22% stated they gained between five and 10 pounds as a result of the pandemic. After losing weight, a new concern for many is the remaining excess skin that can be left behind. Although there are some non-surgical skin tightening treatments available that may help, if there is significant loose skin, then the best option for removal is surgery. For 35-year-old Holly, undergoing a tummy tuck, arm, thigh and breast lift has given her a new lease of life and restored her confidence.
Saying goodbye to excess skin During her youth, Holly weighed around 15st 7lb at her largest, but at the tender age of 21, Holly managed to lose 5½ stone through dieting and exercise and has since maintained this weight for the past 14 years. However, she suffered from excess skin around her tummy, breasts, arms and thighs as a result of the weight loss. Holly stated, “The excess skin made me feel so much bigger. I had lost so much weight, but I couldn’t see the true results due to the loose skin on my body.” To try and shift the lax skin, Holly continued training at the gym, but was noticing no improvements and was becoming demotivated. She realised that because her excess skin was so severe, surgery was the best option for her. She comments, “I researched online for cosmetic surgeons, read reviews through websites such as RealSelf, and had seven consultations before I found the right practitioner for me.” At her last consultation, Holly met with consultant plastic and cosmetic surgeon Mr Mo Akhavani. She reflects, “When I met Mr Akhavani, I knew he was the right surgeon for me. I got a good feeling about him and felt I could trust him because he was extremely honest. He asked me about the areas I wanted to treat, completed a full assessment, and told me the most prolific treatment plan best suited to achieve the results I wanted. I did not find that any other surgeons I visited did this for me. I found them to be unapproachable and that I was just another number to them.” Before
After
An informative consultation After deciding that Mr Akhavani was the right surgeon for her, Holly discussed her concerns and the potential risks involved in the surgery. She recalls, “The first question Mr Akhavani asked me was ‘Who is going to take care of you after the procedure?’. I found this question to be so powerful as he was concerned about my wellbeing, which no other surgeon had asked me about during previous consultations.” Mr Akhavani then proceeded to inform Holly of the ideal order of the treatments. He recommended the body lift to be performed on its own first (which was a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty but continuing all the way around the body to the back) followed by the thigh and arm lift next and then finally a breast lift, with sufficient recovery time between each procedure. In total, Holly would receive three different surgeries. She notes, “We discussed the risks such as infection, wound healing problems, asymmetrical scarring, as well as the cost and duration of the surgery.” In the lead-up to the first operation, Holly began to feel nervous and was eager to find out as much information as she could from other patients who had undergone similar procedures. She says, “I ended up on Instagram, typing in hashtags such as body lift and tummy tuck, and began messaging women who had gone through the same surgery. I managed to receive replies from three women who were lovely and put my mind at ease. We still remain friends to this day!”
An extensive procedure
Holly before and three months after body lift procedure combined with liposuction. After photo shows tightening of the excess skin on the stomach
58
beyondbeauty.co.uk
On the day of the body lift procedure, Holly was placed under general anaesthesia with the surgery taking just under five hours to perform. During the surgery, Holly was first positioned on her front so that liposuction
