Patient Profiles from Edina Plastic Surgery
“I lost 72 pounds over 18 months and have never felt more proud of myself,” says Lisa, a 48-year-old high school teacher from Edina, Minnesota. “I worked out with a trainer three days a week, did my own workouts two days a week, kept a super clean diet, and basically changed my entire lifestyle,” she continues. “I felt amazing about my accomplishment, but I didn’t plan for all of the loose skin that came with my huge weight loss,” Lisa says, pinching the skin on her stomach. “I had worked so hard and come so far on my own, and I felt I deserved to love how my body looked. So, I scheduled a consultation at Edina Plastic Surgery to see what options were available for someone like me.”
Each year, tens of thousands of people embark upon self-improvement journeys to change their lives for the better by shedding excess weight. The obesity epidemic puts millions of Americans at risk for conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease. Carrying extra weight can not only put your physical health at risk, but it can also take a toll on your mental health by lowering your self-esteem and confidence. While many people assume their skin will shrink back at a rate to match their weight loss, those who lose an extreme amount of fat can be left with sagging tissue in the arms, breasts, stomach and thigh area. Also, key pockets of fat may prove to be resistant to diet and exercise and prevent you from embracing the shape you desire regardless of your weight loss. Procedures such as surgical body contouring with liposuction, tummy tuck, and breast lift surgery can help remove excess skin and reshape the contours of your body to enhance the results of your weight loss further.
“I was really nervous for my initial consultation, but the staff made me feel so comfortable and cared for,” smiles Lisa. “I could tell that they work with patients with my same concerns all the time, and that made me feel less alone and even more validated in seeking treatment,” she continues. “Dr. Wilke was so charming and down to earth during my consult, I immediately felt a sense of partnership and knew that he was the surgeon I wanted to go with on this journey. Together, we charted out my strategy for removing excess skin from my abdomen with a tummy tuck, reshaping my hips and flanks with liposuction, and also performing a breast lift with small implants to restore lift and volume to my breasts.”
Sometimes called a “Mommy Makeover,” a combination of a tummy tuck and breast lift is commonly performed on women who have never had children but who have lost a significant amount of weight. Fat provides structure and volume underneath our skin, so losing 20, 40 or 60 plus pounds of fat will result in some loose skin for most people. Combining multiple procedures to address various concerns in one surgery can lead to better, more balanced results overall.
“I’m not going to sugarcoat having multiple surgeries performed at once,” laughs Lisa. “The downtime can be a little rough, and I did panic the day of my surgery, but the team at Edina Plastic Surgery was just fantastic and held my hand every step of the way before, during and after my procedures,” Lisa continues. “Everyone knew my name from the front desk receptionist to the surgeon to the recovery nurse; it’s like the entire clinic was invested in my journey. Six months later, I am absolutely in love with my results and so happy with my decision to go with Edina Plastic Surgery. They completely reshaped my body AND my life!”
