If you have issues dealing with your skin... insights from a plastic surgeon.

I work in an ENT clinic with a facial plastic surgeon. I was talking to him about my disdain for my new flappy saggy shrinkly body - wishing that he would nip and tuck more than just faces.  He laughed at me and told me that I was very attractive and that I just need time to fall in love with the new me.

He told me a story about going to Africa on a cleft palate team and doing surgeries on toddlers with cleft lips - where their faces are terribly misshapen.  He said that all the nurses and staff were always thrilled an applauded ... but the most lukewarm reactions came from the moms.  You see they fell in love with their babies just like they were - split faces and all.  Even though the surgically repaired face looked better to others - it wasn't what the mom's fell in love with.

For some we had to fall in love with the fat self.  We were comfortable with the fat self... now suddenly we are dealing with the skin self.  Despite how much we think we may have hated being obese... we were used to it.  Now we have the new skin self to deal with. He told me to give it time and try to remember we have to love ourselves in different forms!!  

I thought that was cool coming from a plastic surgeon.

Sounds like a very wise man.  

Thats a wonderful post, thany  you!

Even after plastic surgery, some of us don't look like the "after" pics that the PS puts in their "show and tell" book. We look better than with the skin,  but still very much look like someone who lost a lot of weight and had plastic surgery.  So sometimes even THAT body takes a while to learn to accept (let alone love).  

My body (except my thighs!) is fine with a bra and panties on, but take one or both of those things off and I still don't "love" my body. The scarring from PS complications above my waist, the jagged scarring along the sides of my breasts, and the odd aspects of my lower belly and mons area take a little getting used to...

Lora

Yeah he's b/sing you, gross is gross, I will always hate my saggy gross upper legs but unless I win the lottery they are what they are.  You can hide it but its unlikely you will ever love it.

Wow, such a negative post, MyLady Heidi. I think calling how people look, including yourself but especially someone you have never even laid eyes on, gross is un kind and mentally unhealthy. Negative much?

Yes, gross is gross.

I didn't mean the excess skin either.

^In a nutshell

I am very sorry you feel like he is BSing me. I believe that you have every right to be negative and hate parts of your body- you alone are in control of your thoughts feelings and actions. However, I think for some of us we should at least try to love and accept who we are.   This was coming from a man who makes top dollar doing cosmetic facial surgeries and makes people pretty for a living. I have had Botox -- not because I hate my face, but I like it better with less wrinkles.  I don't think it was BS at all.

I agree with you totally on this.