Need help with information sites in PS, an

I would like some sites to visit regarding information on PS. What sites have y'all gone to? I'm just a year out but know that I'm going to have my arms, stomach and probably legs done, maybe breast too. Is that a total body lift? I'm not familiar with the PS terminology, hence the need to do some research before even thinking about having this done. I would like to have it done at 18 months post op which will be February 2014. But I go to Hawaii in May 2014 and want to be completely healed. Is that enough time to be healed? Will my scars be noticeable then? If they are too bad, I will just wait until I get back, because I plan on taking lots of pictures there. 

Any and all suggestions/information/ideas welcomed!

Well there is the plastic surgery forum on OH.  There is also messageboards.makemeheal.com and www.realself.com.  All are good sources to use to get familiar with what can be done and the lingo. 

Sounds like you want to have alot done.  You will probably have to stage the surgeries into multiple operations.  Doctors feel differently about combining surgeries so that is also something that you will have to discuss with him/her.

Good luck.

JoAnn

Thanks JoAnn, I have bookmarked those sites you suggested. Appreciate your help!

I didn't find many "generic" plastic surgery sites when is as looking, but that was almost 4 years ago. The one I did find useful was www.plasticsurgery.org. Your best bet would probably be the PS forum here (someone the migth be able to point you to a good web site) and then see if any of the plastic surgeons in your area have their own websites with information and photos.  Keep in min, though, that every PS is going to put photos of their very BEST outcomes on their website, and you may or may not be able to expect similar results.  Be sure to use a surgeon who has a lot of experience with post-WLS patients because our skin is often in very poor condition and that can cause healing complications.

As the previous poster mentioned, there is a limit to how much you can have done at one time.  This is both because of time under anesthesia and because of healing considerations. Most surgeons won't do arms and tummy at the same time because if you have the full muscle tightening done (rather than just skin removal), you need your arms to help you get up and down from seated and bed, and if your arms also hurt, you may not be able to do that. Other surgeons, though, will.

Breasts and arms are not considered part of a total body lift. 

Three months to heal is probably enough time IF you don't have any complications. If you end up with an incision that opens up, or end up with part of the incision breaking down and turning necrotic, it can take many months for the holes to fill in and to grow new skin over it.  (My tummy tuck turned necrotic and i had to clean and pack the crater in my belly for 5 months!)

Also, you may not want to do the arms before your trip because you will want to keep fresh incisions out of the sun for a number of months.

Lora

Thanks Lora! I appreciate all your information that you give. I feel that I should wait until I get back from my trip because I really want to be able to give my body the best amount of time to heal.

I will tell you that I am REALLY considering Dr. Saucedo in Mexico. He has a really strong following and so far, I am not finding a lot of people who have sad stories to tell. There is a FB group for his patients and a  number of folks on the PS board have used him.