Amanda | Body Contouring Surgery
“I can’t ask for better care from the whole team”
After losing over 16 stone through a combination of bariatric surgery and medical treatment, Amanda faced a new challenge: excess skin that affected both comfort and confidence.
“Over the years, I had crept up to 27 stone,” Amanda, 59, says. “Nothing was working to shift the weight. I was never full and was eating too much. I was making myself immobile.
“Around a decade ago, I decided to have a gastric sleeve, reducing my stomach by roughly 70%. It worked; I lost 7 or 8 stone. But, over time, some of the weight began to return, so I opted for a revision to a full gastric bypass.
“By this stage, I had lost around 10 stone in total, but my weight stabilised at 17 stone. I was determined to keep moving forward, and later began treatment with Wegovy, which helped me lose a further 5 to 6 stone.
“By now, I realised the excess skin needed to be removed. I knew that losing that amount of weight, there was no way I could tighten the skin.”
Amanda chose to undergo body contouring procedures, including the removal of excess abdominal skin, a breast lift (mastopexy) with fat transfer, and a bilateral thigh lift, as the inner thigh area had been particularly problematic for her.
She was under the care of Miss Alexandra Molina, Consultant Plastic Surgeon, who started with the abdominoplasty, mastopexy (breast lift) and fat transfer to Amanda’s breasts. After this Amanda had several months to recover before performing the thigh lift.
Amanda explains: “Miss Molina was very professional and friendly. She details what to expect, and what not to expect. She does what she says she is going to do. I’m now completely flat in the stomach area, and my boobs are where I wanted them to be. I feel like I can move easier and faster.
“Healing from the breast and abdominal procedures took around three to four months. I had a small infection where the cuts crossed over on my stomach, but it resolved quickly. The thigh lift proved slightly more painful, although on a scale of 1–10, it was a 4. You’re pulling on the legs walking more than you do on your stomach and boobs.”
She followed careful post-operative advice: avoiding sitting for long periods, walking regularly to reduce the risk of blood clots, and wearing compression garments.
Amanda adds: “I’m almost there. I still need an arm lift and the bottom of my legs done. I do a lot of swimming, so I want to go swimming without feeling uncomfortable. I feel like loose skin looks uglier than being overweight. I’m constantly fidgeting, trying to be comfortable."
Miss Molina said: “Tummy tuck and breast uplift surgery are very rewarding procedures to perform, especially in patients who have lost a lot of weight. In Amanda’s case she had lost some breast volume, so we used some fat from the abdominal tissue that would usually be discarded in a tummy tuck to make her breasts fuller. I am delighted that she is pleased with the outcome of her surgery so far.”
“Being at The McIndoe Centre each time has been amazing, like I’m on a mini break. I can’t ask for better care from the whole team, from the nurses - especially Eva - to the caterers. I don’t have a bad word to say.”
Amanda
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