Denis Bennett Talks About Her Loose Skin After Lipedema Surgery
Loose Skin & Giblets
Well, I finally did it. I called and made an appointment for a consultation with a plastic surgeon to discuss the loose skin on my upper arms. In 2017 I had liposuction on my full arms during my lipedema procedures with Dr. Byrd. The immediate improvement was great, and trust me, I am so grateful for the reduced size of my arms. I no longer have to purchase clothes that are two sizes bigger than I need in order for my arms to fit into the sleeves. It has had a positive impact on my life, self- esteem, etc. However, I am 59 years old, and there have been way too many years of stretched out skin for simple retraction to take care of. My liposuction results were spot on… but my skin sags and has a lumpy look to it, and it makes me sad.
It bothers me. I see it every morning and it impacts the clothing choices I make. In general, my public self will not wear sleeveless clothing of any kind. I live in South Texas, and summers are long and hot. I wear little sweaters, shrugs and ¾ length sleeves. Even sleeves that come down to my elbows allow for little tufts of fat to poke out. I find myself constantly tugging at the sleeves to make sure everything is pulled down and pushed in as much as possible. The mental impact brings tears to my eyes. Maybe you think I am being a “baby” about this, but many of you know exactly what I am talking about. I have tried to mentally adjust and move on. I can’t. And, I don’t have to. Why should I have to adjust? Liposuction gave me better arms so why can’t I have great arms? I want to wear sleeveless clothes and strapless sundresses. I want to wave my arm without being self-conscious of my upper arms waving in multiple directions as the same time. I want the little giblets that stick out where my upper arm meets my bra strap to go away. I want to feel and look normal and feminine and carefree.
Many years ago, one of my nieces who was just a preschooler at the time, reached over while we were driving and jiggled my upper arm. My eyes grew as big as half dollars. I remembered in that moment, having played many, many times with my grandmother’s upper arms as a child. They felt like half-filled water balloons, and they were soft and squishy. A child’s dream toy, perhaps. In that moment I was horrified and amused at the same time. I could understand the fascination, but was saddened at the same time. I hope that none of my nieces ever develop lipedema. I hope that none of them ever experience the mental trauma that comes along with it. I’ve been fighting this battle for quite a while now, and I am ready to move on… not forward. I have already done that with diet, liposuction, vein procedures, exercise, self-acceptance, etc. I want to move beyond all of that, and I will.
So, in a few weeks I will go for my first consultation and see what the surgeon says about what the possibilities are. I trust that he will be truthful and let me know up front if the risks outweigh the benefits. I am in good health, and I am a good healer.
Learn about having an arm lift form the American Society of Plastic Surgeons+
