Tummy Tuck Patient Story with Dr Patrick Briggs

Tummy Tuck Patient Story with Dr Briggs

Charlie’s Tummy Tuck Patient Story with Dr Patrick Briggs.

It’s a common story so many of us can relate to. Having children and all of a sudden we lose our own lives to those little ones around us. Being a parent is one of the most wonderful things in the world, but it often means by default we put ourselves second and don’t find the time to look after ourselves as well as we should.

Charlie had been dreaming of having a tummy tuck for years. She says, “I had wanted to have a tummy tuck for over 20 years, as the look of my tummy depressed me. Last year, I was turning 50; my children have all grown up now and I thought if I don’t do it now, I never will. The cost of raising three children alone always prohibited me. Then there were the weddings, 21sts, etc. I decided it was now my time!”

Charlie’s story is a common one. However, so often many of us don’t actually get to the point of following through and making an appointment with a surgeon to discuss finer details. We asked Charlie how she found her surgeon, Dr Patrick Briggs. “He was so professional and courteous. He is my hero… he gave me the confidence I needed to become the best me I could be! I had been constantly researching and reading patient reviews online for many years prior to taking the plunge, so I knew what to expect even though Dr Briggs still filled me in on the process and expectations.”

This is such an important part of the process. Choosing the right doctor can have a profound effect on your plastic surgery experience, from the first consult through to the results achieved and after care recovery period. Charlie is right to have done her research and made sure the choice she made was right for her. When you have a doctor you trust and know is as experienced and qualified as they come, it reduces the risk of unexpected trials or hurdles along the way. Charlie tells us, “Everything was perfect. I was pretty much up and out of bed on the first day, and didn’t even need pain medication by the second. All the pain was bearable and worth every second. The only “icky” part was removal of the drain.”

We ask Charlie if she has any advice for anyone looking at a similar procedure. “Obviously I have a scar, but I can live with that. I could not bear the look of my tummy. I used to have to wear “scaffolding” to keep everything in. Now I have the best collection of matching underwear, something I have never had before. My only advice would be to have realistic expectations and in my case it was a choice between an ugly “poochy” tummy or a scar, and the choice was easy.

Often, one of the hardest things to deal with when undergoing any procedure is the recovery time. Apparently, not Charlie! Charlie says that Dr Briggs did everything he should have along the way and that her recovery was “Awesome! Not one complaint!”

The exciting thing and obviously the reason we undergo a surgery is to change something we are not happy with and help us to feel better about our bodies and self. So, when we ask Charlie if she got the results she was after there was a resounding, “Yes, I got the results I was after. My confidence has increased immensely. I have started taking more care of my appearance in other areas, and was even motivated to have glamour photos done. My 25 year old son told me that I look more beautiful now than I did when I was younger!”

So begs the question, is she looking at having any further plastic surgery procedures? “I would, but they are not a priority. I would consider it “fine tuning” the look I have. Maybe some liposculpture on my thighs and “love handles”… I would also have some facial work done but only if it makes me look fresher and still me. Again, I can live with all these things, but the look of my tummy used to bring me to tears.”

One of the things we often worry about when we undergo a procedure such as a tummy tuck is how our family and friends will react to our surgery. Charlie says her family and friends said she didn’t need it because they did not ever see her naked. “I always held my stomach in; I was also pretty much slim everywhere else. I did not even show my stomach to my partner (of one year prior to surgery), who did not want me to have the op but is now actually thrilled to bits. However, I was always depressed when I would see myself. I have bought some beautiful clothes since the operation and I think I just wear everything better and with confidence. At the end of the day I wanted to do something for myself and the opinions of others were secondary for once”.

We think you’ll agree that Charlie looks AMAZING, and we are proud of you Charlie sharing your tummy tuck patient story and for putting yourself first and have no doubt you will inspire at least a few mums out there to find their own motivation!

Further Information about Tummy Tuck Surgery

More PSH Blogs by Dr Patrick Briggs Melbourne Plastic Surgeon

To Contact Dr Patrick Briggs

If you’d like more information about breast reduction or any procedures, you can contact Dr Patrick Briggs at his clinic or check out the blogs