Alex's Tummy Tuck Story

"Had few people asking about my scar ... I actually love my scar it reminds me how far I’ve come ... I am slowly learning to love my body and be happy with it. I would never of even took my shirt off on holiday as few years ago let enough posted a pic of my body to over 100,000 people anyway I know I’ve helped a lot of men and hopefully women by opening up! I still do have some bad days about my weight and eating but I’m in a good place! I still feel on edge until I’ve done some exercise even on holiday but I’m learning to live with that! For those who don’t know I used to weigh over 20 stone (before I met @mummatotriplet_girls) and I was left with lots of skin and fat once I lost the weight so I have liposuction and tummy tuck (with @myacosmeticsurgery) I know having 4 kids it would be easy to just not worry and let myself go but I’m determined to be fit and active and look my best for the kids and the wife! Also rascal shorts from @primark #twinsandmultiples #tenerife #canaryislands #tripletsofinstagram #body #bodypositive #fitness #family #holiday #shorts #dad #fit #fitdad #dadbod"

As part of our Changing Perceptions series, we spoke with Alex, a 35-year-old revenue manager at a law firm and MYA patient from Essex, who underwent abdominoplasty and liposuction at our London hospital.

In the recent study by MYA Cosmetic surgery exploring the perceptions of cosmetic surgery, patients like Alex shared their stories and reasons for having a cosmetic procedure.

After hearing stories like Alex’s, over three-quarters of those within the study could relate to the patient’s decision to have cosmetic surgery and 1 in 4 people admitted to having wrongly judged people in the past, purely for having cosmetic surgery.

“I have always struggled with my weight; when I left school it spiraled out of control and I ended up just under 19 stone by the time I hit my twenties. I was playing football and always trying various diets and quick fixes but never stuck at them. I got to 23 and thought enough is enough. I started running and adopted a sustainable healthy diet, cutting out the junk I previously ate.

“I thought losing weight would be the end of my issues, but I was left with excess skin. I felt like it was a constant reminder of my previous weight - no matter how much I ran and ate healthily, I couldn’t shift it.”

At 30 years old and after becoming a dad for the second time to beautiful triplet girls, Alex started researching cosmetic procedures. After a long period of time thinking about various options and having a consultation at the MYA Cosmetic Surgery clinic in Chelmsford, Alex decided to have liposuction and an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck).

“MYA were amazing - they made me feel at ease and were clear and upfront about the procedure. After the consultation, they approved my case and agreed that surgery could benefit my long term health and wellbeing.”

Alex’s wife and mother to their four children, Charlotte, spoke to us about the impact that having surgery had on both Alex’s physical and mental wellbeing.

“I have to admit at first I found it difficult to resonate with Alex and his situation as I only saw him as my loving husband. However, I knew how much his appearance affected his mental state and how he felt, I supported him throughout the surgery and although there were some difficult stages, I’m so happy to have been a part of helping him reach the happy place he is in now both mentally and physically.” 

Alex continues,

“I have struggled a lot with my weight, how I see my body and how I feel about it. The surgery helped me mentally in a huge way; it made me feel more in control, that I did deserve to be happy and that there was something I could do about it!”

“My self-confidence grew, I was happy to take my shirt off on holiday and not feel self-conscious the entire time. I could go shopping and buy clothes because I liked them rather than because they were baggy and cover my belly. It also gave me a new appreciation for my body and lifestyle, giving me a platform to build from with my healthy eating and exercise.”

“I felt a sense of guilt at first that I was spending some money on myself. I don’t drive a flash car or go on luxury holidays and having just become a dad, I thought I was doing something wrong by spending money on myself. But having the surgery made me realise that I deserve to be happy and that it is worth investing the time and money on myself to achieve this.”

Anne Harrison, Director of Patient Services at MYA Cosmetic Surgery explains,

“Alex’s story is so relatable for many people who can understand how frustrating it was for him; to achieve so much with his weight loss and healthy lifestyle and still be left with parts of his body that made him feel constantly self-conscious - it’s so bittersweet.”

“Unfortunately, It’s not uncommon for parents to feel a sense of guilt about investing time and money into themselves as Alex did, but part of our role is to ensure that surgery is the right decision for each patient and that it will have long term benefits on both mental and physical wellbeing, as well as the individual’s happiness and ultimately their life. Alex is testament to this.”

You can find further information on abdominoplasty and liposuction surgery on our site along with before and after photos, and FAQ’s.

https://www.mya.co.uk/tummy-tuck/

https://www.mya.co.uk/liposuction/

To hear more of our patient stories as part of our Changing Perceptions series, keep up to date with the blog here and visit the Patient Stories section of our site here.