BBL

New Beginnings [5.5 Months Pre-Op]

Joined the surgery community to begin researching the BBL

BBL Candidacy Application [4.5 Months Pre-Op]

Submitted photos to MIA Aesthetics so that they could determine whether or not I would be a candidate for surgery.

[4.5 Months Pre-Op]

Received an email from one of the coordinators requesting an email reply to a basic questionnaire including very surface details such as name, DOB, height/weight, and current medications.

[4 Months Pre-Op]

I finally replied to the coordinator's email. 

Listen...it took me a minute to think about this life-altering decision! NOTE: Their auto-reply says I would hear back within 72 hours, but I didn't.

[4 Months Pre-Op]

I followed up with MIA Aesthetics and re-sent my replies to their questionnaire.

Approved for BBL 🥳 [4 Months Pre-Op]

[Nearly 2.5 weeks after my initial outreach]

On this date, I received an email back from the coordinator stating "Congratulations on getting approved for a Brazilian Butt Lift". This is the email that contained my quote for the doctor of my choice. Do not expect this process to be a quick one. Especially if you are working with facilities that have multiple doctors practicing. They tend to be more popular than private practices, and thus...more overbooked, more disorganized, and more delayed in communications. NOTE: Read the fine print carefully on this one, if there is any fine print at all. This is your golden ticket to proof of pricing when you're ready to put down your deposit. Granted, some facilities may specify that quotes are only valid for a certain amount of time, but if you lose this email and then inquire again 5 months later, you may receive a higher price.

[3.5 Months Pre-Op]

I had not yet booked, and on this date, I received a follow-up email from the coordinator inquiring about whether or not I'd be interested in booking. I immediately replied and asked about Dr. Mehio's availability the week of December 6, 2019, or the week of December 16, 2019. I also expressed in detail and very explicitly that I'm on a specific medication, and would need both the surgeon and anesthesiologist to approve my surgery before I was comfortable putting down a deposit. I even included a one-page PDF straight from the manufacturing company of that very medication as it pertains to surgery so that the doctor and anesthesiologist could make an informed decision.

[3.5 Months Pre-Op]

The coordinator responded regarding my medication and advised that I would need to stop the meds 2 weeks prior to surgery.

[3 Months Pre-Op]

I received an automated email from MIA Aesthetics titled "$500 OFF! MIA AESTHETICS" stating that they were booked for the summer, but that if I reply now and secure my date they would give me more information on their current promotion. Including this in my timeline, because sometimes if you wait...good things come. 😉

[3 Months Pre-Op]

I called MIA Aesthetics and spoke with the coordinator over the phone. This was one of the only times I was able to get through to someone on my first try. We discussed Dr. Mehio's availability versus mine, and I obtained information on whether or not I would be able to book certain dates.  She sent me a credit card authorization form in order to secure the date I wanted (Thurs December 12, 2019), and I paid my deposit. My surgery was $5500.00 USD total, and they required a 10% deposit. I paid $550.00 USD on this day.

I also received multiple emails on this day after the deposit payment: Credit Card Authorization, Payment Processed Confirmation, Receipt, Invoice for the rest of the surgery, Contract, etc.

My Birthday! 🎉 [3 Months Pre-Op]

I received an email from a different person at MIA Aesthetics titled "GETTING READY FOR SURGERY!!!" which contained the information and attachments found in the first 5 PDFs on this page.

Lodging Search Commence [2.5 Months Pre-Op]

[2.5 Months Pre-Op]

Started looking into Airbnb properties that would be appropriately accommodating for BBL recovery. Some of the things I suggest looking out for when booking a private property are as follows. These are listed in the order of my priority:

• Within 5-10 miles of the surgical center
• Best cancellation policy (100% refund if cancelled within 1 week to 48 hours prior to arrival)
• Strong/full wifi connection for the entirety of my stay
• Full kitchen/washer/dryer (these were all of equal importance to me)
• Ground floor or first floor, no stair access needed...or elevator access to higher floors
• Working air conditioner (my nurse explained that hospitals are always so cold because bacteria has a higher chance of breeding in warmer temperatures….she froze me out!)

It was also in my best interest to be honest and up front with the property owner and tell them that I would be there for surgery. I told them that I would have cleaning supplies and protective coverings with me. Every single one of them were totally fine with this. PRO-Tip: it’s worth it to take a few extra minutes/days in the beginning of your search and get agreements/approvals in writing, than be deceitful about it and have the property owner find out while you’re there and potentially kick you out in the middle of your stay. Imagine having this happen?? I’ve seen this THOUSANDS of times. 

Aftercare Search Commence [2.5 Months Pre-Op]

Started reaching out to Private Nursing businesses in the Miami area that specialize in post-lipo and post-BBL care. I ended up putting a deposit down with Coraito for 3 post-op massages while in Miami. You can see this on my cost sheet here.

Booked Airbnb [2.5 Months Pre-Op]

In only a few days, I was able to find someone who had property that satisfied all of my above needs. I was happy to book a fully stocked location with an extremely flexible cancellation policy, given all the swirl I was hearing at the time about how long it takes dolls to get cleared...and boy am I glad I had the security of that cancellation policy. I can’t believe how long it took me to get cleared!

Booked Aftercare Services [9.5 Weeks Pre-Op]

It was extremely important to me, based on what I knew about this specific surgery and what I knew about my reaction to surgery in general, to make sure I had a private nurse with me for the first few days afterward. I booked MedMiami for aftercare services. The nurse that ended up caring for me has since started her own company, Elite Concierge Recovery, and I highly recommend her for your cosmetic surgery aftercare. Take some time to consider this, even if you plan to bring a friend or family member, and even if they are medical professionals. Lipo/BBL/MMO/TT procedures require a very specific set of aftercare protocol, and ECR will be prepared to make sure that your loved ones get you back in mint condition.

[9.5 Weeks Pre-Op]

Ordered 4 plain black maxi dresses on wish.com for super cheap. Wanted to make sure I did this with plenty of time to receive them before surgery.

[8.5 Weeks Pre-Op]

Exactly 60 Days Before Surgery

At this point, I still had not received my request to proceed with Medical/Lab Clearance from MIA Aesthetics. 60 days Pre-Op was a Sunday.

[2 Months Pre-Op]

At this point, my coordinator reached out to remind me that I hadn't signed my Medications List (one of the documents that must be signed and completed via DocuSign before receiving Lab Orders.

[2 Months Pre-Op]

I finally received my email to proceed with Medical clearance from MIA Aesthetics.

Purchased Flights ✈️[45 Days Pre-Op]

I had been using the mobile app “Hopper” [iOS] [Android] to track flights from the two airports nearest my home city, to the two airports in Miami. At the time of surgery, I lived in Queens, NY, so I was tracking LGA and JFK. I decided to save some money by flying in and out of PBI (West Palm Beach) versus MIA. I had preference to fly JetBlue over any other airline, and they mainly flew in and out of PBI. On November 1st, the app notified me that the ticket prices were the lowest that they were going to be before my trip, and that I should take the opportunity to book now. LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS APP. Definitely recommend it.

Furthermore, I decided it was beneficial to book two one-way trips, instead of trying to get insurance on a round-trip ticket. In my decades of experience booking travel and organizing logistics for busy executives traveling globally on a weekly basis, it’s much easier to make changes to a one-way flight than it is to make changes to a round-trip purchase. Especially if the changes you need to make are taking place on the return flight, and you’ve already used the outbound ticket. There is so much red tape associated with round-trip bookings, that in a case like this where you have so many unpredictable variables, I would recommend purchasing two one-ways. I did actually end up having to make changes to my return flight, and it worked out much more peacefully for me in the end.

Bloodwork Time! 🩸[45 Days Pre-Op]

I had my lab tests performed at LabCorp, and the results were sent to MIA Aesthetics via a report on November 2, 2019, 24 hours later. Since Nov 2 was a Saturday, MIA Aesthetics technically didn't receive them until the following business day.

[~ 1 Month Pre-Op]

I received an email from a different coordinator titled "30 DAYS BEFORE SURGERY", which contained information on when I should stop smoking, drinking, and taking oral contraceptives. However at this point I still had not been cleared by MIA Aesthetics for surgery day based on their assessment of my labs. Expect to receive automated emails from one department of your surgical clinic, totally unrelated to another (i.e. admin prep versus labs). This can be frustrating.

[23 Days Pre-Op]

I still hadn't received clearance from MIA Aesthetics, even though my labs were acceptable. I followed up via email at least weekly with the lab coordinator between November 1 and November 19, but still did not receive a response.

[22 Days Pre-Op]

The Labs and Clearance Manager at MIA Aesthetics finally replied back to me stating "From the initial review of your labs that were sent to us from Labcorp, we noticed your PTT is missing. We called to get it added to the specimen but because you did the labs on Nov 1st, that specimen is expired and the test cannot be added. This means you will need to go back and get just the PTT done STAT which we will send you an order for today. All your other labs were normal." This infuriated me. God knows how long ago they had realized that one particular test was missing from the panel, or how long the panel results had been sitting before they caught it. Regardless, I now had to run around like a chicken with my head cut off to get yet MORE bloodwork done, so that they could delay processing those results, too. 

To give you some more insight on this: LabCorp misread the Lab Order from MIA Aesthetics and tested me for "PT" instead of "PTT", which are two completely different vials/tests. I had no other choice but to go through the entire process all over again for this one particular vial of blood.

[16 Days Pre-Op]

I received an automated email from yet another (different) coordinator at MIA Aesthetics titled "TWO WEEKS AWAY FROM SURGERY!!" containing last minute reminders about travel logistics, medications to avoid, etc.

I still had not been cleared by MIA Aesthetics' Lab Team.

CLEARED FOR SURGERY! 🎉 (Finally…) [8 Days Pre-Op]

After nearly 4 weeks of unanswered phone calls, emails that didn't receive responses, questions that didn't have answers, and lots of emotion, I finally received the email we all hope to receive: "HURRAY! YOU HAVE BEEN CLEARED FOR SURGERY!" 8 days pre-op. When I turned in my labs 45 days pre-op.

EIGHT. DAYS.

Bought Supplies on Amazon 📦 [7 Days Pre-Op]

I decided to buy all of my supplies on Amazon, a breakdown of which you can find on my cost spreadsheet. See the next entry for further logistics around receiving these supplies.

Flight to Miami 🌴 [4 Days Pre-Op]

I decided to fly to Miami on the Sunday before my surgery, giving me 3 full weekdays to work remotely, receive Amazon supplies, and take care of any last minute purchases in the area if I needed to. I ended up calculating the purchase/ship date of my supplies via Amazon so precisely that I didn't need to buy anything else while I was there. I received everything on Monday and Tuesday, and was all set for surgery!

Receive deliveries of post-op supplies from Amazon [1-3 Days Pre-Op]

Check out my Amazon storefront here, to grab all your supplies and more! Storefront includes vitamins, supplements, creams, water bottles, etc. Literally, everything you could need - including tips on why I think each item is preferable to any others.

Pre-op Appointment [1 Day Pre-Op]

Pay final balance, record stats like height/weight/blood pressure, etc. Receive sx time later that day. I did NOT consult with the surgeon on this date. Again, I will suggest that you not pay your final balance until the very last day that your clinic allows. In my case (and in December of 2019), MIA Aesthetics required the balance to be paid in full the day before surgery. It was in my best interest to give them the minimum amount required, and continue to save on a regular basis for the surgery into separate personal savings or checking account, rather than give the clinic the entire balance months or weeks in advance. As I always say: you never know what can happen. COVID proved that we must expect the unexpected. You don't want to be in a situation where the clinic has control over thousands of dollars while you may need to make a change.

Surgery Day! [Pre-Op]

This is when I took a drug test*, final vitals, spoke with and met the anesthesiologist, and finally met and consulted with my surgeon. Suggestion: have your BBL Encyclopedia Journal with you so that you don't forget anything that you want to speak with your doctor about during your consultation. The conversation can move quickly, and we don't want you to feel like you went into surgery without discussing every little thing on your mind.

* In most cases and across most clinics, no matter where you have surgery, the drug screen will detect nicotine and illicit drugs. Your surgery will be cancelled without exception if nicotine or drugs are present in your system. This could include some prescribed medications such as controlled substances. Most of the time, THC is allowed (however, the use of tobacco wrappers are not, as they could contain nicotine). If you're in doubt, check with your surgeon or clinic directly.

Surgery Day [Post-Op]

Couldn't make it to the bathroom on my own, keep my eyes open, or ingest any fluids or food. I fainted a few hours after surgery, and Nurse Stacy called 911. I was picked up by an ambulance and admitted to the hospital where I stayed for 48 hours. They determined my hemo levels were extremely low [8.3] and that I needed transfusions. I signed the waivers and releases and had two full rounds of blood transfused. During this 48-hour period, I spoke with Dr. Mehio. (I called MIA Aesthetics to let them know that I'd been admitted, and they had Dr. Mehio call me back directly.) He explained that I experienced a vasovagal syncope, which basically just means I fainted, and that I should receive the transfusions and see him at my post-op appointment if all goes well in the hospital.

“WARNING: EXTREMELY GRAPHIC CONTENT”

Home from the hospital [3 Days PO]

On this day, I also had my first massage. It was absolutely horrible. I had the owner of Med Miami come check on me after I came back from the hospital, and I needed the encouragement of her, my nurse, and my massage professional to coach me through that first massage. It didn’t get much better the following days. I continued to get daily massages until I left Miami, and then when I got back home, I searched for someone in my area. Heed my warning: HAVE YOUR MASSAGES LINED UP BEFORE YOU GET HOME. I returned home during Christmas Holiday Weeks, and it was NOT easy to find someone nearby, let alone someone that had openings. Use my directory and book your massages before you leave for surgery!

Post-Op Appointment # 1 [4 Days PO]

First post-op appt, Dr. Mehio approved the use of foams and boards

Post-Op Appointment # 2 [5 Days PO]

Second post-op appt, saw the P.A. and had "after" photos taken. Aside from this, there were no vitals taken and no exam done at this visit.

Flight back to NYC 💺 [9 Days PO]

Flew back home to NYC. Do yourself a favor: I was smart enough to ask for a doctor's letter from the clinic that stated I just had surgery and that I should be accommodated where possible. It was extremely helpful to have this letter at the airport, and allowed me to get wheelchair service inside the terminal. I was able to use my BBL pillow, have people carry my luggage from point A to point B, and I was able to board the plane first. Lots of people also talk about booking 2-3 seats so that you have a whole row to yourself, or upgrading to first class on airlines that offer lie-flat seats in that cabin, but I didn’t do any of that. PRO-Tip: I wore my compression socks, faja, arm compression, and chin compression on the flight, made sure I had snacks and water in my bag at all times, and when the fasten-seatbelt sign was off, I stood up, got the blood flowing, and moved around the cabin as much as possible.

Toilet Talk [10 Days PO]

The constipation is real after surgery. After a BBL? Forget it. Prepare to struggle. The best way to use the bathroom is either 1) using the Tinkle Belle (standing, and not having to remove the faja, was absolute HEAVEN believe it or not) or 2) sitting on a rolled up towel/pool noodle/BBL pillow wrapped in plastic for sanitation. Don’t ask me why I have this photo, okay? Just know that this is why you love me

Faja Saga Begins [11 Days PO]

Measured for and ordered custom stage 2 faja, and ordered a standard size stage 1.5 faja on Amazon

Started Dry Brushing [12 Days PO]

Started dry-brushing - please make sure your incisions are totally and completely closed before you start doing this

Milestones 💎 [14 Days PO]

Pain = Up until this point, I had been taking tylenol 6 times per day, and now I’m taking it 3 times per day.

Swelling = I used to drain incessantly, to the point where my garment was soaked, and now my incisions are closed.

Mobility = I used to be hunched over when I walked, and I couldn’t move my arms comfortably while I was sleeping. Now I'm able to do light yoga stretches, and even pull lightly on my arms to minimize scar tissue damage. 

Sleeping = I was only able to sleep 3-4 hours at a time, and now I’m at 4-6.

Received Stage 1.5 Faja [16 Days PO]

Received stage 1.5 faja (Standard size garment from amazon)

Fluids Drained Via Needle [17 Days PO]

Needed to have fluid drained with needed via aspiration with PO massage professional

Milestones 💎[4 Weeks PO]

• Butt softening a lot since week 2 (still firm, and a bit sore in most places where fat has been transferred)
• Bruises completely gone, swelling minimizing
• Have completely stopped taking tylenol (I was never prescribed pain meds, so I never took those to begin with)
• Mobility has improved GREATLY (I have much less limitation in the last two weeks than I did in the first two. Still incredibly long way to go, but this changed greatly around week 3.)
• Noticeable results in chin lipo, but still a ways to go in the arms
• Mood and outlook lifted, but physically still feel incredibly different day to day
• Moved into a small arm garment at week 3! Was in a size L until 8 days PO, and a size M days 8-22 PO.

[23 Days PO]

Was advised to continue wearing my compression socks for swelling

[27 Days PO]

This was the first time my post-op massage professional used machine treatment on my abdomen (sides and back) in addition to the manual-massage-only that I had been receiving up until this point.

Milestones 💎[5 Weeks PO]

• The pain in my arms - tightness from the lipo - is almost completely gone. I can stretch my hands behind my back and clasp them together in a yoga pose like I used to be able to do pre-op. I couldn’t do this for many weeks! (You can still see the unevenness and lumpiness in my arms in the photo below.)
• It’s getting easier to maneuver a set up of pillows to try and lay on my back for a while, and I have more flexibility and strength in my midsection to try and maneuver that way.
• When I walk quickly, my butt starts to jiggle… 💀😂
• I’M RETAINING LESS AND LESS FLUID THE MORE TIME PASSES, AND THE MORE MASSAGES I GET! 🎉

Received Custom Stage 2 Faja [39 Days PO]

Received custom-made stage 2 faja (5.5 weeks post-op….STOP STRESSING! You aren't losing precious compression time. This is just simply how long they take to manufacture, ship, and deliver after order.)

Milestones 💎[6 Weeks PO]

• The desire to roll over onto my back in the middle of the night while I’m sleeping has violently increased. I’m catching myself, and not allowing myself to do it, but it’s very annoying. 🤬
• Absolutely zero pain in my arms anymore, and absolutely zero trace of having surgery (internal sensations). Externally, there are still several signs: swelling, scars, unevenness, but I know these things will dissipate…
• No issue reaching for things on my nightstand while I’m laying in bed (almost like it was before surgery). Used to be painful and almost impossible. 
• Even easier to reach for the car door to close it myself. Used to need to ask the driver to close the door for me. While sitting on the BBL pillow, my abs and back used to be too sore to do this and balance at the same time.
• First COMFORTABLE and PAIN-FREE ride today to and from massage! 🥳🥳
• My midsection is STILL numb, and it’s still really painful getting massages. (They are rough, and they have to be in order to do their job.)

Back to the Office [49 Days PO]

First day back in the office for work. I had been working from home up until this point.

First Beauty Treatment - HOT INFO! [53 Days PO]

I desperately needed my lashes done, so I took public transit 1.5 hours to meet my fabulous lady who is no longer in NYC. This is one of the most-asked questions after a BBL: how do you lay on your back for massages or beauty treatments?? I brought my BBL Pillow and backrest with me and was able to put the backrest at the small of my back, and I put the pillow itself underneath my cuff at my upper thighs. The same way my massage professional always did when I would get my front massaged. Very simple. Get you the Pillow/Backrest combo in my storefront and never worry about how you’ll get on with life.

Stopped Wearing Foams [55 Days PO]

Stopped wearing foams. Your foams are only medically necessary for the first three weeks post-op. Anytime after that, the only thing they're good for is extra compression if your garment doesn't fit properly. Since I had received a stage 2 garment custom-made to my measurements, and that fit me appropriately, it was clear that the foams were not needed.

First Time Out [57 Days PO]

First time going somewhere other than work/massages/home. I took public transit into the city (New York), and I walked...a lot. I knew I would need to wear my compression socks as I ventured out for this much walking, and I'm glad I did. I had to continue wearing them for the next few days as well.

Attempting to Sit [86 Days PO]

Started trying to sit on harder surfaces without my BBL Pillow. This was much easier than sitting on soft surfaces, like a couch, because it's easier to lean your weight forward onto your thighs. I wasn't completely comfortable doing this yet, and I was only able to sit 10-15 mins at a time before burning/pins/needles started.

Milestones 💎[2-3 Months PO]

• Have felt ready to exercise for almost a month, but don’t want to start before I should
• Have gone without the faja for 12-36 hours at a time. Sometimes I’m bloated, sometimes I have bad PMS, sometimes I’m annoyed and irritated. Regardless I never go more than a day and I’ve only done this a handful of times (mostly to sleep).
• Since this past weekend when I tried to start sitting, I’ve been trying more and more on soft surfaces/chairs. I’ve had no problem standing for the majority of my recovery, as it bothers me much less than laying on my stomach. Last night I left my booty pillow at my office and made it through my commute both home and back the next morning. I was able to sit on the subway but am still mindful to lean forward and keep weight on my thighs and feet. It’s new, and it’s progress!
• BOMB MUSCLE DEFINITION SHOWING THROUGH ON MY STOMACH! 😍
• At 8 weeks PO, my massage professional told me I could stop wearing the compression garment for my arms. There was no longer any swelling, lumps, or fluid that the therapist could feel during my massages. This was a huge milestone for me, and one that many people ask about. It takes many weeks for lipo to recover! No matter the area!
• At 10 weeks PO, I started rolling onto my hips subconsciously in my sleep, and I just went with it.
• The burning and tightness in the lipo areas is about 95% gone. I haven’t had any in my arms for over a month now, and I’d say I only feel it in the lower 25% of my midsection.
• At 11 weeks PO, I would try and start sleeping on my back with pillows underneath my thighs and the small of my back. I would roll over to try and get relief from that position, and then I would roll over to try and get relief from that position. 
• At 12 weeks PO, I started sitting and laying directly on surfaces, but could only do it for a few minutes at a time before burning/pins & needles started setting in. 
• At 14 weeks PO, I’m now sitting exclusively without a pillow and fully laying on my back to sleep throughout the entire night (HALLELUJAH!) but not without a pillow still underneath my thighs.

Flew to Florida [3 Months PO Exactly]

First flight since surgery - flew to Florida to stay with my mom while she has a blepharoplasty. I took my BBL Pillow and did use it on the plane a few times. I alternated between the pillow and sitting directly on the seat. (Side story: Glad I brought my fajas, boards, and accessories like maxi pads for extra compression because I ended up getting stuck in Florida as NYC exploded with COVID. Four months later I decided to vacate my NYC studio and live in Miami during the pandemic... and the rest is history 😉

Stage 3 Faja [14 Weeks PO]

Received stage 3 garment (extra high compression / latex) 3 months PO… COULD NOT COMFORTABLY WEAR IT FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR AT A TIME UNTIL 4-5 MONTHS PO!

Milestones 💎[4 Months PO]

• Completely sitting and sleeping without any pillow support at all.
• Still have a bit of numbness and tingling around maybe a 2-inch tall circumference around my lower midsection. It’s like the numbness gradually decreased from top to bottom for me. In other words, the upper portion of my midsection lost the numbness and tingling before the lower portion did.
• Butt has completely softened and dropped, taking on a totally different look than it had in the first few months of my recovery. TOTALLY DIFFERENT. Not sure if this is because of where/how Mehio inserted/placed the fat, but it continues to change regularly.

Milestones 💎[5 Months PO]

• I noticed I lost weight. At this point in time I did not own a scale, or have access to one, and it was COMPLETE BLISS. Get off the scale, sis, and ride the wave. 🌊✌️
• I hope to increase my caloric intake when I start working out in hopes of increasing the size of these booty fat cells 😂 (EXTREMELY INFORMATIVE ARTICLE! GO READ IT!)
• I received my stage 3 faja at 12 weeks post op, and I could only stand to wear it a few hours per day maybe 2-3 days per week. By month 4 post op, I was able to increase the time I wore it each day/week.
• Regardless of which faja I was wearing, after 3 months PO, I slowly weaned down to wearing a garment for only 12 hours per day. I chose to do this mainly while I was sleeping. During my period for 1-2 weeks, I still wear it for closer to 24 hours per day.
• Ordered waist trainers at this point, to start getting out of the faja completely.

Milestones 💎[7 Months PO]

• In the last 4 weeks, I’ve probably worn my faja twice.
• I still wear it before/during my period the most consistently.
• At this point I’m fairly certain the compression that a garment can offer me has done it’s job, and I no longer see a difference in my midsection after going without it for weeks at a time. (However...as I post this nearly 2 years post-op, please refer to the next set of milestones for a verdict on this…)

Clothing HELL! [6-9 Months PO]

I spent a lot of time during these months trying to figure out how clothes now fit my new body. You’ll notice through my cost spreadsheet page that toward 3 months PO, I started to spent money on clothing. My body continued to change drastically between 3-6 months post-op, and I had to eventually get rid of my entire wardrobe and start over. Everything, and I mean everything, fit me completely wrong. I had new clothes in my closet with tags on them that were unsalvageable. Not even through tailoring. My waist had shrunk over 10 inches, and my hips/butt changed shape so much that none of the pants, skirts, or shorts that I owned before surgery fit correctly at all. 

PRO-Tip: the BBL Community has seemed to come to the consensus (and I agree) that the only types of jeans that work are stretchy. Say goodbye to Levi’s or similar/boutique brands that have no stretch whatsoever. If your experience is anything like mine, your waist-to-hip ratio will be an entirely new experience, and you will need to experiment with clothing brands and sizes. American Eagle seems to have the monopoly of votes when it comes to jeans for BBL Dolls, and they are the only jeans I buy today. (Note: at the time of this website being published, I'm nearly 2 years post-op, and I am still slowly rebuilding my wardrobe from top to bottom. Don’t get me wrong: it’s fun...but it’s expensive!)

Milestones 💎[10 Months PO]

At 10 months post-op, after not wearing a garment of any kind for about two months, and after celebrating my birthday this past weekend, I’m astonished at this video experiment.

Sadly, Dolls, the party’s over for me. This is where I stopped tracking my milestones, as I saw no further change in my body via compression nor physical sensation. To sum it up, I will say:

• My body only started changing the most drastically at 3-4 months PO
• It finally stopped changing at 9-10 months PO
• I am incredibly happy that I went through with this surgery, and I could not be more thrilled with the results.
• If you’re on the fence about whether or not you think this is something for you...I DON’T REGRET A SINGLE DROP OF BLOOD, SWEAT, NOR TEARS. 
  

HOWEVER: Please be aware of the state of your mental health and the way you view your body before surgery. If you are incredibly unhappy with your body image, feel like you may experience body dysmorphia, or hate your physique to the point of anxiety and depression, then no amount of surgery in the world will help fix it.

I firmly believe that I am so happy after one BBL (where many people get extremely depressed) because I went into the process with realistic expectations about what the surgeon could achieve, I was able to keep my eyes off the mirror for weeks at a time, I was able to stay off the scale without being anxious or fearful, and I was truly grateful for all of the changes that my body experienced along the way whether I loved them or not. 

Let’s chat. 🥰😘

xoxo
J
💞