So I'm almost a month out from my first major cosmetic procedure (a body lift) and already the thought has entered my mind about maybe, just maybe, doing a bit more later.
I was sort of afraid this would happen. Not because I feel I'm addicted to plastic surgery or have body dysmorphic disorder or anything else.
No, my problem is that I tend to compare the improved body area to the existing body areas. I do the same thing when I buy a new pair of shoes. After I get home with my brand new pair of shoes, I start seeing my existing possessions in a different light: the handbag I've been carrying every day is starting to show some wear and the hem on my favorite pair of black pants is starting to look ragged. In other words, I'm perfectly happy with what I have until I get something new to compare it to.
So now that I have a belly I could bounce a quarter off of, I see that my outer thighs – the saddle bag area – are more noticeable. It's probably just because my hips and stomach are so much smaller (I'm down 15 lbs. just since the surgery) that I've noticed a new problem area. And don't even get me started about my breasts.
I tentatively approached the topic of more work with my doc on my second after-surgery follow-up visit. I thought I'd bait him to see what he suggested. "I guess I could stand to get my breasts done," I told him. He just smiled and said nothing. I guess I half expected him to whip out a black marker and start drawing all over my body with suggestions. But, being the awesome doc he is, he knew that two weeks after that first surgery wasn't the time to start making more surgery plans.
Then I started worrying that maybe he was pegging me as a plastic surgery addict. What if he writes "Heidi Montag Syndrome" beside my name in the chart?
The good thing about plastic surgery is that it's just entirely too expensive to get addicted to. I'm thrilled with the results, but I'm too broke to get anything else done. And who is to say that if I got my breasts or thighs done, that I wouldn't start thinking that my face could use a refresher? I'm all for looking the best I can, but I'm a real working mom with kids, a husband, a mortgage and pets (waaaaay too many pets).
I'm so lucky I was able to get the body lift to put the finishing touches on my weight loss. And although lots more could stand a touch-up I'm sure, I think I'll just settle for self-acceptance from here on out. At least that's free.
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