Multiple cosmetic surgery procedures: tummy tuck, breast uplift and armlift
Charlotte Boyle, 39, had a tummy tuck, breast lift and arm lift under the care of consultant cosmetic and plastic surgeon Catherine Hernon at Spire Leeds Hospital.
After struggling with her weight since she was a teenager and throughout her three pregnancies, Charlotte, a childcare manager from Leeds decided it was time to take control.
“I had tried for 20 years to get a handle on my weight,” said Charlotte. “At my heaviest I weighed 19 stones and was a dress size 22-24. I’m only 5ft 2ins so I couldn’t carry the weight. I knew I had to take responsibility and do something about it if I was not going to be overweight for the rest of my life.”
Charlotte, who is married and has three children, considered having a gastric band but after discussing it with her GP she decided she wanted to lose the weight naturally. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I’m a bit of a carb junkie and particularly love bread, so I restricted my carbs and reduced my food portions. Each time I hit plateaus I stuck with it, I kept tweaking my diet and kept the end result in mind to keep me motivated.”
The weight came off slowly but steadily and Charlotte shed seven stones over the next few years. However, she was left with a legacy of loose and sagging skin. “My whole body went south and as much as I was proud of what I’d achieved I had issues with my body - my breasts, arms and stomach needed addressing and I was getting recurrent infections in the folds of my tummy skin.”
Charlotte’s GP referred her to Catherine Hernon, consultant cosmetic and plastic surgeon at Spire Leeds Hospital who discussed the options with her. Charlotte underwent a Fleur de Lys (tummy tuck) and abdominal repair in July 2014 on the NHS. During the procedure Charlotte had around 3.5kg of skin removed from her tummy area.
“I was ecstatic with the results and I wanted to get my breasts done next. It was a 40th birthday present to myself – the choice was either a trip to New York or surgery. I chose to have a breast lift (bilateral mastopexy).”
Commenting on the surgery Catherine Hernon said, “Charlotte had achieved significant weight loss with diet and exercise but this had left her with significant amounts of loose skin. Her abdominal loose skin was causing her skin to become excoriated and to breakdown to the extent that she was granted funding to have an abdominoplasty on the NHS. A Fleur de Lys type of abdominoplasty was selected as she had significant transverse (side to side) and longitudinal (up and down) skin excess. Although more scar is produced with a Fleur de Lys, both up and down and side to side scars, this technique addresses the loose skin in both directions and gives a better functional result for the patient.”
Charlotte went back to Catherine Hernon for the breast lift procedure in March 2015 and was once again delighted with the results. “It had to be done by Catherine Hernon. I would not go to anyone else for surgery. I’m also incredibly fortunate to have a supportive husband who has been with me every step of the way.”
Catherine Hernon said, “Charlotte had lost a lot of the volume in her breasts with her weight loss and she also had long standing asymmetry of the breasts. A mastopexy was selected as this addresses the loose skin of the breasts and achieves an uplift of the position of the breasts but maintains the volume. In Charlotte's case her breasts were also made more symmetrical. “
Then in August 2015 she returned to see Catherine Hernon once again for an arm lift (brachioplasty) to remove excess skin on the underside of her arms.
“I couldn’t be happier with the results. Catherine is fantastic. I’ve had an amazing outcome, not just once but three times and that’s down to her. It’s not about body dysmorphia. It was not for vanity reasons. I just wanted to have the body shape I should have had when I was younger.”
Charlotte gave up smoking on the advice of her surgeon, and she said that and the weight loss had given her many health benefits. Healthwise I feel completely different. Physically I’m like a whole new person and mentally I feel so much more positive and determined to keep the weight off.
“I am so impressed with Spire Leeds Hospital and it’s great to have such a superb hospital in the local area. The nurses on the ward are lovely and approachable and I would recommend anyone needing this type of surgery to check out Spire Leeds Hospital,” said Charlotte.