A year after body-lift surgery, the series three favourite has her weight under control and her life back on track.

Becoming a contestant on The Biggest Loser Australia was a dream-come-true for Michelle Lozanovski, who hoped the hit reality series would help save her from a vicious cycle of binge eating. When the Newcastle girl stepped out of the reality TV house in 2008, she had been transformed, dropping a huge 31kgs – but hadn’t managed to kick all her bad habits. Instead of reaching her goal weight of 75kgs after her eviction, Michelle struggled with yo-yo dieting which, eight months on, saw her weight soar to 130kgs – 10kgs more than it was before she entered the Biggest Loser house, and her heaviest weight ever.

“I could see I was putting it back on, but I was just trying to ignore it, telling myself I would get it under control,” recalls Michelle, 24. “The thing is, I knew how to exercise – they taught me that in the house – but no-one taught me how to control my eating.” Feeling embarrassed and ashamed of herself, Michelle went into hiding, rarely leaving home and refusing to socialise. “I just didn’t go out anymore,” she says. “I couldn’t believe I had let myself get back to that size, and didn’t want anyone to see me.” After another nine months of binge eating, Michelle realised she had to take control of her life, and finally made the decision to get back on track and learn the skills she needed to live a healthier life.

Michelle sought advice from a dietitian while starting workouts with a personal trainer three times a week, dropping back to 81kgs through strict diet and rigorous exercise. But the massive weight gains and losses had damaged her body permanently, leaving her skin saggy and her confidence at an all-time low. “I hated how my body looked,” recalls Michelle. “I was left with this loose skin that I had to tuck into my clothes, and it flapped on my legs when I tried to exercise.” So a desperate Michelle turned to Sydney surgeon Dr Mark Kohout from Total Body for advice, and was told a $21,000 body lift was the only viable option to rid her of the excess skin – and give her back her confidence.

“You see yourself in the mirror and you realise you have lost weight, but I still didn’t feel good about myself, because I had all that loose skin there,” she explains. “Seeing myself like that wasn’t rewarding, even though I had worked so hard.” So last year Michelle underwent a full body lift, involving an incision around her torso, removal of the skin and liposuction. “I was really excited until the day of the operation, then Mum was so nervous, which made me nervous!” Michelle laughs. “As I was wheeled down to theatre, I burst into tears. That’s all I remember. They put the drip in and I was gone. When I woke up, they gave the girl next to me an icy pole, so I started yelling that I wanted my icy pole, too. I was off my head!” The surgery is a major and serious procedure, and while Michelle doesn’t regret her decision for a second, she warns it is not something to undertake lightly.

My labia would actually protrude. I would stand up and it would pop out and I would want to tuck it back up, but you can’t because obviously it doesn’t look very good in public. And when it popped out, it rubbed on my underpants, which was awful and so unpleasant. I would complain to mum about it, but she’d say, ‘You’ll grow out of it, it will shrink in time.’ But it didn’t.

It lowered my self confidence. When I was naked it dangled and it was gross. My partner would joke and say, ‘I can see it,’ and I would be like, ‘Shut up!’. Luckily, he wasn’t bothered by it at all, but I always made sure there was a lot of ‘mood lighting’ in the bedroom. Six weeks before the surgery my boyfriend was saying, ‘Don’t get it done!’ purely because he thought I’d be ‘out of action’ for ages. Boys, eh?

There are only a small percentage of women with this condition, so it was always a bit difficult to talk about, especially when I was a teenager. It’s different now that I’m older; now I don’t really care, .

The decision

I first found out about the plastic surgery procedure, Labiaplasty, when I was watching Good Medicine when I was about 20. Until then I had no idea you could do anything about it.

It took me so long to act because it was hard for me to get the time off work. Also, I didn’t know of any doctors who did the operation. I rang quite a few plastic surgeons and they’d say, ‘No, you have to ring this type of surgeon,’ and so it would go in circles. Finally I was put onto someone who had experience in my area, Dr Mark Kohout, who could do my operation.

It also took a long time for me to suss out people’s opinions – like my mother for example. She was against it, but I was at a point in my life where I was old enough to say, ‘Well guess what? I don’t care’. Mum thought the vagina was a taboo area. She even wanted to know if it was a female doctor!  In the end I thought, ‘Get over it – I’ll do what I want to do’.  I was so excited.

I told my dearest friends I was, ‘Getting myself nice and pretty down there’, and we all joked about it. I even got together some friends for a few drinks as a joke farewell party for it!

The Big Day

D Kohout  prepared me for the possibility of a lot of pain – but it actually wasn’t that bad at all. They basically just cut and re-stitched my labia so that it was a regular, neat size. The whole area went black and it was very swollen, but the only thing that actually hurt was the first time I had to pee. It stung so bad! I got off the pain killers after only a day, which really surprised the doctor.

One thing that was really annoying though was how itchy the stitches were. I couldn’t get to sleep because all I could think about was scratching! After two weeks though, it was all fine. And to my partners’ delight, I was ‘out of action’ for only three weeks, even though he told me it could be up to six.

And now…

I am so happy now, it’s really changed my quality of life. Little things, like wearing swimming costumes, are different for me now. It used to be awful in summer – sometimes you could see it pop down through the costume, which was so embarrassing.

I’m not shy about what I’ve had done. I talk about it with everyone. People are fascinated about exactly what the procedure involves. Women in particular want to know everything about labia surgery because there’s still not much info out there and talking to your doctor about it isn’t always easy.

It cost me about $6000 and even less if you have private cover, but it was so worth it. I can honestly say the day I found someone out there doing this kind of surgery was the greatest day of my life”.

Loose upper eyelid skin can make you look tired, old, sad or even grumpy. The skin fold at the outer half of the upper eyelid can even restrict vision and as for the lower eyelids, wrinkles around the eyes, loose eyelid skin, and unattractive “bags” can all contribute to the tired, un-rested, even unhealthy look.

Eyelid surgery has come a long way in the last few years, and now removing eye bags is a simple procedure often performed in day surgery which involves removing the excess, loose skin from the upper eyelid and the unsightly bulges in the inner corner of the upper eyelid.

Often combined with a browlift to improve the overall position of the eyelid skin, the overall effect is a more ‘open’ eye.

For an Even better result, Blepharoplasty is combined with a browlift is performed by making small incisions in the hairline and lifting the position of a dropped eyebrow into a more youthful position.

An exciting new era in face and brow lifting procedures in recent years has seen modern endoscopic techniques used to elevate the brow with the use of a miniature camera and specialised equipment. The effect of a browlift is simple yet noticeable creating the impression of a youthful, well-rested and welcoming face. You are left with minimal scar (usually covered by hair) and the recovery is quick (7-10 days).

So, how does an endoscopic browlift work? A lens is attached to a camera which is connected to a monitor, allowing for clear vision for me and my surgical team. The procedure elevates the descended tissue and smooths the forehead by relaxing the muscles which tend to pull the brows together (creating a frown).

Since an endoscopic browlift can significantly reduce the frown lines between the eyes, it is often performed in conjunction with upper eyelid surgery to achieve optimal results.

Upper eyelid reduction surgery fees start from $3,900 which assumes the patient has top hospital cover with a private health fund.  Correction of lower eyelid pouches and bags fees start from $5,900 and combined browlift and upper-eyelid reduction surgery fees start from $5,900, To discuss your suitability for these procedures with Dr. Kohout, please phone 1300 551 151 or email info@drmarkkohout.com.au.  More info on Dr. Kohout and his work can be found at www.drmarkkohout.com.au

By Dr. Mark Kohout, Cosmetic Surgery Specialist
www.drmarkkohout.com.au

If you’ve recently given birth and are thinking about getting a tummy tuck, there are many important things to know before you go under the knife. RESCU’s Plastic Surgeon, Dr Mark Kohout discusses Abdominoplasty surgery, and the considerations needed before you decide it’s the way to go…

It’s a common complaint that after having children, many women feel out of shape, battling with excessive work outs and diets in the endeavour to restore their body to its original shape. Unfortunately it is true, pregnancy often leads to abdominal stretch marks, loose skin and stretched out or separated muscles, creating a bulge which does not respond to any kind of exercise or diet no matter how hard you try.

A highly effective solution to get rid of the loose, overhanging skin, fat tissues and stretched scars is Abdominoplasty, or a tummy tuck. Many celebrities, like Posh, are said to have had tummy tucks right after pregnancy and swear by it, achieving discreet, natural results. Nevertheless it is not an option to be recommended by your specialist to hastily after pregnancy, without due consideration. Patients should wait at least six months after child birth or a C-Section to schedule a consultation for a tummy tuck.

This is particularly important if you are planning further children, since the vertical muscles in the abdomen that are tightened during surgery require adequate time to reposition and heal and can separate again during further pregnancies. A C-Section is major abdominal surgery which takes six to eight weeks to heal completely and attempting earlier can lead to a much higher risk of infection.

For best results, following an Abdominoplasty your tummy should appear flat, firm and toned with a slender midsection in proportion with the rest of your body shape. If there is a large fat accumulation on the abdominal wall, it can be combined with liposuction for better results. The most common technique involves an incision at the lower abdomen. The muscles get tightened by drawing them closer together and stitching them into right position. The redundant fat and skin will then be removed.

The procedure usually takes two to five hours, depending on the extent of work required and is performed under general anaesthetic. Thousands of tummy tucks are performed successfully each year but you do have to keep in mind that it does produce a permanent scar. Post- operative complications are uncommon if you follow your surgeon’s instruction. After the surgery you may have to stay in hospital for two or three days depending on the extent of the surgery and the recovery time fluctuates individually between two and four weeks.

Abdominoplasty surgery cost $6,000 to $10,000 but promises long lasting results if you exercise regularly and follow a balanced diet.

By Dr. Mark Kohout, Cosmetic Surgery Specialist
www.drmarkkohout.com.au

Nothing brings more joy to a Mum’s life than her new baby. Becoming a mother brings many changes to a woman’s body, including her breasts. Having a baby and breast feeding can cause a woman’s breasts to deflate and lose their overall youthful shape, often referred to as breast droop. Breast feeding softens and lengthens the ligaments and tissue in the breasts, causing them to flatten and sag. RESCU’s Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Kohout, offers solutions for proud Mums to help them recapture the natural fullness and firmness of their breasts.

There are many solutions and options on the market, surgical and non-surgical, permanent and semi permanent. Here are a few;

Breasts can naturally lose tissue volume during pregnancy to make breasts out of proportion with the rest of the body. Mums looking for a temporary fix to breast deflation have recently turned to Macrolane.  Not yet available in Australia, Macrolane is a clear gel that is injected directly into the breasts. The gel contains hyaluronic acid- a natural component of the skin. Once injected, hyaluronic acid binds to water, which creates volume. The results of Macrolane are instant, creating fuller breasts and adding up to one cup size. The effects of Macrolane last for 18 months until the gel is completely broken down by the body, with breasts returning to their post-baby state.

Breast augmentation is one of the most common aesthetic surgical procedures and involves the insertion of implants.  Implants are placed under the breast tissue or chest muscle, which increases the size and overall fullness of the breasts. Various shapes and sizes can be selected by you and your surgeon for the optimal look and feel. Mums can return home the day of their procedure, but should avoid serious physical activity for 2 to 3 weeks after surgery. Breasts will continue to heal for several weeks, revealing the true difference that breast augmentation can make.

The most permanent and effective procedure to fix breast droop is Mastopexy surgery, also known as a breast lift. Mastopexy is ideal for Mums who are happy with their breast size, but unhappy with the current shape of their breasts. Mastopexy is a permanent surgical procedure that corrects breasts that are drooping and lacking firmness, and can also fix nipples and areolas that are pointing downwards.

During the Mastopexy surgery, the nipples are lifted and repositioned and the excess, loose skin on the breast is removed. This causes the breasts to sit in a higher position and gives the breasts a higher, fuller and youthful contour. Many Mums will return to their normal daily activities two weeks after the surgery. Some scaring is evident, but is placed discreetly and fades over time.

In some instances, the breast lift is combined with implants to correct both the droop and the loss of volume.

All Mums should wait 12 months after delivery and/or conclusion of breast feeding if selecting either of these treatments, as this allows breasts to adjust back to their natural state.

A Breast lift can start from $6900 and breast implants can start from $9900. It is unknown when Macrolane will be approved for use in Australia.

Thankfully, there are ways that women can improve the overall appearance of their “fadoobadas” including healthy diet, weight bearing, and simple surgery to remove excess fat.

Arm reduction surgery, or technically known as Brachioplasty is a combination of an arm lift and arm liposuction which effectively removes excess skin and fat around the triceps muscle. Firm skinned men and woman with dispropoportionate sized arms are ideal candidates, as are those with loose upper arm skin, commonly seen in men and woman 40 plus. The third ideal patient is a man or a woman who has had dramatic weight loss and is looking to achieve a more svelte shape.

I realise that not all women can look as fit and taught as Madonna or Michelle Obama. Loose skin can cause chafing and the unsightly bulge doesn’t do much to compliment this season’s new strappy trends, which is why more and more women are opting for this simple day surgery.

In younger women, disproportionate sized upper arms means you face wardrobe restrictions. Their skin is good and firm; however their upper arm is not proportionally sized to the rest of their body. A tiny 5mm incision placed discretely in the arm pit crease (which will soon become virtually invisible) is made and the excess fat is removed. The patient will usually have no more than one day’s worth of downtime.

The second is the middle aged person (40 plus), both male and female, who are starting to show signs of advancing age and opt for arm surgery as they want to turn back the clock a few years. These patients generally have a combination of moderate thickening of tissue in the upper arm and moderately loose skin. A small incision is placed under the arm and depending on the extent of the incisions, the patient may need a few days rest following surgery.

For the patient who has lost a significant amount of weight and is looking to achieve a svelte shape is an ideal candidate for Brachioplasty, as major weight loss has resulted in the stretching of the skin. This procedure requires an incision down the inside of the arm from the arm pit to the elbow. The hairline car is a small price to pay for a thinner, contoured look – meaning the patient can now wear a t-shirt, dress or strapless number in time for summer after a week’s recovery.

Arm reduction surgery fees start from $6,900 which assumes the patient has top hospital cover with a private health fund.