Jessica decided to undergo tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) and liposuction with Pasadena plastic surgeon Dr. Stewart Wang after realizing that extra pounds on her small frame were keeping her from enjoying life and pursuing her goals to the fullest. She was having a hard time finding clothes that fit comfortably and she avoided exercise because of large amounts of skin and fat tissue, along with pulled abdominal muscles and a herniated belly button that caused pain whenever she attempted stomach exercises.

I had no idea how confident I could feel in my body.

As part of her work as a human rights advocate, Jessica does a lot of public speaking. She knew that her stomach was not only causing discomfort, it also was undermining her confidence while she was in the spotlight. "I present to a wide range of people," says Jessica, "and I thought it was time that I look and feel more professional, that I do something about the skin and fat around my belly that was weighing me down both physically and emotionally."

Finding the Right Plastic Surgeon in Los Angeles

Before seeing Dr. Stewart Wang, a plastic surgeon with offices near Pasadena and the Inland Empire, Jessica scheduled abdominoplasty consultations with two other cosmetic surgeons in Los Angeles. At the other offices, she felt very rushed and didn't receive the information she was looking for. She searched the Internet for more details about tummy tuck and about what to look for in a cosmetic surgeon, such as board certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. During her Web research, she came across an online medical discussion forum where several forum members recommended she contact Dr. Wang.

Jessica found Dr. Wang to be the most personable surgeon she visited, and she was delighted that he took the time to give her one-on-one attention. "Almost as soon as I walked in," she says, "I felt like a member of the family. Dr. Wang has such a friendly staff, and the time he spent with me was just like talking with an old friend."

Jessica's first concern was safety. "When you're choosing elective surgery, you need to feel confident that it's safe. Dr. Wang explained what precautions he takes with every surgery, and that really put my mind at ease." She was also worried about the discomfort that can accompany a tummy tuck. "I had a hysterectomy a few years before my tummy tuck, so I knew abdominal surgery is no walk in the park. But Dr. Wang gave me a pain pump after the surgery, and I had no idea the first few days after the procedure could be so comfortable."

Planning for Perfection

Dr. Wang performed Jessica's surgery at the New Clinic in Ontario, California. She planned carefully for both her surgery and her recovery. "I knew I didn't want to deal with stitches and bandages in hot weather, so I scheduled my surgery in September, to avoid the Southern California summer. And I prepared to be out of action for six weeks-took time off from my work, froze plenty of meals, and set up a support network of family and friends to check in on me."

I'd fly back to have other procedures with Dr. Wang.

Jessica knew it would be slow going for the first few weeks after her abdominoplasty. Pasadena plastic surgeon Dr. Wang encouraged her to get plenty of rest and hold back on engaging in too much activity. Though she was up and around the house within a week or so, she took it easy for the first six weeks, and waited about eight months to start back full time on her daily exercise routine.

The hardest part of her surgery? "That was definitely the liposuction on my hips, which left me bruised for several weeks from my ribs to my buttocks." Though her recovery was challenging at times, she is fortunate to have been left with almost no scarring. Her lack of scars comes from a combination of good genes, limited movement during the weeks after surgery, and a daily regimen of applying vitamin E and aloe. "Even Dr. Wang is amazed at how well my incisions healed," she says.

Discovering New Confidence

Now, when speaking all across the country, Jessica has the ego boost and increased self assurance she needs to connect with and inspire change in the people she meets. "I'd been thinking of having a tummy tuck for 19 years, and I can't believe I waited so long. Even if I left Los Angeles, I wouldn't go to anyone else-I'd fly back to have other procedures with Dr. Wang. He gave me the freedom to enjoy a flat abdomen, and until this surgery I had no idea how confident I could feel in my body."