Before1000-lb SistersstarTammy Slaton got a faceliftand had excess skin removed from parts of her body after losing 500 pounds, she was very anxious - hopefully, changing her face and figure has been positive for her. Sure, she wanted to tighten up her skin, but she was used to seeing a certain woman in the mirror.Now, once again, she must deal with a drastic image change.While Tammy’s weight-loss journey’s been amazing, her self-esteem wavers. One day, she might feel proud of how she looks, until someone puts her down online, making her question her own appeal.
What’s often unsaid is thatTammy looked beautiful beforeshe opted for skin removal surgery. She had completely revamped her face and body, and she was having fun with clothes, hair and makeup. Sure, there was loose skin, but that wasn’t the most noticeable thing about Tammy. What stood out was the peace in her eyes -the light and the heat and the happiness. After turbulent years when her frustration with her weight and mobility issues made her temperamental and self-destructive, Tammy found herself. Now, after getting used to being 500 pounds thinner, it is time for another change.
Tammy Was Anxious Before Surgery
Tammy is a reality queen, but she still has vulnerable moments. There are times when she worries. Before her operation, she talked about the prospect of having surgery, and her eyes welled up.Tammy looked like she was going to cry.
Surgery is a scary thing. It’s normal for people to feel intense fear before going under the knife.
Before this milestone in her weight-loss journey, Tammy didn’t have the easiest journey, but that’s what makes her special. Without all that suffering,her victories wouldn’t have the same resonance. Tammy weighs 225 pounds, but her weight was once 725 pounds - being very heavy made her uncomfortable. She’s been heckled. Now, a new woman is rising from the ashes. Slimmer and fitter, Tammy’s bone structure is emerging. Her features seem more distinct. However, getting there hasn’t been easy…
As per aPeopleexclusive, Tammy was
“seriously freaking terrified,”
before her surgery. The operation lasted eight hours, and excess skin was removed from an array of body parts (the lower abdomen, chin and arms). In total,15 pounds of skin was removed. After the procedure, recovery was probably an intensely uncomfortable experience. Incisions must heal, wounds may ooze and need drainage… it’s a painful and grueling process. However, the light at the end of the tunnel was Tammy’s post-op glow-up.
“The night before my surgery, I was, like, seriously freaking terrified. I was even more nervous about having skin removal surgery than I was for the [sleeve gastrectomy] surgery because they’re actually cutting the whole belly!”
That being said, these procedures were extreme. Yes, Tammy looks wonderful, but she’s had to live with significant pain to get where she is now. After a skin removal procedure like Tammy had, it takes weeks to feel better. Pain lingers, and it’s hard to climb stairs or do other everyday activities. Mobility’s always been an issue for Tammy - she’s been very frustrated by her inability to move freely. While she’s danced on TikTok, she’s also been afraid of participating in certain physical activities, such as going in the water at the beach.
Tammy is triggered by her mobility problems, and after her operation, she may have felt trapped in her body again. For her, that could bring a lot of psychological turmoil. Tammy has had meltdowns because it was hard to move. So, post-op recovery may have intensified her fears. Also, she must adjust to a new face and body, and even more importantly, Tammy must deal with the opinions of others.
Yes, she’s beautiful, and that beauty was hard-won. However, not everyone who visits her Instagram is going to appreciate her. Some will be mean, and the truth is that her self-esteem can probably still be negatively impacted by trolls. If they can’t criticize her for having loose excess skin, they will find something else to complain about, and she will feel it.
So, when is enough… enough?When does the makeover end and living begin?These are tough questions. On the one hand, Tammy needed to get the excess skin removed. On the other hand, it’s always possible she’ll gain weight again, and then need to repeat the whole process. While every good person wants a happy ending for this woman, life is complicated. Tammy could stop dieting, gain weight, and then deal with having excess skin again. That could be traumatic for her.
Maybe Tammy’s Makeover Is Complete
Has She Done Enough?
IfTammy’s happy now with this huge change, then the surgery was worth it. The pain and the mobility issues and the fears before the operation, all of those things were worth it. See a clip on her surgery journey above, viaTammy’s Instagram. However, it really depends on how she feels now.
What she sees in the mirror is now closer to the filtered “ideal” she presented in the past - Tammy has got the look she’s been wanting. However,a lot of very beautiful women have been unhappy - one example is Marlyn Monroe, who was iconic due to her luminous skin and all-American look. Marilyn did not have a happy ending.
Clearly, there is more to happiness than what’s on the surface, a lot more. Tammy knows this - even after losing 500 pounds (an amazing feat), she was called out for not being perfect enough. The people who put her down had never walked a mile in her shoes. They would mercilessly criticize her even though she’s admitted to having very dark thoughts in the past. They wanted to push her buttons, and always reminded her that her teeth or her skin quality were not up to their standards.
Tammy Is A Lovely Woman
She Is Good Enough
WhatTammyneeds is to believe in her own beauty, as every woman is beautiful. Makeup is not required - more changes are not required. The image choices that Tammy makes should come from the heart - from a place of joy.Makeup shouldn’t be a mask but a celebration. The same with fashion - it’s not to hide in clothes but to enjoy them as a means of self-expression.
Tammy has gained confidence and now that her excess skin is gone, she may feel like she’s done enough.
It’s for her to say if her weight-loss journey is really complete, and hopefully, she does see the beauty that’s right there on Instagram, whether they compliment her or not. It’s time for Tammy to really live - to luxuriate in a body that’s carried so many burdens and experienced so much pain.
Part of the reason whyTammy’s results seem so extremeis the fact that face lifts need time to “setlle”. At first, they seem very tight, and may even seem a little too tight. However, later on, gravity hits and the look changes, becoming a bit looser and more natural. It can take six to twelve months before a facelift really settles.
It’s time for her to love the skin she’s in, and really treasure herself. If not now, when? Living for Instagram approval might harm Tammy’s self-esteem - for many people, it can be that way. If1000-Lb Sisters' Tammy’s strong enough to handle her haters and appreciate her own unique beauty, which is like no one else’s on earth, then everything she’s done to get to this point is a good thing.
