A mum has revealed how she ignored warnings and flew to Turkey for a ‘mummy makeover’ – saying it’s the best £5,000 she’s ever spent.
Carla White, 33, decided to undergo the cosmetic procedure after shedding nine stone through a gastric sleeve procedure.
But the dramatic weight loss resulted in severe excess skin and left her feeling just as self-conscious as when she weighed nearly 22 stone.
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Determined to regain her confidence, Carla, from Glasgow, started researching cosmetic surgeries in Turkey.
And despite concerns from loved ones, the nurse decided to book in for a ‘mummy makeover’, with the procedure including a breast uplift, tummy tuck and 360-degree liposuction.
Carla, who is mum to four-year-old Lee, says her family urged her not to go abroad due to the risks of overseas surgery.
But having consulted with a surgeon in Scotland, she felt confident in her decision and flew out to the private clinic in Izmir in October 2023.
“I never really told a lot of people because I was aware of it being quite controversial,” Carla told Need To Know.
“I didn’t want anyone giving me doubts or fears so I kept it very hush.
“My dad and nana were not initially happy, but knew I wouldn’t change my mind as I’m really headstrong.
“They trusted me to make the right decision.”
Carla underwent the multiple procedures in one operation and flew home just six days later, describing the recovery as “really smooth”.
She said: “I got the drains taken out the day I flew and got the go-ahead to be discharged.
“I had a C-section so found the tummy tuck pain very similar to that.
“However, the areas I got lipo done felt really tender, so I found sleeping really uncomfortable for a few weeks.
“Wearing the compression garments for months was a bit of a pain. I had to get lymphatic drainage massages weekly to help with the fluid retention.”
Although the results weren’t instantly visible due to swelling, Carla says she’s now happier, healthier and more confident.
She said: “I was really swollen initially after the surgery and never really saw the results instantly, which was quite hard for me.”
Carla, who once fit into size 24 clothing, can recalling struggling to fit into theme park rides and needing a seatbelt extender on planes.
She said: “I lived in leggings.
“I remember wearing a seatbelt extension on a plane after trying my hardest to clip it.
“Then I went to Benidorm and got rejected from one of the rollercoasters. That was when I thought, nah I need to change this.
“I was with my ex and his family. They went on and I sat crying at the bottom; I was so embarrassed.
“I made sure to clean my tears away before they got off. But I never forget that feeling – I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”
Carla says her weight meant sweat used to build up under her stomach fold and become red, sore and infected.
She said: “It would be hard to clear up as it had to stay dry and clean.
“Talc was my best friend.
“I was in a nine-year relationship, I was very secure and happy and I was a student, so processed easy foods.
“I had my son after the sleeve and that was the start of my new life, but the excess skin was just as bad as the weight.
“It got in the way and I wore bigger clothes to hide the overhang.”
With her new-found confidence, Carla says she now feels much happier when trying on clothes or going on nights out.
She’s also looking forward to upcoming holidays to Tunisia and Salou where she plans to wear bikinis instead of swimming costumes for the first time.
She added: “I’m a lot happier when trying clothes on or going on a night out – it’s not such a stress.
“It’s good going to things like raves and being able to shop in normal clothes shops and running about with my wee boy and knowing I won’t be embarrassed by my skin.
“I’ve got two holidays this year and only packed bikinis – no full costumes, woohoo!”
