Josie Gibson has revealed the results and scars from her arm lift surgery after her battle with lipedema. The This Morning star, 41, who underwent brachioplasty in March after being diagnosed with the condition, says she is "very happy" she had the procedure.
On Wednesday, the mum-of-one posted a video wearing a sports bra, showing before and after pictures of her surgery. While acknowledging that the scars on her arms may look "horrific" to some, Gibson insists she has no regrets.
Scars and laser treatment
Explaining she will have laser treatment for the scarring, she said: "Some people might think the scars are pretty horrific but I would rather that than what I had before. I am going to get some laser on my scars when I get some time and apparently the laser just takes the colour out of it and then it turns it back to a skin colour."
Lipedema is a chronic condition causing abnormal, symmetrical build-up of fat and fluid primarily in the legs, hips, buttocks, and often the upper arms. There is currently no cure. Brachioplasty, a surgical arm-lift that removes excess skin and fat to improve contour, can help improve its appearance.
Recovery and further plans
Admitting she always felt something was "not quite right" with her body, Gibson shared: "I always knew there was something not quite right with my body. It's almost like my body didn't fit with each other. My legs were really really heavy and I was getting older, the symptoms of lipoedema started getting worse and worse."
After choosing her surgeon after seeing him on This Morning, the Big Brother star returned to work 17 days after the operation. She continued: "I couldn't lift my arms above my head but other than that, I felt well enough to go out and do a live. None of my surgeries have been painful. I would definitely do it again. People ask if it's painful. It's not painful but it is uncomfortable."
Sharing that she would love to have the surgery on her legs, she added: "I would definitely do it again, I would love to get my legs done. I've had one lot of surgery on my legs which was lipo on the bottom of my legs but I need to go back another three times."
Cost and final thoughts
Revealing the cost, Gibson concluded: "So my surgery was over £8k. I mean everybody's surgery is different and your surgeon will explain that to you. I had liposuction on my arms as well, so I had the lipo and then I had the skin removal. Please do your own research. For me personally, it was one of the best things I've ever done. I've literally had a weight lifted off my shoulders and that's exactly how it felt. It is so nice to just wear vest tops and have your arms on show and just feel alright about it. It's something that I've wanted done for a very long time and I am so happy that I had it done."
