A woman who has shed 200lbs with dieting and exercise has now had skin removal surgery – revealing her dramatically different new appearance.
After feeling like “every step was a burden” weighing 28st 5lbs (400lbs), Leah Mancuso shifted more than 15 stone through dieting and exercise.
Amazingly, within two years, the 35-year-old has dropped to 13st 2lbs (185lbs) – but, while a lot healthier, she was left with a huge amount of excess skin.
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Leah went viral in a clip that garnered 97m views showing off her results, and has now gone on to have the skin removed.
“I never showed it [my loose skin] in person and kept it hidden as much as possible,” Leah, a photographer, told What’s The Jam.
“I was both proud of it because it means I worked really hard to transform my life – and also embarrassed of it because it’s not seen as normal.
“I liked my stomach more with the loose skin than I did with the extra weight, but it was still discouraging living with a stomach full of loose skin.
“Overall, it simply felt more like an inconvenience.
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“I was so grateful for how much fuller and richer my life was after losing the weight and the loose skin didn’t keep me from living that bigger life – but I do still feel like it impacted my overall quality of life.
“I felt like my skin didn’t match the body that was underneath.”
Leah, from Scottsdale, Arizona, spent $50,000 going under the knife, having a tummy tuck, lower body lift and pubic lift at the same time, as well as undergoing treatment for her lipedema.
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She added: “I call it an investment because that’s what it is to me!”
In a video shared on social media, she can be seen in front of the camera, holding up the pounds of skin.
It then skips to a clip of her now, post-op, with a flat stomach.
She captioned the post: “I didn’t expect to cry when looking at my stomach for the first time.
“I still have a lot of swelling going on, so I accepted that I wouldn’t be able to see my results for a while.
“But while documenting this part of my post op experience, I looked down and couldn’t help but cry.”
The post has attracted thousands of likes and comments.
One user, Ana, said: “OMG. Congratulations. What an amazing feeling, I can only imagine. All your hard work paying off. So happy for you, a new life.”
Ese added: “This is massive progress. Congratulations.”
Vallory said: “Your surgeon did a great job!”
Kay added: “Such a beautiful reaction. So glad you captured it.”
Aimee said: “How amazing! I’m having my tuck later in the year!”
It has now been six weeks since the operation and she is still recovering, wearing full body compressions and getting plenty of rest.
Leah added: “I have no regrets at all.
“I knew there would be pain and discomfort, so I was as prepared as I could have been for it.
“It was the most difficult in the first few days after the surgery, but even in those hardest days, I never regretted it.
“Through my weight loss journey, I’ve learned that anything worth having doesn’t come easily.
“I’ve also learned that I can do hard things.
“Enduring the pain, discomfort and weeks and months of recovery is worth the benefit of getting to experience life without this loose skin.”
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