Relationship & Intimacy After Barbie Butt Surgery

Let’s talk relationships and sex post Barbie butt surgery. I won’t be able to give much insight/ advice into the dating side of things as I’ve been with my boyfriend for 6 years now. So, he’s been with me before my diagnosis, while I was ill and throughout both my surgeries. However, relationship maintenance and intimacy post-surgery is something I may be able to shed some light on.

My relationship after surgery

Having surgery can put a lot of stress on a relationship, as you are reliant on others for everything in the weeks that follow. I was lucky enough to have my boyfriend with me every day helping me do the things I couldn’t. He helped me shower, made my lunches, and took me to hospital appointments, just to name a few. Having been with him so long made me feel comfortable and able to rely on him. You have to be willing to accept help from others after surgery as you just won’t be able to do it alone. I remember feeling bad that he was staying home on the weekends looking after me, while our friends were out having fun. But like he reminded me I would be doing the exact same for him if the roles were reversed and most importantly, he wanted to be there with me.

Feeling intimate again

When it comes to feeling ready to be intimate with your partner again after a surgery like the Barbie butt, I would just say you need to wait until you feel ready. From experience I would say it’s good to have a conversation with your partner beforehand so you both are on the same page and you can discuss any concerns you may have. There is no exact time to wait, as long as your wound is healing and you aren’t in pain anymore, I would say go for it!

One aspect that may slow you down is your self-esteem. Your body undergoes a lot of physical changes during surgery that are noticeable. Learn to love your scars because if you don’t how can you expect anyone else to? I sometimes look at my body and miss the days where I didn’t have any scars, but I remind myself that these scars have given me my life back and I’m so grateful for that. I use bio-oil twice a day to reduce the appearance of my scars and that definitely helps with my self-esteem. I think it’s so important to show your partner your scars from the beginning so they can see the progression as they heal, and it allows your partner to appreciate your new body. My boyfriend often comments when he sees my scars how tiny they are (I had keyhole). If ever I say anything negative about my scars, my boyfriend always says he loves my scars because they are a reminder of everything I’ve been through and that I have come out the other side.

Summer @summerstoma