Nurse's delight at £8,000 cosmetic surgery holiday

10:51am Wednesday 20th February 2008

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By Jemma Humphreys »

AFTER a month-long break in Kuala Lumpa, Christine Ross returned with far more than just a tan.

To her colleagues at Burnley General Hospital she was almost unrecognisable following her complete full top to toe transformation after her Far Eastern getaway with surgery operators, Gorgeous Getaways.

Christine - who is known to friends and neighbours as Shenni -took drastic action after countless attempts at dieting and exercise brought no results towards shedding her middle-aged saggy belly.

Before surgery, the Australian widow, now living in Brennand Street, Burnley, wore baggy clothes and never got dressed up, feeling ashamed of her body.

"I felt so bad some days I just wanted to get a knife myself and cut the overhang of my stomach off," said the full-time nurse.

"I tried all sorts of exercise and diets but it didn't make a difference.

"I had to do something and surgery seemed the only option."

So using some of the proceeds from the sale of her house in Australia, Christine decided to buy herself the makeover of a lifetime - with a gruelling nine hours in surgery.

The procedures to create the new-look Christine included a facelift, blepharoplasty to remove bags above and below her eyes, liposuction to the arms, abdomen and inner thighs and a mini tummy tuck.

The holiday cost £8,000 including surgery, hospital stay, and 5-star accomm-odation for 30 days.

Now her stitches have healed her friends and family are amazed by her new look, which has rolled back the clock taking years off her age, leaving many people disbelieving that she could have a 35-year-old son.

Christine added: "I am very pleased with the results.

"I know that I was a large lady before the surgery, "I am still a largish lady but I do feel a lot better about myself, "I have a much smaller tummy area and hope that will look better as time goes on.

"I am no longer afraid to have my photograph taken and feel a lot happier about myself and how I present to other people.

"The liposuction was a bit painful but the rest was virtually pain free, although you are left with bruising for a while.

"But I must admit I wasn't really scared, I was more excited.

"And I am so much happier with the new me. I didn't do it to look younger I just wanted to get rid of my tummy really.

"But it's an obvious bonus!" says Christine.

"I dropped two dress sizes and I feel so much more confident.

"None of my trousers fit me now at all. I had to get a new wardrobe.

"But I wasn't complaining. It is an expensive route to take but it is well worth it," she added.

Christine spent four weeks in the luxury resort including some time before surgery speaking with other women who had already had procedures done.

In fact Christine enjoyed the experience so much that she revealed she will probably go back to have more work done!

She added: "I think I'll go back once I have saved some money to have more work on my upper body.

"Finding a surgeon you can trust is half the battle.

"Now I have I can go back as many times as I like."