Abby Lee Miller, who lost 127 pounds while serving time in prison for bankruptcy fraud, took Inside Edition behind the scenes as she underwent surgery to remove excess skin.
Abby Lee Miller underwent surgery to remove an excess amount of skin that remained on her body after she lost more than 100 pounds. The "Dance Moms" star once known for her hot temper spoke to Inside Edition about areas of her body that she was uncomfortable with, including an area by her bra line and on her arms. "I am just devastated," she said.
Miller lost 127 pounds while serving time in prison for bankruptcy fraud. After her weight loss, she decided to tighten her skin.
"The loose skin. It drives me crazy and I'm teaching a lot more now," Miller said. "I go to use my arms on camera and I see it, and I'm like, oh gosh."
Miller was confined to a wheelchair after doctors removed a cancerous tumor wrapped around her spine, making it difficult for her to firm up.
"I'm sedentary," she said. "I am in the wheelchair day in and day out. It's hard to do cardio."
So, she headed to Beverly Hills for help from plastic surgeon Dr. Saul Lahijani, who planned to address the areas she was most concerned about.
"We're going to take off all this excess skin," he said. "You can wear your shirts more comfortably."
Miller also wanted to get a tummy tuck, but her doctors decided to limit the procedures she underwent in that specific surgery.
On the day of her surgery, Miller spoke to Inside Edition about how she was feeling.
"I'm really worried. I'm nervous," she said, questioning whether she should have the cosmetic surgery. "Here I am doing something very superficial and selfish."
But the procedure was not just about vanity, Lahijani pointed out. "She's lost over 100 pounds; She has a lot of excess skin. You know, excess skin is not only uncomfortable, but you can get infection."
Miller went forward with the surgery. An amount of skin measuring about 16 inches in length and three inches in width was removed.
Four hours later, Miller emerged with her arms tightly wrapped to reduce swelling. And seven weeks later, Miller said she loved her new shape. At that point, she was still swollen but already seeing a bit improvement.
"This is a shirt that fits now," she said. "It was hanging in my closet forever."
