A TikToker recently sparked debate when she called them the “BBLs for straight men”, meaning they can be a discreet procedure that can boost confidence with minimal downtime.

Ese Milan was shocked when a doctor told her she weighed over 400 pounds at age 22. She started working out but chose surgery to really shed pounds.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Stephen McKenna, 66, of Boston. It has been edited for length and clarity. In 2019, at 5-foot-8 and 325 pounds, I was diagnosed with prediabetes ...