Originally posted in October 2015, right after having my surgery (My current notes are in red):
When I got my first pair of implants in 2005 I was young and all I knew was that I wanted bigger breasts.
I ended up with size 38DD-38DDD breasts, a big change from my natural 38B.
Fast forward to gaining and losing a total of 90 lbs., 2 pregnancies, and 2 breastfeeding attempts.
I say attempts, because I did the best I could with breastfeeding. Each of my kids were breastfed for about 2 months. My initial incisions were under the fold of my breasts.
Then, after losing all the weight from my second child, I decided my large breasts were no longer proportionate to my smaller body.
The shape of them didn't change much, there wasn't much sagging or anything, they were just too big.
I was starting to have a little issue where when I would lay on my back, they would fall to the sides a bit. Again, not really a huge deal, but it began to bother me.
To me, they just looked like big, natural breasts.
I have been wanting a smaller implant for a long time. I knew that with a smaller implant, though, I'd have to have a lift. The reason you need a lift with a smaller implant is that when you take a big implant out, you will need a big implant to fill up that tissue, OR a lift with a smaller implant to remove the excess skin.
And the whole reason for getting them redone was because I wanted them SMALLER. It would not have been possible without a lift.
You can't just go in and put a smaller implant in when you've had a big implant there for 10 years.
On my 5'6, then 155 lb. frame, the 550 cc took me to a full DD, or DDD.
Over the years I wasn't able to wear certain tops, I had to wear very supportive sports bras, etc.
Now, on my 5'6, 135 lb. frame (remember this was written back in 2015, I was about 15 lbs lighter than I am now!), I went with a 390 cc silicone implant for a cup size of a C (hopefully; I will know for sure when they settle and aren't so swollen). They did settle to a full C cup.
MY DOCTOR
My doctor that I chose is a very respectable doctor in the Dallas area. He is triple board certified and I have seen his work, first hand, and have been very impressed with it. It is NOT the original doctor I went to back in 2005 for my breast aug, as I heard ONE bad story about him over the years and that solidified my decision not to go to him for future procedures.
If you're looking for a good doctor, ask around! Word of mouth is mostly how these doctors get their clients!
Then set up a consultation and meet with the doctor. Feeling comfortable and confident with your doctor is important!
COST
The cost of the procedure can vary depending on several things. I had a mastopexy with new silicone implants put in. My doctor had to do a bit of reconstruction because I had previous implants, so it was a bit more invasive. He had to break up the capsule around the old implant, which makes for a more painful recovery.
It was an option for me to keep the same implants, and solely do a lift (which would have brought me down a full cup size) and to solely do a lift with no implant (which would have brought me down to a small B). Neither of those were what I wanted (at the time- I'm now considering having them taken out completely, but that's another story!), so I stuck with a new, smaller implant.
For a lift with a breast implant, expect to pay around $7,000-$12,000. It all depends on the doctor, area, etc. Most doctors give a discount for cash payments as well. And extra tip: these prices ARE negotiable in most cases.
Say you get a quote of $11,000- maybe say "I can pay $9,000 cash" and see what they say.... can't hurt to ask!
HELP
If you have small children, you will NEED HELP!
I had my surgery done on a Friday morning and I had help all weekend with them. They stayed with family members and their father, but came to "visit" me. I could not mother the first 2 days. Not even a little bit. I am very thankful I have family and a supportive ex husband to help me out.
I also had help with ME all weekend. You do not want to be left alone for the first 2-3 days.
You won't be able to pick up your kids for 6 weeks. My youngest is almost 4, so I can get away with this. If he were any younger, I'm not sure I'd be able to hack it.
The kids know mommy had surgery and they have to be very careful with her and help her out. PS- this is a great way to see what big helpers they are. My oldest offered to cook dinner until I was better. He's 6. :)
You will need help with the little things, like sitting and standing, and getting dressed.
Having someone there to help you, cook for you, help with showers etc. will take a lot of pressure off of you and allow you to rest and heal.
PAIN
Does it hurt?
YES. I recall my first breast augmentation being very bearable. It just felt like someone was sitting on my chest. I had minimal pain. Of course, that was 10 years ago, and it was a much less invasive procedure. And I've had two babies since then, so I may have the tendency to forget how painful things are when the outcome is so good (i.e., having children :P)
The pain this time, has been worse.
That is to be expected, as it is a more invasive surgery.
You will be given pain medication to help relieve the pain. The day of surgery, I was taking 2 pain pills every 4 hours. The pain was pretty brutal.
The second day I spread it out to 2 pain pills every 6 hours. The third day, I began taking 1 pain pill every 4 hours.
So every day I'm able to manage the pain a bit better.
My pain is about a 2 on a scale of 1-10 when I'm laying down (propped up!), but when I get up to stand, I begin to feel the tightness and pressure and my pain goes up to about a 6-7 for the first 2 days.
I recommend getting up slowly. Anytime I got up too quickly, I felt like I was going to throw up.
FYI- the pain medication will cause constipation. I was drinking a lot of fiber to try and keep things moving post-op.
FOOD
I haven't been very hungry since the procedure. I have had a few pieces of toast, a banana, some chicken soup, but mostly I just try to eat something when it's time to take another pain pill.
I am very thirsty, however and have been drinking a ton of water.
I was just advised to not eat anything spicy or heavy for 24 hours after surgery (incase that was to come up, it would have hurt).
Other than that, I have no food restrictions.
My sister brought me taco soup, my mom brought me mashed potatoes and chicken and dumpling soup, etc.
SCARS
This is the big thing everyone wants to know about.
I have a full anchor scar on both breasts.
Yes, they cut off your nipple and sew it back on. It is supposed to fade and not be visible over time. Spoiler alert: You can barely see any of my scars now, over 5 years later!
Many of the lifts I've seen you can't even see a scar.
If I could give you one piece of advice, DON'T STARE AT THEM AFTER YOU GET THEM DONE! The scars I mean. Every time I stare at my scars I start getting light headed and nauseous. It messes with your head. It looks like it hurts, so you start thinking you're hurting.
Be warned: they will look bad. The scars are raised at first and you'll wonder "what have I done to myself?"
I'm still trying to stay on the up and up and not focus too much on the scars.
The size, from what I can tell so far, I'll be very happy with.
WAIT UNTIL ATER KIDS?
I didn't wait until after I had kids to have my initial breast augmentation. I wish I would have. But I was young and stubborn. I don't know if my augmentation had anything to do with my difficulties breastfeeding or not. My incisions were under the fold of the breast, so the nipple was not affected at that time. However, after my first procedure I did lose feeling in both nipples.
If you are wondering wether or not to proceed with surgery before having children, I would recommend waiting. Everyone's situation is different, but if breastfeeding is important to you, I would hold off on getting a lift until after having kids.
THE PROCEDURE
The morning of the procedure I had to be at the facility at 7am. They hooked me up, took my blood pressure, and put the leg circulation things on me and took me into a waiting area. When the Dr. came in to mark on me, I sat up in bed. He marked on me for what felt like forever. I started to feel like I was going to faint, so I had to lay down for a few minutes.
Thinking about the procedure, having not eaten or drank anything from the night before, and the nausea patch wasn't a good combination. I went pale white and began sweating.
My Dr. said it was normal and happens quite frequently.
They started the IV on me, and I met with the anesthesiologist. He then started me on something and I said goodbye to my loved ones (read: Travis, who was there for me the whole time).
The last thing I remember was being rolled into the OR.
WORKING OUT
I will not be able to work out for 4-6 weeks.
I plan on resuming minimal cardio and light work when I feel up to it, as long as it's cleared by my doctor.
I hope I have helped answer all your questions. I know it's still a bit early, but so far, I'm very happy with my results!
HELP
If you have small children, you will NEED HELP!
I had my surgery done on a Friday morning and I had help all weekend with them. They stayed with family members and their father, but came to "visit" me. I could not mother the first 2 days. Not even a little bit. I am very thankful I have family and a supportive ex husband to help me out.
I also had help with ME all weekend. You do not want to be left alone for the first 2-3 days.
You won't be able to pick up your kids for 6 weeks. My youngest is almost 4, so I can get away with this. If he were any younger, I'm not sure I'd be able to hack it.
The kids know mommy had surgery and they have to be very careful with her and help her out. PS- this is a great way to see what big helpers they are. My oldest offered to cook dinner until I was better. He's 6. :)
You will need help with the little things, like sitting and standing, and getting dressed.
Having someone there to help you, cook for you, help with showers etc. will take a lot of pressure off of you and allow you to rest and heal.
PAIN
Does it hurt?
YES. I recall my first breast augmentation being very bearable. It just felt like someone was sitting on my chest. I had minimal pain. Of course, that was 10 years ago, and it was a much less invasive procedure. And I've had two babies since then, so I may have the tendency to forget how painful things are when the outcome is so good (i.e., having children :P)
The pain this time, has been worse.
That is to be expected, as it is a more invasive surgery.
You will be given pain medication to help relieve the pain. The day of surgery, I was taking 2 pain pills every 4 hours. The pain was pretty brutal.
The second day I spread it out to 2 pain pills every 6 hours. The third day, I began taking 1 pain pill every 4 hours.
So every day I'm able to manage the pain a bit better.
My pain is about a 2 on a scale of 1-10 when I'm laying down (propped up!), but when I get up to stand, I begin to feel the tightness and pressure and my pain goes up to about a 6-7 for the first 2 days.
I recommend getting up slowly. Anytime I got up too quickly, I felt like I was going to throw up.
FYI- the pain medication will cause constipation. I was drinking a lot of fiber to try and keep things moving post-op.
FOOD
I haven't been very hungry since the procedure. I have had a few pieces of toast, a banana, some chicken soup, but mostly I just try to eat something when it's time to take another pain pill.
I am very thirsty, however and have been drinking a ton of water.
I was just advised to not eat anything spicy or heavy for 24 hours after surgery (incase that was to come up, it would have hurt).
Other than that, I have no food restrictions.
My sister brought me taco soup, my mom brought me mashed potatoes and chicken and dumpling soup, etc.
SCARS
This is the big thing everyone wants to know about.
I have a full anchor scar on both breasts.
Yes, they cut off your nipple and sew it back on. It is supposed to fade and not be visible over time. Spoiler alert: You can barely see any of my scars now, over 5 years later!
Many of the lifts I've seen you can't even see a scar.
If I could give you one piece of advice, DON'T STARE AT THEM AFTER YOU GET THEM DONE! The scars I mean. Every time I stare at my scars I start getting light headed and nauseous. It messes with your head. It looks like it hurts, so you start thinking you're hurting.
Be warned: they will look bad. The scars are raised at first and you'll wonder "what have I done to myself?"
I'm still trying to stay on the up and up and not focus too much on the scars.
The size, from what I can tell so far, I'll be very happy with.
 |
| full anchor scar |
I didn't wait until after I had kids to have my initial breast augmentation. I wish I would have. But I was young and stubborn. I don't know if my augmentation had anything to do with my difficulties breastfeeding or not. My incisions were under the fold of the breast, so the nipple was not affected at that time. However, after my first procedure I did lose feeling in both nipples.
If you are wondering wether or not to proceed with surgery before having children, I would recommend waiting. Everyone's situation is different, but if breastfeeding is important to you, I would hold off on getting a lift until after having kids.
THE PROCEDURE
The morning of the procedure I had to be at the facility at 7am. They hooked me up, took my blood pressure, and put the leg circulation things on me and took me into a waiting area. When the Dr. came in to mark on me, I sat up in bed. He marked on me for what felt like forever. I started to feel like I was going to faint, so I had to lay down for a few minutes.
Thinking about the procedure, having not eaten or drank anything from the night before, and the nausea patch wasn't a good combination. I went pale white and began sweating.
My Dr. said it was normal and happens quite frequently.
They started the IV on me, and I met with the anesthesiologist. He then started me on something and I said goodbye to my loved ones (read: Travis, who was there for me the whole time).
The last thing I remember was being rolled into the OR.
WORKING OUT
I will not be able to work out for 4-6 weeks.
I plan on resuming minimal cardio and light work when I feel up to it, as long as it's cleared by my doctor.
I hope I have helped answer all your questions. I know it's still a bit early, but so far, I'm very happy with my results!
