Question
Dr. Di Saia:
http://messageboards.makemeheal.com/viewtopic.php?t=9548
I posted a question on redo incision location and you posted this question:
Quote: "Why would you want silicone implants over the muscle? The long term contracture rate is much higher. Is there something wrong with how you look/ feel now?"
I want the silicone overs because they are reported to look and feel more real than saline unders. I am only three weeks post BA, and I am hoping the things I don't like will go away or lessen significantly. I want to know my options if things would remain as is in 6 months to a year.
I am extremely unhappy with the amount of distortion. I use my pecs a lot, and when I flex my muscles doing mundane everyday tasks - like reaching for a book, raising my arms to type on my laptop, stirring something on the cooktop (I love to cook) - my breasts contract and rise and separate and become flat on the bottom. Very ugly. I would rather have my 34As back.
The saline unders do not feel real. The edges and bottom feel like a partially-filled baggie when I press the tips of my fingers against them. I read that the optimal fill is around 440 for my implants, Mentor 350-1655 350+50cc (plus 10%). I have 360/375 so maybe this is the problem
The other is that my cleavage is wide. I can barely push enough flesh and implant together to create cleavage. Before I could do this easily with a push up bra and much less breast tissue. Now my muscles just won't allow the implant to be pushed together.
I could probably live with the baggie feel and the wide-set breasts, but not the distortion. I am very unhappy with that aspect. Going with silicone unders would eliminate the baggie feel, but not the distorton.
*** DO you believe overs should not be considered for me?
Thank you for your time.
TC
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http://www.makemeheal.com/pictures/viewAlbum.php?albumid=743
Answer
You are early but from that which I can see you have a bit of a breast bone dip that implants will not fill. You are early but seem a bit large for your frame.
Surgeons disagree on what to do in a particular patient and I have not examined you but I probably would have gone smaller and maybe would have considered a modified lift to get your nipple position up. Some of what you see will change with time but I do not know if your implants will descend the way you would like. Your chest is kinda "hull shaped" (it slopes to the sides). This makes larger implants have a tendency to move toward the sides as opposed to filling the cleavage.
Silicone gel is an option, but silicone gel "over the muscle" has had a high long term contracture rate. At this early post-op point, I would wait to let things settle for at least six months and then think about alternatives.Best Regards,
John Di Saia MD
San Clemente, Ca.
www.ocbody.com
My Tummy Tuck FAQ - http://www.psinteractive.net/abdom3.htm
Answer
TC,
I'm certainly not Dr. DiSaia, but wanted to reply to your post as a woman who's had a BA, has been around here on the boards, and seen a lot of BA pics in the last 7 months.
I think that you look wonderful for being less than 1 month post-op! Your implants are already dropping nicely, and don't have the fake round edge look to them. Your nipples are not in a bad postion at all for where you're at post-op, and I do not think that you need a lift at all. Once you drop a bit more your implants should be centered behind your nipples and they'll pull up a bit in the front, giving you the perky look that you want.
As for your lack of cleavage, I think that may come to some degree with time as your pec muscles relax more, but that you have to be honest about what you can expect of a BA. Obviously a PS has to work with the breasts that his patient has. In your pre-op pics, you can clearly see that your nipples are further apart than many other women's are, so you can't realistically expect to be able to get the same kind of cleavage that a woman with closely set breasts and nipples can - not unless of course you want your nipples on the side of your boobs. I think that we can both agree that that's just not a good look, right?
I wanted the same thing that you did - nice breasts with lots of "natural" cleavage. I couldn't have it either, for the same reason as you - I have wider spaced breasts. But do my breasts look a lot better than they did before? Hell, yes they do, and I'll settle for what I have now any day of the week rather than have to live with my poor old saggy empty sport sock breasts.
Breasts come in all shapes and sizes, and they all can be beautiful even if they're different. I think that your breasts look great right now, and that they'll continue to improve as time goes by. The bottom line is that you have to be happy with your BA, but I thought it might be helpful for you to hear what another woman who has similar breasts had to say. Hope you don't mind me expressing my honest opinion.Laura
07-26-05 BA/FTT/MR/Lipo
http://www.picturetrail.com/firmhottie
Answer
firmhottie
Thank you for your honesty.
I was in tears a bit when I came home tonight. I have PMS, it is Monday, I had to get groceries, it was cold and raining and nothing went my way today. Mondays suck.
It is funny to say, but I never saw how my breasts looked to someone else until I took a http://www.makemeheal.com/pictures/viewAlbum.php?albumid=1669&password=breasts
"A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties." Harry S TrumanFirmHottie hit the nail right on the head, you do look great for being one month out. I don't think I looked like you at one month. If I did, I would have been happy as a lamb. I was looking to only move from a 32A/B to a Full B/small C and wound up with a 32D with only 250cc's . My mind took a long time to come to terms with it and I even thought of going smaller when eligible at the six month mark. Well not anymore!!!!
It's going to take a while for the new you to grow on you and you've got more dropping to do. You are definitely going to continue to change over the next 5-6 months. Give your body time to adjust and everything will fall into place.
I don't think your size choice looks too large for your frame either.
Try not to stress yourself out, we all have had to understand the true definition of PATIENCE while waiting on our transformations.
Take care,
Patience is a nobler motion than any deed - Cyrus Augustus BartolRenee
http://www.makemeheal.com/pictures/viewAlbum.php?albumid=40
pw bigcaptain
Answer
Thanks simzie03.
If I was out in the open about my surgery, I wouldn't care what others thought, I'd show my new girls. I don't think I look too big for my frame. I am 5'7" 125 pounds with a 29 inch ribcage. My height allows me to pull it off. My small ribcage does make my breasts look even larger somehow.
If I was like this naturally, I'd be fine with this size. But as I am trying to enhance my appearance without anyone knowing that I've had an augmentation, this is the problem. How do I hide this? I find myself wearing clothes to conceal my shape. I wore sexier form fitting clothes before my BA. I've even begun to look into minimizer bras. Never in my wildest imagination did I ever think I'd buy one of those, even after this BA. Moderator, BA Boards
http://www.makemeheal.com/pictures/viewAlbum.php?albumid=1669&password=breasts
"A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties." Harry S Truman
Answer
TC
I understand where you're coming from.
My projection was enormous sticking way out when I first had surgery but now they have widened out and don't look as obvious. (At least my right one did until I got my left revised)
Wearing a minimizer now may hinder your natural progression to drop and soften.
If you've worn padded bras in the past, you can use that as an excuse for now and even those chicken cutlet looking bra inserts too until you've settled.Renee
http://www.makemeheal.com/pictures/viewAlbum.php?albumid=40
pw bigcaptain
Answer
Just my take on it, I think you look fine and I would not worry about being too big. I see you like so many ladies just stress out so bad about keeping this a secret when really these days, it is no big deal. Rather than hide it and act like you have done something to be ashamed of, why not be proud that you have taken the reins here and done something great for yourself. I'm not saying you need to broadcast it, but is it worth all the worry trying to hide it?
No offense to anyone for how they want to handle it, just another viewpoint based on my own experience of also hiding it and not really being happy doing that the 1st time around. THis time I figured the heck with it, I really don't care if people know or not, the bottom line is I am happy and they can think what they want. I work in a close knit place and I have not gone into any great detail but obviously I did have some "renovation" to the area and of course a few people have asked, all politely. Everyone has been really nice and complimentary, only one pretty obvious case of jealousy really, one woman who just kept kind of making remarks about how "we all have things we don't like about ourselves, etc." For her, I finally just gave her my ps card and suggested she contact him - end of problem Rose - Inamed410 "Gummy Bears" pics here
http://www.makemeheal.com/pictures/viewAlbum.php?albumid=293.
password is gummybears
Answer
Hello again,
Don't get me wrong. I am not saying you need any additional surgery. Wait until things soften and settle and then look at yourself. If you are happy then by all means stop. I am not a big believer in revising everyone. There are risks. You are best served at this point by waiting until the dust settles and then deciding upon potential options. One of these options is to leave things as they are.Best Regards,
John Di Saia MD
San Clemente, Ca.
www.ocbody.com
My Tummy Tuck FAQ - http://www.psinteractive.net/abdom3.htm
Answer
Thanks, rosefidd.
As it turns out, I may end up having to be open about it. No way to hide these if I want to dress in a manner that is complimentary to my figure.
I went to Gap last weekend and tried on a chartreuse 3/4 cable fitted sweater. I mean fitted. In my old size, I would have loved this sweater. It would have looked sexy, clinging to my small waist and making my small breasts a little larger. My http://www.makemeheal.com/pictures/viewAlbum.php?albumid=1669&password=breasts
"A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties." Harry S Truman
Answer
I think it will take some getting use to...first of all there is still a lot of swelling going on. HOnestly by looking at your http://www.makemeheal.com/pictures/viewAlbum.php?albumid=1669&password=breasts
"A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties." Harry S Truman
Answer
If there is only a 50cc difference between what you got and what your hubby thought you were getting.....rest assured that 50 is hardly even noticable and would not have looked much different than what you have now.....you really have to go at least 100cc if not more to see a difference. I think it is 120cc to make a cup size difference. I think you also need to be honest with your hubby and let him know how you feel and how you need his support.....once they settle and you get use to them.......he will like them too!
Diane
Answer
TC,
I think one of the reasons you feel so huge is because you are self concious about having boobs. I felt the same way and still do at times. Some days I feel like others will look at me and think I have my bra stuffed. Today I feel pretty self concious because the weather is warm and I have on a rather snug fitting shirt - sort of lycra material. It is definately not hiding anything. I'm not going to stress about it though because I also feel pretty sexy in it.
As for your husband, explain to him that you are already worried enough about this and just need his support right now - even if he agrees with you. I mean if he were overweight and made comments about himself being that way, I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate you agreeing with him and telling him that he is a fat ass and should hit the gym or lay off the doughnuts. You need his reassurance right now that things are going to be ok. Also explain to him that the 50cc wouldn't have made that much difference. If necessary, pull some info from the net and show him what it takes to make a cup size difference. If he doesn't come around to being supportive, then once the boobs are in tip top shape and he wants to mess around with him, polietly say "No - they are too big for you to play with".
As for hiding them, you all know that I didn't, don't and won't. I don't broadcast "Hey look at me" but if someone does look, so be it. Granted I don't have the issues of judgemental family members or a bunch of women to work with - I work with all men which has made this a really fun, joking experience for us - and my family knows that I am me and do as I please for myself. I do think that the more you stress about trying to hide them, the more self concious you are going to be and you will continue thinking that they are huge. Once you let go of some of the need to hide them, they will start to become a natural part of you and you won't think twice about it.http://www.makemeheal.com/pictures/viewAlbum.php?albumid=675.
