The Boob Job Diaries: 11/09/07

Friday 9 November 2007

10 weeks post-op

Before v 9 days post-op v 10 weeks post-op

Ok, I'm now just over 10 weeks post-op, and I can't say the constant worrying has stopped yet! The 'pointy-ness' underneath is still a bit of an issue for me, and in some pictures seems to look like a lump on
the underside of my right breast, but this changes every day, one day I think it's really obvious and getting much worse, the next they look perfect! Mainly sleeping on my side again as I hate sleeping on my back so much, and haven't noticed much of a correlation of pointyness with sleeping position recently! I was a bit worried I might be bottoming out, but I don't think this is the case... In terms of size and shape (aside from sometimes noticing 'points' and 'lumps'!) they look fantastic - I'm now in proportion with a generous helping on top! They are still dropping, but at a much slower rate now - they still have a little way to go in losing upper pole fullness before they'll look completely natural in my eyes but it's definitely getting much better - I'm hoping the pointyness is just a phase they're going through as they settle... Oh, I think they have grown slightly! Some of my bras have been getting tighter, and they look fuller - I guess the skin is fully relaxing now - they're very soft and squashy too, except when I lie down. They feel completely natural, except for the lowest quarter, which still feels quite 'implanty' and lumpy - not that the lumps are visible. I guess the real seal of approval is that my boyfriend now thinks they feel and look fantastic! Furthermore, having accidentally flashed them at everyone at my dad's 50th birthday party, none of my family have yet expressed any doubts to me about their authenticity!

I'm now exfoliating and fake-tanning again (since 7.5 weeks post-op) which has been no problem. I'm wearing a shocking pink level 4 34DD Shock Absorber bra to work out in now, which Still doesn't cut out the bounce completely, but is the best I've tried so far, and hopefully adequate! In other news.... I think I'm still slightly constipated.. lol. I have stopped using ScarGuard now, as I found it was working a little too well - my scars were becoming inverted! Oh, I've had a few shooting pains in both boobs, which Mr Rezai warned me to expect over the next 6 months - nothing very bad though. Mainly wearing my ASDA sports bra day and night now, just wearing my M&S bras with low-cut tops, and going braless with my boyfriend and on some nights out... not really sure whether I should be cooping them up more or letting them out more regularly! Oh well...

My Top Tips! - Making the big decision

Remember that you can't expect miracles - your new breasts will be larger versions of your current breasts, although some changes may be possible e.g. your surgeon may be able to minimise a size difference by using different sized implants in each breast. But imperfections may be magnified, even if they weren't noticeable before e.g. size differences, differences in position, differences in nipple position. In my case, although my breasts were ostensibly symmetrical before the op, after the op it became more obvious that my left breast was bigger than the right, with the breast and nipple sitting slightly higher on my chest wall on the left than on the right side. My right nipple also became noticeably bigger, which I think is due to a combination of it being slightly bigger naturally, and to the skin on the smaller breast having to stretch more to accommodate the implant. These differences are not at all obvious, and certainly wouldn't have been a good enough reason not to get the surgery, but if you have noticeable differences already, it's worth discussing with your surgeon carefully how the surgery is likely to affect them.
Remember that your skin will need to stretch to contain the implants - you may get stretchmarks (although you can minimise the risk by using products before and after surgery to increase skin elasticity) and it is likely that your areolae will increase in size.
Be aware of the risks - do your research carefully. The most common complication is capsular contracture, which occurs in 3-10% of cases - this involves the capsule of scar tissue around one or both implants contracting excessively around the implant, hardening and distorting it, and generally requires surgery to replace the implant(s). Other complications include implant displacement (bottoming out), symmastia (where the implants/pockets are too wide, resulting in a 'monoboob' appearance), double bubble (where the 'join' between implant and breast tissue is visible, usually when implants are placed under the muscle in those with a fair amount of/sagging natural breast tissue), and infection.
Be aware that there is a chance of permanent loss of/change in breast and/or nipple sensation. Numbness and extreme (painful) sensitivity are common in the months following surgery, particularly in the nipples and underneath, but in the majority of cases sensation returns to normal within a year.
Remember that there is a possibility of bad scarring - scars usually fade to minimally noticeable pink/white lines within a year, but surgery may result in permanent, highly noticeable thick, raised and/or red scars, dependent not only on your surgeon's skill, but on how your skin responds to wounds.
Remember that the implant sizes possible are limited by your physiological make-up.

Choosing your surgeon

The big/well-known cosmetic surgery companies are not necessarily the best places to go - your initial consultation will likely be with a salesperson and you may be put under undue pressure - you need to talk to the person who would be performing the operation before you make your choice! Once you've done your research, there's no need for you to talk to middlemen. Furthermore, their surgeons are not necessarily the best/most well-qualified/most experienced. I'm certainly not saying that all surgeons who work for these companies are bad, far from it - my own surgeon works through the Harley Medical Group. But you can book a consultation with your chosen surgeon directly, avoiding the expenditure of unnecesary time, hassle and money.
The best way to find a good surgeon is through recommendations, and seeing examples of their work. A good place to start if you don't know anyone with first-hand experience is by talking to people in online forums and looking at their pictures. Once you find a surgeon you're interested in, do as much research on their name as you can, using search engines and different online forums - but remember that a certain level of complications is unavoidable for even the most skilled surgeons.
Do your research on the op - preparation, aftercare, the procedure, options for placement and incisions, implant sizing and profiles etc. before the consultation and make a list of questions - surgeons see many people each day, and won't necessarily tell you everything you need to know/make everything clear.
Make sure you find out the surgeon's aftercare policy in the case of complications - what conditions does the policy cover? How long is it valid? Should you expect to pay surgical fees, anaesthetist fees, hospital fees, implant costs etc. if you need a re-op?
Remember, a good surgeon will not pressurise you into booking surgery, or object to you seeing other surgeons.
If you are 100% happy with the first surgeon you see and have done your research, there's no reason to waste your money on further consulations. However, if you're not 100% sure about any of your surgeon's views on size, implant placement, incision placement or aftercare policy, or are not convinced of their ability to give you a good result, see as many surgeons and get as many opinions as you need to make the right decision for you.
Listen to your gut instincts - these are based on a complex mixture of evolutionary inheritance and associational learning based on past experiences, and you experience them for a reason! However, remember that the most important thing is how competent your surgeon is at getting results, not how much you like them!

Preparation for the op

If you are prone to stretchmarks, or even if you're not, start massaging your breasts with Palmer's Cocoa Butter Massage Cream for Stretchmarks to increase skin elasticity. I used it twice daily for 2 weeks pre-op, and from 1 week post-op to 8 weeks post-op.
Avoid aspirin-containing products for 2 weeks pre- and post-op. Do not take vitamin E supplements for 10 days pre- and post-op. Both these products may cause bleeding. Ask your surgeon for advice on other foods/medications - a list of products which may cause complications is in the FAQ section of http://www.implantinfo.com/ .
Make sure you have something to relieve constipation - it's likely you'll experience this due to a combination of general anaesthetic and painkillers. I used Boots Constipation Relief Tablets (£1.49).
Taking Arnica pre- and post-op may help to minimise bruising and swelling. I took Nelson's 30c Arnica pillules for 3 days pre-op and 4 days post-op and had no bruising, although I am usually prone to bruising easily.
If you are prone to hypertrophic/keloid (raised, thick) scarring, order ScarGuard from http://www.skinstore.co.uk/ - it's the only scar treatment which has been clinically proven to minimise the formation of these kinds of scars.
Buy microporous surgical tape from Boots to dress your scars after your dressings have been removed, or, if you have sensitive skin, try steri-strips.
Buy protein shakes for easy digestion post-op, and to aid healing.
Buy/make a bra extender - trust me, your ribcage will be very swollen for at least 1 week post-op. You could buy bras in larger back sizes, but it's more economical to buy a bra extender - you can get them for a few quid in La Senza/John Lewis, or make your own out of an old bra, and buy sports bras in your normal back size so you can wear them for longer than a week or 2!
Take 'before' pictures! No matter how much you hate your current boobs, you'll want them to compare against pictures of the new ones when you can no longer remember what they looked like, and to remind you where you started from once you've got used to having whoppers!

The Bra Awards!

Best sports bra for the first week after surgery - Shock Absorber Classic Sports Bra - Support Level 3, Style B102, £26 - gives a lot of support, which really reduces pain levels, and has a comfortable band to cover crease incisions, but not so attractive under clothes as compresses breasts and gives a slight 'cone' look.
Most attractive sports bra under clothes - M&S Level 3 Non-wired Moulded Sports Bra (Product Code: T336405), £18 - Seamless and doesn't compress breasts, which gives a smooth round outline, but not supportive enough for first few days after surgery, and has thick, reinforced seams around cups which can dig into incisions and swollen breasts at first.
Best bra to wear after the compulsory sports bra-wearing period is over - ASDA Sports Bra, £4, or 2 for £6 - Sooo comfy, gives more support than a normal bra, but not too compressive, and gives a nice outline, but not supportive enough for first few weeks post-op.
Best non-wired bra to wear under sheer clothes (after the compulsory sports bra period) - Calvin Klein Soft Cup Bra in Nude, £27
Best non-wired bra to wear under low-cut tops/dresses (after the compulsory sports bra period) - M&S Non-wired Padded Stripe Bra (Product Code: T330305) and M&S Non-Wired Padded Plain T-shirt Bra, available in 7 colours (Product Code: T330306) both £6, or 2 for £10.

What to take to hospital

Sports bra
Loose front opening nightclothes and slippers if you like (I couldn't be bothered to get out of the hospital gown and my room was carpeted!)
Knickers - if you bring 100% cotton you may be allowed to wear them to surgery rather than the paper variety!
A list of any last minute questions/any last minute pictures you want to show your surgeon
If you have long hair, braid it with hair elastics containing no metal for surgery so it doesn't get tangled during your stay in hospital
Small bottles of water - easier to lift yourself than the big jug they give you - and drinking straws
Snacks
Books/magazines
Mini DVD/CD player and a little carry-case of your favourite CDs and DVDs/a DVD boxset of your favourite TV show - you can buy them for around £60 or less and it will save your life - trust me!
Facial cleansing wipes, moisturiser, toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, lip balm
Comfy front-opening clothes for the journey home - maybe a zip-up top and tracksuit bottoms - your stomach may be bloated and sore, and lifting your arms will hurt
Mobile phone

After the op!

Don't Stress! I found this the most difficult time - immediately after the op my boobs were completely different sizes, numb from the nipples down, as hard as rocks and felt completely alien to me - did this last? No! They will change, whether you had overs or unders - they will drop, they will become less spherical and more breast-like, the cavern between them will narrow, they will soften up - and you won't see the final result for at least 2 months, maybe up to a year. You must see each breast as a separate entity - they are likely to heal at different rates, and do different things whilst they're healing e.g. point in different directions, drop at different rates etc. Look at other people's photo diaries to get an idea of how they can change over time.
Take some painkillers before you leave the hospital, or carry them on the journey home - you don't want them stuck in the boot when the pain kicks in while you're sitting in gridlock on the M25.
Take pictures to record the changes - if you look at them several times a day you won't notice the massive changes which are occurring over time unless you immortalise them. Take pictures every few days for the first week or 2, then a weekly update will be enough. It's very motivating to be able to see how they're settling when you feel like they're still too high, too round, too hard, too far apart etc etc! Don't expect a huge change every week though - you may not be able to detect noticeable differences between one week and the next, or even the one after that, but you may see an obvious difference between one week and, say, 3 weeks later. Look at other people's pictures too, but remember everyone is different - some people stay more or less the same from 1 week post-op onwards (particularly those whose skin stretches quickly or who have more existing skin and/or natural tissue, enabling dropping and settling to occur at a much faster rate), whilst others won't see the full result for a year.
Rest completely for the first 3 days after you get home - it's boring but it will give you a chance to heal - lie in bed, watch TV, read, have friends over to visit, chat on the phone. Get your partner/mum to look after you!
Use online forums for support - it's so good to talk to people who are going through/have been through the same experience - you can benefit from others' advice and experiences, and contribute your own.
Remember that mood swings are completely normal - you may veer between hating them/thinking it was a complete waste of money, and loving them/thinking it was the best thing you've ever done - once they've settled, in at least 90% of cases you'll agree wholeheartedly with the latter sentiments! It's also common to feel depressed/let down after the op - you've been planning it for so long, getting excited, the adrenaline's been pumping, you've been busy preparing... and suddenly: that's it, it's over, and everything's the same, except you have what feel and look like a couple of boulders strapped to your chest! The GA may also make you feel down for a while. These feelings will pass.
Once you feel up to it, you can wash your hair without getting your dressings wet by kneeling over the bath and rinsing with the shower-head.
After about 10 days, you can start taking vitamin E supplements - these may help to prevent capsular contracture by softening the internal scar tissue which forms capsules around your implants.
After 4-6 weeks, you can start massaging your breasts to help keep your internal scar tissue supple - my surgeon recommends 20 minutes a day using bio-oil or E45 cream, applying pressure with the fingertips from both sides of each breast and scar.

The Boob Job Diaries