POSTED UNDER Tuberous Breast Correction Surgery Reviews
Implant Removal - Fat Transfer to Breast - Charlotte, NC
UPDATED FROM nina789
4 years post
Bulk of remaining volume are large egg sized lumps
$9,900
It's been some time since I've been on this site but I felt compelled to update this review, as I don't think there are as many women sharing long term results. If I had known what I know now, I'm not sure I would have gotten this surgery. There is a lot to consider so I'm going to share the pros and the cons.
Pros: I hated having implants and I wasn't ready to just remove them and have deflated skin for breasts. I had a tuberous breast deformity prior to implants and I think removal would have made them look even worse than before. The fact that I could have the implants removed and fat transferred at the same time was really important to me. I think this helped my overall confidence and it felt so good to have natural breasts again!
Cons: My breasts looked great initially but I continuously lost volume. What's worse is that the bulk of my remaining volume are two egg sized lumps in each breast - on the side on one breast and just above my nipple on the other breast. They make me VERY self-conscious and I have trouble feeling comfortable when my husband touches them when we're intimate. Further, I feel like when I hug people, they can feel the lump that's just above my nipple and it's embarrassing. I also have one smaller lump (with a diameter about the size of a quarter) near the incision on one breast. This one really bothers me when I'm laying down because it's very visible. My only option is to get these lumps removed and I'm worried that doing so will leave me with nothing. I've even considered getting implants again although it makes me feel like the whole thing was for nothing.
Another con is that I don't like my lipo areas much. I still have visible scars (right in the middle of the front of my thighs) and my legs have a weird shape. He took fat from the top part of the back of my thighs but not the bottom (just above my knees) so my legs look like they protrude out all of a sudden half way down the back of my thighs. Also he took too much from my hips so I lost much of the natural feminine curve I used to have. My skin is also much looser afterward which makes me feel like I have old lady legs and I'm way too young for that.
Another con is that I don't think I had much breast tissue in the upper pole area to begin with and maybe that's why the fat just couldn't survive there. But it makes me feel like putting it there was a waste - I have no volume left there on either side, save for the huge lump on one side. So I still have the very saggy boob look (I'll try and take some pics soon). I think if you didn't have much of anything there initially (particularly if you had a tuberous breast), you may have to get implants if you want that youthful full look.
Overall I think you have to weigh what's important for you. If you don't mind the idea of large lumps, I think this could be a good option. If the idea of that is particularly unappealing to you, you may want to consider whether the whole process is worth it.
Pros: I hated having implants and I wasn't ready to just remove them and have deflated skin for breasts. I had a tuberous breast deformity prior to implants and I think removal would have made them look even worse than before. The fact that I could have the implants removed and fat transferred at the same time was really important to me. I think this helped my overall confidence and it felt so good to have natural breasts again!
Cons: My breasts looked great initially but I continuously lost volume. What's worse is that the bulk of my remaining volume are two egg sized lumps in each breast - on the side on one breast and just above my nipple on the other breast. They make me VERY self-conscious and I have trouble feeling comfortable when my husband touches them when we're intimate. Further, I feel like when I hug people, they can feel the lump that's just above my nipple and it's embarrassing. I also have one smaller lump (with a diameter about the size of a quarter) near the incision on one breast. This one really bothers me when I'm laying down because it's very visible. My only option is to get these lumps removed and I'm worried that doing so will leave me with nothing. I've even considered getting implants again although it makes me feel like the whole thing was for nothing.
Another con is that I don't like my lipo areas much. I still have visible scars (right in the middle of the front of my thighs) and my legs have a weird shape. He took fat from the top part of the back of my thighs but not the bottom (just above my knees) so my legs look like they protrude out all of a sudden half way down the back of my thighs. Also he took too much from my hips so I lost much of the natural feminine curve I used to have. My skin is also much looser afterward which makes me feel like I have old lady legs and I'm way too young for that.
Another con is that I don't think I had much breast tissue in the upper pole area to begin with and maybe that's why the fat just couldn't survive there. But it makes me feel like putting it there was a waste - I have no volume left there on either side, save for the huge lump on one side. So I still have the very saggy boob look (I'll try and take some pics soon). I think if you didn't have much of anything there initially (particularly if you had a tuberous breast), you may have to get implants if you want that youthful full look.
Overall I think you have to weigh what's important for you. If you don't mind the idea of large lumps, I think this could be a good option. If the idea of that is particularly unappealing to you, you may want to consider whether the whole process is worth it.
nina789's provider
UPDATED FROM nina789
3 months post
Three Months Out!
I should have updated this more frequently but life happens:). A few people wrote to me with questions recently and that reminded me how I scoured this site for information before my surgery and how important it is to share our experiences!
Three months out, I'm feeling almost 100% back to normal. A few things that linger that remind me that I had surgery are 1. I still have some numbness in my hips and the backs of my thighs. This is a little weird because when you run your hands over these parts, you can't really "feel" them:-D - I know this is normal but it still feels weird. 2. I still have some pain in my hips sometimes - not often, but it occurs enough to remind me that it's there. It doesn't persist and it's not bad but again, it's a reminder. 3. I still can't comfortably sleep on my stomach. This may partially be psychological but it's there nonetheless.
In terms of my breasts, they've gone down since I last updated but not significantly. I think what I lost was most likely swelling (my last pics are from two weeks). I had some asymmetry before the surgery and I can still see some of that but I don't think it's worse. I also had one areola larger than the other and that persists as well - I'm looking toward an areola reduction/possible lift when i can afford it! :-D. The major issue I've had is some hardening - particularly in my left breast (right breast from your view). I also have a pretty sizeable lump in my right breast (left breast from your view), but it's continued to go down over time. I've spoken to Dr. Bednar about this and he says that this is normal for some patients and will correct itself over time.
Overall, I'm really happy to have the implants out and that my size is pretty comparable to what it was before. The picture I posted in the bra is to show that I'm still wearing the same size I did before surgery (34C). Considering I had basically no breasts before implants, I think this is pretty amazing. I'm hoping to retain what I have now and I'm feeling better about it since I've reached the 3 month mark!
For those of your concerned about lipo, my lipo areas look great! I will post some pics after I shake these holiday extra pounds:-D. The only thing I don't like about the lipo is the scars. This is something to consider when you have the surgery - make sure you talk to your doctor about where your scars will be and that you're okay with that. Of course, they'll fade with time (mine are fading), but it makes it pretty obvious that you've had surgery if you need to wear a bathing suit or are dating someone new etc. I did try dermablend (body makeup) to cover them and it worked to some extent but they were still visible (but again, i'm only 3 months out). Ironically, the scars on my breasts (from the insertion) are almost non-existent. I say ironically because you can't see those anyway! Alas, patience is a virtue:)
Three months out, I'm feeling almost 100% back to normal. A few things that linger that remind me that I had surgery are 1. I still have some numbness in my hips and the backs of my thighs. This is a little weird because when you run your hands over these parts, you can't really "feel" them:-D - I know this is normal but it still feels weird. 2. I still have some pain in my hips sometimes - not often, but it occurs enough to remind me that it's there. It doesn't persist and it's not bad but again, it's a reminder. 3. I still can't comfortably sleep on my stomach. This may partially be psychological but it's there nonetheless.
In terms of my breasts, they've gone down since I last updated but not significantly. I think what I lost was most likely swelling (my last pics are from two weeks). I had some asymmetry before the surgery and I can still see some of that but I don't think it's worse. I also had one areola larger than the other and that persists as well - I'm looking toward an areola reduction/possible lift when i can afford it! :-D. The major issue I've had is some hardening - particularly in my left breast (right breast from your view). I also have a pretty sizeable lump in my right breast (left breast from your view), but it's continued to go down over time. I've spoken to Dr. Bednar about this and he says that this is normal for some patients and will correct itself over time.
Overall, I'm really happy to have the implants out and that my size is pretty comparable to what it was before. The picture I posted in the bra is to show that I'm still wearing the same size I did before surgery (34C). Considering I had basically no breasts before implants, I think this is pretty amazing. I'm hoping to retain what I have now and I'm feeling better about it since I've reached the 3 month mark!
For those of your concerned about lipo, my lipo areas look great! I will post some pics after I shake these holiday extra pounds:-D. The only thing I don't like about the lipo is the scars. This is something to consider when you have the surgery - make sure you talk to your doctor about where your scars will be and that you're okay with that. Of course, they'll fade with time (mine are fading), but it makes it pretty obvious that you've had surgery if you need to wear a bathing suit or are dating someone new etc. I did try dermablend (body makeup) to cover them and it worked to some extent but they were still visible (but again, i'm only 3 months out). Ironically, the scars on my breasts (from the insertion) are almost non-existent. I say ironically because you can't see those anyway! Alas, patience is a virtue:)
Replies (18)
Thanks for your update. I hope your lipo continues to look great. At 3 mths out, I was very pleased with mine and could not see areas where my skin was sinking in a bit from the fat being removed. Although overall, I am still happy. Good point about the scars. I am actually very happy with the scar situation because 1 only have 1 tiny scar on each side and they are in the bathing suit line so no one would ever see them. I have seen many women write on here that their scars are not well placed and are larger. Mine were always tiny. Definitely something women need to discuss with their doctors. Overall, it does seem that all plastic surgery procedures need to be viewed from an improvement standpoint not a perfection standpoint for satisfaction. This needs to be kept in mind. I know I also spoke to Colleen3000 who also expressed to me that her lipo w/Dr. Bednar was not perfect either. At this point, I have not found 1 person after pm'ing that is around 1 year post op and says their lipo is perfect. Your breasts look nice. Congrats!
Thanks! Me too! You're lucky about the scars! I have two on each side in the front of my thighs. One is just outside the bikini line (so still visible in a bathing suit) and the other is mid-thigh (so very visible in a bathing suit:-D). I also have two in the back (just under my butt) and two on the hips. I'm hoping that perhaps it's a trade off. I didn't really want lipo so I had just a little taken from different parts of my body so that it didn't change the overall shape of my body. I'm hoping the scars will fade completely (or nearly so) with time because everything else looks really good:)...fingers crossed!
Have you used Mederma on your scars?
Hi - I've still been using the "scar fade" they give you after surgery.
Hi, I live in the UK and have not heard of this before. I have just read another review where domes were put on the breasts, I think it is the bravo procedure. Can you explain what you had done. Am I understanding right that you had implants removed and then fat from other areas of your body put into your breast pockets. Was this done immediately your implants were removed. If this is so, I am amazed at your your results. I just can't believe this is possible. You look amazing. I am going round in circles. I have cc but never told anyone about my implants so remain frightened of taking them out and the teasing I will get if anyone finds out. I want to retain breasts but don't really want implants. I feel I am trying to push a square peg into a round hole....but maybe this procedure would work for me. Do you have a rough idea of the cost in £'s. Wow!! speechless. you look amazing. ps ...is there any lumpiness from where fat is removed assuming I have understood this procedure correctly. xxxxx
Hi Msprincess,
Thank you for your kind words...I appreciate it! I'm still in disbelief myself sometimes:). But I completely understand where you're coming from. My main desire was to have my implants out! Still, I wasn't ready to live with my breasts as they used to be (I was smaller than an A cup and I had a tuberous breast pre-implants). You are correct in your understanding of what I had done. I didn't believe it was possible either and when I first found out it was, I literally cried. Just the thought that I could have a pretty normal looking breast without the implants was amazing to me! The procedure is essentially this: you have lipo done in various areas of your body. For me, I had lipo in the thighs and hip area. The doctor then harvests that fat and transfers it to your breasts. I had the implants removed and the fat transfer done at the same time. So basically, I went to sleep with implants and woke up with fat:). As for cost, I did a quick calculation and it looks like it would be about 7300 in euros. In terms of lumpiness, I don't have any lumpiness in my lipo areas. I was really concerned about that as well but so far, everything looks good! I do have some lumpiness in my breasts, but this is common and will subside with time. I'm happy to answer any other questions you have. You can also message me if you have more sensitive questions:)
Hi Nina, I just finished reading all your posts :) Thanks for the detailed description. Are you still happy with your breast size? Any changes in the lump size? Also, I'm curious to know about the lipo sites... Are they still numb?
hi!! Could you please update me on the scaring? I am going to have consultation with dr. bednar soon.
UPDATED FROM nina789
14 days post
Two Weeks Post-Op and new Pics:)
It's been two weeks since my surgery and I think things are looking good! My bruising and swelling has gone down significantly and I like the way my lipo areas are looking already! There is definitely still a lot of soreness in the lipo areas - especially when i first wake up, it takes me a minute to really get up and get going. The only thing I could really compare it to at this point is like the morning after a really really tough workout - where you've worked all those muscles you didn't know you had? Kind of like that:)
In terms of my breasts, there's no soreness but i just worry about them:-D - I feel very protective of them like i'm trying to protect the fat that's there and make sure it settles in smoothly:-D - that said, i always have on a sports bra or a no-wire bra that feels very supportive and sometimes I still wear my wrap just for extra support. I don't really want them to move around too much. I'm not sure if this is smart or silly but either way, it makes me feel better:)
I'll post some lipo pics when my bruising is gone completely as I know that's a concern for a lot of women as well. I can honestly say that although I know you can't really tell how things will look at two weeks, if I had to judge now, I'd say my shape is better than it was when I went in. I really didn't want lipo - it was just something I had to do for the fat transfer and I was worried that I would lose all my curves. But that's not the case. I feel like the doc took just enough and took it from just the right places so that I actually end up looking more shapely:) - hopefully things stay this way! I'll update again in a couple weeks when I'll be at the one month mark!
Thank you again for all the support I've received here - and also a big thank you to Dr. Bednar's office for continuing to call/email and check up on me - they remain great as well:)
In terms of my breasts, there's no soreness but i just worry about them:-D - I feel very protective of them like i'm trying to protect the fat that's there and make sure it settles in smoothly:-D - that said, i always have on a sports bra or a no-wire bra that feels very supportive and sometimes I still wear my wrap just for extra support. I don't really want them to move around too much. I'm not sure if this is smart or silly but either way, it makes me feel better:)
I'll post some lipo pics when my bruising is gone completely as I know that's a concern for a lot of women as well. I can honestly say that although I know you can't really tell how things will look at two weeks, if I had to judge now, I'd say my shape is better than it was when I went in. I really didn't want lipo - it was just something I had to do for the fat transfer and I was worried that I would lose all my curves. But that's not the case. I feel like the doc took just enough and took it from just the right places so that I actually end up looking more shapely:) - hopefully things stay this way! I'll update again in a couple weeks when I'll be at the one month mark!
Thank you again for all the support I've received here - and also a big thank you to Dr. Bednar's office for continuing to call/email and check up on me - they remain great as well:)
Replies (16)
Hi, thanks for sharing your story and pics, you look amazing :) Do you know how much fat he put in to each breast to get similar results to your implant size? I am in the same boat and would just love to have them removed...unfortunately I am in the UK and I have never seen any surgeons that do explant and transfer at the same time here, let alone to the volume that Dr Bednar does...we are a little behind here in the UK I think :(
Thanks Pooch!
I appreciate your kind words:) - it's definitely a journey! I think that he put between 350 and 375ccs in each side to achieve this volume. I was less than an A before my implants and I had a tuberous breast.
That's unfortunate about no one doing it at the same time there - I definitely think that is the way to go. The first doctor i consulted with in my home town did not do it at the same time and while I considered it, I really preferred to have everything happen at once! Plus, from what I understand, if you're trying to achieve a similar volume as what you had with your implants, it's actually better to do it at the same time because the space is there - if you wait, then your body will begin to close that space naturally and you may have to use BRAVA etc. to try and accomplish the same thing.
I know it's expensive, but one thing I can say for certain is that if you can find a way to get to Dr. Bednar - you will be treated like family. I wasn't sure I wanted to travel at first, but in the end, I'm soooo happy I did. Some things are worth traveling for if you can swing it:)
Pooch, I have seen a review here from the uk of a woman who had breast implants removed and had fat transfer in the U.K. I'm sorry I don't know the name of the reviewer right now :(((((
but, they do do that in great brittian. good luck :D
Thanks ILB, Trust me I've seen them ALL! haha ;) x
:)
Thank you so much for your speedy and informative reply. If I ever am able to save enough for the surgery and flights and accommodation, then Dr Bednar would be my first choice.
Did you have a general anesthetic (implant removal). How long did you need to stay in Charlotte for?
No problem! Yes - I had general anesthesia for the implant removal because everything was done at the same time. So essentially, I went under anesthesia, the implants were removed and the fat transferred in. So I woke up happy - woozy and nauseous, but happy:)
That sounds great! :) was lipo donr under GA too? Sorry for all the questions x
yes - lipo, the implant removal and the fat transfer were all done under general anesthesia. thankfully! :-D
You look amazing! What fantastic results so far. Sending high retention wishes your way. Take it easy as much as possible so your body can heal and the new blood supply can be established to the new fat tissue. Also eat a healthy, iron rich diet. I'm so happy for you! :)
Thank you for the kind words Colleen - And for all of your help! Means a lot coming from the fat transfer idol :-D...I'm trying to do that the best I can. I'm really eager to get back into exercising but I know I should wait so i'm being patient and just doing light things (walking etc.). Did you start sleeping laying flat pretty soon after or did you continue to sleep elevated for a while? I'm worried about the fat moving around too much if I'm laying flat :-D - funny all of the things you think of right? Thanks again! Any other retention advice welcomed:)
I slept elevated for probably 3 weeks or so because it was more comfortable than laying flat. Having the girls moving around too much was a concern of mine too so I actually slept in a bralette like the cheap ones at Walmart for $5. I kept that up for 3 months. When you are ready to work out you may find wearing a couple of sports bras a necessity unless you have a heavy duty brand, lol. After transfer the breasts felt heavier than normal for about three months. As far as retention goes I took an iron supplement, drank lots of water and avoided coffee and alcohol as much as realistically possible for the first 3 months. I also rubbed cocoa butter mixed with lotion on my breasts daily to gently stimulate blood flow and reduce likelihood of stretch marks...that might not be an issue for you though since your new size is close to implant size.
yes! i definitely sleep with a bralette. in fact, the ONLY time i let them out of a bra is when i'm in the shower:-D - thanks for the info! I've been trying to keep up with my vitamin supplement and i haven't had a drink or any caffeine since the surgery (we'll see how long that lasts:)...I've been wanting to do some light massage but i feel afraid i'll move things around too much. i do lotion them like i would the rest of my body but haven't been doing anything special. did you continue to lose volume after the one month mark or was that when they pretty much were what they were? i know they'll change in other ways after that but i mean in terms of the volume. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing!! How long did you have to stay in NC after the surgery?
Definitely! Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you - I stayed in NC about 5 days post surgery. I was fine to travel at that point. You're still sore and uncomfortable but the pain medicine helps and it was enough for me to fly comfortably...that said, I also had enough frequent flyer miles to treat myself to a first class ticket on the way home - I'm certain that added to my comfort as well. I know this isn't possible for everyone, but if it is, I highly recommend it!
Thank you for responding. I've been looking into fat transfers for the past year. You and Colleen3000 have the best results I've ever seen! I'm still a little nervous but I'm giving Dr. Bednar a call.
Replies (9)