Breast Implant Removal: Stories

Reading this site has been immensely helpful. All the ladies here look great and have given me confidence to do this.

I had casually thought about breast implants occasionally for a few years but was never serious about it until the beginning of this year when I expressed an interest and my boyfriend was enthusiastic and encouraged me to go for it. I figured I had the money, and at the time it seemed like a good idea. I quickly researched doctors and implant info and had the surgery on March 13 this year. I got very caught up in the excitement of it and just got sucked into it like a whirlwind. I have always had small breasts (even during breastfeeding I barely increased one cup size), and really never gave them much thought. My breasts were not a source of insecurity or anxiety before.

I was a 32A/B before surgery. My original plastic surgeon recommended 500cc high profile silicone implants to achieve a full C/small D size. I wound up a 32dd/ddd and they are just way too big for me. I noticed it immediately after surgery and have been self conscious since then. They look and feel very fake. I can't lay on my belly or hug people without wondering if they feel the implants. I can't stand the "foreign body" feeling that I'm constantly aware of. They are starting to ripple in the cleavage when I bend over and have dropped quite a bit. I got the implants because somehow I thought they would improve my appearance and my confidence, but I am more self conscious now about my breasts than I have ever been.

I have thought long and hard about whether I should exchange to a smaller implant or just explant completely. I'm worried that I would have the same feelings about a smaller implant and have decided I just don't want them in my body at all. I am worried about future complications and don't want to risk the need for more surgery. I just want to be done with this.

My plastic surgeon is confident that I will return to close to my old appearance before I had surgery. I am not as optimistic though and am pretty anxious that my breasts may be permanently damaged by these large implants. My skin seems like it's in good condition and they've been in a short time, so hopefully I won't be left deformed. I wish I hadn't done this but hindsight is 20/20 I suppose. My Dr is going to do some capsule work to raise my creases up, and do some internal suturing and a scar revision. My surgery is in six days!

I am home now from surgery. Everything seemed to go well. Everyone was really kind and the anesthesia went off without a hitch (no nausea at all which was a big concern for me). I developed a cold over the weekend and was worried that this would affect the anesthesia or maybe I would end up getting postponed. They said it wouldn't be an issue though. I woke up in quite a bit of pain around my incisions and inside the breasts. I think the pain inside is coming from the permanent sutures.

I had a a snack and took a Vicodin when I arrived home and it seems to be helping. I'm wearing a surgical bra that is stuffed with some medical-type styrofoam and gauze for compression. I haven't seen them completely but I took a quick peek and things seem ok so far. I think I'm pretty flat underneath the dressings but I was like this before implants. I am really relieved this is over and am now just hoping for a quick and smooth recovery. I'll try to upload a photo after my big reveal at the Dr's office on Friday. Thank you everyone for your well wishes, it means a lot.

I'm five days post op and back at work today. I'm a nurse and was worried I might have a difficult assignment but so far today I have been lucky and things are going well. I rarely feel any pain, mostly if I overuse my chest I sometimes feel throbbing pains round my sternum. The stitches were removed on Friday and now I just have steristrips covering them. I feel relieved at the appearance of my breasts. They aren't perfect but I feel lucky that they are pretty similar to their old appearance. I'm hoping they tighten up over the next few weeks. Right now they feel really soft and kind of delicate, if that makes any sense! All my breast tissue is in the lower pole. I wonder if this will improve.

I'm happy I once again can lie on my belly and hug people properly. When I'm all healed I'm definitely getting a massage ASAP! I do feel a bit self conscious in clothing since I'm wearing a tight sports bra. It compresses them down so I look pretty flat! I'm looking forward to wearing a wire bra with some padding. I tried on some bras at gap body over the weekend and I'm fitting into a 32b pretty well, which is about what I was before my first surgery. I'm glad I have those huge implants out of me. I've had the rare doubt about whether I should have just downsized, but then I remember how miserable I was with implants. I have no regrets explanting. Now I just need to forgive myself for this expensive learning opportunity!

My surgeon said I had mild bottoming out in both breasts that just would have gotten worse with time. I had my creases lifted, and he cauterized the capsule so that it would scar down to my chest wall.