He is an Amazing surgeon!! If you're wanting breast surgery, He is the boob expert 100%, Not only is he extremely experienced and talented, he also has a great bedside manner. He is fair with his cost and always has the The patient's best interest in mind. I actually had my first consult with Dr. Vanrault at Iowa plastic surgery, and let me tell you DO NOT GO THERE!! He was trying to convince me that I had to have two surgeries to have a breast lift and augmentation and told me that I could only have 250 cc's due to limited tissue if I did opt to go with one surgery, and when I was going to just agree for the extremely small implants and one surgery. He literally got upset with me and I could tell that he wasn't confident in doing it. So thank God I got a second opinion and Dr. Eckhardt performs sometimes two of these combination surgeries in a week. He never once tried to price gouge me or pressure me into two unnecessary surgeries. Dr Eckhardt was able to give me 365cc implants and lift all in one procedure, and it was cheaper than Iowa plastic surgery estimate, and I couldn't be more happy!! Honestly, I'm glad I disliked Dr. Van rault so much that I searched for another surgeon because I wouldn't have found Dr. Eckhart otherwise. He truly is a phenomenal surgeon and I wouldn't trust anyone else.
Dr. Eckhardt is phenomenal! I had under eye filler done and had some anxiety during the (very minor) procedure. Dr. Eckhardt was kind and patient and never once did I feel as if he had other priorities at that moment. He made sure to answer all of my questions prior to the procedure and did not try to "upsell" me with treatments that I didn't need. In fact, he talked me out of additional treatments! I appreciated Dr. Eckhardt's obvious desire for perfection and patient satisfaction. I will definitely return to the office and recommend Dr. Eckhardt to anyone!
Four years ago I had breast augmentation surgery and was recommended 500cc high profile gummy implants by the plastic surgeon. Since he was the expert I went with it. I went from a B cup to a DD and my breasts were super wide. Since then, I have felt they were too big for my taste and normally hid behind big clothes to avoid attention. When wearing regular clothes I felt awkward and bulky. Recently I decided to look into getting a much smaller implant due to my dissatisfaction. I was told by my original surgeon that replacing my implants with smaller ones would not look good so I decided to get a second opinion and visited Dr. Eckhardt in Moline, IL. He and his staff were all very welcoming and pleasant. After a consultation with him and determining that he could help me I scheduled the surgery and decided on 365cc round Natrelle silicone implants. I am now almost two weeks post op and actually feel like myself again. I am amazed as to how easy the surgery and recovery have been. Surgery was a quick in-office procedure. I feel great and the results are exactly what I wanted. Sending lots of love to Dr. and his amazing Nurses. I am extremely happy with my results and would highly recommend Dr. Eckhardt.
I am a mom of two children I gained almost 100 lbs with my first child at 18. This resulted in saggy breasts and abdominal separation. So far I feel like my results have been amazing. The surgeon I chose is outstanding as is his staff. They have been nothing but professional and have welcomed me like family. I would highly recommend.
My breast deformity has always bothered me, so finally decided to fix it. I am 36 years old, 5’8, 150 lbs. My husband & I have 2 children. With each pregnancy I was not able to breastfeed & they never increased in size like most women. I had 3 consultations with different plastic surgeons in our area and decided on Dr Aric Eckhardt. He was very gentle & soft spoken and seems very knowledgeable about his profession. Updated on 28 Sep 2018: Surgery was scheduled for 9. We arrived, they took my vitals and had me take a pregnancy test. Dr came in to make his markings, met with the anesthesiologist & after a quick kiss from my husband I was on my way to the operating room. The entire procedure took about 3 hours. He did a lift & removed some extra breast tissue from the right side to make them more symmetrical. Made my areolas smaller and placed 415cc of cohesive gel under the muscles. Upon waking up, I was at about a 6 for pain level. Feeling like there were a couple large bricks on my chest, and very tender. After getting settled at home in the recliner, I was a lot more comfortable. Hydrocodone is what was prescribed to me and I have been taking it along with ibuprofen. Updated on 28 Sep 2018: I woke up about every hour during the first night. Pain was very manageable, but just not used to sleeping in my recliner and I was making sure to drink plenty of water so there were multiple bathroom trips. Dr Eckhardt gave me instructions to raise my arms above my head several times each hour and to also not lay around all day- the body recovers quicker if you are up & moving regularly. I was still very cautious about getting in & out of the recliner but would do a lap around the kitchen, living room ect! After 24 hrs I was allowed to remove the ace bandage and shower. So far, my incisions are not hurting at all and the most discomfort is muscle soreness in my armpit area. I have been consistent with Hydrocodone every 4 hours, and then taking 2 ibuprofen 1 hour after taking a pain pill. Also, I have been icing continually during this time period and eating very healthy along with drinking lots & lots of water! Updated on 28 Sep 2018: Got a great nights sleep, but this morning I was in a little bit more pain when I woke up to get the kids off to school. My chest muscles were quite a bit tighter and seemed more sore with my movements. My husband has been taking excellent care of me! Had a bowl of oatmeal with raisins & cinnamon and a big glass of water for breakfast, then Took about an hour nap after the kids left for school. By lunch my muscles had loosened up nicely and I wasn’t in as much pain. Had an omelet with peppers mushrooms & onions for lunch and changed my dressings. My nipples seemed like they were quite dark, so I started to worry about nipple necrosis. (I am not a nicotine smoker, but do enjoy marijuana daily, so I know I am at more of a risk . I did stop smoking 8 weeks prior to my surgery ) I called the office right away and they would like to see me first thing Friday morning. Updated on 28 Sep 2018: My mind was put to ease this morning about the dark color of my nipples. Dr says everything looks ok and the dark color is a combination of some bruising from the lift and the left over marker from surgery day that hasn’t washed off. THANK GOODNESS! I have sensation in my right nipple, but the left is numb. Fingers crossed that everything continues to heal quickly & smoothly. Updated on 29 Sep 2018: Yesterday i woke up with minimal discomfort but was still pretty swollen & even though I have been taking stool softener, I still hadn’t been to the bathroom. (That is the number one side effect of pain meds) I decided to see how I got along with just ibuprofen, and I felt great! I did take 1 pain pill at about 9:30 when I went to bed and I slept all through the night! This morning I am feeling great also- took a shower and took a few more progress pictures. Seeing a little bit more bruising, but I am very surprised by the small amount of drainage on my guaze each day. The shape right now is not ideal, and I know I have to be patient for them to settle & start seeing more of the final results. Right now, I am trusting my Drs ability & praying for continued smooth recovery process! Updated on 29 Sep 2018: Updated on 30 Sep 2018: Surgery was Tuesday Sept 25, and tonight is Sunday Sept 30th. Technically I am 5 says post op, but since I had surgery early Tuesday morning it feels like a day longer! Lol. I have been off the prescription pain pills (Hydrocodone) for 2 full days now and just taking ibuprofen during the day. The implants are still extremely high, firm and still in my armpit. I am also experiencing little zingers of pain on the armpit side, or along the bottom. It is occurring mostly in my right breast, but also happens in the left, which is a little unsettling. It happens when I try to adjust myself in the recliner or couch, or pull a pillow across my body. Because I was tuberous, Dr removed breast tissue from the right to even them out but also had to release the constriction on the lower pole. It really puts me in my place and I just hope that I am on the right track with recovery. Post op appointment is scheduled for Wednesday, looking forward to hearing how I am progressing! Updated on 6 Oct 2018: Updated on 12 Jun 2019: Totally healed, and seriously enjoying them. The cohesive gel is so natural- Squishy & jiggly & so fun to play with! Pictures are of my 6mo check up. The scars are healing nicely, and I couldn’t be happier with the shape of them. I actually feel like a woman!
My first pregnancy don't do much damage to my body. First baby was small and born 3 1/2 weeks early, but she did leave me with an umbilical hernia. My second pregnancy was a whole different story! At my 6 week ultrasound he measured about 5 day small and the midwife said I must have just miscalculated my dates. By the 20 week ultrasound, he measured 2 1/2 weeks ahead. At 32 weeks, he measured 6 weeks ahead. He was 90th% for weight and my amniotic fluid level was also very high and measured at the 95th%. My midwife told me at that point I was measuring full term and compared me to someone having twins. She said "Good luck! I hope we can keep him in there a little longer." Thankfully he was only 3 weeks premature, but it did major damage to my abdominal muscles and skin! I did physical therapy, got my hernia repaired, and then had a note baby. The last pregnancy was my easiest, but because my abdominals were already separated, they were stretched even further with my 3rd baby. I was left with a diastases from my sternum to my pubic bone that was 3" wide at the center. That combined with my nonexistent breasts (32AA is the closest size, but that didn't fit at all because the cups were so close together) after nursing all 3 babies left me in desperate need of repair.
I am still recovering and am getting antsy to get well and wonder how long it will be before the incisions are not noticeable. I had upper And lower and can see how lower is much more noticeable. I definitely do not have the time to heal completely or at least not be so obvious to others when I go back to work. This is a real bummer if you did not want to share your surgery efforts to everyone! I think I will love it when healed. My inner eyes are swollen and I guess that is the Avatar look they talk about! Looks goofy and ridiculous. I did also have a septoplasty / rhinoplasty so it was more difficult than having one thing done. I can really see that now! I need sunglasses for my eyes but can't because of my rhino ! So I got a baseball cap which I feel silly in and very obvious! I am so relieved to be two weeks post op. Updated on 21 Apr 2016: Incisions are so obvious on the upper and lower Blephs that it is hard to feel or look decent. Trying to be patient. Updated on 22 Apr 2016: All went pretty well. Dr had to manually adjust my nose to straighten it due to lots of swelling. I never realized how powerful swelling really is! I still look like an avatar but watch for improvement everyday. Practicing my patience!
I always knew I wanted breast augmentation done once I was finished having kids. I do not regret my decision as they look amazing now!! Dr. Eckhardt is awesome, he does great work! My self confidence has increased greatly since the surgery, even my husband has noticed my self confidence change :) Updated on 18 Mar 2016: Before and after pictures. The after is only one week later, one breast is higher than the other, but with time I am sure they will even out. I will post another update in a few months. Updated on 26 Mar 2016: It's been 2-1/2 weeks and things are going great. My breasts are starting to drop, feel more natural, and are softer as the days go by. I wear the band at night as they are still a little high on my chest. I've been massaging them 3 times a day, per doctor's orders. The glue finally came off so I have started to use the scar cream. The scars look pretty good, they aren't as bad as I feared they would be. I went to the store and tried on some bras just for the heck of it and was surprised to see a 38DD was too small. Of course, I know they may get a little bit smaller as they get settled into the pockets. To wrap this up, I'm still loving them and can't wait to see how things progress over the next few months! Updated on 26 Mar 2016: Sorry this is posting twice - couldn't figure out how to add pictures to the one I posted previously! It's been 2-1/2 weeks and things are going great. My breasts are starting to drop, feel more natural, and are softer as the days go by. I wear the band at night as they are still a little high on my chest. I've been massaging them 3 times a day, per doctor's orders. The glue finally came off so I have started to use the scar cream. The scars look pretty good, they aren't as bad as I feared they would be. I went to the store and tried on some bras just for the heck of it and was surprised to see a 38DD was too small. Of course, I know they may get a little bit smaller as they get settled into the pockets. To wrap this up, I'm still loving them and can't wait to see how things progress over the next few months!
Dr Eckhardt and staff were non hurried, gave easy explanation of procedures and possible outcomes of surgery. Being a registered nurse I took my time to find the right surgeon. Dr Eckhardt was the third Physician I consulted with. I was scheduled for 2 hours of surgery. I was in surgery for 3 hours due to removal of a growth in one breast and I suspect that removal of stage 4-5 capsule is no easy task. This left the next patient scheduled for surgery waiting. I thought that I would wake up with breast implant explantation and have to wait at least 4 months before having new implants inserted. This idea was one of the possible outcomes of the surgery, ( one that I was sure was going to happen) I woke up with both breasts with new implants. Next day I went in for a follow up visit. Follow up cares were explained and not confusing. All questions were answered. When Dr. and nurse left the room I peeked at my new equipment. OMG. Superb!!!! ( remember, this the day after surgery) In conclusion I highly recommend this team of medical professionals for this procedure. I have already sent a friend of mine to Dr. Eckhardt for this same procedure, she is having surgery in a couple of weeks. If you are a patient waiting for surgery and you find that your surgery has been delayed, remember this. What if the surgeon discovered extra issues that needed to be addressed while you were on the table? So show patience, he may be with a patient who needs the extra work and you are next patient. The patient after you will have to show patience as well. My apologies for being so verbose. Sincerely, HAPPY
I am so excited I scheduled my tummy tuck today and it is only 5 days away. PS said that I am a pretty easy patient since I have the typical ab bulge from muscle separation after pregnacy and extra skin below that he can remove. I do not need lipo which I am glad to hear. One less procedure done is better. I am a size 10-12 now and have to wear a belt to keep pants up over muffin top and I have worn slimming undergarments since I was in my 20's. Besides having 2-pregnacies and both being c-section, I also store my fat in my belly so I have almost always had some belly fat that was hard to get rid of. I will be working very hard after surgery to keep the belly fat away for good! I am very happy with the doctor I chose. Someone very close to me had a breast reduction with him and she is very happy. I was there every step of the way and so I knew the doctor was good but I went ahead and got two opinions before just to be certain. I am off work until Oct. 26th so I hope I will be ready to go back at least be on light duty by then. Check back for before pics. Updated on 28 Sep 2015: I just took my last photos before my surgery. I have needed this surgery for a long time. I can't wait for it to be over. I am nervous about the post op pain but if it's similar to c section I can handle it. Wish me luck. Updated on 30 Sep 2015: I was so excited to look down after the surgery when Dr. Eckhardt took off the dressing. I could see all the way down to my pubic area. But because of the sagging skin I have carried around for 18 years I never could. It may know OK bad to some but to me I see a diamond in the rough I guess. Once the swelling goes down itcwill be amazing! Also my incision is really low and he got shelf (scar tissue) out from my c-sections. Updated on 1 Oct 2015: I am doing great. My hurts a lot if I am up for too long because of crouching over. In pulled out the pain pump wires. It was only a three day pump. Easy to do myself plus it was Dr's orders. One of my drain tubes if leaking at the entry but Dr'sv said it was fine. In just put a gauze pass over it. Better to have it come out than accumulate inside. What else.... In an still taking pain med's which has caused me not to have s bowel movement in 3 days. I started taking miralax along with colace rotated with a laxative. TMI but how we you all know if I did not tell ya! VOh I have been sleeping in a recliner since I got home from the hospital. Highly recommend one of those. I got a new power one last night so now it's even easier to get in and out of. Spoiled by hubby but he ordered one for him too of course. Also Iv ran a fever the day after my surgery. They did not tell me I needed to be ta king deep breaths and coughing right away. They brought in the PICKLE for me to breath in but never said anything about coughing. My lungs were not getting the air they needed so I a temp, that happens after Anethesia. But after they told me that I got right on it and fever went down the next day. They also have me IV antibiotics. You don't get that doing outpatient! I recommend doing surgery in a hospital. Recovery is easier that first week. The hospital staff is so over worked and ride at times. I wanted to get up to use the bathroom so the nu rae came in. I too light headed so she just had me use bed pan. Good call on her part. I know enough to know that you take your time getting up. The next time. The nurse was so careless the last time I used the bed pan and spoiled it taking it out from under me. W had a mess all over so I HAD to get up. They are so impatient. I got really dizzy and asked them to call there nurse so they did. After changing my bed sheets they said they had to go see another patient and left me there dizzy in the recliner. I knew in cases like this a person could pass out so I thought that was weird. I waited and waited for the nurse. After about five minutes the dizziness got better. Nurse came in and said she took my blood pressure earlier and did not see a reason to take it again. I told her that ai wanted it taken when the NA was in here when I was dizzy and they called you but you never came and now I am better. I just wanted to see how low it was at the time of the dizziness. Not too much to ask. After much debate she took my BP and it was fine, I knew it were be now! Some nurses and aids tear people who have had OS different I think. I also asked another nurse 3 times and the aids to give me something for itching because of the pain med. She day that the Dr has to order it and he's not in yet. 4 hours later sheer come in to tell me that there Dr won't be in until 5:39, that's fine by me but She forgot to ask him about the Benadryl so she called him back and an hour later I got it. I had itched myself raw in some spots. I understand that I am not there only patient in there but my friend had just been in the same hospital a month ago and had a different staff that day and I have no complaints. I will be filling out the survey when I get it. I am home now and that's what matters. Good bless them all. Updated on 2 Oct 2015: Lol. I was so having trouble with bowel movements all week. Got worried yesterday and called my mom. She brought over enema and a bottle of magnesium citrate. I started taking a mild laxative the day before my surgery cause I knew what could happen but trust me taking 2 pain pills every 5 hours ads up and backs you up. I drank a ton more water hoping that would do the trick but I hate to say it, mom was right! I finally can Go! Plus I stopped the pain meds last night and just used Tylenol and a half Tylenol PM. I slept good. Today I have been MOVING and decided that since I have to get up and move to the bathroom more a pain pill was in order, just one with a Tylenol, lots of water and a mild laxative shooter. On another note I have developed sores from my tight corset thing I have to wear so I stuffed soft socks along the edges and some gauze and antibiotic ointment. That helps a lot. I have to laugh because I knew someone that has the same thing after breast reduction when her tube sight was irritated and the nurse said to stuff a shock in it. I laughed so hard but it works! Also one of my little round sponges came of from around the one of the tube entries and it was leaking blood outside of it but I called and the nurse said it's fine just put gauze around it. I keep a larger gauze pad there all the time and i have to remove it when using the bathroom because I don't need a new one every time. Today its focus on keeping things moving and relaxing I hope. Drink lots and lots of water. Updated on 9 Oct 2015: I took my first shower today. I got my tubes out this passed Wednesday. The swelling had gone down a lot but the doctor said I had some swelling still so I cannot believe how skinny I will be once that is down. I have been focusing on getting out of the chair more and walking as much as I can tolerate around the house. To get the swelling down and drinking a lot of water, drinking protein shakes too. I read that a good diet is key to healing. As you know the back pain is the worst. I am sitting at the computer now and my back is killing me. The crouching over a lot. I am getting straighter every day. The shower actually softened my skin and I felt straighter yet standing. I am so impressed with Dr. Eckhardt's work. My incision is perfection!!! If I really ever do where a two piece swimsuit you will never see my scar!! He did my daughters breast reduction, she just had her 8 week post visit today and release to ride her horse! After her visit she went straight to the store to buy a good sports bra that fit her. She is only 18 so you can imagine how this will change her life forever. He is the nicest man and easy to talk to. His staff is experienced, they take a little nudging and extra smiles sometimes to get warmed up to you but I can live with that and the dr is worth it. I tried to take pics today but the lighting was terrible so I will try tomorrow when i can get help. Good luck to everyone that is or has had this surgery. This website is so helpful. Thank you. Updated on 15 Oct 2015: My belly button is not as red since glue came off. Just a scab that I put sylvadine on. I also have the burn scabs that are falling off in front. Swelling in abdomen will go down. So overall I am happy that my sagging skin is gone. I will have more pics since my 2 week visit. Updated on 7 Nov 2015: Doing great! I have a couple scabs left. One is around my belly button and is kinda open but I think it's fine and does not drain. I see the doctor next Friday. I lost 7lbs after surgery even though they only took 2lbs of skin. I have since gained back 4 but not being able to go to the gym and eating good will do that i am not worried. I get depressed sometimes when I wish it was flatter but I am still swollen. Gotta give it time. Here are pics from today. You can see the one scab at the lower part of incision and the one on belly button. My incision is low and I am very happy!
A urinary catheter would not be considered standard for an augmentation and lift as this may increase the risk for infection and is unnecessary based on the duration of the procedure. Most surgeons and anesthesiologists recommend being NPO for eight hours prior to the procedure, although small sips of water may be allowed to take medications. Your surgeon will advise you on his/her requirements prior to surgery.
Thank you for your question. My initial advice to you is to define your goals. What is your primary objective? How big do want your breasts to be? How do you want them to look, natural or having an augmented appearance? If you simply want them to be smaller, a reduction will both reduce and lift your breasts. If you like an augmented look, reducing them even smaller and placing an implant will give you more upper pole fullness. It difficult to predict scarring without taking a history and performing a physical exam. Even then, it can be difficult. Hopefully, your plastic surgeon will provide more insight once you are seen in person. Good luck!
While your nipples point slightly downward, you do do appear to have tuberous breasts, nor do you necessarily appear to need a lift. Placement of the implants in a dual plane pocket with the release of the muscle inferiorly, as well as the release of the breast tissue from the lower aspect of the muscle should allow the implant to stretch and fill out the lower pole of the breasts. This should give you a fairly natural result. Good luck!
Realistic expectations are important, and it seems by your question that you understand the challenge that your situation presents. Volume symmetry should be achievable. Nipple position and areola diameter should also be fairly close post-operatively. However, you should be prepared to accept some degree of asymmetry with your final result, particularly in terms of scarring due to the need for a lift on the left side. I would probably recommend placing the implants in a dual plane pocket rather than over the muscle as you appear fairly thin. Good luck!
Breast asymmetry is very common. In your case, a slightly larger implant on the right side with an adjustment of the inframammary fold should help you achieve a symmetric result. Good luck!
