I am 5'5 130 lbs and do not fill my 32D bras anymore! After losing weight, I decided to get a breast augmentation to soften my strong frame and make me feel more feminine. At the moment, I can hardly fill a 32C bra so I will get 385 cc, smooth, round, moderate plus implants under the muscle via crease incision to get the 1-2 cup sizes back.
I decided to go with Dr. David Nguyen at Heavenly Plastic Surgery. One of my concerns was that the Dr. is board-eligible; however, after consulting with 8 doctors, I chose HPS because the Dr. and staff were so helpful, welcoming, and kind. Plus, there weren't any negative reviews, which makes sense because the recent photos I've seen of his work were great.
Here is what I will buy/do to prep for Titsday:
PRE-OP PREP: picked up all my Rx and OTC (extra strength Tylenol and Miralax); wash with Hibiclens starting 5 days prior; shave underams 2 days prior; remove the gel polish on both of my index fingers and shampoo the night prior. I will also be removing all jewelry and braiding my hair so I won't have to care for it much for a few days! I've been applying lotion with shea butter to my breasts as well to keep it hydrated (in case of stretch marks).
MEAL PREP: chicken and steamed broccoli, low sodium crackers, canned soups, dairy-free yogurt and protein granola, protein nut bars, fresh fruits, Vitamin Water.
RECOVERY PREP: purchased zip-front sports bras, 4 ice packs, a reading pillow, water jug with a dispenser, baby wipes, and 2XL men's tshirts to lounge around in to make using the restroom easier.
Gonna update RealSelf often with my journey! I am so nervous yet excited.
Updated on 25 Aug 2021:
Today was my breast augmentation surgery. I will be reposting my whole review under Dr. David Nguyen's profile on RealSelf!
Updated on 26 Aug 2021:
I had my operation about 12 hours ago and it was positive despite my anxiety/nervousness! I had a crazy morning but the staff at both HPS and the surgery center were so kind and understanding.
Check-in was quick and smooth - I got to speak to the nurses, staff, and the anesthesiologist prior to meeting with Dr. Nguyen and they all answered my questions and eased my worries! I am not great with needles but the nurse who administered my IV was so gentle.
As for the surgery, I did not recall falling asleep but remember waking up once I was all done! There was more pressure than pain for sure but got to eat one of the protein bars I brought prior to taking my pain meds right away.
Since the surgery, I've been on top of my pill schedule and trying to eat well. I was able to walk around and do some deep breathing exercises every hour pretty much right away. I can also use the restroom by myself and was even able to change. In lieu of a shower, I wiped whatever I could gently reach with baby wipes.
One thing that bothers me is being unable to hold good posture - hunching over was recommended to prevent pulling at the stitches. Another is that I am so bloated! Hopefully the Rx for this works soon.
Will provide more updates as I recover!
Updated on 26 Aug 2021:
Had my first post-op appointment today and was cleared to shower. The Dr. said everything looks fine! Once I got home, I showered right away and patted the Steri-Strips dry before putting my post-surgery bra back on.
The bloating is the worst part. I was prescribed Colace but I do not think it works so I called HPS yesterday and they recommended prune juice and milk of magnesia. I got both delivered and had a bit of each...still bloated. ):
I was able to switch to Extra Strength Tylenol at around 5pm 1 day post-op (1 pill every 6 hours instead of the recommended 2). The only pain I feel is in my tummy! Other than that, my breasts are still swollen. In terms of numbness, my right nipple is still sensitive whereas my left one seems numb.
Updated on 27 Aug 2021:
After trying Colace, prune juice, milk of magnesia, and Smooth move tea, I finally had a bowel movement and am feeling a LOT less bloated.
As of yesterday afternoon, I am off all pain medication (Tylenol and Norco). I am just using muscle relaxer, stool softener, antibiotics, and probiotics. I'm starting to get tingles in both breasts but overall, the left side is much more numb.
Updated on 1 Sep 2021:
Finishing my antibiotics and still a bit bloated! My right implant is softening and slightly dropping faster than my left. Left incision is still very bruised and my sternum area is yellow! I don't really feel pain, just pressure from the tightness and swelling. I am honestly so impatient for the final results and can't wait to start working out fully again.
The Dr. and staff at HPS as well as the nurses from the surgical center are also super great with follow-up care! I feel like they genuinely care for their patients and that makes me extra glad I chose them.
Updated on 9 Sep 2021:
Posting a couple days late but it's been 2 weeks so far! I still have some bruising and slight bloating but overall, there is absolutely no pain unless I use my arms/chest muscles a little too much. I am still trying to sleep sitting up because I think that might help them drop sooner? My right one is still getting softer and dropping faster than the left.
Lately I have been feeling like I went too big, too early to tell though.
Updated on 14 Sep 2021:
Not too many changes from last week, my only complaints are that my implants are not dropping as quickly as I'd like (have a trip coming up) and that I might have gone too large?
Bruising is clearing up and I have more upper body mobility/strength. My implants are starting to soften (they can even touch!) but are still unnaturally hard/solid when I move. Can't wait for final results!
Updated on 24 Sep 2021:
Couple days late but now I am over 4 weeks post-op now. I had a post-op appointment on 9/18 and the Dr. said that I am healing well. I was recommended to stop wearing a bra so that they can drop faster, to stay off exercise, and to remove the Steri-strips at the end of this week.
My implants are softening up and slowly getting squishier but don't move like natural breasts. They are starting to look nicer though so that is a plus. I was concerned that I went too large but the Dr. let me know that they will look smaller when I get my final result. The area around my incisions is still numb and so is my left nipple. Whenever I feel any shooting pains or tingles, I get excited because it means my nerves are repairing! I can't wait to feel "normal" again.
One more thing, I started taking Singulair to help prevent capsular contracture since I had a lot of bruising.
Updated on 24 Sep 2021:
Updated on 29 Sep 2021:
Not much to update! They're finally looking smaller but aren't "natural" yet, they look like pecs when I move. Upper body mobility is getting better as well.
Updated on 5 Oct 2021:
It's been 6 weeks now and I feel like I will take a long time to go through the drop and fluff process. My implants are still hard in the center, but on the sides they are soft and jiggle a bit. I removed the Steri-strips a few days ago and started using Mederma on the scars, which are slightly raised. I am still going braless to help the implants settle faster. My next post-op is this Saturday but from now on, I will be providing updates every 2 weeks. My wish is for the implants to drop so my nipple position looks more natural, I still feel like I have pecs or torpedos.
Updated on 20 Oct 2021:
I am at 8 weeks now! I had a post-op appointment 2 weeks ago and found out that I have slightly constricted breast tissue around my IMF, which means the implants aren't dropping and fluffing since the area refuses to stretch. I feel like this is making my implants sit way too high still, they look like unnatural melons/torpedos still ):
Dr. Nguyen gave me a band to wear to hopefully help the implants drop. I just want them to look natural. He also gave me another month on Singulair to help prevent capsular contracture. I also started scar massage for around 5 minutes a day and am still apply Mederma daily.
I love the way they look from the front, but every other angle freaks me out still. Hopefully they fully drop and fluff soon!
Updated on 3 Nov 2021:
It looks like the skin at the bottom of my breasts still doesn't want to stretch despite wearing a band every day for at least 12 hours. This means my implants aren't dropping properly, resulting in too much upper pole fullness (looks too fake) and an overall torpedo-like look. I am pretty insecure about how fake they look, hopefully the implants will drop soon.
My scars aren't visibly terrible, but they are hard in some areas. I massage them daily per Dr's orders and apply Mederma daily, but I feel I am missing something. I am worried the scars won't soften.
I wish my 10-week update was more positive, but these are two persisting issues in my current BA journey.
Updated on 20 Jul 2023:
Sorry for not updating for a while! It's been almost two years. At my last post-op appointment, I found out that I had slightly constricted breast tissue, especially under the nipple area, which caused the implant to not "drop and fluff" as a "normal" breast would. I tried wearing a band that would push them down, but my breast tissue is stubborn. Both implants sit a little too high, so my nipples are quite low, especially my right one. I'm unhappy with how uneven my nipples are. I also feel like the implants sit too close together since they won't drop all the way. I'm hoping that as my breasts naturally sag with time, my implants will look better.
Aside from this, I do like how feminine I feel with implants that suit my frame. My natural anatomy pre-op made me feel like I had "man-boobs" due to their shape and width. I'm glad I got implants, though feel a bit bummed out about how my constricted breast tissue (not yet considered tuberous) affected my result. Sometimes they look like pecs because they just won't drop enough. ):