I had my surgery about a month before my 54th birthday. I have two children (ages 33 and 29); both were by cesarean with the cut straight up the zipper. Ladies, I considered getting a tummy tuck for 14 years. The things that deterred me from getting one sooner were my concerns about the thickness, position, and look of the scar; size and look of the belly button; dog-ears; possible infections; and having a major surgery in itself. I can honestly say that I did my research and I will urge anyone who is considering having this procedure done to go to Google->images and search tummy tuck scars, tummy tuck infections, tummy tuck belly buttons, tummy tuck, belly button necrosis, tummy tuck dog ears, and tummy tuck drains to get an idea of what you do or do not want your final result to look like. In addition, check out many doctor’s websites; and if the doctor you’re considering has not been recommended, be patient and get more than one consultation. I selected my doctor out of 6 consultations. I asked to see pictures of the surgeon’s work. I looked for a thin scar, natural looking belly button, no dog-ears, and whether or not a two-piece bikini could be worn (LTS-NLBB-NDE low thin scar, natural looking belly button, no dog ears). Ladies here are some of things that turned me off: Doctors who were not willing to show me their pictures – if he’s ashamed of his work chances are if your go with him you’re bound to have bad results. Doctors who showed me pictures of another lady’s belly that they thought looked like mine -- what a turn off; a good surgeon looks at each case individually and knows what’s needed to achieve a great result. Doctors who felt that just because they answered many question and have been nominated as a top doctor on Realself it spoke for their work – Don’t get it twisted; talking and performing are two different things. Doctor’s who felt that a Harvard, Yale, Stanford Education, or TV appearances represented their work – congratulation’s on having the GPA that got you into a great school; but at the end the only thing that matters is a LTS-NLBB-NDE. Offices who insisted that a fee be paid to get a consultation – I did not want to feel obligated to go with any doctor just because I paid his consultation fee; moreover this limits your ability to shop around. Doctors who claim that they treat and do the same procedure on all their patients – experience has taught me that if you are trying to convince me that you treat everyone the same, then you don’t; stop lying to yourself I noticed it in your pictures (some women were give your best while others weren’t, particularly women of color) Doctors that stated they were not going to give me liposuction, I did not need liposuction, or they were only going to do a limited amount of liposuction – this raised a red flag, made me unhappy because they were not listening to me. Patient coordinators who tried to win me over by telling me that the doctor was special because his tummy tuck were done differently or brought me out news paper clippings that praise the doctor for his work – ladies LTS-NLBB-NDE will dictate how great he is and nothing more. Patient coordinators who wanted to know where I worked, my zip code or the amount of money I saved up for my tummy tuck – what an insult they were more concerned about how much money they could make than the result of my surgery. So here’s why I chose my doctor. I could tell from his work that I would get LTS-NLBB-NDE. But the best part was when I told him that I wanted liposuction he got exited. Ladies, Oh my God! I could tell that this man took pride in his work. He had me take off my top, examined me, drew an outline of a woman’s body on his exam table paper and took the approach/attitude of ‘what he could do to get me the best good looking banging results. Sisters, you know how some guys are like let me hit this (of course in a professional way in his case though (smile)) Well he hit it and he hit it good. So the question remains that after 5 hours of surgery would I do it again at my age (over 50)? Are you kidding me? Well, lets put it this way, if I would have discovered my doctor a lot sooner, I would have dragged someone off the table to get my tummy tuck done. Finally, I should have mentioned that I do have high blood pressure so in my next post I will talk about how I prepared for my tummy tuck, my surgery experience, and the simple things I’ve done to heal fast.
I'm on my 3rd day now out of surgery... Overall major pain was just the first night. Lots of swelling after the first few hours but overall everything seems very normal and easy to heal from. I have a burning sensation in the litter corner of my left breast almost on my ribs. But I'm sure it's normal. Lotsa stiffness and pain when I first wake up but I'm sleeping thru the night. No pain killers needed anymore, just Tylenol. Now just hoping I can heal up today and be ready for an important job interview in two days from now. Lol... Also, lotsa settling has happened. I'm surprised bc I thought it'd take weeks to get this much settling. My hubby even mentioned that they are starting to look normal. I'm excited to see the final result in the months to come. Updated on 17 Nov 2014: Okkkk, so it's day 4 now. I'm getting some burning sensations and tingles of pain in my side boob and ribs on the side and by my back. My traps and upper shoulders were CRAZY sore and I realized it's bc I was standing and sitting like a robot w my arms at my sides for a few days. I'm correcting my posture. I'm home alone without kids today which is a blessing. Hopefully I can get thru my kids parent teacher conference ok. Tomorrow afternoon I have a big interview too so lets hope I can get thru everything easily. I definitely need this new job. The mornings are the hardest part of my day. I'm down to 3,000 mgs of Tylenol throughout the 24-hours. No Percocet which is good. Made myself breakfast today and one of my kids lunch. Definitely excited to take a shower and check out my results. Hoping for more droppage and fluffing although I know it's soon and I shouldn't have my hopes up. Updated on 17 Nov 2014: So. Today I drove, showered solo, shaved (interesting) and shopped for new blouses. (Banana republic had 40% off today btw!) Driving was difficult. I had little control of my left arm and it's lack of strength. My right is better. Pain is lowered. I took 4 extra strength Tylenol all day. I was trying on blouses when... My left boob started making a funny rubbing noise. Like the implant was running my rib or something. Sounded squeaky and weird. Felt weird too. No pain tho. Although it was painful to get my arms over my head. Trying to improve my posture. Hard to keep my arms flat at my side. I find myself shrugging constantly with robot arms. Ugh. Everyday is easier than the last. Not much droppage but they are SO much bigger now. I'm really happy about that. The first couple days they were so flat and tight. Not that I didn't prep myself for that but I guess I've been waiting for so long to have big boobs I'm impatient. Anyhow... Pics! Updated on 19 Nov 2014: So yesterday I took a photo of my incisions. They were relatively small and clear of bruising (see pic). By the end of the day they felt hot and burning. I checked them and the left incision was purple n bruised. My sign that I've been moving about far too much. I iced for a couple hours and today it's almost back to where it was before. Much better. New pics from day 5 and incisions from day 6. Lotsa pain today. I am having difficulty sitting and typing for sure. #painkillers lol. Didn't need them for much before but I'll need one today for sure. Updated on 20 Nov 2014: Ok, it's official! One week post op! This morning wasn't really that bad, hot shower helped tons. Took two Norcos today and two Tylenol. That's it and no pain zero loopiness (I realized Percocet is just not my thing, messes up my tummy, and doesn't help pain). While it's probably not good to self medicate, I had Norco from a year ago and I know it works well... So I am in a better spot now. Bruising is still there but it is very minimal. Feeling much better and even driving wasn't as bad. Looking forward to my follow up appt (should've been yesterday but I had to move it to Tuesday next week). Getting much softer except for the upper inner section. Pics! Updated on 22 Nov 2014: So my incisions have been bothering for a while but I honestly feel like it's normal. Today I noticed I think I'm dropping too fast and developing a double bubble. :-( idk how to prevent it but I feel it's early enough to stop or reverse this. Maybe ace bandage them up higher?? Idk but any advice is welcomed! Updated on 23 Nov 2014: Ok folks it's official. I'm approx a 32DDD as my rib/band is 32 and my chest full point is 39". Wahoo! I can't tell you how ecstatic happy I am. I was hoping for a small DD and to see that I'm over the moon. Yesterday you might remember I posted about a double bubble scare. So I texted my Dr. Office, they said it's fine but I was concerned and posted a Q here. It's not good but it's too early to be a double bubble. My self-diagnosis: I was wearing my breastfeeding bra which is way too loose. It doesnt support the way I needed. My breasts fell too quickly and my lefty snuck beneath the inframmatory fold creating a small double bubble. I immediately bandaged up my incinsions, and put my posts surgery bra on lifting them higher in the pocket and it's uncomfortable but it has put the implant back where it should be. Until that pocket heals I will be wearing a tight bra. So 3-6 months. More updates Tuesday when I see the PS. Sigh of relief... Updated on 27 Nov 2014: Went to see the PS om Tuesday, he says I'm healing nicely. The double bubble had started and while he was concerned he said that it's so early everything is subject to change. I put on my post surgical bra after that photo and one painful day later, I had pushed them back up in the pocket. By Tuesday at my appt my incisions were back where they're supposed to be. My Dr. laughed and said whatever I did, I was doing it right. Basically: I need strong support with a thick band under my breasts. He definitely supported me shopping at target for a better sports bra and sleeping in it. Said the cup part needs to be somewhat loose so I don't cause them to flatten or go up any further. Said they're perfectly placed and hopes they stay in that position. They're back to being firmer but it's bc they're up again. Also PS showed me massage techniques... Lemme tell you: he reached up and squashed my boob in such a way I started laughing bc my nipple looked like it was a chew toy ready to pop. But hey, whatever works right? Also: strength is def back. I can lift my 2.5 year old son and have been packing and moving medium sized boxes into our new place. Driving can still be tough after a while. Updated on 6 Dec 2014: I'm thinking it's been about 3 weeks now. No pain, just stiffness in the morning, and sometimes I'm sore after many hours of work. Getting my strength back slowly. I success fully moved and loaded heavy boxes. Driving for long periods still bothers me which is odd. I can pick up the kids no problem, but I can't stand any pressure against my chest... So no cuddling for me lol :-( I'd add a photo but it won't allow it for now... "It" being this site. Updated on 8 Dec 2014: As you can see, much dropping n fluffing. Sorry for my nosey lil one popping his head in. The look a lil bigger than normal here. But I'm not sad! Lol!! Updated on 6 Jan 2015: So far so good folks. I still feel tight whenI bring my arms far over my head, when I cough hard (I have a cold - boo!!) And when I need to move very fast... But it's only around my incision. The actual exterior is very faint for a scar. Doc did a great job. Inside I think I still have sutures or something bc it feels like hard-ish little knots under the skin incision. I don't feel right massaging them and sometimes when I do accidently it makes a popping feeling. Hmm. Well other than that everything is great. They are not like real boobs yet, but getting there. I can see the implant on the bottom of each breast slightly (on the interior lower section) but I know it's bc my upper body/chest was SO thin and flat... There's no fat, just a teeny bit of muscle and some skin. So that sucks but I'm sure over time it'll improve as fat/tissue grows around it. Pictures later!
I thought it was a bit costly and see now on realself that other doctors nearby charged 2,000 less for quad bleph. Remains to be seen if the outcome will be pleasant. Before, I felt my eyes looked bigger an had an appealing shape, albeit a tad bit droopy on one eye. Now, I look like I have a crescent-with-a bump shape which hopefully settles. I am kind of regretting not shopping around for a better price since it was very hard for me to come up with 6,000.
I was recommended to Dr. Piro by a friend after a LOT of research. So far, Dr. Piro is amazing! He is super nice and addressed all of my concerns. My surgery is August 31st. This Monday! I'm so excited! Here are some before pictures! I will be getting round, silicone implants. Either 240CC or 210CC, depending on how the sizers look during the surgery. It will probably be 240CC. I am 32, 5'2", and 105lbs. Updated on 3 Sep 2020: We went with the 240CC! The surgery went well. I felt surprisingly good by about noon (surgery at 8AM). I started really feeling it again by about 9PM. Despite feeling good the first day, I was specifically instructed to limit movement and I'm glad I did. I believe feeling as good as I did was due to the half-life of the anesthesia and therefore not my body telling me it was ok to move around. My left breast has a burning sensation, which is normal, but highly annoying. My right breast is pretty cool with the whole ordeal. When you get the surgery, you get Dr. Piro's cell phone number to call or text after office hours in case you need anything. He's very responsive. Yesterday (Day 3 Post-Op) is when the pics were taken. It was the first time I saw them! They are super swollen, but they look great so far! I was scared taking the bra off would hurt more, but it was actually nice. Putting the bra and band back on, however, was not fun at all. But I know the bra will help them heal in the right position, so it will stay on. Lol. I actually feel pretty functional today (Day 4). Less pain. I'm at my computer. Between the mild nausea of the pain meds and the pain/discomfort, I did not feel like doing anything the first few days. The psychology of cosmetic surgery is something worth noting before embarking on the adventure. I researched and considered for months. Even so, I am dealing with the thoughts and feelings of "Omg what did I do?" and "Why would anyone do this?" but it's just the nature of the procedure. I wasn't in pain before this. I didn't hate my body. This is completely elective, but I won't get the real results for possibly months. In the mean time, I'm in pain and can't go about my daily life, so it's natural that I feel a little down. Despite this, I know I made the right decision and that I will be super excited about it once they're healed! Updated on 9 Sep 2020: They're looking and feeling good! Or at least better. I can now drive and lift my hands above my head. Dr. Piro was amazing at the post op appointment. Answered the 1 million questions I had, didn't rush me, and told me the same thing he's told me 3 different times about possibly getting my boobs a little closer as if it was the first time he was giving me the info. Lol. (It wouldn't work to get them significantly closer because the nipples would be in a weird position. My boob gap is just wide, which I understood before.) I read a lot of reviews in which the Dr seemed to be impatient and dismissive after the surgery and that does NOT apply to Dr. Piro at all! He is so amazing! I'm still getting used to these things. I'm a little worried I went a little too big, but I'm certain I will get used to them and love them once they calm down (drop and fluff), and I start trying on bras and low-cut shirts! I mentioned the concern to Dr. Piro, and he mentioned they would seem less in-your-face once they settle down (my words, not his). I am to wear the bra and stabilizer band for at least another 2 weeks (until me next appointment). I can finally sleep laying down! That comes with it's own set of issues. The implants feel heavy and move around the mildly-sore pocket, so laying down flat is just awkward. I will make more adjustments tonight! I already had sleep issues, so your experience might be easier than mine. I started the "massages." They are uncomfortable, but that's just going to be my life until my body relaxes after being assaulted and stretched. Haha. I started using moisturizer on my chest and breasts to help the skin relax. I'm using FAB Ultra Repair Cream since it's good for sensitive skin, so I'm not worried about it irritating the incision site. I also just have some from a sample I got from Sephora. I asked for an extra bra because I don't have one that's supportive enough yet and my breasts got really sore when I had the bra off long enough to wash it. The recovery bra size is 34C, but I was told they run small and I know I'm not more than a 32 band. The sister sizer to 34C is 32D and 30DD, so let's hope the cup size runs small also! 32 bands stretch out easily on me, so I was hoping to be a size that is common in 30. Either way 32D is way more common than 32AA, so bra shopping should be much easier (one of my goals)! Also, everything itches all the time. Lol. But keeping the area moisturized and drinking plenty of water seems to help! Updated on 10 Sep 2020: tl;dr: I REALLY love a certain look in certain kinds of clothes, and being a large B/small C will make it easier to achieve that look without having to decide if I want to wear a massive pushup bra, try some inserts, etc with tops that are meant to be worn without a bra. I am now in my 30s, but I have had plenty of opportunity to get implants before, so why now? I was mildly insecure about how small my breasts were when I was a teenager, but not by much. They did not fully develop until I was about 20, and I loved my boobs by then. I had considered getting implants for a few years, but most of the people I knew with implants did not look or feel how I would prefer. I did eventually meet one person who had me considering it pretty hard, but between the money, recovery, and all the work to *hopefully* get what I wanted, I decided it wasn't worth it since I already love my boobs. Now, many years later, I'm in a more stable place with my life in general, I am confident I can get the shape and feel that I want, and I want the ease of clothing that medium boobs can bring. No insecurity. No one pressuring me to change. It's the most privileged reason EVER. I'm lucky to have people in my life that only help me feel good about my body, and I want that for everyone. Updated on 14 Sep 2020: It's so great to be more functional! I'm still being careful, but I feel like I can actually take care of myself. Lol. My nipples have been hurting for the last week, but I usually only notice if something touches them. I'm not sure the time frame that's supposed to go away, but I am excited for that day. I'm still wearing the stabilizer band and recovery bra. The bra is great, but I'm excited to (hopefully) be able to leave the band off after my next appointment next Monday! They're starting to soften up a good bit! I can tell the difference between the layers if I look for them and it no longer hurts when I sneeze (from tightness in the sternum area). I don't know if the lotion helped, but it at least made me feel like I was doing something to reduce the tightness. I had a 2lb kitten jump straight onto one of my boobs from my shoulder (laying down) and it was more surprising than painful, so that was a relief. Lol. Updated on 22 Sep 2020: Excite! I get to stop wearing the stabilizer band and the tightness is gone. Not sure if the moisturizer helped, but I'm glad. My nipples are still angry, but I usually don't notice. I developed a little bit of scar tissue near at the corner of one of the incision sites that has created a little dimple (pictured) and might be keeping that side from dropping more. Dr. Piro recommended we wait to see if it resolves on it's own. If it doesn't, it's a quick fix in the office with some local anesthesia. Either way, I'm very excited about the progress! As for recovery, I am SOOOO tired of healing. I want it to be done with. But I'm being careful and patient. I don't want to hurt myself. Super worth it. Updated on 29 Sep 2020: The nipple pain finally went away!!!!!!! They've also gotten REALLY soft. I'm really happy with them. The dimple got a little worse, but I'm seeing Dr. Piro about it soon. Will update with more pictures if things change visually! Updated on 30 Nov 2020: So the scar tissue has softened up, but the pocket is still closed below my left breast. Since the scar tissue is better, we decided to just try to push the implant down over the next couple of months to get it where it needs to go. If that doesn't work, he will go in and open the pocket back up so my nipples aren't so wacky. Lol. But they've softened up SOOOOOO much!!! I LOVE the way they feel! I do wish I'd not gotten boob greedy and gone with the 210CC instead, but not as all regretting it! If these ever develop a hole, I will get them replaced with the 210s probably. I am a large 32C, which means 32C fits, but barely. 32D is too big. They are just a TINY bit big for some of the clothes I wear because I am SO LITTLE, hence wanting to go down to 210CC if I ever need to get them replaced. Either way, I love them SOOO much!!!! As far as the scars go, you can see that one scar looks WAY better than the other. The one that looks better was rubbed with Bio-Oil and Honeydew Natural Scar Cream a LOT because I was trying to get the scar tissue to soften up. It really does work! I will be using it on the other scar more to help it heal better. I'm sad that my boobs STILL aren't done and they decided to do a weird thing, but I'm just impatient. I still love them and so glad I got them! Especially now when there's nothing to do and nowhere to go anyway! I will post better pics once they are fixed. Updated on 26 Apr 2021: They have settled and they basically just feel like my boobs now. I love the way they feel and the way they look. I do wish my nipples were more even, but if you look at my before photos, they're exactly the same amount of evenness they were pre-surgery. It's just more noticeable to me now because there was a change. The incision that was being weird has since stopped being weird (not pictured), but is directly in my fold and a little puckery, so I might ask for a scar revision on it when I have my next follow-up appointment. I still feel the muscles when I do certain things, but I've heard that goes away if you strengthen them. Price breakdown for me was: Surgeon: $4500 Operating Room: $1540 Anesthesia: $650 Implants: $1500 Total: $8,190 Make sure to find out what the price break down is for some of these reviews. It seems like a lot of people are just posting the surgeon fees, which is only part of the cost. I'm not sure if we're suppose to be putting in the total or just the surgeon fees.
I am 43, no kids, 5'7", 150 lbs. My bra size is a 34 F/G, depending on the brand. I'm active, muscular; I run 10 miles a week. I've wanted a breast reduction for what seems like forever. Years ago, when I had Kaiser, I was told a br would absolutely aesthetic and not covered, so I gave up. I changed insurance to Cigna a few years ago and decided to at least try to have the procedure covered. What I discovered is, unless you are incredibly large for your frame, you need to provide a lengthy history of suffering and alternative treatments you're unlikely to get coverage. I cannot provide this history, and at this point in my life, I don't want to spend a couple of years building a case. The procedure will cost me about $10,000: $7,500 for the PS, $1,400 for the OR, and $1,100 for the anesthesiologist. Seems high compared to what others have paid, but maybe that's just what it costs in the Bay Area. After reading at least 100 reviews in this site, I feel like I should share my story too. Having this br is symbolic for me; it represents a change in how I want to live my life - living in a way that I think is best for me. My surgery is scheduled for tomorrow. I'm a little nervous and excited. Trying to stay focused on the cute clothes I will get to wear when I am more proportional. Stay tuned for more! Updated on 26 Jun 2015: It's been just about 24 hours after surgery. The staff at Mills Peninsula was fantastic; everyone was polite and professional. The scariest part for me was walking into the OR. The operating table, all the equipment, the massive lights, you realize how serious surgery is. I tried to take deep breaths and stay calm until the anesthesiologist put me under. And then, boom, it's over and you're in the recovery room. The surgeon flushes the whole area with local anesthetic, so there is little pain. The worst part was being so incredible thirsty. I was given a muffin and juice. No way I could swallow the muffin; it just stuck to the inside of my mouth - must be caused by the anesthesia. Also, I had and still have, a terrible sore throat. They put something in the back of your mouth to keep throat open. I was warned of it before surgery. I'm feeling okay, some pain and discomfort from the compression bra. I started chephalexin this morning, and have been taking Percocet. The antibiotics seem to be giving me a stomach ache. At this point it is hard to have any idea of what "after" will look and feel like. I feel a little lighter, but maybe because of the swelling, it's hard to judge size. My button down shirt definitely fit better leaving the hospital. Thank you SO much for the kind thoughts and wishes. It's hard for some people to understand what it's like to have to constantly have to "deal" with a large chest. It means a lot to me to hear from others who get it. Updated on 27 Jun 2015: I've been pretty uncomfortable since the anesthesia wore off. So I've been taking 1/2 Percocet every 4 hours, even at 4 am. When it wears off, I tend to putter around which I'd like not to do. I'm completely bored and curiosity got the better of me, so I removed the compression bra. I can see now that some tape and the drains are the main source of discomfort. I look forward to having them removed Monday. As far as what size I am, I'm not sure. I wavered between going a little smaller and a little fuller, so I asked my PS to aim for ideally proportional. He called it a "perfect C". Compared to my original size, it seems pretty small. Can't say I don't like them though. They're looking pretty beat up now; I'll have to wait and see. Updated on 30 Jun 2015: Hi everyone. I saw my PS yesterday and had the drains removed. What a relief! He told me everyone says it's the worst part. He also said everything looked good and cleared me for as much physical activity I wanted as long as it wasn't causing pain. Said I could use the elliptical at the gym, and run again in 3-6 weeks. I went shopping after and bought a ridiculously flimsy bra to replace the hospital binder, it's much more comfortable. After I got home, I started tarted trying on my clothes and I'm loving the way everything fits now. I look thinner. The PS said that blood mixed with the surgical glue and looks like sharpie markings. He thought the glue would start to loosen next week; I'll post an updated pic then. I can say now, having this done was definitely worth the pain and the money. I felt like I looked so frumpy before. Now, I feel pretty and feminine. I'm excited for them to drop a bit and have a more tear drop shape.
So far, the entire experience has been easy, with very little pain. I still have swelling and numbness, but the bruises are starting to go away. The results look good so far, and I expect that they will look even better once the swelling is gone. Very happy with the experience and Dr. Piro did a great job! Updated on 21 Jun 2013: The bruises are fading quickly, and the numbness and tightness are getting better as well. Updated on 10 Mar 2014: It has been 8 months since my neck lift, and I have to say that the results are well worth it. After the third month, my scars were hardly noticeable and now they are not visible at all other than the faint line under my chin. I am very happy with my neck line, and will definitely go back to Dr. Piro for any future procedures.
