I had 390 cc saline implants removed after 18 years, 2 kids and 4 years of breastfeeding. During the initial consult and pre op appointments Dr. Bland did his best to manage the my post op expectations. For example, how drastic the change will be, the psychological impact of the change for patient and/or significant other. He does spend a lot 90 mins with you doing the initial consultation. So you'll have all the time you need to ask questions and or look at photos. My surgery went really well. I didnt have to take anything stronger than Tylenol 500 mg. The dr did prescribe pain meds, but I dont like how opioids make me feel. I had discomfort, but it was controlled with the 500mg Tylenol. I had my initial follow up on 4 days later, got my body tape and drains removed.I didnt get the capsules removed ( my choice, but he will do it if you want) and no lift. The scar is about an inch and a half. I’m extremely happy with my results so far. As far as BII symptoms go, the chronic fatigue is the one that I’ve noticed the most which has subsided drastically. There are other symptoms I’m monitoring but I feel so much better just having energy again.
Dr. Bland is very professional and I admired his excellent bedside manner. I was highly recommended to him by another plastic surgeon assistant in Colorado Springs and I have know regret up to this day. I had my mommy make over surgery in the Dominican Republic and needed a plastic surgeon for my follow up. I called DR. Bland office explained my situation and they scheduled me right away. On my first visit with Dr. Bland I knew he would take good care of me because he's a good listener and address to your concerns. His wife is also very professional and gave her in put if needed as well. I was surprised he didn't charged me for my visits but I paid for skin blemish treatment. I would recommend DR. Bland to anyone who is looking for a plastic surgeon in Colorado Springs area.
Irish freckles… and it runs in my family to have excess skin under chin. I'm healthy, 47, fit and 140 lbs but wanted to improve jawline. I am also a Rolfer specializing in Scar tissue work. 2 weeks post op I notice excess skin flap under jaw line…worse on my right side as if Platysma muscle was still swollen and projecting down, sagging down with flaps of skin on both sides under jaw bone.…worse on my right side. I am or was a bit worried but I've been "working" the tissue myself and have seen great results. Surgically, I would say, I needed an excess skin flap removed..as in surgeon left a flap there. I opted for the scars to NOT go up in front of my ears but stop at earlobe. My surgeon obliged and says that the excess skin flap could have been taken care of IF I'd of let him take the incision further up in front of my ear. Nevertheless, I've decided to take matters into my own hands…literally. I've been working the scars and "flap" and have gotten great results. I use my 2 hands, 2 straight index fingers and capture (as best I can) either side of the skin flap, i.e.: right finger lays at the top of crease, left finger lays in the middle of the fat flap…I "saw" the tissue between my fingers and repeat to the bottom of the flap. I repeat the same proceedure of "capturing" the tissue " in the middle of the flap and compressing it to the flat normal skin above it. In essence, I am (lightly as pain permits) crushing or grinding the scar tissue onto itself and breaking up the edges of the flap…I repeat all up and down on both sides of the flap. Also, I use the tip of my finger to do minute vibrational circles into the entire area. I also use the tip of my finger to "erase" in a minute tiny movements as if your finger was an eraser and you could disturb the tissue. IT WORKS!! the flap has smoothed out and perhaps..jury is still out and I will continue this everyday….I will not need any more "revisions, ultherapy, lipo, botox etc" to "repair" the flap. You can do this yourself or have a friend do this. It is not rocket science and I only wish that PS would learn these technique to help the mental pain and suffering of many patients wondering if they did the right thing..or waiting a year for "revision" surgery. Also, you could find a Rolfer / Structural Integration therapist that works with Scar tissue…Look up Sharon Hancoff… She was my Scar Tissue teacher. These scar tissue techniques work on EVERY scar in the body. Think of scars as having tentacles that penetrate down and into the fascial matrix above, below, beside. Sometime creating "strings" deeper than is visible. Those tissues can be changed without medical intervention. I have seen in my own practice HUGE results with "painful" scars becoming painless, movement and range of motion improving. etc. Good luck and I hope this info helps!
My experience from the initial call, the actual surgery, to the follow up visit went extremely well and smooth. I love the results. Dr Bland and his staff were pleasant and professional. I had this surgery performed a few years ago and I still am so happy with my eyes. I have always had heavy lids which were exacerbated with a Botox happy nurse at another clinic. Dr Bland took his time and was very informative with every detail. I highly recommend him!
9 days post-op and I feel good! Although, it is the very beginning I am happy with the results. I have a lifted tummy when I sit down! The results are great! I think almost everyting I wanted out of the proceedure was acccomplished. Cons: noneUpdated on 8 Jun 2011:After nearly 10 years of waiting it has been great to feel better about myself and being comfortable in my own skin. I have been an avid exerciser, but no matter how many abs I did it never improved my middle to lower abdominial muscle tone or sagging skin. A tummy tuck was the only way and so far I am happy! I don't have a little pouch anymore!
I had my tummy tuck on November 11th 2008. I was uncomfortable for about 3 weeks. After that? I would easily say I would do it all over again. Don't hesitate...go in with a great attitude...you will be so happy you did it. My Dr told me this isn't a form of weight loss but I beg to differ. I exercise (walk) as much as I can..and really did some power walking prior to my surgery. I lost quite a bit and went from a size 12-14 to an 8 after the tummy tuck. It is so amazing to see my feet for the first time in years....not to mention a belly button that is so cool. DO IT. If you can give birth you can handle this pain. I only "wondered" why I did this for about five minutes......each and every day I am happy I did this!
I went to Gregory Bland in CO and it was a disaster! This was a breast "update" as mine were very old and encapsulated, but he assured me he could do this replacement surgery. He prefers small boobs (always talks about his wife being an A/B) Other than that, no help in sizing other than "what cup size do you want to be?" I arrived at the center at 10:45am as scheduled and was not taken back until almost 2:00, they said they had technical issues but did not elaborate. He did not tell me he would be his own anesthesiologist and this did not go well. He could not awaken me and I did not leave the center at 7pm, eight hours in total. He was supposed to put a larger implant on one side but it is quite evident he put it on the wrong side. I am very uneven. When I tried to discuss this in followup, he said "I wouldn't worry about it". A second opinion surgeon said I should return for a redo but I am frightened by the prospect of putting myself in his hands again. Surgery was over $8,300 and I cry every night when I look in the mirror. I cannot get a bra to fit and have to wear clothing that keeps my chest completely covered. I do not have another $7,000 - $8,000 to spend on making myself even! I would rate him zero stars but did not have that option.
I have been researching as much as I can about breast augmentations/implants for some time now, but more intensely this past year. This is not a decision I have taken lightly by any means, and am committed to being as knowledgeable as I can be concerning the procedure. I have spoken with my doctor about my upcoming procedure and got a thumbs up to move forward with my surgeon. Dr. Bland came recommended to me by my coworker, a friend (and coworker of Dr.Bland), and has been highly recommended online, and in local magazines. He was the second surgeon I had a consultation with and I felt 1000% comfortable with him. I feel like we were able to communicate clearly to each other with no nonsense. I don’t have time for nonsense, and I’m sure he doesn’t either. He is very knowledgeable and accommodating. So tomorrow is my pre op appointment. At this point right now I am thinking I’d like the sientra smooth round implants, Somewhere around 500cc. I am torn between moderate and moderate plus profile though. Dr. Bland and I have the same taste in breast, so I am confident that he will steer me in the right direction. He measured me at 15 cm, so my chest can accommodate a good amount of implant. I am 5’3, 200lbs. Depending on the bra I wear anything from a 38B to 40C. I am hoping to be a big D to small DD. My main concern is gaining some width and side boob. I also am lacking in tissue on the underside of my breasts. I’ve had some doctors say I have mild tuberous breast, some say mild constriction, some say nothing at all. RealSelf has helped me a lot in my researching, and planning. Reading others stories and following their progress pictures has been very helpful for me in my journey. So I decided I would document my journey as well... maybe I’ll help someone else out there! To be honest I’m quite nervous, but more excited than anything. This is something I’ve wanted since I was about 16, and I’m finally doing it! Ah! Lol Updated on 6 Mar 2019: So yesterday I went in for my pre op appointment. Based on what we talked about at my first consultation, and the research I have been doing, I knew I wanted to be in the 500cc range. I wanted sientra smooth round implants (their warranty is the best!). But I was conflicted with choosing a profile. I didn’t know if I wanted moderate plus or moderate. So after we went over all the information and details at the appointment, he asked me what I would like. Initially I said “I’m not entirely sure, you’re the professional, what do you think?”. He refuses to make decisions for his patients, so instead his approach to narrowing down the options for them is excellent. We weighed the pros and cons for each technique, size, and profile. So ultimately everything was my decision with his professional guidance. I’m a control freak, so I liked that about him lol. He also does not use sizers or 3D imaging to view potential sizes. I was taken off guard at first by this, but the reasons actually makes sense. Ladies, always trust your surgeon! I also recommend doing your fair share of research, and use your common sense when you go into this. So ultimately, this is what we decided on: Sientra smooth round moderate plus profile, 525cc in right breast, 505cc in the left breast. We decided on doing a inframammary incision, and sub fascial implant placement. So excited is an understatement! I’m over the moon and can’t wait ???????????? Btw, feel free to ask me any questions. Updated on 10 Mar 2019: Since the day I put down my deposit and booked my surgery date, I stared looking into all the things women and doctors recommended for post surgery to make life a little easier. I am not healing at home, I am going to my boyfriends house right after surgery for 3.5 days. So this bag will have everything I need to heal away from home the first few days. I found several lists online, from surgeons websites, and of course RealSelf. From those lists, I gathered the items that made the most sense to me. So here is what is in my BoobBag: * Gauze, to protect incision * Qtips (organic 100% cotton), to apply cream and reduce chance of infection * Hygiene wipes, for when I can’t shower * Deoderizing wipes, easier to apply than traditional deodorant * Dial unscented anti-microbial soap, for cleaning incision site when instructed * Ice packs * Mederma * Bendy straws * Chapstick * Toothbrush and toothpaste * Saline solution * Loose button up shirts * Loose comfy yoga pants * 95% cotton sports bras (I couldn’t find 100% cotton) * Medication prescribed by Dr. Bland * Colace The day of surgery I will add my other prescription medications I take everyday. I know that some of these things will not be needed until later on in the healing process, but I wanted to try and have everything I can think of so I don’t have to worry about it later. I would rather be over prepared than under prepared. Plus, most of this stuff are things I will continue to use, and are just good to have around the house. Updated on 17 Mar 2019: Time is flying by! My BA is quickly approaching and I am getting nervous! I also keep thinking “am I really going to do this?”. I just keep reminding myself of how much I’ve always wanted this. I think I’m also a bit in shock that this is actually happening! I’m so excited! In terms of my nervousness, i think it’s about the surgery itself. I am very confident in my decisions about the implants. Some days I think, omg 525cc is HUGE! What are you doing?! But then I remember that I’m not the super fit skinny girls that are all over the internet. The 525cc will fit my body just how I have always wanted them to. I also trust my surgeon Dr. Bland, and his staff. I feel very comfortable with them and their facility. His before and after results speak for themselves and it’s a shame he doesn’t have more of a presence on RealSelf. Ultimately I think writing this post was more for me, to maintain my peace of mind lol. I also added 3 more items to my BoobBag! 1. Freezable eye mask, they really help me to relax and sleep well 2. Bio Oil, to help minimize stretch marks and scarring 2. A back scratcher, having an itch you can’t reach is a torture for only your enemies! The next 3 days I will finalize deep cleaning my apt. Making sure all laundry, dishes, beds, and floors are super clean and free from any tripping hazards. I have a small apartment and a 5 year old son, so tripping hazards are a real issue lol! When I get home, I want to be able to plop into bed and not have to worry about anything except what the hell to watch on Netflix. Well my next post will probably be on my treatment day! Eek! ???????? Updated on 21 Mar 2019: I can’t believe today is the day I’m getting boobs! I’ve wanted this for so long and I think I’m a bit in shock. I have so many conflicting thoughts swirling in my head. I just took a Valium, so I’m sure everything will become rainbows and bunnies soon :) I had to take some last “farewell” pictures before I left the house this morning. In 4 hours I’ll be waking up to boobs! ???? eek! Updated on 21 Mar 2019: So I realized my pictures from earlier, my “farewell” pictures, didn’t post. I’ll post them on this update. So right now I’m laying in bed, watching a movie. My right breast is the one that hurts the most right now, but it has the slightly larger implant in it, and my dominant side. So surgery went great! I remember walking into the OR, laying on the table, and strapping my arm downs. Then I was OUT! I woke up from anesthesia easily, and they helped me walk to the post op room where I could relax and wake up more. I was so ready to leave, get a smoothie, and sleep lol. My post op appointment is Monday at 1:30 to remove dressings and all that fun stuff. I have to say I LOVE my breasts now! They will look so good once they “drop and fluff”. Dr. Bland is truly an artist, and his staff is AMAZING! They all make you feel so loved and valued, not just a number. I can’t wait to go back and see them all! Dr. Bland said the surgery went super great, and I did a great job too. I just love his office ???? Updated on 22 Mar 2019: So far I feel like a damn unicorn. I have little pain, just still more of an achy feeling. I’m definitely feeling it more today, but my breasts are still numb, especially on the bottom. Tomorrow I’m sure I’ll be feeling more discomfort. I’m actually looking forward to feeling some pain, just to remind me I got my boobs done lol! Morning boob is definitely a thing, but mine is so minimal compared to everyone else I’ve read about or talked to. I have complete arm movement too. Picking things up off the floor is more difficult though... I just have to get down on my knees and get it instead of bending over. Wiping after using the restroom is a bit sore, but I’ve switched to using my left hand instead of my right and that’s been so much better. I’ve been enjoying plenty of sleep and watching movies. So far my experience has been amazing! Dr. Blands office called me last night to see how I was doing, and this morning. They are so great. I can’t say enough great things about them! Updated on 23 Mar 2019: I’m definitely not a unicorn... the numbness is wearing off and I’m getting more sore. As weird as it sounds I’m glad I’m Actually feeling some discomfort finally! Lol I’ve been sleeping a lot! I’d rather be sleeping than sitting around bored and in pain. I still have full range of motion with my arms which is very helpful. I am glad I didn’t go under the muscle! I know day 3 will be the worse, so I’m not looking forward to that. But I do get to go home tomorrow and I’m looking forward to laying in my own bed. It’s been nice having my boyfriend around but I miss my own space. The car ride home will suck... but I’ll manage. I was told using a pillow will help. I’m looking forward to my post op appointment on Monday and a nice shower :) I would kill for a bath, but I have to wait 2 weeks. Updated on 24 Mar 2019: If anything today is the best day I’ve had yet in terms of pain and discomfort. I’m still numb though.... it’s fading, but still there. I finally pooped this morning, it was pretty awesome. Know what wasn’t awesome? My Saint Bernard had diarrhea last night. So it’s like 4am and I’m trying to clean up my hallway that is splattered with two-handed liquid [RS bleep]. Apparently my mobility is improving because I was able to clean it up fairly easily, but it was still uncomfortable for many reasons. Tonight I’m staying at my best friends house, she’s taking me to my post op appointment tomorrow. I should be able to shower tomorrow! Yay! Updated on 25 Mar 2019: Today I had my first post op appointment. The dressings were removed and steristrips were added. Know what that means? That means this [RS bleep] got to shower today! Woohoo! Dr. Bland said my surgery went perfectly, and I was the perfect patient. He also said that I picked the best size for me, any bigger would have caused atrophy. Apparently my skin is like baby skin because it’s like it’s never been stretched before. Well I knew that. Even when I was pregnant my boobs never changed one bit. I had the same 14 year of [RS bleep] my whole adult life until now. So because of this, it will take my breasts longer to drop and fluff and my skin stretches out. Naturally, i would love to see quicker progress, but atleast I have much less chance of sagging as I age! So I doubt I’ll be posting regular updates for awhile. My next post op appointment is in 2 weeks. Feel free to ask me any questions :) Until next time, I’ll be showering, pooping, and moving around like a mostly normal person! :) Updated on 15 Apr 2019: I know I said I would post this update a week ago after my 2 week post op appointment, but life got busy and I spaced doing it... I’m sorry! So I’m here now. My 2 week post op appointment went well. Everyday my boobs get a little better in terms of squish, scars, and appearance. My right incision was giving me a hard time once the steristrips fell off. But it was the smaller boob that got the larger implant so I wasn’t surprised at all. The tightness has been the most irritating part of the healing in my opinion. It can be so annoying and slightly painful. It makes me hyper aware of the fact I have breast implants, and I just want to feel normal already! But like dr. Bland said before, it’s going to take awhile for my skin to stretch out and get used to the implant. To be honest I haven’t been massaging them as much as I’m supposed to, or wearing my sports bra. And unfortunately I’ve started smoking a few cigarettes here and there. Ugh. I really need to quit that [RS bleep]! I’m a bit disappointed in myself. So because my right incision had a small spot of irritation when I went into my appointment, we scheduled another 2 week appointment (4 weeks post op), to check the spot again. He cleared me to go back to the gym, but nothing crazy (doesn’t matter, I’m not a huge fan of working out lol). Hopefully next week he will clear me to swim, the incision is looking better and better and is less irritating to me. I’m feeling impatient with the drop and fluff... they look like cones from the sides. And they are still quite uneven because of my right breast being tighter. I still love them, and I know they will look amazing once they finish settling. Updated on 30 Jul 2019: I am absolutely in love with my boobs now! They are perfect, and so much more than what I had hoped for. They are soft and squishy, they have settled into place, and my clothes fit me so much better now. I feel like my body is more proportioned and I feel sexy.... best money ever spent! So worth it! Updated on 28 Nov 2019: So it’s been about 8 months since my surgery, and I am still so in love! They are better than I ever imagined them to ever be. I am more confident than ever, my clothes fit amazing, and I can actually fill out a bra for the first time in my life. I’d walk around topless everywhere if I could lol. I went to Victoria’s Secret and got fitted for bras. I am currently wearing a 40D bra, or 38DD. Which is exactly what I wanted when I first consulted with Dr. Bland. I love the shape, the incision placement, everything. My scars are still fading, but I honestly haven’t been the best about applying my Mederma on a regular basis. I now what what boob sweat is like, and the struggles of button up shirts... and I’m not mad! Lol I literally paid for those “issues” and I still get excited when I get to experience that. Everyday when I get dressed, I get to look in the mirror at my amazing breasts and it’s like Christmas morning everyday! There’s not a thing I would change! One thing I would like to add, is that since my surgery I have experienced a MAJOR loss in my sex drive. I don’t know if there is a correlation, but it is what it is. I mentioned it to my good friend who is a RN, and speaks to the FDA on many things, and she told me when she had her breast implants she wasn’t able to have an orgasm, but once they were removed she was back to normal. She had many issues with her implants, including the “implant sickness”. In my personal opinion, and after talking to her about implants before my surgery, I’m convinced women who experience “sickness” from implants is due to an allergy to the implants. Especially because there are metals in the implants, and if you have any metal allergies, that could obviously pose an issue. I will say that I am allergic to moody everything and I have not had a single issue directly related to the implants. Again, her inability to orgasm after implants, and my loss of sex drive after implants, is odd, but we both agree that we have no idea why that happened or if there is a correlation, but coincidences in my mind are very few and far between in life. I have a prescription testosterone cream to use when I want to be in the mood lol. We ran my labs beforehand, and while my testosterone levels were in the normal range, it was on the low end of normal. My nipples still don’t have full sensation back, and under my left breast is still numb. But it hasn’t been a full yet yet and changes are still occurring before I end up at my final titty destination. But if nothing ever changed, and I stayed the way I am right now, I would still be so happy about everything, and I wouldn’t regret or change a thing! Ladies, I encourage you to be extremely well informed before any kind of surgery or procedure you get. And if you have any metal allergies, get tested before you go for the surgery. Be smart, and be safe out there! And again, Dr. Bland will be the only person to EVER work on me if I chose to have any future procedures done. As an update: I am 5’3, 212lbs, and am now a 40D in Victoria’s Secret.
Hi ladies! I have wanted to have kids my whole life but since I was 12 or 13 I decided I didn't want kids late in life like my mother, so I decided to cut off having kids at 29 years old. I always knew I wanted to breastfeed so I have always said I will gift myself with new boobies if mine were torn up after the kids Well ladies, I a now 29, my surgery date is 23 days away, and I am beyond anxious! My boobs are super deflated, 0 volume up top, with all volume falling in the lower lobe. I am SOOO READY FOR NEW BOOBS! I am getting the new Mentor MemoryGel Xtras! I am not sure what my final size will be but I want big squishy boobs! I am def going for a more top heavy look but my surgeon wants me to keep in mind that my tiny 5'2 frame may not accommodate all of the volume too well. When breastfeeding I got up to a 34 G and I truly want to get back to that size so I pray my frame can support the 700cc or 755cc
Ladies, I haven't seen to many reviews under 300cc. I want to look natural. My plastic surgeon says he thinks 210-240cc would be perfect if I am looking for something natural but that I will probably think thats too small. I plan on using Moderate Natrelle inspira. I am thinking I should go around 275/295 cc Updated on 4 May 2018: Ladies! Yesterday was my BA surgery!!!! I was a bit nervous going in but Dr Blands’s staff was amazing and did a good job keeping me relaxed. I was pretty nervous about my implant size. I am going smaller then most reviews I have read. It was important to me to maintain my active life style and I didn’t want the girls to get in the way. I also wanted them to look very natural. Dr. Bland did the surgery with local anesthesia and IV sedation which has meant a lot less side effects from general anesthesia which I absolutely am loving right now. I am so grateful to the ladies on this form who have given me some great ideas to help me during recovery. So I thought I’d share a few of them with you as well. Using the neck pillow in my recliner has been great for sleeping. Also another lady mentioned it was hard for her to open her medicine so I’ve pre-opened my medicine caps so I don’t have to struggle with them. Mind you my children are grown so no one will be accidentally overdosing on open till bottles. I started taking laxatives day before surgery help make sure things keep moving and will continue to take them daily and tell constipation resides. So far though no real bloating which is extremely awesome not sure if this has to do with not going under general. I think going subfascial has really helped as well as arm movements aren’t horrible ...uncomfortable but not horrible. My left breast is still quite high which is to be expected my right breast seems to already be settling a bit. They have me in a sports bra but only have the left breast covered the right breast has the sports bra on top of it. Adding before and after pictures of pre-op and less then 24 hours after surgery.... coming as soon as I can figure out why I am getting an error message ????
