If anyone is unsure of who to choose as your plastic surgeon, please read this. Mark Ashton and his team are absolutely unbelievably incredible. I had two recent failed breast surgeries (breast lift and fat transfer) with another surgeon and I never thought the results would improve no matter who completed the reconstruction surgery. I chose to go with Mark ashton based on his reputation and a prior meeting from years earlier where I thought to myself “THIS is what it’s meant to feel like in a consult”. After having two children, and two failed surgeries, my breasts were at least 8cm below where they should have sat, had a lot of weight in them and nipple placement very low. I honestly had not very high expectations no matter who I decided on based on my prior experiences and trauma, I just thought to myself “ah well, anything is better than this I guess”. I originally wanted to have my reconstruction done having a breast lift and implants. Mark was very cautious and up front in telling me that this would need to be done in two surgeries as a breast lift and reduction would be step 1 with implants coming later. I am currently 3 weeks post op after my breast lift and reduction with Mark and I can happily say no matter my expectations, the result is better than anything I could have imagined and I am certainly not going to need the stage two of implants. They are absolutely incredible, perky, upper pole fullness, nipple placement is perfect and a great size, absolutely no need for implants! Not only is Mark fantastic, his entire staff are the loveliest people you will meet. The nurses are very well equipped and trained, they are immediately on to anything and everything that could go wrong. Simply impeccable and I cannot fault them. On that note - the Epworth Freemasons Hospital have been nothing short of amazing also for my overnight stay. I can say the same for all of their staff and nurses. You don’t feel like “just another patient”, they are there for you whenever you need anything. This is quite a long review but for anyone that is having trouble deciding like I was, or maybe have had some bad experiences like me and are super nervous for any reconstruction work, please take the time to have a consult with Mark. I had severe anxiety and a lot of mental health issues after my first two failed surgeries being a 27 year old with such awful original results, it was a big step for me doing this reconstruction surgery and it is the best thing I have ever done. Mark did advise me at my initial consult that I needed to lose weight naturally (as I wanted liposuction also), I had a lot of trouble losing weight due to my mental health about my body which he was slightly concerned with for the end result (losing weight can alter results), but as stated above, the result is STILL AMAZING, and I am fully aware they MAY drop slightly when I lose my weight. My mental health and happiness about my body has done a complete turnaround and I can finally feel happy with my body again. Thank you Mark and the team, truly.
My experience in August was 100%. Mark Ashton listened to my concerns - not only about the procedure I was to undergo, but also my fear of the entire experience. (By this....I mean doctor's approach, nursing staff in attendance before and after the procedure). He was very supportive on the day of procedure and made me feel very at ease as the anaesthetic was being administered. I felt confident with the nursing staff and they looked after me well. I am happy with the results post procedure so far. Doctor Ashton will check me again in February and if I have any concerns I will feel comfortable in letting him know. He is approachable and kind and I would recommend him to anyone.
I'm currently 4 months post Breast lift with implants and I could not be happier. Professor Ashton was fantastic and my results are very very natural...extremely happy and highly recommend mark and his team
Very happy with results and experience with Dr Mark Ashton and his staff. Defiantly a big operation and I needed a lot of support the first two weeks. Slow recovery and slowly getting back to exercise. Some continued swelling on the upper abdomen from where the hernia was repaired. That’s to be expected. No scar treatment with oils just the micro tape. 11 weeks post op and gaining more mobility and flexibility with time. Updated on 1 Jun 2019: Thought I’d post a 11 months postop doing OK still some tightness and flexibility but happy with results definitely better than what I had before. Numbness still there down the midline. The scar doesn’t really bother me.
Amazing from start to finish. He has a lovely warm bedside manner. A perfectionist in his craft. Would recommend him without hesitation and In fact have done so for many friends. My result is so good have me a new leash on life
So after much procrastination and research, I took the plunge and consulted a surgeon who advised that I in fact had muscle separation. My initial reasoning for seeing a surgeon was to consider a tummy tuck. Fast forward, it's day 9 post op and im feeling sore and restricted. Am left with two drains still and my back is aching. Im unable to straighten my back fully which is kind of getting me down. Im trying to think long term gain! ????
So I'm currently two weeks post op and I've been back and forth about doing a review. In my hubby's words "darling do you really want your boobs out there for everyone to see" he is supportive of me doing so, he just wanted to make sure it was the right decision for me being that I am a pretty private person. But you know what brave women who are able to share their stories on sites like this is so super helpful. I know it helped me so much in the preparation for my own surgery. Also if no one was brave enough to share their images how would we ever see the work of our amazing doctors which we hugely reply on when picking the right PS for our job? I must admit a huge part of doing this is because I love my doctor, I chose him for a reason and I've put my full trust in him form the very beginning of the whole process. What he has done to my breasts is nothing short of a miracle when you look at my before and afters in the space of just two short weeks! That's not to say I haven't had my ups and downs because to be honest in the first few days I hated them (too big) and I was an emotional mess thinking I'd made the wrong decision to have implants in the first place and should have just gone with a lift. But every time I was unsure I just reminded myself I chose the best and I am confident all will settle and I will end up with a result as close to my wish images as physically possible. I've still got a way to go in terms of recovery but I honestly freak out (in a good way) when I look at my before and afters and think it is just so incredible what these doctors are capable of, it blows my mind. So I guess I owe my doctor a good review don't you think? Prof. Mark Ashton you are a kindhearted gentle soul who took care of me in realising a dream of 18 years. You have changed my life so far and I thank you! I would definitely recommend him if you are looking for a top breast specialist PS in Melbourne, however I would also still recommend you see the top three or so plastic surgeons who specialise in breast augs/lifts etc. (this kind of surgery is not something you skimp on so go with the best or wait until you can afford to!!) see what they all recommend and in the end I believe you will know which one is the right PS fit for you pretty immediately. If you go through this process you will be able to put 100% trust into your chosen surgeon which helps through the whole process especially the recovery stages. I will put some more before and afters into this review so I can fill you in on the last few weeks of my journey and try and keep this journal updated throughout my healing process. Right now though I'll leave you with my stats. - 35 years old - 51kg - 158cm (5ft2) - Mother of two breastfeed children (4yo and 2.5yo) - level three ptosis (extremely saggy and completely empty in upper pole) - Start size: D cup (very empty and sad looking D cup) - Desired outcome: not too big, full C at most. perky but natural looking. To combat the scars I knew would be unavoidable I wanted a fabulous shape which is why I went with a small implant over just a lift in the first place. - what was done to correct my breasts: Full anchor lift, nipple size correction (wanted them as small as possible) breast reduction to right breast to correct symmetry issues. 255cc Mentor CPG moderate plus profile silicone gel implants placed under the muscle to help correct overall shape (more about shape than size) End goal - natural looking but fabulous C cup. Updated on 22 Sep 2017: As my mother in law would say my breasts looked like I belonged in one of those tribes were women hang around wearing no bra all day (you know what I mean) ???? My breasts were next level saggy and I had absolutely no upper pole fullness at all!! My breasts grew in at a very young age I mean I had a decent C cup at age 11! and they were never full, even at 16 I could never not wear a bra as they just seemed to grow in saggy from the get go. At party's and school formals all the other girls would wear cute backless numbers or strapless dresses or those little spaghetti strap dresses and I couldn't wear anything that couldn't hide a hideous bra that resembled some sort of contraption made for my grandma!!! No girl at 17 should be wearing a wide strapped beige number with 4 rows of eyelets at the back for support you know what I'm saying!!!!! My family all have big breasts, my mum and two sisters have all had breast reductions. Mine at size 10E were the smallest because although I fit into an 10E cup bra my breasts were always wide but not full. I always had to stuff them into my bras to sit right. I've always been able to make them look ok in clothes and nobody would guess I was actually as big as I was because of the lack of fullness. But naked was a whole other story!I've hated them my whole life and vowed to get them done one day but thought I'd wait until after children. Children took a long time to come and so now at 35 years old I was finally able to realise a dream I had for almost 18 years!!! You cant even imagine how excited I was when I made my finally choose my PS, made a surgery booking and paid my deposit! I could pinch myself every day that I was actually doing this! My adoring husband made a huge sacrifice for me this year and he put all our savings together so I could finally do it and have the new boobs I'd always wanted to match the rest of me! My hubby loved me completely the way I was, saggy cans and all so this was something I was purely doing for myself. Now it's done however I simply cannot walk around naked around him anymore because he just gets too turned on at the sight of me. It's really cute actually and I'm loving the effect it has on him... lol So my adult pre baby boobs would range from a DD to an E but I could never completely fill out the cups. Throughout my life I had fluctuations in weight, I'd always been small but there were a few times in my life I'd put on a decent amount of weight (5-10kg) and then lost it quickly. My breasts would also increase at least a cup size every month when I got my period. All of these things made the sagging worse over the years. When I fell pregnant I did a bit of a Kim kardashian, I got so puffy and swollen! I went from 55kilo to 80kilos!!! My breasts because a massive full bulging G-H cup it was insane!!! (See images) This happened to me in both my pregnancies, massive weight gain and boobs as big as my belly! Once I finished breastfeeding I worked really hard to get back into shape and I got there after a year of hard work. I've now been around 50kg for the past 2 years. My boobs as you can imagine as a result became "not so cute" belly button swingers! Honestly horrendous!!! They ended up being a very saggy 10D, But while I needed that size for breast width I wasn't even close to filling up the D cups, so dressed in clothes I actually looked like a small C to large B cup. No-one but my hubby saw me naked, I would always turn around if I changing in front of my girlfriends and even my sisters, I was so ashamed and embarrassed of them! You see I take a lot of pride in my heath, fitness and appearance, I've always been a girl that likes to dress up and look nice so I needed my breasts to finally match the rest of me. You can see in my photos I've added of my vectra images which are so very sag I mean SAD! ???? Ive added a few more images of what my breasts were like while pregnant and then the day before my surgery. Anyway that's my pre op back story! More to come on my journey in upcoming posts! Updated on 22 Sep 2017: Here are some examples of my before and afters in clothes I wore before surgery that still fit me know so you can see the difference so far. You can see the result is quite natural, I still fit into the same clothes I just don't need any support to hold them up. The shape is much nicer and I don't look flat from the side anymore, other than that they pretty much look the same size (so no one would really notice the work which is what I wanted!!) Keep in mind I'm only two weeks post op so I'm still hoping I get down to a C once all the swelling does down. Currently I am fitting into and filling out a 10D bra. Updated on 22 Sep 2017: These are some of the pictures I showed my surgeon during our first consult. The first black and white image of EM RATA aka the ultimate babe was my number one wish image and the look we printed out as an example for my surgery. Obviously the PS has to work with what what you've got and your own body measurements etc but I'm hoping for a result as close to this as physically possible! Updated on 23 Sep 2017: I am currently just over 2 weeks post op so I am just doing a little fill in on my journey to date. A few things I thought I'd mention... - I'm Aussie so quoted costs and bra sizes differ here. Example my size 10D would be similar to your 32D - My surgery cost over $16,000 AUD which is almost $13,000 USD I qualified for an insurance/Medicare rebate as my surgery was deemed "medically necessary" YEP that's how bad they were! In Australia (or if you are in Aus and following this review) I qualified for the code 45558 which means I had to have children between 1-7 and a certain level of ptosis in the breast. It took 3 months for Medicare to review my case and photos taken from my doctors office to then let me know I was approved for funding. I also have private health insurance which means all in all I saved/got back just over $5000 putting my out of pocket costs for this surgery at about $11,000 AUD. Ok back to my experience pre op to first few hours post op. I was so exited to be doing this that my excitement far outweighed my nervousness! I have never been in surgery before, never even seen an operating theatre outside of greys anatomy... haha So I was a little freaked out about that part, but my hospital (Frances Perry House) the nursing staff, my anaesthetist, my surgeon were all brilliant at making me feel like I was in the best of hands! Prior to surgery you wait in a little room just outside your theatre and that's were your PS does all your surgery markings, after that was done my anaesthetist came in to insert my IV and give me something to relax. He told me it would be like having a pre dinner drink that will just relax me and take the edge off my nerves. Well let me tell you it was the best goddamn drink I ever had because next minute I'm waking up in recovery and don't remember a thing since I had this so called "pre - dinner drink" and because of that I've still not technically seen a theatre operating room because I've no recollection of it!!! My PS came to visit me later after surgery and I was like what the hell did you give me I don't remember a thing!!! He was laughing at me saying I was very much awake saying how nice and relaxing it all was ( god knows why else I might have said) anyway obviously they properly knocked me out while operating but I just don't remember anything past the breast markings and the IV insertion and to be honest it made the whole experience a really wonderful one! Anyway once I was back in my room my darling husband was waiting for me. We had our two kids looked after and he literally stayed by my side from my 7am check in until the 8:30pm hospital closing hours. He waited on me and hand and foot and to be honest I found the whole thing a really beautiful bonding experience between us. We couldn't stop peeking at the new girls in our life and that made for some intimate little moments between us... anyway moving on. I had to have the dreaded drains due to the type of surgery I had so I stayed in overnight. My first impressions of the girls was that I liked them and it was done so there was relief there! But I also thought they were a bit big, a bit high and very wide set apart but I had prepared for that and I was confident this was all due to swelling so didn't think much more about it. Updated on 23 Sep 2017: Man day one I was on such a high that today I am feeling the effects of a massive come down!!! I'm in hospital and waiting to be discharged after breakfast and a quick visit from my PS. My plastic surgeon comes in and looks at me from a distance and says "good your up and all looks good" I'm like are you sure? Do you need a closer look? I said they are huge and very wide set. He tells me they'll come together and swelling will go down but that they will sit two finger widths apart as anything closer would look frumpy and make me look bigger. Which I didn't want... So although I am starting to freak out a bit already at this point I have to remind myself I choose one of the best plastic surgeons around and I have not only trusted him but relied on his experience and opinion for the best fit, shape and size for my body, he is the expert after all! You see my PS is particularly skilled in reconstructive work and lifts and being that I wasn't a super straight forward case I put my all my trust in him and will continue to do so while I try so hard to be patience and not frustrated by my results. You can't help wondering when things don't work out the way you imagined... god did he even listen to me? Did I make the wrong decision? Should I have stuck to my original idea and just had a lift (I love small perky boobs best after all) did I do enough research? Oh so much doubt, coupled with pain and you really can be an emotional mess in these first few days!!! It's such an image adjustment even if it is for the better... Also might I mention I didn't tell anyone but my husband and one of my closet girlfriends that I was actually having an implant. Everyone knew of my surgery but thought I was just doing a lift. So I'm thinking how the F@#K am I going to hide this!? In my head I looked like Pammy Anderson, it got worse as I got dressed, my [RS bleep] are high standing to attention and they exceed so far past my arms I can't even close them!! I feel fat (the last thing anyone wants) I feel like a walking bodybuilding bulldog..... This is all in past tense, so I know for a fact things are going to get a whole lot better soon but man today was a rough day and it actually got worse before it got better. Stay tuned for more.... Updated on 23 Sep 2017: Before going into my booby blues I just wanted to say I adore my PS and cannot speak highly enough of him and his team.. Surgery is a process and a very emotional journey for some so I wanted to share my real experience as while I thought I'd prepared for surgery as well as I could I did not expect to be so unhappy with my results in the very beginning. You need to have some faith in the process let me tell you!!! Because I expected high, I expected swelling, I did not expect my swelling to look like an E cup when I wanted a C cup! Now might also be a good time to mention I was big before babies, humongous while having babies and once I lost all my baby weight I liked kind of having nothing. You see while I fit into a D cup I was an empty D cup so looked more like a C/B in clothes. I was also so saggy that I pretty much looked flat chested most of the time and hid the sag quite well by just swinging them out under my armpits...lol So you can imagine having boobs for the first time in my life up where they are meant to be was a huge body adjustment for me! The swelling adding bulk to the sides was awful, I wasn't getting swelling at the top so much as side boob swelling which was really distorting the shape. I just felt like I wanted a cute perky C without having to change my clothes size and ended up getting my breastfeeding boobs back so by day 4 (probably the height of my selling period) I was quite literally devastated and ready for an explant!!! Lol seriously Anyway as I was saying I started feeling down 2 days post op and by Day 4 of my recovery it had reached its peek! I was loving my new boobs when I would get naked as they seemed to really balance out my hips and butt nicely and I found my new shape quite sexy... However dressed in clothes I just felt huge and fat and horrible. I made the mistake of trying on a few items from my wardrobe during this very early recovery stage with disastrous results. In tight high neck tops they looked huge and wide... My old D-DD bras didn't even look close to fitting.. My old size 6 little singlets and camisoles wouldn't even fit over my new boobs at all! And low cut wrap dresses (I wear a lot of these flowy boho style) while I no doubt looked "sexy" in I was showing way too much cleavage than I'm used to or want to for that matter!!! You see I am a size AUS 6 (or US 2?) And most of my clothes are a 6 (our smallest women's size here) or an XS/XXS. I remember telling my doctor I still wanted to fit into my tiny clothes, I didn't want to go up in size and wear an 8 for example that wouldn't fit me properly in the waist or length. He originally told me I would probably stay the same size as before once they removed all the skin and put in the implant. I think if I'd had a lift alone I would have been a small C/B cup. He told me the 250cc implant was only small and would help with shape. One of the biggest reasons I choose the implant option in the first place was because I liked the idea of getting the shape right! Shape over size! I also liked how my PS described that when you have an implant put in and you bend forward for example your breast still fills up the cups and there is no gap between breast and cup! I loved this idea because I've never been able to fill the cups up properly!!! So I walked out of my first consult thinking ok I'll look the same size as now but just with more fullness in the upper pole, better overall shape and with no sag, sounds pretty perfect to me... So I was ok with remaining a small D cup at that point but still took the time to think about it, discuss it with a few people and make up my mind. During my second consult I had chosen the implant over lift alone option and I was super excited about it all. Then I stated to panic 2 weeks prior to surgery about them being too big. So I booked in to see my PS again, I wanted to see if he would remove tissue before hand and then place the implant as I told him I felt a D was still too big for me and I really wanted no more than a C. He agreed that one of my breasts would definitely need tissue reduction but remained happy with our choice of 255cc to get me the result I was after. I was worried I was being paranoid and waisting my Plastic Surgeons time but man was I glad after that I made that extra appointment! One of the other things I hated about my before boobs was that I was always really wide and I told my PS how I wanted my new boobs to come in with less side boob. Yet all I see is side boob! I was so down about it! I purchased a new dress a few months ago for my new "after" boobs and it was backless and gorgeous in a little apron style. Well my boobs are so wide they just pop straight out and it looks ridiculous! I'm way past the return timeframe so selling on eBay it is!!! Seriously I was so upset, I spent the first week of my recovery hiding in my tracksuit pants with my big boobs hidden behind overized jumpers and hoodies. I couldn't talk to anyone because everyone was so excited for me that I had done this for myself after so long wanting it that I couldn't bear to tell people I hated them. I felt stupid and embarrassed. And at this stage I really honestly hated them, I thought I'd made the biggest mistake ever and even at one point wanted my old belly button swingers back!!! Have you SEEN my before pictures!!! Yep that's how much I hated my new implants at this stage. Haha My poor husband had to not only look after me and my blubbering emotional mess but our two year old and 4 year old as well. Seriously when you've sacrificed all of our family savings to treat your wife and support her dream to only hear she hates them!!! Let me just say he took it all and let me cry on his shoulder... amazing human he is. On day 4, the nurse from my doctors office called to check in on me and I just broke down into tears. She was lovely and gorgeous me gave me some reassurance which made me feel better for a while. I Sakura very much looking forward to my one week post op appointment so I could see them and discuss my concerns in person. Also you might want to know I was not allowed a shower for a week so I'm dying for one and that's not helping, my back is sore because I am a tummy only sleeper so struggling with sleep and fast getting over it! Also my PS likes to let the breasts settle naturally for the first week or two so I don't wear a compression bra like most. On the plus side pain is pretty manageable and fairly non existent. Tune in for my one week post op appointment as it finally starts getting better! Not perfect yet but better! I see some light. Updated on 24 Sep 2017: If you read my last very long review regarding my boobie blues, firstly congrats on getting through it all and secondly I forgot to mention a very important fact. I got my period that week!! which probably I mean MOST definitely had an effect on my mental state but it also probably had an impact on my overall size (I always get bigger/heavier in the breast at that time of month) so that explains things a bit... Recent surgery + lack of sleep + medication + monthly woman's hormones = total mess! Ok so today was my 1 week follow up post op appointment with my Plastic Surgeons nurse. I had mixed emotions about going in. Because I was still so unhappy with my size at this point it made me really nervous about seeing the incisions. I had mentally prepared for the incisions of course but I had not prepared that I would hate my size and shape so when I already had negativity surrounding my results you can imagine I was scared to see my self all cut up on top of all that! I was also worried because I asked dear PS for small little nipples that would suit my new size, so in my head I was thinking if he got the size wrong did he also get my nips wrong? Please lord tell me he was listening... These are the types of things going through my head right now. I got to discuss my concerns with my Plastic Surgeons nurse and she was able to calm me with her reassurance... well kind of because I just kept hearing things like I'm only one week out, one week out... swelling swelling swelling. Stop looking at them, relax, take it easy, doing too much makes swelling worse... Just focus on your recovery! All of these things I know, but sometimes it's easier said than done... In the end I felt like a whinge so accepted defeat at this point and just needed to take a chill pill on it all. The nurse then removes all my bandages and I can't look because I'm quite literally terrified at what I might see. I brought my hubby in with me for moral support so he is watching the process while I sit with my eyes closed tight. I hear him say some "wows" of the good kind and telling me how my incisions are looking great after a week, he is amazed. So he gives me just what I need to be brave and take a peek for myself... I am instantly 100% relieved.... omg my nips, my new small and cute little nips! He WAS listening to me. They are both the same size and perfectly round. My faith in my PS is restored... lol My incisions look great and now that the padding that was making my breasts look really round has been removed I can see a natural shape forming. So much relief! I am happy with how I am healing and my incisions to me are looking great so far. The nurse tells me my swelling is more out to the side than up on the top which is pushing them outwards and distorting the shape. My PS is a fan off an al natural form of healing/settling for the first two weeks so prefers to use no compression bras or restrictive garments for the first two weeks to aid natural healing and settling of the implants. However my nurse feels I might need it earlier to help reduce my swelling and shape them back to the middle where they need to be. My PS approves me for a surgical bra now and so the nurse fits me into one. I'm fitted into a 10D and probably borderline at that because I have a good amount of spill over in the cleavage area, she also shows me how to shape them into the bra correctly. Anyway for now at least it's a D and not a DD, so I might just come down to a C eventually after all. ???????????????????????? Also my right breast is noticeably smaller than my left which is interesting as it's always been my bigger breast. This is the breast that underwent a small reduction to correct asymmetry. Did he take too much out? new doubts are forming. I like the look of the smaller boob however I'm surprised because it's had more work done to it due to rededuction, lift, implant and has noticeably more bruising than my left but yet it's the left one that's cleaner but still more swollen when you'd think it would be the other way around? Anyway the joys of healing at weird and uneven rates!!! To be honest I'm ok with one being smaller than the other because one there's hope that the other one will come down, even out and then ill be happier with the overall size and two if it doesn't and the bigger one stays bigger then my PS will need to fix them to balance. My PS is a perfectionist (I wouldn't settle for less) so I walk out of my appointment very confident that all will be ok. In fact compared to my last week I'm back on a high! Seriously feeling a bit bipolar tbh. All the highs and the lows, I did not prepare for that! So if you are reading this and it's happened or is happening to you, you are not alone! The Last picture in this update was taken on the same day as the rest of these images after wearing my compression bra for a few hours and prior to my first shower after a week.. hallelujah! Seriously I could have wolf whistled at myself! What a change! After just a few short hours swelling has come down and the shape looks normal? Still bigger than I want as my end result but so so so soooooo much better! Updated on 24 Sep 2017: I saw my PS about 10 days post op. He is very happy with how everything is looking and healing and feels confident we are going to get a beautiful end result. He says there is still lots of swelling in my left breast to come down and just to keep wearing my Bridgette Jones compression bra 24/7 for the next 4 weeks. I still need to take it easy for the next 2 weeks minimum, still no heavy lifting obviously. I'm cleared for most day to day activities just at a slower pace and not to overdo it. However I'm not allowed to do things like push my kids in the pram for another 2 weeks for example and that's pretty hard when I'm back looking after them on my own and I have a two and a four year old! I've taught my daughter how to use a ladder to get in and out of the cot, use a footstool to get in the bath and up on the toilet etc so we managing ok at the moment. Pain wise I feel back to normal so I have to remind myself all the time I can't pick up the kids even though I feel generally well and strong enough to do so. At the end of the day I'm not willing to jeopardise my results in any way so I'm playing it safe and following all of my PS orders! I'm missing exercise badly... my doc has only cleared me for light walking! So while my breast are going to look fabulous my ass is going to fall to my knees in the meantime! ???? Can't wait to get back into it and get this bod into top shape for an Aussie summer but all in due time! Trying to eat super healthy to help with any weight gain while not exercising as well as assist me in just general good health/healing. I'm also missing sleeping on my stomach so much, sleep sucks a bit tbh. I can comfortably sleep on both of my sides now but mostly end up laying on my back. I can't wait to feel like these boobs are mine and treat them like a normal part of my body again! Other than all that I'm felling better and better each day about my new boobies, hubby loves them! Like seriously ??s... haha. I still have concerns and boob regrets on certain days. Am I too big? too wide? Do I look fatter? Should I have just done a lift? Should I have gone with round implants over teardrop? HP instead of my mod plus? Is my shape too natural? Do I look saggy? Will they sag in the future? AM I JUST TOO VAIN!!! Lol! All the doubts and questions you have at times but then if I had actually gone with any of these alternative options I would be for sure sitting here writing maybe I should have gone teardrop over round? Do they look too fake? You get the idea! This I where you must trust the expert the most because they have more experience and know what to use to get you the best result for YOUR body based on your wish list and pictures you have shown them. In that regard it is so important to see someone reputable. Can you imagine I went with price point over experience or went cheap and overseas! Imagine how much more I'd be freaking out over all these things not to mention far away if anything was to go wrong! So NOT worth it ever! (But that's just my opinion) My images in this review show my progression between week 1 and week 2 post op. I am currently sitting at 18 days post op so I'll post one more update today and then I'm all up to date on this journey so far! Updated on 25 Sep 2017: Hi guys! Here are a few new photos that I took yesterday at 18 days post op. Sorry for all the [RS bleep] and selfies but I'm just so much happier with my results and wanted to convey that to you all (well that's if anyone's actually following me and reading my super long journal entry's on here) Compared to my devastation in my first week of recovery I've really come along way and I'm starting to love my new girls. Let's hope it stays that way and I continue to heal well and that they don't drop too much more because at the moment the perkiness is perfect for me without being to high either. I don't mind if they continue to shrink a bit more but overall I'm just liking them and able to dress them again. A couple of little things to mention. - I'm in my impression bra 24/7. It feels good and supportive so will keep it on for my full 6 weeks as per PS orders. It's very sexy... NOT! - When will I ever be able to sleep on my tummy again? I get a sore back from all this back sleeping, I hate it! This is the hardest part of the recovery for me. - I'm pretty much pain free except for hyper sensitivity sometimes around incisions and nipples, I also get the little zingers from time to time (sharp shooting pain) that only last a second so it's not too bad. - My lefty is still quite swollen in the upper pole and I can feel fluid move around in that breast too. I find the fluid moving around quite a weird sensation and it is starting to feel a bit irritating to me so I am going to call my Plastic Surgeons office tomorrow to check that this is all normal and ok. That's really all I've got to say for now. Please ladies if you are reading this and have recently had surgery or planing on having surgery let me know who you are so I can follow your progress too! I find it so helpful and love all the advice and tips I pick up from others on here. I'll update again at 3 weeks when I change my tape over. Happy healing to all! Updated on 27 Sep 2017: At this point I pretty much think my PS is an artistic genius! I'm in awe of what he has done. My pre surgery boobs were some of the worst I've seen on here and to think I could get a result even close to where I am at this point is truly remarkable to me. They look so natural and the shape is pretty special, so far my new nipples are pretty spot on too. I've gotten used to the new size of them now so thats good. I do think that although I freaked out initially, they do suit my body and any smaller might have been out of proportion to my hips, butt and thighs. But even though I am pretty damn happy so far not every thing is perfect just yet, but then again it probably shouldn't be as I'm still pretty early into my recovery... My PS is a perfectionist and a highly skilled specialist in my type of procedure. I am a perfectionist too if I'm honest and this is why I picked him! Anyway while overall I am becoming more and more ecstatic with my results as each day passes I do have a few little things that do bother me and that I hope will resolve over the healing process. I'm listing them here not only for anyone that might be following my journey but to also keep a record so I can discuss these concerns with my surgeon later. 1. My left breast is still substantially bigger than my right, I'm sure it's just more swollen and they are healing at different rates. However it makes my cleavage uneven and It causes an indent and from my surgical bra and so when I take the bra off I have a visible lump in my upper pole area. That breast is just generally fuller than the right one. (The right had a reduction prior to implant) and while I don't mind the fullness of it, it doesn't match the other side which is less full in the upper pole and much softer. I must admit I do prefer the size of my smaller right breast but prefer the fullness in the upper pole in my left breast as it's a nicer shape in clothes. This make me wonder if I should have gone with a round shaped implant? Apparently my implants are between a round and teardrop shape. 2. My nipples I really wanted to get right. I find small areoles so sexy! And can't tell you how many times I did said "small nipples" to my PS. I think the size is right but my left nipple is slightly bigger than the right nipple. I really want as much symmetry as possible here so I'm being pretty picky. Also in some pictures they feel a bit low and wide out, I don't particular like it when they look like one is going East and the other West you know why I mean?! But I think it's just hard to capture pictures of them and at different angles they look different obviously. All in all though I think the size is spot on and thy look pretty damn good considering they were chopped off, cut up with cookie cutters and then reattached just three weeks ago! So I'll just give them the time they need to heal... 3. And this is actually my biggest concern, my boobs are starting to look really uneven when I lay down. My smaller less full breast is trailing off again and heading onwards my armpit, when I lay on my side it's even worse and I feel like I've still got some loose skin there that might need more tightening to fix this. It's definitely a lot looser feeling than my left fuller feeling breast. It's minor but considering I've had this loose skin all my life and hated it, I would probably want that fixed if it doesn't settle and correct itself. 4. My cleavage gap is slightly closer but still a little wider apart than I would have liked. I'm not sure this will change that much to be honest as you can only work with what your body will allow with under the muscle implants and the only way I probably could have got them closer is by using a bigger implant or going with overs. Neither one of these options sold have worked or me! My gap is currently two finger widths apart which was the preference of my PS for my size and shape so I think it's here to stay. What will be good though is as they soften up a bit more I should be able I squish them together a bit better with a bra etc. To me they look best when I've just taken off my compression bra as this brings them in closer but as soon as the bras been off for half an hour they relax out wide again. On the plus side my side boob has improved heaps so they definitely don't look as wide as before! Anyway I'm going to give everything plenty of time to settle and relax into shape but I will definitely discuss these little things at my 6 week follow up appointment with my PS. To summarise my healing process so far... I am very happy (just picking at a few things that could be perfected) I love sending cheeky selfies to the hubby as he is crazy for them!!! I miss sleeping on my tummy so much! I miss picking up the kids but surprisingly everyone is coping really well with mamas limitations. I miss exercise and even after just three weeks of slacking off I feel soft and floppy around my thighs and bum. One more week and I should be able to start back with light cardio/leg/bum work. I'm pretty much pain free too, breasts are hard upon waking but soften up shortly after, I do get a bit tender after removing the tape weekly and experience some tenseness around the nipple and incisions. I also still feel fluid around my left breast from time to time but this is all in the range of normal. And that's a wrap for my three week update. Will update as things change or at 4 weeks to check on incision healing. Happy healing everyone!
I had a breast lift with an anchor lift without implants with Mark and my experience has been so amazing that i wanted to share it with you. I am in the healthcare sector myself so it was important for me to find a surgeon who would behave more like a doctor than a business man. I had a consult with another surgeon but felt that the result could be a bit uncertain whereas Mark told me straight away what to expect and after the 1st consult booked my surgery! I am now 5 weeks post op and my scars have faded so much that i cant believe how amazing his work is! The nipple sensation is perfect, he is such a perfectionist that i said to him yesterday that compared to sooo many photos i have seen on realself his surgery is 100% perfect! The symmetry, aureola size, shape is beautiful and as i said the scars even at 3 weeks post op were already like a fine pencil line. The horizontal scar is almost u noticeable and is perfectly hidden by the breast. Other surgeons said they could do wo that horizontal scar but Mark said it will give a nicer shape and would never be seen and he was right. I trust him 100%, the team is amazing and very welcoming. I have been going regularly for little things/questions and they have always found a time for me. I think he is the best in Melbourne and if you are considering a breast lift yoi should definitely consider Mark. I wish i would have done this earlier, waiting for years and Mark gave me the confidence that this journey was worth it !
10/10 can not rate highly enough, from the staff to Mark himself. Seen a few surgeons and Mark tops them all. Worth every cent! I had a breast lift with implants after weight loss. From the minute I went into my consultation, to the day of surgery to 2 years later I'm still very happy!!
My surgery yesterday involved the following: - Breast lift (a review of my breast reduction from 9 months ago) - Full abdominoplasty (8" separation sewn up and 2kg skin removal) - Removal of dog ears at side of each breast - Liposuction of hips and stomach (600g) I am startled at how great I feel today - one day in ! I have absolutely no acute pain and the only discomfort I feel is tightness and tenderness mainly around the belly button and just above it. I'm getting by on one slow release pain killer but just Panadol every four hours. Other than that I'm up walking around, hunched over obviously, but feeling great. I found the breast reduction (2kg reduction!) last year knocked me around far worse than this big operation ! See how I feel in a few days though - might be a different story then. I'll keep posting. Updated on 16 Jun 2016: Saw the nurse today. I see Mark Ashton next week at the 2 week checkup. Still have my drains in. Until I am draining 10ml in a day they stay in. Unfortunately I'm still losing 45ml per day on my right hip drain. I am on Panadol every 4 hours and have taken one Panadeine Forte at sleep but won't bother tonight. Back pain has been my biggest gripe as one has to be in a permanently hunched position without being able to stretch. I had been living between the bed, the sofa and the bathroom - nothing else. My mum is living with me doing everything - I can't stress how imperative this kind of full-time management is ! My suture line stings a little from time to time in my right hand side and my internal lower abdominal stitches 'twang' and cause sharp pain from time to time but the pain is really very good. I'm very much looking forward to 1) the drains coming out and 2) being able to stand up straight and 3) stomach sleeping ! I have no feeling around a hand width area of my middle to lower stomach. I hope sensation will return but it's not a big deal compared to the results. Swelling has gone down a little and I can already see the difference this surgery has made. My stomach used to pop out like a small handball directly under my sternum and it is now flat. My new belly button is neat which I'm happy about. I'm very excited to enjoy the long term benefits, and I can already feel the strength has returned to my core strength and posture. I'm rapt ! Updated on 25 Jun 2016: I'm still draining 40-50ml of fluid every 24hrs which means the drains can't come out yet. I've been put in a compression bandage around my midriff now which is uncomfortable against the drain sites on each side of my hips. I'm very much looking forward to these drains coming out ! The skin across my stomach is a little sensitive now I'm into the 3rd week. I think this is from settling and nerves repairing themselves. The compression bandage seems to have aggravated the sensitivity and the worst is still trying to sleep at night. I would have to say the worst parts of this abdominoplasty recovery has been the sleeping at night. Not being able to sleep in a comfortable position with drain tubes coming out of your hips isn't fun ! I've got a large picket of swelling a nice my belly button area but Mark is confident this is mainly fluid. I'm hoping the drain tubes are part of the cause as they are running along the abdominal wall in this exact position. I'm still not able to go out due to the drains, and I'm feeling very swollen but I've had a lot of visitors tell me how much smaller and flatter my waist and stomach are so I'm looking forward to being down the track and wearing nice clothes that show a waist ! A note as well .... My mum is still living with me doing EVERYTHING ! I can't stress enough how vital it is to have this kind of support if you put yourself in for this ! I thought I would be up and going for neighbourhood walks by now .... No way though. The drains can stay in for up to 3 or more weeks and you can't do anything while the body is trying to stop draining. Over activity can increase draining and set you back by weeks ! Updated on 3 Jul 2016: The swelling above the belly button is so depressing. I'm still draining up to 50ml a day from my remaining drain .... when will this end !!!!! ? Updated on 4 Jul 2016: Groin and upper abdomen above belly button still very swollen and protruding. Updated on 11 Jul 2016: Ok, here's where I'm up to now. I read up and was warned about swelling but boy I now know what my fellow TT ladies are on about ! I saw my nurse last week (surgeon away) and we decided that fluid circulation needed to be improved. The problem was with the waist strapping was that it was compressing my stomach nicely but fluid was being pushed south and was collecting in my groin. The nurse felt I was a lot more swollen in the grow than most patients (yay - lucky me). So AU$189 later ..... I have now been wearing what is akin to a modern day instrument of torture for 3 days now (including sleeping in the awful thing) and it appears to be helping but I am shocked at the fluid-like swelling all over my stomach (my worst area is a hand size above the belly button) when I inspect the region. I can only describe it as something smiled to a water bed when I flick or push the area of my pubic bone area. I can literally feel the fluid filled space between my pubic bone and skin. Aaaargh. I've never been a lean person and we tend to be slow surgical healers in my family but I honestly had not expected this level of swelling. I looked so nice and flat for the first couple of post-op days and now I feel swollen and a bit like a creme-filled Easter egg ! On a positive, I have no pain at all and it's getting easier to sleep on my side. I have started doing walking and the only side effect now is extra swelling and tiredness. All good otherwise. I can't see my surgeon until the 26th July so it will be interesting to track my progress now I'm getting more active with the kids & exercise ! I'll keep posting ... it's going to be a lonnnnnng return to slim I think !
