Patrick Mallucci, MBChB, FRCS

Being born with a big hooter and then having breast cancer at 37, set me on a lifetime of 'normalising' surgery. Two rhinoplasties, breast implants and various attempts to correct my breast asymmetry went some way to removing my emotional scars: Scars of waking into a classroom where my nose was being discussed.. or knowing that I could have died young from the tumours I was so lucky to have found early. Lumpectomy of the cancer followed by radiotherapy led to boob asymmetry.

Over the years my boobs had grown more and more different and although I loved myself, I knew I didn't have to stick with it. I'd always had mixed feelings about implants. They could be fun in the bedroom but never felt like 'me'. They weren't natural. I couldn't buy pretty bras and had to satisfy myself with the least matronly I could find. I looked plumper, clothes fitted badly and had to be chosen with care - always v-necked and tailored to avoid looking pregnant as the boobs pushed the front out.

I turned 60 in the pandemic. I'd toyed with the idea of implant replacement and downsizing and had seen a couple of surgeons over the years to discuss it. One surgeon's solution of having them out and living with empty sacs then going back for more reconstruction was not appealing. Too much downtime. Another wanted me to have bigger implants arguing that my chest was too big to downsize. With a 30" back that seemed hard to understand. Then I saw some explant work done by Mr Mallucci on real self. These were the sort of boobs I liked. Small pert and normal. So I booked my consultation and he asked whether I'd thought of having NO implants. By this time I was looking ahead to my sixties, had separated from my partner and couldn't see myself hooking up with anyone sexually any time soon. And in any case I now see that small boobs are just as sexy and perhaps give a more intellectual image? The idea of getting rid of the foreign bodies I'd lived with for 20 years, being able to buy pretty little bras, not hump two boulders around in an iron bra and indulge in any clothes I wanted, was very appealing. And it would be a last stop on the boob surgery journey - something that will see me through to my eighties. I started noticing that women in adverts rarely have much boobs and how good it looked.

Mr M said he'd use some fat from my tummy and hips to try and even up the sizes of my boobs which I'd got used to referring to as my peach (now withered) and my melon. And Mr M agreed to fix up the tummy tuck that I'd had after the birth of my daughter in my forties. I had never really been happy with the scar and the ridge of fat along it. So I've done it. Day 3 and I've no regrets so far. The lightness of losing my boulders and being able to pull my shoulders back with ease is fantastic - even with the stitches and constipation!

So, here's my explant journey. I hope it helps other women - as so many have helped me in telling their real self stories.

Updated on 20 Mar 2022:
This is me aged 60.

Updated on 20 Mar 2022:
All went well. First reaction to losing so much bulk is relief. I remember talking about giraffes to one of the nurses! Post op is always a blur and the little things matter more than usual. Having a doc who is easy to talk to helps.

I consulted three of the top surgeons in London over the course of 1.5 years and remained nervous of awaking to an overly "done" look. After describing the very specific natural look I wanted, one doctor finally said: I don't know that I am the right surgeon for you; you should really go to my friend Patrick.

Mr Mallucci understood my goals, and shared them, though also prepared me for a realistic outcome. Only a couple of months later, I am already so pleased with the results, which exceeded even his expectations. Mr Mallucci is a perfectionist, and the security I felt knowing I would be getting the best possible results for my body was so reassuring. Also, his team is on hand to text you day and night if you have questions after surgery. I had a lot, but they were so patient, answering any day of the week at any hour. Really great care.

Also, the operation is done in-house under twilight anesthesia. The pain was minimal afterwards - the least comfortable part was sleeping on my back. Going into a cozy and friendly (and punctual) clinic for the operation and follow-ups, rather than a hospital, was such a dream.

Highly recommend, unequivocally.

My experience has been very stressful over the past 9 months having chosen the wrong surgeon initially who made a mess of my breast implant exchange. Ladies please don't believe what you read in Tatler magazine and always research well your surgeon before hand. Mr Mallucci has corrected the errors made by the previous surgeon and I can now get on with my life. He is very talented and I am finally happy with the result 10 months later.



Updated on 3 Feb 2021:
I don’t expect to be perfect. I am grateful for what God has given me and I am lucky to be in good health. Personality is much more important than looks. However I experienced depression for the first time in my life due to the mess my breasts where in and it’s not a pretty place to be. However I remained positive for 10 months post op knowing that my breasts could and would be corrected when my breast tissues had settled. I was fortunate enough to have some savings to have a revision 10 months later and find a wonderful and talented surgeon who tried his best to fix them. I still experience discomfort in my left pec muscle and will need a fat transfer on my left breast at some stage but I am content with the result now and advise others to be very careful when choosing a plastic surgeon. Please have a few consultations with different surgeons before choosing one.

Updated on 6 Jul 2021:
Hi ladies, My breasts are taking shape now and getting softer at 1 year 4 months post op revision. I had two breast ops in 10 months and my breast tissue wasn’t happy at all. The galaflex mesh Mr Mallucci inserted to reinforce damaged thin breast tissue and conceal a horrid dent is still hard but it is doing it’s job and I will be patient. My breasts are the correct width and size for my breast pockets now and I have no visual rippling. I wanted a natural shape which I have. I require a fat transfer by Mr Mallucci to the upper pole of my left breast as I have very little fat especially after the subtotal capsulectomy from above muscle to below performed by the first surgeon and at certain angles when I move my arm the upper edge of my implant is very visible which is embarrassing. My pectoralis muscle was cut too high on my left breast resulting in my left breast being flatter than my right as there is hardly any muscle padding over my implant and little fat and tissue remaining. I am hoping the fat transfer will pad out my left breast and even a slight improvement would be wonderful. I wish you all luck when choosing a plastic surgeon. And remember “Be wise!!!” xxx

Updated on 8 Dec 2022:
My update 2yr 9 months on from my revision. They are softer and not exactly the same shape but I guess that’s normal as my left breast was in a state from the previous surgeons work. The galaflex mesh has finally dissolved after 2years 6 months and I have no more visible dents or rippling left after the surgery by the previous surgeon Mr Harris. I guess Mr Mallucci tried his best to sort them. …………..::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

I’ve just had breast restructuring following 5 previous and disastrous augmentations with other surgeons. Mr Mallucci has done nothing short of a miracle in giving me the breasts I’ve longed for and failed to achieve in 10 years since beginning my augmentation journey. I’m 8 days post op, and just had my dressings removed. The recovery is very comfortable, I’ve got minimal swelling, no bruising, and really good, discreet scar tissue.

My surgery was fundamentally to ease the pain I was in from severe contracture, I was hoping I’d have a positive aesthetic look but given my previous problems, it wasn’t top of my agenda. I chose Mr Mallucci because of his expertise in reconstruction, and for his work with mesh. Together we worked on a way forward for me, and I chose to follow the route of customised implants. Admittedly more expensive than regular implants, but for me it was the way I wanted to go. I also jumped in with both feet and had a mini facelift at the same time.. The results? What can I say other than magnificent! I’m so pleased. I’ve finally put all the bad boob jobs behind me and love the natural look that Mr Mallucci has achieved for me both in my face and my breasts. He really is a skilled artist as well as being a skilled surgeon.

The entire experience, from the staff at the clinic to the staff and facilities at the hospital has been superb. I consider myself very fortunate to have found Mr Mallucci given the amount of surgeons out there that simply do not compare to the same standards. You’d be crazy to trust yourself to anyone else.. I’ll be going back if I ever want to address any other issues.. but I’m damn near perfect now so it may be a while lol. Thank you Team Mallucci, you’re superstars!

I cannot recommend Mr Mallucci highly enough. He is kind, honest and realistic about the results that you can expect from your surgery, in my case breast augmentation. I am delighted with my results. There is minimal scarring and it was remarkably easy to recover from, although this varies from patient to patient. If you want natural looking breasts that compliment your figure then Mr Mallucci is the perfect choice.

I first had my breasts enlarged 20 years ago, as I was virtually flat chested. Unfortunately the result was not good, and I didn't like the unnatural shape. I decided to finally get a revision, however this time I saw three of the best breast surgeons in London. I didn't want to make another mistake and Dr Mallucci was my final consultation. I new pretty much instantly that he was going to be the surgeon I would choose. His understanding of the perfect proportions of a breast, and the shape and size I desired put me at my ease. This together with his exceptional surgical skill, evident from the numerous before and after photo's he showed me, made him the obvious choice. I have thrilled with the results, Dr Mallucci has given me the breasts I always dreamed of having. The natural shape and size fits my frame perfectly. They are soft and perky and I am able to go with out a bra during the summer, without fear of my nipples falling off the bottom of my breast and pointing down ! My nipples are high on my breast and perfectly equal on both sides. I've not gone up in cup size, as for me it was all about having a natural shape. Dr Mallucci is a master in his field and I would recommend him without hesitation to everyone.

I've always hated my breasts they grew downwards to begin with, fast forward 20 years add a child and some weight gain and loss and they just became as flat as pancakes or like 'cows udders' and I would call them. After thinking about this for many many years I finally took the plunge and had a breast lift with fat transfer on the 2nd of January. I'm delighted with the results so far and whilst it's been painful and I can't see the results of the liposuction yet (they say it can take 3 months because of the swelling) I am so glad I did it. In fact I wish I had done it sooner!

Updated on 1 Feb 2014:
So here I am four weeks post op. I'm healing well except for a little area on my right breast which came up a little red and oozy but now seems to be healing too after I started putting on some salon (antiseptic cream) on it. Since the two week mark when my steri strips came off I have been using a cream I was given by the clinic called Heal Gel Intensive which I massage into the scars twice a day. My PS was actually part of the team of people who developed the cream and there are some very positive reviews out there about it. So much so that it's actually sold out on their website. It's early days to give my opinion on how good it is, but I'll keep using it anyway. At the two week mark I fell down the stairs are home and caused a bit of bleeding at the top and bottom of the vertical incisions on my right breast. This has all healed up fine now but you can see the extra scab where this happened in my close up pictures. The main thing for me these last few weeks is just how sensitive the skin on my breasts has been. It's like everything that touches them makes then feel very very sore and at the end of each day I can't wait to get home and rip my bra off! I have full sensation in my left nipple but my right nipple is virtually numb - hoping this will come back soon. I'm still too sore to work out but can't wait to get back in the gym because it feels like my body is turning to jelly!!

I haven't mentioned anything about the liposuction and fat transfer before as this wasn't my main concern but I thought you might find it useful to know that I had an incredible amount of bruising from where they took the fat on my inner and outer thighs, which extended all the way down my legs to my knees. The legs were also swollen for quite some time but now the bruising has virtually all gone and I am beginning to see the effect of the liposuction - they say it can be three months or more before you see the results. My thighs are still tender to the touch.

I've added some close up pictures so you can see how my scars are coming along - it's easy to look good at a distance but I have found it helpful to see how other people look close up so I had realistic expectations. Overall I'm really happy still - can't wait till summer and wearing a tiny bikini instead of having to hoist up up my breasts with big straps! Also looking forward to wearing halter necks and low cut tops etc without a bra!

Updated on 2 Feb 2014:
So today is exactly one month post op and tonight I've had a bit of a scare...I've had a bit of redness a scabbing on my right breast for a while now that I thought was healing. A few days ago it started oozing a little so I had been putting antiseptic cream on it and placed a steri strip over the area. Anyway tonight as I was doing my evening routine of massaging in my scar gel I noticed that it was oozing from the steri strip - I took off the strip and the scab came off with it leaving an open wound about half a centimeter in diameter. It's right at the edge of my nipple. I cleaned up the area with some antiseptic solution and as I did noticed something hard inside the wound. I figured it must be a stitch so I got out the tweezers a pulled and out came a stitch with a big blob at the end which looked like a large knot. These are supposed to be dissolvable stitches but this one clearly hadn't dissolved. I'm hoping that that's what caused the oozing etc and that now it's gone it will heal up. I called the out of hours number for the clinic and got my doctors secretary. She was very nice and gave me the number of the dressing nurse but unfortunately her phone went to voicemail. I left a message so we'll see if she calls back tomorrow as it's quite late now. Feeling a bit scared but my boyfriend as always was great at reassuring me. Hopefully by tomorrow things will be on the mend :(

Updated on 26 Feb 2014:
So after my little scare I got hold of the clinic spoke with my dressing nurse and she reassured me that the problem was being caused by a stitch not dissolving. Anyway it started to heal over fine but then another area on the same nipple started doing the same thing, so I spoke to my ps's secretary and she got me an appointment to see Mr Malluci very quickly. At the appointment he told me that this sort of thing was normal and that sometimes the dissolvable stitches take a long time to dissolve and can cause this sort if irritation. He said there's nothing that can be done unless the end of the stitch actually pokes out of the skin, then you would pull it out. He was very pleased with how I'm healing and told me I'm doing well and not to worry. I came away feeling reassured and calm, and sure enough everything healed up on its own after a week or two. My scars under the breast have turned pink and firm and are a bit raised in places but he also told me that was normal and to expect them to get worse before they get better. I have a follow up with him in about 4 months time. My breast are still tender and I can't sleep in my front yet, but tomorrow I plan to start back at the gum with some low impact excercises. The areas above the breast where the fat transfer was done are slowly softening up and have gone a bit lumpy to the touch but it's not visible and I guess that's just part of the process of the fat settling..or being re absorbed. Anyway here's some pictures of what I look like today.

Updated on 26 Feb 2014:

Having hybrid (fat and implants) breast augmentation in March at Mallucci London
- 28 years old, no kids
- 5 ft 8 / 173cm
- athletic build / 65kg / 32B
- 240cc high profile round implants (probably) plus fat transfer
- sub mammary incision
- £10,700 (because hybrid so effectively also paying for liposuction)
- over muscle
- Fat taken from flanks / thighs (minimal - low body fat)
Have so far had three consultations with Mr Mallucci; he is v reassuring and generous with his time. Really like his aesthetic - he has written papers on ‘the perfect natural breast’. Used lots of pictures to communicate the look aimed for. Want subtle job hence padding out with own fat; mainly want improvement in shape. Didn’t want to go under muscle - have enough tissue to cover an implant, and wanted the quicker recovery / implant that doesn’t disturb training too much. High profile and round apparently will give me the best result especially as I’m sticking with small volume. Really looking forward to getting rid of some thigh fat too... Hit me with recovery tips please!

Updated on 20 Mar 2020:
Day 1: Procedure v straightforward - ample (pardon the pun) time with Mr Mallucci and Mr Berry (anaesthetist) plus the plastics nurse. I went over again preferred size and aesthetic; felt very relaxed and whole team very reassuring and attentive as I went to sleep. Woke up 90 mins later and - all credit to anaesthetist - felt absolutely fine, although chest numb. Both doctors checked on me again, and I was chatted to by the nurse and take through the medication (again). Really was in absolutely no pain at all. Picked up by my bf and took a taxi home, although tbh was probably capable of walking just not allowed to. Conscious sedation in clinic apparently makes the whole thing much easier and used for cases above the muscle.
See pics.
Bruises because fat injected on top of implants.
215cc implants + fat (65ccs fat in one, 15 in another, to pass out implant and even out any asymmetry)
Fat injected by nipple - see pics
Above muscle
Lipo from thigh and flanks - limited was relatively lean
Conscious sedation
Days 2 - 5: Still feel absolutely fine - occasional pains and can’t really pull or push anything. Didn’t need tramadol but am taking co-dydramol and arnica (oral and topical)
Nurse called to check I was okay. Dressings to be changed on day 7
Very happy that I did the following:
- bought laxative (painkillers)
- booked daily specialist post operative lymph drainage
- booked weekly Ocado delivery
- having daily hyperbaric oxygen; above all else it helps me sleep
- had all my waxing before the procedure; can’t lift my arms above my head
- had a colonic - dealt with constipation!
- bought a special maternity pillow to stop me rolling over
- using compression garments for lipo sites, at night too.