David A. Hidalgo, MD

Everything was top notch - no scarring and perfect symmetry. However, 6 months later I noticed capsular contracture, lifting one breast an inch. The cost to fix it with 100% chance of not reoccurring was another 14k because of special tissue they use. Staff outside of the operating room were a teeny bit snooty. Outside of that I would 100% recommend Dr Hidaglo, as contracture isn't necessarily caused by the surgeon.

This was going to be my 5th breast surgery. I'm 65 with a history of silicone implant rupture. I knew that I needed a surgeon that not only had plan A but also had the depth of skill and experience to move to Plan B, C or D if necessary. After consulting with Dr. Hidalgo and discussing many options I knew that he was the right surgeon for me. I trusted his skill and aesthetic judgement completely. He has an incredible eye for symmetry, proportioning, and breast to nipple ratio. His nipple placement is beautiful and natural. This is not surprising because he is also a very gifted artist and many of his beautiful works decorate the walls in his waiting room. Something that meant a lot to me was Dr. Hidalgo's past work with cancer patients needing reconstruction. He was a former Chief of Plastic and Reconstructive surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering. He is a kind and compassionate doctor! Dr. Hidalgo leads a wonderful team of surgical nurses, patient coordinators and front office managers. His staff took great care of me and they were always available to answer questions or help with logistics. I'm grateful to my surgical nurse Meghan Foster for her care and competence both during and post surgery. At the time of writing I am 6 weeks post-op. My results are lovely, natural looking and beyond all my expectations! I have absolutely no regrets in choosing Dr. Hidalgo for my breast surgery and I have no hesitation in recommending him as a plastic surgeon.

Dr. Hidalgo is as kind and caring as he is talented. I had a rhytidectomy, or facelift and abdominoplasty. the surgeries were done 3 months apart. I am thrilled with the results and would go back to Dr. Hidalgo without hesitation. His staff is efficient and helpful.

Dr. Hidalgo is an absolute genius. He has a reputation for natural work – subtle but impactful...and it's well-earned. There are plenty of plastic surgeons who specialize in noses – I saw several of them and typically felt like I was being pitched by salesmen; even though their work is definitely good by all reasonable standards, there is a certain look and formulaic method that they often use. Dr. Hidalgo was the only doctor I met with who took a very individualized and calm approach. He has the surgical skill AND the artistic talent and aesthetic to produce the best possible results. He was very gracious, direct, and confident about his work and what he could achieve with my nose and facial symmetry/balance. While I loved the sketch he produced, I love the real life results even more, especially as the swelling has gone down. My rhinoplasty results are SO natural and I truly look like a much better version of myself – no one has been able to tell what exactly I had done but people have made subtle comments about my appearance. He also fixed underlying structural issues that have significantly improved my breathing. I couldn't recommend Dr. Hidalgo more – he is truly life changing. If you want natural looking and stunning results (which is what most people are going for in 2018!), he is THE doctor. I saw many plastic surgeons and did a lot of research. He is hands down the BEST. His office staff are also amazing and responsive!!

So I went to my dr in nyc (dr Hidalgo). I looked at 100s of photos and he was the only guy that didn’t do mostly fake looking boobs. I wanted a full B (or so I thought). The order ceases fir determining the size implants is a bit flawed as they got very you a 34b bra (equal to 32c) and have you start putting in different sizes. So, if you put in a 300cc implant and it still “fits” in the bra, you are still a “b” according to them. This is not true. So lesson one- forget the bra size. It’s irrelevant. I decide that 255 would probably be the best. Implant although that would mean one size up for surgery which was 280 I think. I felt a little nervous it may be too big but it looked good under a shirt. I go in for the surgery and come out and was told I got a 235 and 255 as my breast were asymmetrical. So he went SMALLER!! I have never heard of this happening ever. Needless to say, I went home and looked in the mirror and HATED THEM! They were small, flat, too far apart etc. granted it was the first day but I wasn’t pleased. As time went by they got better, but I still felt they were still asymmetrical and too small. I also thought they were way too far apart. I asked him why he went smaller and why they had such a big gap and he said the bigger size was a wider implant and it did not look natural. As far r the width, he showed me my starting point and my boobs were pretty far apart. He said you cannot do much more than what your body allows. Well as time went on they looked better, I started ed to get used to them and I go get a proper bra sizing and I am a 32D/DD! So much for the full B! Like I said, it so doesn’t matter. It is now January, 8 mos later and I couldn’t be more happy. They are incredibly realistic and I don’t believe anyone would suspect I have implants. The size is perfect for me. While slightly bigger may have also worked. I trust he did he right thing. I posted a question right after my procedure and several doctors answered. Many pointing out what was wrong make by me freak out. But I do t kniw how anyone can tell if they were don’t right or wrong the day out of surgery. It made me really upset. So I have attached photos of my original boobs, the day of the implants and photos taken every month or so until today. Curious to see if you think they look as good as I do?! Updated on 13 Nov 2018: So fast forward and one breast (my right side which is also the right in the photos due to the selfie phenomenon). Is higher and flatter on he bottom. I was told by the doctor it is. Capsule contraction but I got a second opinion bc I didn’t agree and the second doctor felt the scar under attached and grew scar tissue so recommended a scar revision. I agree with that so am getting that done. I will post before and after. It’s not bad but I jut dint think the contraction seemed right as it wasn’t hard etc.

Dr. Hidalgo is an AMAZING cosmetic surgeon. After seeing Dr. Hidalgo's artwork on the walls of his office, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that this physician was not just a surgeon but he was also an incredibly gifted artist. The combination of those two skills was what I wanted from anyone operating on my eyes. I am thrilled with the results of having my upper and lower eyelids done recently. The entire process seemed effortless as Dr. Hidalgo was caring and professional every step of the way. I had zero pain and the bruising and swelling was minimal. Dr. Hidalgo was extremely thoughtful in my pre-surgery consultations and his follow-up went beyond any expectation I could have imagined. The staff was professional, considerate and very well attuned to what patients would experience. I am forever grateful for Dr. Hidalgo's incredible work on my eyes and will continue to recommend him to all my friends and family. If you are looking for THE BEST COSMETIC SURGEON, it doesn't get any better than DR. DAVID HIDALGO!!!!

The surgery was painless, but still scary. Anything done on your face is scary because it is not easily hidden or reversible. But I was surprised at how easy the recovery time was to get in front of people and look normal. The hard part was the lack of exercise, the uncomfortable position sleeping and other obvious post-operative changes you need to make it your life.

I have hated my chest for as long as I can remember. As a teenager, I wore a 34DD bra, and was uncomfortable with the size and the attention they brought. As I matured, and lost my "baby fat" my breasts shrank to a 32C (my happy size), but the shape was never ideal. They sagged and the areola were always larger than I liked. Fast forward to me now, at 38, after having three children (last one at 30) and nursing them all for over a year. You can just imagine what three pregnancies, and almost 4 years total of breastfeeding does to a woman's breasts. Combine that with not so perky breasts to begin with and you have the chest I have. I have never stopped being unhappy with my chest, no matter how much my husband says he loves them as is. He actually has been talking me out of breast surgery for the last 10 years. But I know I will never be fully comfortable in my skin the way they are right now. And I am so ready for this. Where am I currently? I'm 5"4 and my weight fluctuates between 117 and 125. I'm in shape- I work out about 3 times a week, do yoga, pilates, and dance- so I have a good overall shape (except for some extra fat on my hips- more about that later). I'm happy with the shape of my body and my weight- except for my chest, and the fact that, after three pregnancies, my overall skin is not the best. It's saggy in parts, and I know I have good muscle tone, but if you look at my stomach/side, you can see I've had babies. And that's ok! I know I'm not 20, but I can live without wearing a bikini, as long as I get a perkier chest that I am not self-conscious about all the time. Not having to wear the most "supportive" bra out there, with the thickest straps is my FANTASY! So back to 2015-2016. I said to myself, this is the year I do it. I gave my children the "best of me" (with no regrets) but I deserve to feel good in my skin. With that in mind, I've spent the last year researching the best options for my breasts. I am VERY thorough, and I am looking to do this right. I don't care about the cost, I want the best doctor and the best result, not a "bargain". I narrowed my search down to three doctors- Dr. X, Dr. Y, and David Hidalgo. Dr. X was recommended by word of mouth. He's considered the best "breast reconstruction" doctor for woman who have experienced breast cancer. He is the director of plastic surgery at a big NYC hospital. I called for an appointment in September, and he couldn't see me until the beginning of January! I waited patiently, because I heard so many good things. I met Dr. X in January- his waiting room was busy ( a good sign). When I first met him, he was not the warmest person, but that is not necessarily what I need in a good surgeon. So I let him examine me, and let me just say, he made me feel even worse about my body. He commented on how "large" my areola were (as if I wasn't aware already, thanks) even for a breast lift candidate. I think an "experienced" doctor would know that if you are seeing someone to fix your breasts, it's probably an area they are already very sensitive about, you should be extra careful in the way you speak to them. After he made that insensitive comment, I tried to move past how upsetting it was so I could hear what he recommended. He said he would use a "lollipop" technique, and that even with this reduction in areola, there might (worst-case scenario) be a leftover bit of areola in the vertical scar part (from my lower nipple running straight down along the scar). Basically it would like like a wider, irregular scar. He said, IF that ended up happening, he would treat the area with a laser once the healing process was done. He told me that I would not need an implant in addition to the lift (which some women end up needing because their breasts are smaller and flatter) which was nice to hear. I am also self-conscious about my "armpit bulge", a little piece of fat at the top of my arm right where my sports bra ends. He told me he would liposuction that during the procedure. I wasn't sold on Dr. X, I'm sure he is really good at what he does, but I didn't feel good about my experience in his office. I was concerned that if I had an issue or concern, he wouldn't really care. And his comment to me made me very uncomfortable and more embarrassed about my body. My second consult was with Dr. Y I had heard of him through a neighbor (who is also a plastic surgeon, but I wouldn't feel comfortable seeing a neighbor for surgery). He said Dr Y is a great person, and a good surgeon. Of course, I googled everything I could about Dr. Y and the reviews about him were amazing. And so many! It sounded too good to be true. And I just couldn't understand why so many really well-known doctors have like 2 or 3 reviews, and Dr. Y had more than 60, 5-star reviews. Yes, I'm cynical, and I'm not saying these reviews were fake, but still... I am very cautious about online reviews, because they are too easy to fake. I scheduled my appointment with him, there was pretty much any day I chose available, even on one-week notice. Again, I'm cynical, but surgeons are busy. And top plastic surgeons in NYC are ALWAYS busy. Dr. Y's consult was free, so I went in. His staff is super nice, and Dr. Y himself is really lovely and warm. He made me feel so at ease. He spent almost an hour with me talking about every little detail of what bothered me. He did not make me feel ashamed of my body. I didn't feel rushed at all. He gently suggested I might want to have liposuction on the top of my hips since he was already going to do a little lipo in the underarm area as part of the breast lift. He said if I did this, it would be a more complicated procedure, and I would be his only patient of the day. Once he suggested the lipo, I got more and more excited about it. No matter how much I work out, I have fat on the top of my hips that never goes away. My husband agreed with me that it made sense to do it all at once. The third and last doctor I saw was Dr. Hidalgo. I don't remember how I came across his name, but his reviews consistently said he is a perfectionist and top of the line in breast surgery. He also was the Chief of Plastic Surgery at a big hospital for 10 years. For this one, I asked my husband to come along and give me his opinion of the doctor as well. I scheduled a consult, and had to wait a month to come in. His office waiting room was packed. Dr. Hidalgo was very business-like, not very warm or friendly like Dr. Engler. He told me the same thing as Dr. Sultan, there might be a larger scar on the bottom of my breast. He said I had to choose between whether I wanted the breast high, but with a larger scar on the bottom of the breast, or not as high, but with a much thinner scar. When I heard these were my options I got very emotional. I never thought I would not be able to have a "normal" lift, and after dreaming about this for years, I was really disappointed to hear this. He also told me he wouldn't be able to get rid of the fat by the top of my armpit. He said it actually wasn't fat, but the shape of my pectoral muscle, and nothing could really be done about it. (Another big let-down). I appreciate that he didn't try to make a lot of promises and get my hopes up. I would be SO upset if that was the case. His fee was the highest of the three. Then, we met with Dr. Hidalgo's consultant, and I started to cry (a lot of built-up anxiety and stress about this surgery). She told me that what I was going through was totally common. I shared with her how upset I was that he couldn't give me the high lift I had always wanted. She told us Dr. Hidalgo usually gives his patients the worst-case scenario, and most of the time he is able to do much more than he initially said he could. She also told me that he does the best work of any surgeon she has ever seen. (He actually is a trained painter, and his incredible drawings are all over his office.) After thinking about it for a couple of weeks, I called up Dr. Hidalgo's office today and booked my surgery with him for March 2. He wasn't as "warm" as Doctor 2, but I felt like I would be in the hands of a perfectionist if I was under his care. I could see that he has an artist's eye, but also the skill of a top top surgeon. I will post pictures and keep you updated on my surgery. I really hope this is helpful and informative for any of you who, like me, wanted this for so long! Updated on 1 Mar 2016: Tomorrow's the big day!!!! I have been taking Arnica and Bromelain 3 times a day, as the doctor instructed. I've cut out all alcohol, ibuprofen, etc. This afternoon I made a bunch of meals for my family for the next week. I still don't know how long I'm going to be "out of it" after the surgery, so I'm planning ahead. I haven't yet told my children I'm getting surgery, because I don't want them anxious (they are 14, 12 and 10). Hopefully when they get home from school tomorrow, I can tell them I had back surgery. I hate to lie, but my "boob lift" is a very private and emotional thing. The fewer people know, the better. After I decided on Hidalgo, I went back for a second appointment. I needed more information and "hand holding". The staff was super flexible with accomodating me at the last minute. Again, his waiting room was packed! And I even saw the wife of a very well-known hockey player. So, hopefully this is more proof I'm in good hands! I haven't been sleeping well- I know it's nerves. I doubt I'll sleep much tonight. When I get back and can post pictures, I will post both my BEFORE and AFTER pictures. Wish me luck!!!!! Updated on 1 Mar 2016: Updated on 1 Mar 2016: Updated on 2 Mar 2016: My surgery ended at 12, I was in recovered until about 2 and I've been home for about 2 hours- literally walking around like it's a normal weekday! I'm able to walk up and down stairs, get up from the couch and my chair, and I even made myself eggs. My kids don't even know I had anything done! When I first woke up, my chest was really hurting, like a tingling pain in the nipple area. I thought, "oh no", because the Dr. had told me it's really only breast augmentation that has a painfull recovery. I alo had to use the bathroom really badly, and after sedation apparently it can take forever for your bladder to let down, which was unpleasant. I was also really woozy, as expected. But after half an hour or so I started feeling clear-headed enough to walk to my husband's car. The first ten minutes of the drive my chest felt literally EVERY bump and dip in the car but then I fell asleep and woke up as we got home. Dr. Hidalgo had stopped in to see me before I left and told me he was able to make take the areola down to 4 mm, instead of at most 4.5mm as he had originally said. That was so nice to hear! At home I made myself something to eat and hung out reading magazines and helping my son with homework. At one point I crossed my arms around my chest ( an instinctive gesture I often make) and, Wow! My chest was not as low down as it usually is! By 4pm I felt 85% of my usual self.... no pain in the chest or lipo area- just a little stiffness as if I had done too many squats. A side note- I didn't "love" the recovery area in the surgical suite. It was an open corner closed off with a curtain, and at one point they wheeled in next to me the surgery after mine, and she was snoring like a freight train. Although they did put a curtain divider between us, I guess I was expecting my own room? More updates soon! Updated on 3 Mar 2016: A lot more pain today.... I didn't realize I was numb from the lipo yesterday (apparently they inject a numbing agent with the fluid they use to perform the surgery). The numbness wore off overnight. I slept propped up and took one pill with hydrocodone before bed, but sleep overall wasn't so great. I dozed until about 11am and got up to "ambulate". My back is KILLING me. The area above the compression garment is very swollen and so tender I can't even touch it lightly. The last time it felt like this was after childbirth, and the epidural. My breasts feel fine, not sore at all, just tender. My breasts are really full and high. I know this is only temporary until the swelling goes down, but I wish it wasn't. I keep cupping them in wonder, lol. Other than that I don't know how anything under the compression garment looks. I've been walking every hour, and the pain is mostly under control, but I'm dreading tonight- I know I will be tired and won't be able to sleep well propped up on 3 pillows. The pain meds REALLY make me hungry. Am I the only one? Everything tastes really good, and I can't stop eating!!!! Updated on 4 Mar 2016: My chest doesn't hurt at all!!! Took a shower this morning, and I feel much better. As you can see in the pics there is hardly any bruising, and Dr. Hidalgo did all the stitching himself and it looks perfect. My husband didn't want to look at them when I was changing my gauze last night, and when I finally convinced him he wouldn't pass out from it, he was stunned at how good they look compared to some of the scary pictures out there. I am really uncomfortable in the lipo compression garment- the swelling from the lipo is the only difficult aspect of this entire surgery. I will try to get a looser garment because I can hardly breathe from it at times. I took a pain pill last night and just regular tylenol this morning. I'm trying to drink a ton to help flush out all the bloating. And I'm still taking Arnica and Bromelain three times daily to speed up the healing. When I have better lipo pictures I will post those as well. Updated on 8 Mar 2016: I've been mostly focused on my breast lift but I also got lipo and want to share with you a really important tip---- If your doctor doesn't provide a compression garment (mine didn't) you MUST get it fitted by a professional before, so you have the right garment right away. I ordered mine online, using their size chart, which the reviews said were accurate and it is a size too small. It has been a device of torture for the last few days. I try to keep it on as much as possible because it helps the skin contract, but at times I'm wearing spanx instead just so I can breathe without my ribs hurting. At night I wake up in pain from how tight it is. I ordered a size larger and am still waiting on it. I see mixed opinions on Real Self about whether you need the garment or not. But it makes sense that it helps your skin redrape smoothly, so I'll tough it out as long as I can. The swelling from the lipo goes up and down depending on the day and it shows up in different places, (one day it was really obvious in my face). Right now I can't see any difference in the areas he did- but right after the surgery and before the bruising started my waist looked great (see post op photos). The bruising shows up in new places on different days. Today my breasts are yellow, and not as hard as the first few days. I still can't believe my breasts were cut open and reshaped and I feel no pain from it. Tomorrow the sutures come out, I hope it's not too painful! Updated on 11 Mar 2016: I hope these pictures are helpful, although I feel they look so much better in person! What do you guys think??? Some of the tape has come off and the bruising is just about gone. I'm so beyond happy at how the vertical line looks just 10 days out. It looks like it may be barely visible once it's all done healing. I went into surgery prepared to have noticeable scars, and so I'm thrilled about this unexpected result. I take my bra off and admire them in the mirror at least 10 times a day, lol. Before the surgery I was always hunched over, and hated seeing myself in a mirror without a bra on. I finally feel normal. Lipo results - still a lot of bloating around the waist but my clothing definitely fits better. I wore jeans yesterday and finally there was no muffin top! Doctor Hidalgo said give it three weeks. I hope all this info is helpful to you, feel free to ask me any questions! Updated on 22 Mar 2016: So yesterday I stopped wearing the compression garment. Despite following all the doctor's instructions, I still feel huge and the lipo isn't noticeable. When I saw the doctor at my one week check up he showed me an implant and said he removed that much from each hip. I can't even tell, and I'm not overweight! I know bloating is common, it's just really hard to look at myself in the mirror and wonder what the heck I spent your money on because I literally see no difference. When I'm up at night thinking, I wonder if I have body dysmorphia that keeps me from seeing myself as I really am. Maybe there are big changes and I'm blind? Yesterday I got a lymphatic massage, following recommendations I read on the lipo boards. It felt really nice, but again, no difference at all. So I followed all the doctor's instructions and then some, I haven't touched alcohol in two months, I've taken all my supplements religiously, worn the garment 24/7 as instructed, drank tons of water. Clearly it hasn't helped. I know I sound very negative, but that's my reality right now. I thought I'd be jumping for joy every time I got dressed. Instead I dread waking up and having to clothing that fits. I'm also posting update breast pics separately. Updated on 22 Mar 2016: Pictures from three weeks out. Dr Hidalgo told me I needed to decide between a higher lift and larger areolae, or a not as high lift but larger areolae. I chose the first. Additionally, he told me my breasts are not perfectly symmetrical, and he can make them the same size but doesn't believe in forcing them to point a different way. I still have some scabs, but overall I got more than the results I expected, and I am happy. Updated on 4 Apr 2016: They seem to have dropped :( Not unexpected but still would've been nice to have them higher. I never feel uncomfortable in a bra anymore. Usually I was always aware of the underwire digging in somewhere, and couldn't wait to take off my bra at night. Now I can wear one 24 hours straight and forget I even have it on! It's such a great feeling. Lipo bloating is mostly gone in the legs but still hanging out around my waist and hips. Resumed yoga and pilates last week. Updated on 4 Apr 2016: Just found these pics I took during the first week post op...

Being a mom of 4 and having breastfed all of them my breasts have gone from an A/B cup to a D or DD with breast feeding. Recently I lost about 20 lbs and most was in my breasts. Now they are sagging and lost most of their volume. Never thought I would be getting breast augmentation but excited about having some volume back! Went to three PS. Two recommended a lift but was not thrilled to have the surgery if I needed to have lollipop scars or scars around my areola. I liked my little [RS bleep] the way they were. When i went to the third PS I was totally expecting for him to say i needed a lift but surprisingly so he said he wouldn't do a lift. My areola's are large and there was no skin showing under the nipple. He said that the lift would not work because there wasnt enough skin to pull it up so it was aestheticaly pleasing. Needless to say I was thrilled. I knew they were still going to hang down and wasn't looking for 20 year old breasts. He said the volume would pull the areola up a bit or he could do an areola incision to pull them up. I decided to go with just silicon implants and at the sizing appt we decided on 275 CC implants but to try to go a little larger if he didn't think they looked too big for my frame. I am a personal trainer so I wanted to be able to exercise comfortably. My husband is happy with me either way and just wants me to happy so he is supportive of whatever I decide. Updated on 12 Jan 2016: Got home from the hospital and I cans ay the meds really helped. Feeling was like when I had a newborn and my milk came in. Last night I had a rough time. I had a sharp nagging pain in my left shoulder blade all night long. I couldnt get any relief whether I sat up or was lying down. I took my pain meds but it wasn't touching it. It felt better when I was up walking around but couldn't walk around all night long. I was really worried it was something bad going on or a hematoma.In the morning I had my husband look at me and see if there was any swelling going on but there wasn't. Thank goodness. The doctor's office called and I asked the nurse and she said it was relatively normal because during the surgery they have you sit up with your arms raised and even though I feel like I am in good shape I was totally relieved it wasn't anything bad. She did say there may be swelling under my armpits and may get worse before it gets better! It is really hard to push up in bed because I can feel pulling in my pec muscles. I ended getting 300 cc Mentor silicone implants under the muscle moderate profile. So happy with the way they look so far!!! Updated on 16 Jan 2016: Well it has been 5 days since the surgery. I think I feel good, wish the post op bra was a little more supportive. Seems comfy but feel like I could use more support. Still suffering with sleeping due to intense pain in my left shoulder blade area. It is fine when I am upright but when I lie down the pressure just builds and I can't sleep. My hubby has been great and since he couldn't take off from work we went to see the doctor at POD 3 instead. I was glad about that since I didn't sleep at all the night before and that was on muscle relaxers, and pain meds which I am trying not to take. Tried sleeping on the couch, upright, on lots of pillows in bed raised up but was the same could lie there for a short while and then I feel like i need to get up, stretch it and move. Can't believe how wiped out I have been feeling and luckily I have been able to lay low this week. My 15 yo son is confused why I can't be driving him everywhere but just told him I am sick. Didn't want to tell him, thought it would be too weird for him to know and he hasn't said anything so far. Went to the doctor, they said everything looked great so far but at the max of swelling. They thought that the pain was just muscular, not a hematoma or nerve pain or anything bad and should get better. Said to keep taking the muscle relaxer and should improve. I hope so I need my sleep! Even sitting in the car was difficult to do for an hour each way. Has anyone experienced anything similar? Would love to her about it. Hopefully it has peaked and as the swelling goes down it will get better. What is interesting is that my doctor does not want me to ice them and didn't mention anything about massaging them but they aren't high. He said he tried in surgery to put in 325cc but felt they were too bog and high. I think they look great and wouldn't want them any bigger! Hubby absolutely loves them. I feel good and would like to go back to work teaching exercise but my doctor feels I should lay low at least another week. My hubby is really trying to keep me relaxing so I can heal properly. Just not used to laying low but I don't want any complications and want them to keep looking good. Updated on 17 Jan 2016: Well took my Meds last night and finally got a good nights rest. Back pain is getting better! Drive a tiny bit today and it felt ok. I can't believe how many movements you use your pecs for. Made a big dinner and dos some shopping with my hubby and now feeling a little sore in my pec muscles. Guess I did too much. Will have to take it a little easier. Tried in some bathing suit tops and really suprised and thrilled at how good they look. Will see if I have any underwire bras to start to wear tomorrow or else I will need to go shopping for some. Still have to wear an underwire bra 24/7 as per doctors orders! Updated on 18 Jan 2016: So happy I can get into a real bra and get a little more support. I had some of my old ones that fit me beautifully from when I had bigger [RS bleep] so I don't need to go out and buy some right now! Sleeping a lot better last night but a little sore last evening but this morning feels good. Just occasional twinges in the right breast around the incision, also can sleep on my side now with a bra on which feels weird since I have a lot of volume there one on top of the other! lol. But excited about that and being able to snuggle with my hubby. Have some errands to run and driving today a little nervous since it is snowy out but all should be fine. Can't wait till I am 6 weeks down but all in good time!! Updated on 19 Jan 2016: Pain in back totally gone. Able to put on regular underwire bra which helps cause feels more supportive. Luckily for me I had bras to wear cause my boobs have gone up and down over the years or as my hubby says I guess I have been wearing the wrong bra size all these years lol! Also able to sleep on my side last night which felt a little weird with the bra on and not totally comfortable squishing them together. Wondering about a sports bra my doctor said to wear an underwire bra is there any reason not to wear a sports bra? Too flattening? Anyone know? Laying low this week but need to return to work teaching exercise on Monday little nervous about that and also supposed to help out teach a class this weekend but with that I can mostly just help out and not do too much. Feeling less pulling in my check with things like opening car door or lifting light things which I am happy about but know my chest still has a lot of healing to do. Hard to stay relaxed and not too active! Updated on 22 Jan 2016: So went to see the doctor yesterday. He said everything looks great! I explained that I am having some burning in my chest between my breasts in my sternum area. He said that was normal and may be from the pec muscle transection. Also said there was still swelling and that gets better closer to 3 weeks but not up toll 6 weeks will we know how they really look. Might be doing too much. I asked about sports bras and he said I could only wear an underwire bra 24/7 till week 6 also no massaging he feels it can cause contracture. So ask the question ladies I guess every doctor has their own way of doing things. Had some older bras but realized that they were a little tight specially at the end of the dayl. Also spoke to him about work and my husband explained to him a little more closely what I have to do, demonstrate exercises life things and he and the doctor agreed no work for 6 weeks till all is clear. Shoot I wasn't expecting this and I guess I didn't explain or find out beforehand what my recovery would be.thought I would be able to go back after two weeks but I am having some pain in-between my breasts just doing little stuff around the house. Now I had to call my boss and tell her I am out for another 4 weeks. Didn't want to tell her what I had done and she was concerned I was ok but just said I had a procedure done and the doctor said no work for 6 weeks. Ugh!! I know I want them to look as good as they can and I did spend the time and money to do it and I am thankful that I can take off from work and that my husband is supportive! My boss said it was fine but still feel bad. Went to target today to get some supportive bigger bras that are comfy to sleep in also!! Updated on 26 Jan 2016: So now I am officially two weeks. It is weird that they feel so natural. Not sure what I thought but they feel good. Nipples are a little sore and sensitive especially on the right side. I was able to ride a stationary bike today for awhile which felt so good to be exercising again. Different bra sizes confusing 34D mostly one 36D which is actually pretty comfy. Laying low primarily which feels good cause after food shopping was a little sore in the pec muscles. Updated on 27 Jan 2016: Posted some pictures of my scars. Look good seem a little raised but considering two weeks out I can't complain. Trying to let them heal without over stretching them. Really tucked away! Started some stationary biking and all feels good! Just going a little stir crazy. Cleaning out my sons closet. Now that's desperate! Updated on 1 Feb 2016: I am feeling well but occasionally a little sore. I did notice this weekend that when I flex my left breast that that breast raises up a little and gets a little void or wrinkle in it. Anyone experience something liker this? When it is relaxed and down it looks fine. Wondering if the volume isn't right on that side. That side was a little smaller than the other one to begin with. Going to call the doctor and see what he says. Hopefully he will take a look at it! My hubby was the one who noticed it and isn't too thrilled about it! Will keep you posted! Updated on 3 Feb 2016: Spoke to my doctors office about what I noticed. He said it can be a complication of the surgery. He said to continue to take it easy and wouldn't change any of my activities. Try not to be tempted to make it happen more, and nothing to do about it right now. He will see me at 6 weeks. Sometimes looking on the internet can be a dangerous thing. They look great when just hanging free or in my bra. Will try not to use my pecs too much. Never realized how many activities involve using your pec muscles. I just hope it doesn't get worse, Fingers crossed, just want them to look great. Started a little eliptical without the use of arms and that felt good, a little bouncy! Lol.

Sooo tired of not looking great in my jeans anymore. I had to by larger skirts to fit my waist then have to take them in through hips and legs. I still have lots of swelling. I am top I should go downseveral sizes !!!!!! I'm only five days post op so I have at least threes before I have my shape back again. Updated on 14 Jul 2015: Saw PS yesterday. He stated the obvious which is I am still hugely swollen. Wants me to wear pressure garment for a total of three weeks. No problem if it's going to make me as perfect as I can get. I have hives possibly medication or the pressure garment so I am wearing it over a tank. Nurse wants me to totally stop all meds. No can do. Especially being a very long drive (3 1/2 hours) to PS. DSL want some pain relief and don't want risk of infection. So glad to be home in my own bed with my little Pomeranian. Think the 7 plus hours of driving took its toll on me. Hope I didn't tear anything internally. Minor adjustment for my vet tall bed , which is little kiddie step stool:). Thank goodness didn't throw both out. A lot of up and down the stairs already today. Coffee, littl light unpacking.... Spirits still good although cried a little on way home cuz when I'm sick I stool want my mother who passed at the very young age of 61, almost twenty years ago. Updated on 15 Jul 2015: Spend several hours in bed doing registration paperwork for my freshman teenager. Took the dogs for two nice long walks. Showered and washed and blew hair dry. Older daughter made me fruit smoothie for lunch. Got out to Starbucks for coffee and picked up swordfish for dinner. Older daughter cooked rice . Hubby grilled swordfish. I threw a few dishes in dish washer. Fell asleep at 8;30 in front of TV. I stopped taking antibiotics , hives were too bad and kept getting severe diarrhea . Updated on 19 Jul 2015: Dropped the girl off at the club pool. Then picked them up and dropped them off to meet a god friend to go to our local fair and have a sleep over. Dear husband is at a business gulf outing. So all I have to do is walk the dogs one more time tonight and figure out what I want for dinner:) Is everyone else feeling so bloated they have loss of appetite? I am curled up in bed. Trying to get the energy to update my picture. Off pain meds I feel weird pulling and pinching sensations is this normal? Updated on 20 Jul 2015: Sometime in the eay morning I flipped to me side and slept in the fetal position. Yay! Felt a little strange on the right side which had pressure. Got some early morning pics from after coffee and breakfast. Low fat yogurt with granola, too lazy for the fruit this morning) Waste still feels so thick of course before surg it was 27, now 30. Which is better than 36 which it was the day after I drov e 7 hours to pick my other daughter up and drive home from NY. I feel like if I don't start working out I will have NO ass left barely have one already:) I know , I know patience:) Have to do two dog walks alone this morning drive at least an hour to pick girls up from sleepover. Then two appointments to drive them two. Lilly's it looks like this early in my recovery I have to bring my 26 yo for anorexia treatment all the way to Colorado . Have already spent a year and a half here in Noston Mass area. She's not getting better. So I feel a little overwhelmed today!!! Updated on 21 Jul 2015: Woke up ate breakfast of yogurt and granola. Fell back to sleep from about 8-10:30. Soooo tired. Spoke with treatment center I'm trying to get my 16 yo into. She overheard me and told mr no way is she going to Denver. I drove 14 yo to private tumbling class . Got home Nd fell asleep again from 3-5:30. So tired . Going to bed:) Updated on 22 Jul 2015: Darling husband walked and fed dogs. So I slept in until 8:30. I really needed a shower, felt too bad to take on yesterday. So I got cleaned up, took the dogs for a short walk . Then spend several hours with insurance company and reviewing my 16 yo last year and a half of eating disorder treatment. Never heard back from the billing department and they need to submit an out of network request form.... Very frustrating . I thought she would put some weight back on because she wanted to dance this summer, but she's thinner than ever. Anyway about my TT and Lopo I am having a hard time standing straight. And I'm walking soooo slow! Is this where I am supposed to be? I don't even want to post any new pictures because I don't feel I look any better. Updated on 24 Jul 2015: Spent half the day again working on getting my daughter into the treatment facility which is my first choice. Then dropped girls at pool grabbed my Starbucks all the while trying to work a miracle. Me, I'm trying to eat well. But I feel so full and bloated. At least the effects of the diarrhea are gone from the antibiotic. Benadryl is mr best friend! I am solo itchy all the time. Especially where I had Lipo. This morning when I first got up I think I actually saw my hip bone!!!!!! I was always so thin I would dip in at the hip bone then had a little roundness and definition to my belly. I would love if it looks like that again. Just in my jeans. I am 56 I know I can wear a bikini anymore. Wish I could have done this years ago:) Updated on 25 Jul 2015: Day 19 post. This is after coffee and breakfast morning shot. I see so many shapely bodies posted. I was 110 pounds before my first pregnancy at the age of 38. so I was never really shapely. But I was hoping for a little more of a waistline..... Did get Lipo... Updated on 29 Jul 2015: Hi Ladies, Well I had to get my sweet 16 yo admitted to treatment through Boston Childrens ER. Got up at 5 arrived at ER at 8:00 am . Finally got her ambulanced to highest level of care, lock down facility for anorexia. It was awful , poor thing wouldn't eat anything all day but two hard boiled eggs and few bites of apple. I think we got her to the unit at 11:00 in evening. I was so wiped out from it yesterday. The most decent thing I could find to eat all day was two little things is musli and fruit with skim milk. Yesterday I brought her buy some comfort essentials they are not allowed much. Just got to give her a quick hug and kiss. My heart is breaking without her here. But I just couldn't pull her out of relapse. I brought her school work and fuzzy blanket today. The drive is 40 50 minutes with light traffic each way. A lot on my body for recovery at 56 on top of the stress of worrying about her. Tomorrow I will catch up on paperwork in bed so I can go for visiting hours 6-8 at night. I feel like I am not focused enough on walking and trying to stand straighter. Updated on 1 Aug 2015: I tried to write a long update and lost it... What's bothering me are sharp annoying pains on my left groin area. Won't go to three week post op after my initial on week cuz I don't want to leave my angel in treatment and leave town. Does anyone else get these? Updated on 1 Aug 2015: Did not wat to have to go to NY. Has anyone had what I think is a dissolved stitch and a very small opening with little blood? Updated on 2 Aug 2015: I'm noticing slight soreness on back where I had lipo and tenderness under breasts. I guess that is where muscle reconstruction starts. Just slight differences from trying to stand up straighter and doing more. I still have very small appetite. Like there is just nowhere for food to go. I had a nice visit with my daughter at treatment today . We played cards and chatted for two hours. Tomorrow I need to be back on the phone to get insurance moving along. They never keep them in treatment for long without a battle. And I need her at a better place. Thank goodness I had the energy today. Didn't feel great this morning. Funny how much time it takes to recover and energy comes in spurts as well as fatigue. Updated on 5 Aug 2015: Hi ladies, I think I saw a post that says the swelling starts to move down the body. I am one inch more narrow directly under breasts. Also this morning 1/2 more narrow at waist. My waist is still bigger than before surgery. Of course I cannot get into presurgery clothes. Tomorrow night James Talor concert. Would love to be able to wear something hot and rock and roll . Last week we went to Steely Dan . I wore one of my husbands t shirts sneaks and a pair of jeans that were always too stretched out for me. Good thing I never threw them out. I brought my sweet angel in treatment dinner two nights in a row. Today healthy lunch and snack time. Told her the plans for her to go to a top notch residential facility. Boston treatment for anorexia is so lacking:(. She is so resistant to leaving the state. It is heartbreaking. I can't decide if my lack of enthusiasm for eating is from the swelling and bloat or me missing her. I really think I feel full from surgery. But I see others posting about being really hungry. Does anyone else have a smaller appetite since TT? Updated pics. Obviously need to chance panty style. Updated on 6 Aug 2015: Thought I would try the side by side see if it makes me feel progress:) Ok well I'm very bad with computers, so they're not next to eachother, but I can see I am more narrow through tummy and flanks. Updated on 9 Aug 2015: Hi Ladies, I want to first say thank you to all your feed back, encouragement and guidance. I'm not an Internet or technology person but not knowing anyone personally who has gone through this was motivator to figure it out! So happy I did. I would have freaked out without your support. I also had to keep telling myself I went to one of the top surgeons in NYC . How could he mess up just a TT? Lol! Anyway, a few words of encouragement for those behind me in healing time. Your figure will emerge! The swelling does go down! A lot of my clothes are now loose on me when I don't have my binder on. Most of my clothes just look great on me because my but is so small they fit my ass, but we're snug at waist. Last night I wore low cut white jeans and a fitted black top. It was that very soft spandex cotton I kind of material that shows every bump. No muffin top, no bra bulge at back. First night out on a date without my binder . My husband told me I was "smokin' hot' and couldn't kept his hands of of me!! Lol! Just like when we were dating:) I'm 56 years old so you younger ladies probably will bounce back faster! I was happy to get binder back on. Think I need some spanx or something for my longer days of driving to and from my sweet child in treatment. But feeling so much better about the healing process. Next step back to the gym!! Updated on 11 Aug 2015: I definitely still need my binder. I feel less weird pulling and tenderness when I wear it all the time. I'm just going to wear the stage two compression tank out on dates:) I feel like almost a teen again with this TT. It got rid of those last few pounds I couldn't take off on my own. I'm ready to start planning a face lift even though hubby's wallet isn't. But he'll catch up quickly. Lol Updated on 11 Aug 2015: Yes I can wear a bikini Updated on 31 Aug 2015: Hi ladies. Hope all enjoyed the summer. I have been busy living life and fitting into my clothes. Even if they are a tiny tight at the end of the day. Finally made it to the gym and did full circuit of machines including the ab machines. Also have gone twice to do the treadmill. I think if I wasn't dealing with me I'll daughter I could have worked out sooner. Literally spend hours upon hours on phone fighting with insurance, looking for different facilities or going to visit her. Had her in outpatient day treatment for four days and had to lock all bathrooms and watch her every minute. Still she found a way to bulimic. So put her in only resi insurance will pay for. I have done nothing for my scars or anything special. Maybe once a week throw the compression garment on to see if it will take down a little swelling overnight. My surgeon doesn't believe any treatment is necessary. I walk my dogs several times a day and eat healthy foods. Mostly salads with proteins, yogurt granola and fruit. I do eat deserts with hubby when out, we share. I feel very tight through stomach and have weird moving sensations. Also tender where I had Lipo. Thought I would get a message in, but haven't. I pretty much feel back to normal and want to take fitness to a new level. I took my fourteen yo for more school shopping. We went to a mall which is new in the area and there was a Tommy Bahama shop. I started to try a bikini on and got a big lecture. So left with nothing. The next day went to Everything But Water. Really cool swimwear shop here in U.S. They had the Tommy Bahama suit I wanted. When I tried it on for hubby he told me he loved it! My 14 yo told me I look like a [RS bleep] star..,. Here it is. Oh, also ordered a solid white bottom that is a little higher. Which I will wear until scar fades a little more. Bought I little white crocheted mini skit coverup . Very expensive , but so cute had to have it! Updated on 20 Jan 2016: Hi All, I hope you all had great holidays . I finally have my 16-year-old with her eating disorder back at home in some sort of recovery but a huge battle going on with DCF and probably will for the next several months it's taken all of my time and energy . I finally called my doctor to let him know that I have a bump to the upper right of my bellybutton and my bellybutton is not quite center . I don't have swelling anymore but I do have spasms in some pain and tightening at night when I stretch so I don't know if I have hernia or what the heck is going on .... Anyone else have anything similar to this ?? Updated on 26 Jan 2016: Has anyone else had this happen ? I did not go into this tell me talk with a hernia everything was fine . I really don't remember when I started feeling that something wasn't quite right but I noticed my belly button was not centered so I knew that needed to be fixed . I couldn't get back to the plastic surgeon in New York due to my daughter being ill . Then I started to get a pooch out to the upper right of my bellybutton . I did take a Pilates class and it seem to get bigger started feeling sore so I knew something was deafly going on . i'm supposed to go to my plastic surgeon in New York tomorrow but the staff are not giving me any idea what can be done about this and I'm really scared has anyone else had this happen and tell me what the procedure is like and what the recovery is like so I can be prepared .