Bednar Cosmetic Surgery is committed to provide personalized attention, respect, confidentiality, and professionalism to each of their patients. Their practice is led by Dr. Bednar with over 30 years of surgical expertise and experience.
Hi everyone, I’ve decided to document my BFT journey with you. I was inspired by another reviewer on here who left an extremely detailed review about her experience and thought it’d be helpful. I figured getting a BFT kills two birds with one stone - I get lipo (which I need on my flanks and abdomen) and boobs in one go! Quick info: Asian, mid-20s, chunky with broad shoulders. Rectangular (?) shaped body. No previous implants or breast surgeries done. I have to leave a star review to make updates so I’ve left one for now but want to make a more complete judgment after 3 months. Scheduling a consultation over the phone was easy. Dr. Bednar and I had a quick conversation as I honestly did not have many questions for him. I was able to snag a surgery date only 2 months later (the earliest appointment). Sylvia is great for coordinating all the dates. She also provides a schedule for you. The pre-op with the nurse asked some basic questions about my health. No smoking, drinking, or partaking in a long list of substances/supplements a few weeks prior to surgery. Updated on 15 Apr 2025: Travel * Arrived in NC at 1:30am after a 4-hour delay with American Airlines. SFO to NC took around 6 hours. We were not able to use the meal vouchers we were given because all the airport restaurants were closed unfortunately. * Called an Lyft and checked into the Hamptons. Drive was about 20 minutes long. Fell asleep around 3:15am. * Woke up the next day at 12:30pm. Called the front desk for shuttle service to my pre-op. Pre-op @ 2pm, 4/2/25 * Shuttle driver picked me up from the Hamptons for my pre-op. We left around 1:25pm. The drive was short. He was pleasant and knowledgable about the process and gave me instructions on getting to Bednar’s office. He gave me his card to call for pickup. Thanks Scott! * Arrived 15 minutes early. The building has lots of greenery (perhaps it helps people feel calm). I was greeted by Sylvia. Office has candy (chocolates, trail mix, hard candy), soda, and water. It’s clean, neat, and nicely decorated. No other patients here. * Nurse Erin gave me some paperwork to sign off on. It’s related to your health, waivers, and caretakers. I changed into my front facing gown and disposable bikini bottom (which they provide). Nurse seems like a very down-to-biz type of person with limited chit chat. * Picture time. Nurse Erin took all my photos in the same room. She took them with a camera and asked me to set my feet in different positions and hold my arms back/front to pose for the camera properly. This took ~30 minutes. * While waiting for the Dr, I heard nurse Erin talking to another patient going over the same info she did with me. I waited for Dr. Bednar and Joel for ~25 minutes. * I spoke to Dr Bednar and my nurse first. He marked me up in the dressing gown and disposable underwear for about 5 minutes. We talked about tomorrow’s game plan. He’ll take fat from my flanks, abdomen and lower back, inner thighs if necessary. I’m okay with that since I’ve never had a thigh gap and would honestly love one. * Dr. Bednar thinks he can get 500-550ccs into my breasts, mainly focusing on the upper poles and creating cleavage. I have a slight asymmetry but it’s so small that Dr. Bednar says he’ll just use the same amount in both. He will also round out my hip dips with 40-50ccs if he has any leftover fat to work with. * This convo felt a bit rushed, I felt like I didn’t have to time to ask questions because he was in and out of there. He did compliment my back tattoo and said as a sculptor, he could really appreciate a work of art. * I spoke to Joel afterwards, the nurse anesthesiologist. He was thorough in everything that would happen and answered any remaining questions I had. I’ll have an IV, be intubated with a breathing tube, and receive pain meds. They’ll keep me in the office until I wake up and feel ready to go. In the meantime, he wanted me to be hydrated, meaning when I peed, it should be clear. This conversation took ~30minutes. * Went back to the hotel via shuttle service. My driver this time was not Scott. He was not chatty and didn’t say anything. The driver can drop you off at Walgreens but I elected to go back to the hotel to rest up a little bit before heading over to Walgreens. * The boyfriend and I picked up some protein snacks (jerky, pedialyte, granola bars) and got meds. They forgot to give me Norco so I called Dr. Bednar (he answered immediately at 7pm). He spoke to Melissa and told me I had to go back to ask for the Norco again. I guess sometimes they forget, so make sure to check your medications before leaving. I picked up everything from Walgreens, totaling ~$106.17. * We rested up for a bit before having dinner at Bulla Gastrobar. I had chicken stew with rice and some tapas. I arrived home a little late so I ended up taking the Gabapentin and Aprepitant at 9:15pm instead of the advised 9pm. When I mention this to Joel the next day, he says it’s okay. * I settle into bed at 10pm after taking a shower with Dial soap. I need to take a shower tomorrow morning before surgery but it’s likely I won’t take as thorough of a shower so I wanted to make sure tonight I cleaned everything. With the time change from west coast to east coast I’m sure I’ll struggle with waking up early in the morning to get to an 8am surgery. * Tomorrow afternoon the front desk will bring extra pillows to my room. It’s to help elevate my back to reduce the swelling. My boyfriend is also allergic to down pillows so we need non-down pillows. * I feel a bit anxious, so I take 10mg Valium 1 hour after taking the other two meds (oops, I was supposed to take half and then a the other half 5mg didn’t work). Updated on 15 Apr 2025: Surgery @ 8am, 4/3/25 * I wake up at 6am, feeling pretty normal even though I got maybe 6.5-7 hours of sleep. I take a hot shower with Dial soap, lathering every part of my body that I can reach. * I grab breakfast but don’t eat anything (the meal is for later). Cheese omlettes, sausage, yogurt, strawberries, a muffin, a scone, and red velvet / malted vanilla waffles. Smelling the food makes me a little hungry. * I do a 20 minute self lymphatic drainage massage a la ChatGPT. I say a quick prayer and I’m off to surgery at 7:30am with Scott. We have a quiet ride this morning. * I bring my medications, take off my earrings, and bring an XXXL t-shirt in case my button up doesn’t fit after surgery. I am wearing drawstring joggers, slip on crocs, ankle socks, and a button up from my boyfriend. I was asked to wear glasses instead of contacts, so I’m wearing them today. * I hope I can pee. I totally forgot about reserving some pee when I got up this morning and peed. I can’t drink anything either so I’m praying I have something in the bladder for Bednar. * I feel remarkably calm. I think the Valium is still in my system. My boyfriend is not coming with me to surgery but I’m not fretting over it. I feel at peace and excited for what’s to come. DDs! * I arrive at the office at 7:45am. The drive is quick, no traffic. Scott takes cash tips, not Venmo. We have a quiet drive over. * I take a minute to appreciate the beautiful greenery and mini fountain set up here. It’s quite calming pre-surgery. * Bednar’s office is locked. I knock and ring the bell. I don’t know if anyone is here yet… * After a couple minutes, Abby answers. they can’t hear because they are in the back preparing for surgery. She lets me inside and takes a urine sample. It’s kind of hard to pee in a cup but I do have urine. Yay! * I dress in a gown and put my hair up. I put on compressions socks, regular socks, and a hair net that was provided to me. It all seems more real wearing the surgery get up. It’s 8am sharp now. * I think everyone that works here, other than Dr. Bednar and Joel, are female. * I suddenly had a massive wave of anxiety during the IV insertion. I was so nervous about the IV I started to shake a little. My teeth were chattering. The nurse, Abby inserted the IV. She tried on my left but could not get it so she tried on the right. The IV was quite a painful pinch. After a few minutes the shaking and chattering stopped. The anxiety subsided a bit but is not gone. * Abby really is nice. She talked me through the IV insertion knowing I was nervous. We talked about living in the Bay Area versus NC. I’m glad she took the time to make me feel more comfortable. * Abby gave me 4 pills to take. Zofran, Gabapentin, and something else. She put a steroid in the IV as well. She said the Gabapentin and Zofran should help with the anxiety. I turned on the massage chair to help relax. It’s 8:25am. * I watched some TV while waiting for Joel and Dr. Bednar. It’s called Flipping Nation. Lots of entertaining fabricated drama about flipping houses. * I talk to Joel at 8:40am. He checks my heart beat and breathing. He asked me what I ate last night and we chit chat a little bit about being scared of IVs but not tattoos. He asks if I have any remaining questions- I don’t. I’m just happy the IV part is over. Whew! * Dr. Bednar comes in at 9:10am. Instead of a surgery mask he is wearing a surgical helmet with a clear face shield with some sort of tube attached to the back of his belt. He marks me up in detail, first drawing my breasts out then the areas he will contour on the front and back. No chit chat. I ask him to make sure my belly button comes out nice and not all flat and stretched out. He says it’s up to my body’s anatomy, which I’m ok with. I just don’t want a weird tummy tuck belly button which he assures me won’t happen. * Into the operating room I go! It’s about 9:15am. See you on the other side! Updated on 15 Apr 2025: * Late update. I slept ALL day. When I woke up, I was in my stage 1 garment. The nurses used the XXXL shirt I brought instead of the button up since it was too small for my new breasts. They took something out of my urethra I think - a catheter? Not sure. I felt extremely nauseous (and I said so), Joel let the nurses administer more anti-nausea medicine for me. I also asked for a bag to throw up in but did not use it. * I just remember talking to Joel and my nurse, but I don’t remember getting anesthesia administered through the IV. I remember getting dressed with the nurses and getting into the wheelchair. My boyfriend was at the door. * I think I vaguely remember that the nurse said Dr. Bednar was able to get 700 cc in each breast so I’m very very excited about that and can’t wait to take a look. * My boyfriend and Scott drove me back to the hotel. They waited an additional 30 minutes for me because of my post surgical nausea. The office didn’t want to let me go until they felt I was okay. I remember saying Scott was the best and that I needed cash to tip him. At the hotel, my boyfriend tried to get me to eat something but I couldn’t. I was too nauseous still. I found a chair to sit down in and ended up falling asleep in it. * When I woke up, it was 5:15pm. I hadn’t eaten anything all day. Dr. Bednar called to see how I was doing. He really wanted me to eat something. My boyfriend fed me a small blueberry muffin bit by bit. It was really hard to get down. I felt like each tiny bite was a challenge and I had to wash it down with some water. We had some soup, but I wasn’t really interested in it and I think I tried to eat it twice, but I just did not want it. * I kept falling back asleep. It’s 9:30 PM right now and my boyfriend tells me that I’m looking a lot better and that I have some flush to my face. I’m not as pale as I was before. * I do have a lot of leakage going on I think from my incision from the back above my butt it’s a mixture of blood and tumescent fluid. It stained my hotel seat so we had to put some towels down. My boyfriend called Dr. Bednar and Dr. Bednar said that this was completely normal and to be expected so I’m not too worried about it. * In terms of pain I would say this is a 4-5 out of 10. It’s really not that bad. you just feel sore at your fat harvesting sites and on your breasts. For me, that’s my waist which consists of my flanks abdomen and lower back. I took a Norco when I got home. right now I’m not in too much pain. I still feel a little sore. I can get up and sit down and I can walk around a little bit-baby steps. * I had some food to eat around 10pm or so. I had a much better appetite. I had some chicken nuggets, fries, a yogurt, strawberries, jerky, and some waffles with sugar free syrup. I have to be careful not to over eat because of my compression garment, however. * I have been a little bit crabby with my boyfriend and I do feel sorry for that. he really has been a great help postop. * I honestly don’t really know how I’m going to get to my postop appointment. I feel like I can’t really walk very much. I’m not in too much pain, but I can’t exactly just get around and about. * My teeth keep chattering for some reason but I’m not cold. It’s not a lot of chattering but it’s here and there. My hands are also swollen but I’m not too concerned about it. * I wake up several times during the night. Not out of pain - I just wake up to pee or to walk a little. It hurts a little to get up and sit down but I think walking is good for me, especially since the Dr did not take fat from my thighs. Updated on 22 Apr 2025: Day 1 * I wake up around 6am and get 10 minutes worth of steps in. I’m still a little sore. Getting up from a seated position is probably the hardest thing to do. I’m not supposed to take any painkillers in the morning because the office wants me to not be drowsy during my post op appointment but I might take 1/2 or 1/4 of a Norco anyway. (I didn’t end up taking anything). * My stomach was grumbling this morning, but I wasn’t sure if it was because of hunger, so I drank a good bit of water. Around 6:30am I went back to sleep. * I woke up at 9am and went pee. I’m feeling okay this morning. I have some wet spots on my compression garment because of the post surgical drainage and pee spots (i can’t really pee cleanly without getting some on my buttcheek). My boyfriend and I had a quick breakfast (Omlette, one piece of potato, 1/4 of a muffin, hot chocolate) before riding with Scott to Dr. Bednar’s office. * The post op appointment went by fast-20 or so minutes. My nurse, Ellison, went over the healing timeline with me and took off my bandages. This did not hurt- only a slight sting of tape being lightly pulled off the breasts. It felt like my breasts could breathe for a second. She gave me some new padding. * My breasts looked extremely bruised - a dark purple everywhere. They did look bolted on and very high up but I’m not worried, they will drop and fluff. Dr. Bednar came in after a few minutes and checked out my post op breasts. They seemed to look fine so he was out in a minute or so (he just came from the OR). Ellison then put me in a post op sports bra with padding, XL size. Ellison really was quite lovely, and her presence was calming. * During post op I also saw my breast stats. 700ccs in each breast, 90 to the left hip, 75 to the upper left buttcheek, 80 to the right hip, 70 to the upper right buttcheek. My breast density was 8/10 (how close the cells are together), my compliance (how lax the skin can stretch) a 5/10. My nurse told me 8 is a good number and 5 is the middle of the road average. I was quite pleased to hear my numbers. * We then headed back to the hotel with Scott. I still feel like resting today, even though I slept almost all day yesterday and last night. I couldn’t lay down on the pillows - I think the incision near the top of my butt and the fat injected there stung a bit too much, so I’m back to sitting in the chair. It’s quite comfy, surprisingly. I’ve slept on the chair daily since I got surgery. * Around 11:30am or so I take a nap. I wake up around 2pm and shoot Melissa an email about getting a Doctor’s note for taking time off work and laying on my back. I’m very scared of killing the back fat the doc injected on the top of my butt. * I’ve started to walk a bit more on my feet. Yesterday I had trouble and needed my boyfriend to walk next to me slowly and I only walked for maybe <20 minutes. Walking has been getting easier, though I still do a waddle duck walk. No nausea, I’m feeling better today but I am a bit crabby. I’m still taking Norco every 4 hours or so, though I’m trying to stretch it to 6 hours between doses. * I have a protein shake around 3:15pm. My tummy has been audibly grumbling lately which is odd (I don’t feel hungry?) * I took 3 methylprednisolone pills and a doxycycline pill with about 1/3 of a muffin and 2 pieces of beef jerky. Didn’t want to eat but I needed to take them with food. I need to take the rest with dinner tonight. * I did a 30 minute walk from 4:55pm to 5:25pm. I took a Norco right beforehand. Movement is good. I had a drink with sugar free strawberry starburst mix and collagen to quench my thirst afterwards. * I’m feeling a bit sleepy at 5:30pm so I took a nap. I wake up around 6:20pm. Hungry, I finish my muffin from earlier. I’ll try to have a high protein dinner. I do a 45 minute walk from 6:45pm to 7:30pm, feeling good. * The boyfriend returns at 7:30pm with salmon, chicken breast, green beans and mashed potatoes from Whole Foods. I’m hungry. I have about half the portions before filling up. Can’t eat too much with this stage 1 garment on. We watch the office for a bit. I take the other 3 methylprednisolone pills and the doxy. * From 9-9:40pm, I stand and walk a little bit. Peeing is still difficult. * At 10:22pm, I take another Norco. I’ve been spacing them 6 hours apart. I don’t think I can tolerate a lymphatic massage yet - maybe I will try tomorrow. * I get up and walk/stand around for an hour around 10:56. I still can’t pee without getting urine on my garment. It’s much more comfortable to stand than it is to sit. * I have a slight wet cough. There’s something deep in my throat when I clear it but my abdomen hurts when I do. The doxy should take care of it. * I go to sleep around 12:30am in the hotel chair sitting upright. Updated on 22 Apr 2025: Day 2 * I wake up at 4:46am to pee and stretch my legs. My teeth chattered, but I was not cold. Back to sleep. * I wake up at 7:23am to pee and stretch my legs again. The Norco has worn off and my butt just felt like it needed to stand. I’m sore still. It’s fine when I’m standing and walking or sitting, just painful when I get up or sit down. My butt is so tired of sitting at this point I’d rather stand the whole day. * At 9:09am, I wake up and take a Norco. We go down to breakfast around 9:30am. I grabbed yogurt, an egg white frittata, some smoked maple sausage and a hot chocolate for breakfast. I also grabbed a muffin but did not finish it. I eat about half my yogurt and sausage. My boyfriend got a waffle to share but I didn’t eat any of it either - after finishing my frittata, half my yogurt and some sausage I was full. * I feel a bit gross today. I wish I could take a shower. I’m still in some pain, I really hoped that I would be feeling better today. Maybe I am - pain is still a 3.5-4/10. It’s a soreness in my core and I’ve started developing a little neck pain from sitting so much. I really wish I could lay down but I suppose it’s good for swelling. * My hands and feet are very swollen. I need to do a lymphatic massage today with my boyfriend’s help. My feet can’t fit into my sandals, which was the same case as yesterday. * I’m feeling a bit lightheaded after breakfast. I fall asleep from 10:15am-11:45am. I get up and do some light walking and massaging with my boyfriend’s help. I stand/walk/wander around slowly until 12:47pm. I manage to lay down in bed with lots of pillows supporting my back and elevating my legs. The boyfriend gives my legs a much needed massage. * I have some jerky, chips and a blueberry muffin at 2pm with another Doxy and methylprednisolone. I’m pretty full from that, it should hold me over until dinner time. I walk for 15 minutes before peeing and getting back into bed. * I order my stage 2 garment. I’ve heard Marena stretches out and doesn’t provide the level of compression needed for abdomen and flank lipo, so I order the non-zippered full body girdle from design Veronique in size M. The stage 1 garment I’m wearing is from design Veronique, size M as well, so I figured sizing would be consistent. * I nap from 3pm to 4:15pm. I feel really swollen in my midsection. I take a Norco and try to gently massage it after the pain meds kick in. I walk around as soon as I can get up because my butt needs a break. * The area right above my stage 1 garment is very swollen. It looks like a muffin top. I’ve begun icing it in hopes it goes down. The ice packs feel good. I walk around for an hour or so, until 5:30pm. * I get up and walk a bit around 7. I also have my leftover chicken, salmon, green beans and mashed potatoes for dinner from yesterday. I had a really good appetite for dinner and finished everything. I wash it down with some pedialyte. I rest my eyes from 7:30-8:20, then walk and ice my sides for a bit. I rest in bed and fall asleep around 10:30pm. * I wake up at 12:15am to pee and take a Norco. 8 hours since my last one…I decide to walk around a bit and have two biscuit cookies for a snack. At 1:15am I settle back into bed after removing my pajamas and having ice water (I got a little too hot). I sleep around 2:00am. Updated on 22 Apr 2025: Day 3 * I wake up around 8:06am and rest a bit. I want to give my partner extra time to sleep since he hasn’t adjusted well to the east coast time zone. I doomscroll until 9:25am or so. I take half a Norco at 9, since our checkout time is 12 and flight is at 5. * I grab breakfast at 9:30am. A scoop of scrambled eggs, pork sausage, yogurt, and fresh strawberries with whipped cream. I take a few muffins to go. My appetite is a bit better this morning. * I can stand up, sit down and mostly walk by myself today, albeit a bit slowly. Around 10am, I walk for a bit around the hotel while icing my muffin top. I am up and walking as much as I can. * For the first day or 2 after surgery I slept upright in the chair before moving to bed where I slept on 5-6 pillows upright with elevated feet. * I pull my garment over my muffin top. It seemed to help with the swelling last night. I try to keep it up during the day. * We get to the airport and check into the Club (lounge). I take 1/2 a Valium and 1/2 a Norco simultaneously (I’m not supposed to). I have some veggie salad, cucumbers, corn, and a country biscuit and little pasta. This meal is kind of low on protein so I’ll need to make up for it when we get back. * I feel really gross. I can’t wait to shower and wash my hair. Of course I’ll need to change into my new garment but I need to get through this flight first. I really should’ve gotten a shewee before getting surgery, I have pee all over my crotch hole. * I have a banana muffin and 1/2 a Norco at 8:10pm, 3 hours into my flight. I’m still hungry so I have a protein bar at 9pm. I need to stock up on chicken and have some protein shakes when I get home. I notice today that my hands are no longer swollen, not sure about my feet however. * We land in SFO around 8. We have dinner at a chicken spot. I have a salad with mashed avocado, grilled chicken breast, egg, bacon bits, tomatoes, blue cheese and green goddess dressing. The flight was not too bad! I take 2 more methylprednisolone pills and a doxycycline pill. * We finally arrive back home. I take half a Valium to calm my nerves around crowds. * I take a shower and change into my second stage 1 garment with the help of my boyfriend. It was difficult. I truly regret not getting a shewee. I do feel clean afterwards but getting all the hooks on the garment was a nightmare. Peeling off the scabs from the tissue in the bra on the breast was yucky too. I will try my best to stay clean to limit the amount of times I need to change the garment. * Around 11:45pm, I settle into bed and take a methylprednisolone. I’m done for the night. Updated on 22 Apr 2025: Day 4 * I got a waist trainer to wrap around my compression garment to make sure my waist is extra snatched. Combined with the ab board that ought to make my abdomen tight. * I woke up around 6am to pee. I’ve been peeing in a cup. Back to sleep. * I woke up at 10:30am to pee and had a protein shake. I wanted porridge with egg and pork floss but couldn’t be bothered to prepare it. I took half a Norco. * I order a shewee, some massage materials, colace, and backup sports bras. I feel like I’ll have a BM today so I’ll take 3 colace pills. * Well, I had a regular sized BM (~12pm) earlier than my colace pills arrived. It went better than I expected. It was not as painful as I thought it’d be. Holding the crotch hole open and doing my business was difficult, as was wiping, but I didn’t have too much body pain (it might be the Norco making me feel better about it). I can tell I have to go later, but maybe it’ll be easier with colace. * I nap from 12:30-2pm. I have bone broth porridge, kimchi, an egg, and pork floss for lunch at 2pm. I also have some jerky. My body feels like it’s finally receiving the nutrients it needs. My waist trainer is very tight however. * I was feeling a bit strange so I tried to go in the restroom again, but this time the BM would not come through. It was a bit painful. Luckily my colace arrived so I took 4 pills. * Around 6pm I have another BM. Way smoother than before. THANK GOD FOR COLACE! * I also used my shewee to pee. I don’t know why I didn’t get this before surgery, this has been a lifesaver to stand and pee. * I felt some light stinging in my right breast. Some of the holes Dr. Bednar poked into them leaked a little onto my sports bra. * I have a big dinner with chicken, veggie melange and rice. I also had a protein shake from Nurri. I got around 145g protein today. Tomorrow I’ll get more. * I tried peeing with the shewee and somehow the urine got all over the side of my leg and compression garment. It was pretty distressing to wash it up and clean the pee with my boyfriend. * I take 1 more doxy and methylprednisolone pill before turning in for the night. * If you’re in a cold part of town, wear a long sleeve sweater at night. Keeping a blanket on you while sitting up is difficult. * I woke up 2 times overnight because I needed to be and was in an uncomfortable position. I’m struggling to feel resilient. Updated on 22 Apr 2025: Day 5 * I’ve been weening myself off Norco. It’s hard, because I’m more grumpy and frustrated with recovery. I took a Tylenol at 6am (500mg). * My boobs are pretty itchy today. My abdomen has a some small zings of pain sometimes in my right breast. I put on some arnicare gel and take a Zyrtec which helps relieve the itching. * I don’t feel any hunger this morning. Must be all the protein from last night. I have some Greek yogurt and a protein shake for breakfast. * I swapped out an ab board i was using for foam. I accidentally disposed of the surgical foams provided. I feel like I can actually breathe with the foams! * I have a protein bar, green juice and jerky for lunch. * For dinner I have cheesy chicken, veggies and rice. * The boyfriend and I put foams into my compression garment and aquaphor on my sutures. It’s very difficult. I can sense that it’s frustrating for him to have to help me so much with everything. I just don’t realistically see how I can apply aquaphor to my suture sites multiple times a day when it’s so difficult to get into the garment. Some of the gaps between the foams in the garment left marks. I think there’s some texture on my body due to the zippers on the compression garment but am not entirely sure. * Pain wise I’m doing okay. I have some bruising and my lower back sometimes is sore but other than that I take some Tylenol and I’m fine. * I fall asleep around 11:45pm. Updated on 22 Apr 2025: Day 6 * I wake up around 7am. My boobs are itchy again. But I got up from bed just fine! I think I might not need pain meds anymore- I’m not feeling much pain, if any, at all today. I’m feeling pretty good! * I think my breasts have dropped and fluffed a little bit. They don’t look as crazy bolted on as they did before (but they still do look pretty crazy). They have softened a tiny bit as well but are still quite firm. * I apply arnica gel to my breasts for the itching and some on my body for bruising. This is the first time I’ve felt more normal since surgery. * For breakfast, I have a protein shake with some whipped cream. * For lunch, I have Greek yogurt with multigrain cheerios and a Barebell protein bar. * No zings in the breasts today. Itchiness is a little better too. I’m also walking a bit more normally. * Sometimes I feel a bit queasy. Maybe it’s from the smell of the lipo foam boards? * I have some shortbread cookies and chocolate as a snack. Bad processed sugars but I couldn’t help it! * For some reason I was starving still so i had ramen and a protein bar. Not the best diet today. * I shower and take out the foam boards - it looks like they may have caused some bruising? Not sure. I put on my stage 1 garment - I can’t fit into the design Veronique stage 2. I’m a lot more comfortable. I start rolling my lipo areas a little bit. * I take half a Tylenol for the tenderness around my abdomen. Updated on 22 Apr 2025: Day 7 * I feel pretty good this morning. Took half a Tylenol for the soreness in my core. I’m walking around a lot more. * Had oatmeal with a scoop of protein powder, blueberries and peanut butter. Then a protein shake and jerky for lunch. For dinner I had a carne asada bowl with a tortilla, and a protein bar for dinner. * I walked a lot more today-more normally, not as waddle-like. Still quite tender on the tummy and flanks. No pain meds needed other than the Tylenol I took in the morning. * I’ve been lightly massaging myself and my lymph node areas. * My stage 2 is way too small for me so I’ll wait a couple more days for swelling to go down. * Burrito bowl for dinner. Protein bar for dessert. No pain meds, only doxy. Updated on 22 Apr 2025: Day 9 * No pain today. Very hungry however. Measuring the same weight as surgery day. Breasts continue to drop a little. * Not sure how I’m supposed to keep the stitches moist multiple times a day with the stage 2 garment…think I’ll try to take them out today. I’m going to put neosporin on them too. * Stitches are not ready to come out yet. They look dark and slightly red still. * Had a chicken quesadilla, yogurt with cheerios, and a high protein hamburger helper. * I’m not entirely sure but I feel like my breasts may have shrunk a little? This is probably due to the swelling going down. * Still not getting too much exercise other than some walking in. Pre surgery measurements * Bust: 37-38” * Under-bust: 33-34” * Waist: 30” * Hips: 37.5” Post surgery measurements * Bust: 39” * Under-bust: 31” * Waist: 28.5” * Hips: 37.5” Updated on 22 Apr 2025: Day 12 * Sutures are still not really dissolving but I’ve only been putting aquaphor on them 1-2x per day. Took them out today, it was a bit rough. I wish I took them out on day 7 before skin grew over it. The sutures on my abdomen left large gaping holes. The crotch area however was the hardest because the hairs. * My compression garment is really digging into my core and leaving deep lines. It’s hard to stay in it. Updated on 22 Apr 2025: Day 17 * I’ve been wearing foams the past 2 days to help the deep lines formed by my compression garment in my sides. They are working wonders to smooth out my abdomen. * I’ve started using silicone scar tape on my sutures. My back suture and hips look fine. The ones on my breasts look ok but the ones on my abdomen look like they might scar badly. * Breasts are soft. Day 18 * I’m really itchy on my breasts. The skin on my flanks and tummy are pretty dry. I think it could potentially be the foams? *Scars are looking a lot better. I’ve been using Mederma and silicone scar tape. Updated on 22 Apr 2025: I realized I haven’t shared many photos. Here are some for reference. As you can see, the design Veronique stage 2 left some deep lines in my abdomen but after wearing foams for a few days they went away. My tummy still feels bumpy and hard, however. Later on I’ll attach some pre-op and post op photos they took at the office. I do really like the hourglass shape Dr. Bednar has given me. I’m not sure how much fat survived in my hip dips or the top of my butt. Breast retention seems good however. Updated on 22 Apr 2025: - For the love of god, get a SheWee and learn how to use it BEFORE surgery. It will save you a lot of pain, considering you need to go a lot while staying hydrated. - Bring slip on shoes. Preferably a little larger than your current foot size, because your feet will be swollen afterwards. - the metal hooks in your stage 1 will set off the security at the airport (if you’re flying). Tell them you had surgery for a gentle pat down. - Request additional pillows from the front desk before surgery. Have someone help set them up so you can sleep on them when you are back. - After surgery plan additional time for anything - getting to the airport, for example. You won’t be as mobile. - Take stitches out from your incision sites on day 7 or so. When I took them out, skin had started to grow over them which made it more difficult. - Use the fold technique to get your stage 2 on. Remain calm and don’t panic if you can’t get it on. Just stay in your stage 1 for a little longer. - Expect severe bruising. Use the arnicare gel if you want (the office provides you a bottle) but I don’t think it really helped. It was better to use the arnicare gel on my itchy boobs because it felt cool. I’ll add more tips if I can think of any. Updated on 23 Apr 2025: Last night I woke up around 5:00am because my lipo areas were just soooo itchy. I think it could be due to my lipo foams 1 my skin was probably irritated? My skin was also quite dry and shedding. I put lotion, arnicare, and some menthol on my lipo sites and took a Benadryl to help with the itching. I also switched out of my design Veronique stage 2 into a Caromed garment. It doesn’t go down below the knee- I honestly don’t think I need compression there. It just does slightly past the crotch area and covers the tummy & flanks. The compression is not as tight as design Veronique. I do feel like design Veronique left some uneven indentations on my flanks. But we’re only a few (almost 3) weeks out from surgery so we’ll just have to wait and see the long term results. Updated on 25 Apr 2025: I measured myself today and am currently a triple D. So far I think retention has been good. I think I was a 36B pre-surgery. Feeling pretty good about this, but can’t become attached to it… My abdomen is kind of lumpy still. I’ve been massaging the area and rolling it but I’ll put my foams back in and see if it helps… Updated on 25 Apr 2025: I forgot to add these pictures in the last update…here’s what I’m talking about with the bumpy abdomen. The patches are scar tape and Mederma. Breasts continue to drop and soften. Scars are fading nicely. Need to hit 200 characters… Updated on 25 Apr 2025: I’m not sure why my last update didn’t include my photos. On my left side (waist) you can clearly see a bump that isn’t symmetrical with my right. Furiously rolling and massaging it. Hopefully this update works and posts the photos Updated on 2 May 2025: It’s been 1 month since surgery and I think I’m retaining well. The bruising is almost all gone at this point. I’m not sure if I should be sizing down to a smaller stage 2 garment. I feel that my lipo sites are a bit bumpy. The foams have been helping to smooth things out a lot and I feel like the majority of my swelling has decreased. I love the shape that I have and think I look quite natural. However I am worried about how the lipo sites will recover long term. Scars have been healing a bit slowly, I really hope they don’t leave a mark behind. Breasts are doing great, I love the way they look. But be forewarned that if you need a lift and think fat transfer will reshape your breasts, they won’t, they will just accentuate the current shape you have. Some of you may know about Dr. Bednar’s Facebook group. It is run by his team so proceed with open eyes and ears. They do approve negative posts, which mainly discuss lipo irregularities on people’s thighs. Some women talk about having loose skin on their thighs and lump flanks. My goal for these reviews is to be informative and objective, which is why I’m telling you, not everybody is happy with their results. Lipo irregularities may bother you more than the other person, so go into surgery asking yourself if you are okay with having lumpy lipo sites afterwards (though they may also not turn out lumpy, it’s really up to chance…people say it’s aftercare, but I don’t believe it when studies have been released showing no significant impact of LDMs or compression garments). A big part of retention and healing, I think, is genetics. I have trouble losing weight and have to work very hard if I want to lose weight, so I feel that retention has been quite good for me. Objectively measuring yourself is also a good indicator of whether or not you’ve actually lost volume. IMO, there are too many overtly positive or life changingly negative reviews about this surgery. Be objective and rely on data you can collect about your breasts and lipo sites. Don’t buy into extremely positive reviews either. Now as for me, I am happy with my shape and retention. I’m not very happy with how my lipo sites look but am putting judgment in pause because it’s so early, my skin is still healing and my body is re-molding itself. I can move just fine and am not in any pain. According to my measurements I’m more of an hourglass figure than I was before. Dr. B injected some ccs into the upper part of my butt and some into my hips but I don’t think the upper butt parts survived (I was laying on my back to sleep and thus laying on the upper butt fat). The hip fat did survive though, at least some of it. Let’s hope my lipo sites will be less lumpy next time I check in. Measurements: Bust: 38” (???) Under bust: 31” Waist: 28” Hips: 37” Updated on 3 May 2025: While I was showering I felt 2 small lumps on my right breast near my armpit. They aren’t painful but they are unexpected. They’re relatively small. I’ve lightly massaged them and will monitor them, I think they will probably go away before too long. I hope they don’t turn into large cysts. Updated on 10 May 2025: My abdomen, after wearing foams for a hot minute, is looking a lot better. It’s strange how quickly it can go from looking lumpy and bumpy the longer you’re out of the foams versus how much better it looks when you put them back on and stay in them. I find the stage 2 garment isn’t enough - if I wear the garment only my abdomen turns bumpy but the foams smooth it all out. I think my waist is still healing kind of unevenly though. You can see in the photos one flank is shaped differently than the other. I honestly think this might be due to the design Veronique stage 2 garment leaving deep lines unevenly on my waist because it was so tight however. Breasts look good 6 weeks out. Still measuring 38” on the bust. I really think my hip dip and upper glute fat all died though…either that or it’s just too conservative for me to notice. I wish my scars would heal faster. I haven’t been using scar tape recently cause I don’t know if it really helps. I’ve also been so insanely itchy on my abdomen. It’s horrible. I’ve slathered on gels and taken antihistamines to try to help. Beware! Updated on 11 May 2025: I noticed today that my breasts dropped (you know, the drop and fluff you get similar to implants). They look great honestly. However my right breast is slightly smaller than my left. I’m still measuring 38” at the bust and I’m not sure how to prove it but looking down directly at my chest, I can tell. If I were to hold a chopstick or a board to my nipples, my left breast reaches farther out than my right. Don’t know if my right breast will grow larger, that’s my hope, but I’m pretty sure my left will shrink too. I don’t really know why - maybe it could be sleeping on my side (which I’ve done here and there for both sides hahaha)? Maybe it could be my right breast has more activity going on because I’m right handed? Not sure. It’s not too noticeable but I hope my breasts don’t shrink any more.
**I want to preface this review because I am only a week out, and will update as I see fit. Wow! Where do I begin- this experience was amazing. I've had Dr. B on my radar for quite some time, I believe I made my initial consult phone call in July 2023. I wasn't at a place where I could go through with the surgery then, but always kept it in mind. Finally, I had everything in place by December 2024 had my consult, and was in the OR by 2/4/25! For some context, I am a perfectionist. I am a bit neurotic. I'm anxious. And I'm my own biggest critic, especially when it comes to my body. I also happen to work as an RN in aesthetic medicine so I know that those qualities can make me a nightmare patient (LOL). All that being said, my standards were high for myself and the care I received. When it comes to the way I look, I will never half-ass something. You either go to the best or you don't do it at all. I knew Dr. B was the best for this procedure. I scoured Reddit, RealSelf, old blogs, and Google for hours. I knew implants weren't the right choice for me and had heard that fat transfer is hard to get right. However, if you're reading this and considering Dr. B, he is WELL WORTH THE TRIP. Your body is NOT something you should skimp on! He truly will deliver you your dream breasts. To give you an idea of what my experience was like, I arrived in Charlotte and had some trouble getting to the office (through no fault of their own, I tried the city bus which I cannot emphasize enough you should not do haha). But the second I walked into the relaxing atmosphere of the greenhouse like medical offices, I felt at peace. As I mentioned, I am anxious. However, never at any point did any of the staff make me feel silly for my feelings. I only felt reassured and like I was making the right choice on a dilemma I had mulled over for YEARS at this point (as I'm sure you also have, reader!). The pre-op consisted of meeting the team, taking photos with their 3D rendering device, and getting marked up. You're then sent to Walgreens (a shuttle can take you!) to pick up your meds. The next day, you're operated on and you return to your hotel. I am pretty slim. I had women in my life as if they'd even be able to get fat off my body to do the procedure (haha) but we were able to get 550cc a breast! So I was stoked. We even added a bit to my butt to shape it a little :) just that extra added Dr. B touch means so much. The entire process was easy, never rushed, and always reassuring. The next day, I burst into tears upon seeing my breasts. Not out of regret or anger or shock, but the intense emotion of seeing that I REALLY HAD gone through with it was extremely emotional. The nurses were beyond sweet and reassuring. I was instantly in love with the results, the incisions are TEENSY and I'm sure between silicone scar patches and an eventual fractional laser, will be invisible. The bruising has been quite tough but they are fully transparent about that and it's an expected result of lipo. Arnica, water, and giving yourself some grace :). I cannot recommend Dr. B and his team enough. The standard they hold themselves to is extremely high. You deserve the best. I am so happy with my breasts, I feel like I have my dream body, which is massive for someone who's struggled with body image for years. I know this is a bit rambling but I tried to include everything that I would have wanted to hear pre-op / or if I was on the fence :)
I am nearly 1 month out from my surgery with Dr.Bednar and I can't say enough about him and his team! I absolutely loved how every member of his staff treated me and put me at ease. They made me feel like I was having a spa day instead of a surgery they made me feel so comfortable and excited. I lived the experience so much that I wouldn't mind at all to go back for a round 2 next October! I walked in there expecting to just gain a cup size or two but I had no clue that he would also sculpt my body so beautifully in the process! He did full abdominal and flank lipo. He was able to get a whopping 600cc in each breast and also put an additional 140cc in each hip dip and he even took the time to add back another 50cc to my lower back to create a more seamless transition from my butt to my lower back. Very impressive attention to detail and even the scars are so minimal that I can barely see them already. I am going to put my before pictures first and my after pictures after. Also going to try to add a video to show how soft they are and how realistic
Loving my results so far. 3.5 months post op round 1. My doctor got 700cc each side the first time, and 530cc each side the second time. I'm so excited to see how it looks once the swelling goes down!
I went in for a second round and the recovery was much easier than the first. I’m only 1 month post-op but my cleavage line and volume look amazing. I haven’t measured yet but I’m guessing maybe 32DD? Love them so much and the dr office was amazing. I follow him on social media at drbednarmd and he has amazing comparison photos. The staff, doctor and experience has been 10/10 for me!
I’ve been waiting since 2016 to see Dr. Bednar, and I am not disappointed! Based off of my experience, everybody on his team was amazing, from the receptionist to the nurse, anesthetist, and Dr. Bednar. Everyone was pleasant and capable. I’m only one month post op and I notice a drastic decrease in the size of my breasts compared to postop, but that is expected. I’m hoping to retain as much fat as possible in the next two months! I highly recommend so far :) * I recommend going in at your goal weight, I gained 10-15lbs in the span of a year. He chooses the harvesting sites, so now I have a gut, backfat and arm fat -_-
Dr Bednar, Sylvia, and their team are exceptional! Everything regarding my procedure went beautifully. Dr Bednar is an artist in the office and in his personal life, which is revealed in his work. I couldn’t be happier! Thank you!
I want to commend Dr. Bednar, Sylvia & each staff member once again. The entire process from initial consultation to surgery and recovery is seamless. I'm so thankful! Surgery was Monday and I've been back to work today with minimal trouble...just moving regularly and staying hydrated. This is my 2nd round and the results already look just as natural and beautiful as the first round. I am forever grateful to this team!
I've had two rounds of fat transfer with Dr. Bednar and I couldn't be more thrilled with my results. I'm close to 4.5 years out from my first round and 15 months out from my second round. He gave me natural breasts that are much more beautiful than breast implants. I cannot recommend Dr. Bednar highly enough!
I am 6 months post op round 2 and I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my boobies and all my lipo sites have healed nicely. I have the best stomach now which is where he took from on round 2 and I love my booty pop which I never had before round 1 he took from my upper thighs and waistline on round 1. Dr. B worked his magic sculpting me! I was back to working out, lifting weights, running and drinking alcohol since 3 months and nothings changed my retention has stayed the same, no loss at all in fact I think when I put on weight now it tends to go to my butt and my boobs! Best decision I ever made was getting rid of my toxic implants and 2nd best decision ever was finding Dr. B, and his amazing team. Round 1 and 2 were so easy compared to all my other surgeries except for maybe the pain of wearing the garment but for me it was all so worth every penny. I love my my new big beautiful jiggly-natural boobies and new curves for the 1st time ever I'm actually in love with my body. Dr. B is a true sculptor and artist, I am almost 50 and I feel like I am in my 20's again. Thank you Dr. B and Sylvia and to my wonderful anesthesiologist, Joel both times you were an angel, he made me feel so at ease and so comfortable right before going in for surgery and to all the nurses and office staff thank you I have definitely not forgotten any of you, best surgical experience ever!!! The Bednar Team Rocks!
the average we have seen for both procedures combined-although I do not recommend doing both simultaneously, is 15k-20k.
The best harvesting sites for breast fat transfer with the greatest number of fat cells are found in love handles/abdomen and inner and outer thighs.
We recommend to all our patients to abstain from high intensity/anaerobic workouts for 3 months post FT. This allows the blood supply of the new cells to connect to the old cells for permanent retention. Also, you want to avoid any bouncing or shearing during high intensity workouts like interval training as those motions can create disruption of blood supply to the new cells during the first months. We have a list of workouts for all of our patients on our Facebook Dr Bednar's fat transfer page.
I would consult with your surgeon or a dermatologist to see what can be done, such as possible laser treatment once you are fully healed.
We have used Renuva-which you are referring to for cellulite dimples in buttocks and some smaller areas of indentation from falls or trauma in thighs and the average use has been 3 syringes with fantastic results. We have not used it in breasts as there are no FDA indications for it.
