Iowa Plastic Surgery - Davenport

At 43 I went to Iowa Plastic Surgery, Dr Van Raalte, and had a fat transfer procedure to plump my chin and cheeks to restore a look of youthfulness. Even before my consultation I had researched the survival of grafted fat and acknowledged the variability ranging from 30-80% long-term. In December 2011, I had my fat transfer procedure and as I write this review in September 2015, I look no different than my "after pictures" with 70-75% survival of the grafted fat. Dr Van Raalte is an extremely talented cosmetic surgeon. He and his team are compassionate, skilled, professional, and remain current with new technologies, products, and procedures. I will continue to go to Dr Van Raalte for procedures as I age. I highly recommend Iowa Plastic Surgery and Dr Van Raalte.

Updated on 11 Sep 2015:
Hi, I used the before and after pictures taken by Iowa Plastic Surgery in my review. I don't have any personal pictures before where I am not smiling that I can think of. I have a few after pictures but have at least a half grin. My google plus collection is for the most part very recent - my profile picture was taken Aug 1, 2015 - a half grin and both front and side view showing very little change since 2011. https://plus.google.com/u/1/113059236690577847326/posts/UcHvibhSym3/p/pub?pid=6184846038906079618&oid=113059236690577847326

https://plus.google.com/u/1/collection/Ad45h - the picture with my two children was about 15 years before the fat transfer. The other pictures are after and from about 2012 to a few months ago.

Thanks for your comment! Have a great day.
Renea

Updated on 11 Sep 2015:
Sorry, the URL to my the picture below returns a 404 error. I uploaded the picture for you.

Updated on 28 May 2016:
I mentioned in a post that I planned to have Dr Van Raalte perform a lower bleph - mainly because the troughs under my eyes seemed deep and were starting to darken due to thinning skin (age related). Pictures taken two days ago are posted. I will be 48 this year and lead an especially busy/stressful life so I am rather pleased with the youthful look Dr Van Raalte has helped me to maintain. The results are from the 2011 fat transfer and the 2016 lower bleph. I do not use fillers, botox, or any other "help". I do try to eat healthy, exercise regularly, and wear high SPF sunscreen daily to lessen sun damage since I am a natural ginger.

Just recently I have finally decided I wanted to make a change on my body! My fiance and I went to our first appointment with Dr. VanRaalte and we left feeling very pleased and even more excited for the procedure. I am currently a 34a/b cup size Pre-op. My original goal was a small D/full D. I was bummed when dr told us we wouldnt be able to make such a dramatic jump, but he really made me realize that it was not healthy to jump to such a size with me having no kids before and very little stretch. He recommended us to do 440cc or no bigger than 525cc. When we put the sizers in the first time, I was set on 440 being plenty enough, however now I am second guessing myself and wondering if we should go with the 525cc. Our goal is to really go as big as we can, without looking "pornstar"ish and also natural. I am just afraid that I am going to regret going with 440cc because as I am looking at other females pictures, it is appearing that 440 might be too small for what we were hoping for.

Anyways, about Iowa Plastic Surgery. When i first called to schedule the consultation appointment, the lady that i worked with over the phone was very polite, kind and patient. My fiance also had a few questions inbetween the time frame of scheduling the appointment up until the actual day. When he came up with a question, he e-mailed DR and the dr was fairly quick at responding and actually gave him real answers, not just short and simple ones!
When we went in for our first appointment, we were treated with just the same amount of politness, respect and patience that I was initally shown over the phone which was GREAT! The lady who helped us through the appointment was also very kind, she took her time to listen to what we want and actually one of the first things she asked us was what are we expecting to get from this, and she made sure she asked us multiple times if we had any questions and that we were caught up on everything they were telling us about. Then, once the doctor came in, he also listened to what we wanted, gave us advice for what we could do that would best fit our situation and also gave us options to pick from. Also, our origianl appointment was scheduled for 2pm. We didnt get out of there until 4pm! This is a very good thing because it really showed us that unlike most doctors, they dont rush you out of the office to get the next person in. They took their time with us and made sure we felt comfortable and knowledgeable on our options.

To my fiance and i, the biggest factor in our Doctor decision making process was how the workers (ALL of them) treat us. It is safe to say that we are very pleased with the staff at Iowa Plastic Surgery and are VERY excited for surgery to come!

Updated on 15 Jul 2015:
Wednesday we went in for our 2nd appointment. I tried on the sizers again and decided 440ccs is plenty enough for me! We are going 440ccs moderate profile. I had hip piercings which we had to remove at this appointment and it made me even more excited for the BA. I met a new nurse and she too was very nice and informative. I am still very pleased with our choice! I highly recommend dr. v and his staff thus far. All i can ever think about is the surgery and I cant wait for time to fly by! we are officialy booking our surgery date TOMORROW MORNING! Its going to feel so amazing once we finally have the date set.

Does anyone have any recommendations on the extra pills though? Emend and Celebrex? Is it worth the extra money to get those?

Updated on 28 Jul 2015:
Okay so yesterday was surgery day. Surgery went amazing, I don't remember a single thing from once they started sedating me. I was very nauseous however but that is understandable with all the drugs we used to sedate. However, I have been having horrible pain in my right breast towards the middle and around the outside. I'm not sure what it could be, but it seems like the pain medicine isn't helping me very much. I'm still wrapped in the bandages until tomorrow. But I am in so much pain and the funny thing is it's only in my right boob, my left one isn't top bad at all. Does anyone else have problems like these?

My consultation was the first experience I had with Iowa Plastic Surgery; the staff was more than friendly and knowledgable. What I loved about Dr. Vanraalte was that he was honest about what could be done. He informed me that with the gel implants, 600cc was the biggest i could go for my body frame and that was the largest he would go for me at this time. He is not about making money and doing necessarily what his patients want; he does what is going to give the best result and what is safe and I appreciated that he not only had my best interest in mind, but my safety. In regards to paying for my surgery the price that I was quoted is what I paid and there were NO hidden fees! Dr. Vanraalte and his staff were thorough in educating me on what to expect and aftercare and never rushed our appointments. The day of surgery I was nervous and his staff was very calming and reassuring. It was comforting knowing that he uses an anestheologist as well. Overall my experience with Dr Vanraalte and Iowa Plastic Surgery was exceptional and I plan on using him for my next surgery!

Updated on 26 Jan 2015:
About a year ago Dr. VanRaalte redid my breasts due to "bottoming out." I had gone too big the first time.. lesson learned. I opted to go with the Allergan 410s which is the "Rolls Royce" of implants. Dr. VanRaalte also did a mini lift and used the skin that was removed to graft in the hopes that it would give my implants a little extra support so I had a less chance of them bottoming out again. Dr. VanRaalte also did some anchoring or tacking to keep my breasts more seperated because I had problems with a "uni-boob" the first time. All my surgeries were done under the muscle. On November 22, 2014 I was involved in a serious car accident and due to the airbag deploying my right implant was knocked out of place. At that point in time I knew the suturing he had done had been destroyed. I was referred to a plastic surgeon here to follow up with. I won't even go into detail about how difficult Dr. VanRaalte made it for me to get a copy of my medical records for this surgeon In Nashville, TN (where I now reside) to look over and know what had been done :-( What I go to find out is for one that with Allergan 410s once you put them in a pocket they are there to stay and once removed it is NOT advised to place them back in that same pocket because they will flip around. These types of implants need "virgin" tissue to adhere to. Going through my records BOTH sugeries were done under the muscle and upon assessment the surgeon was able to advise me that the new implants were indeed OVER the muscle! I now am left with two options: I can remove the implants completely and get a lift or I can live with my implants being out of whack and risking the chance of having tenting in between my breasts which is also known as a "uni-boob." I paid for two separate surgeries with a surgeon I respected and all I got was dishonesty. Not only am I emotionally distraught, but physically I am still in a good deal of pain due to the sutures being ripped and irritated with having to wear a special in hopes that my implant with heal in place and form some type of scar tissue to keep it in alignment. I would NOT recommend Dr. VanRaalte - Iowa Plastic Surgery to anyone...not even my worst enemy!!!!

I am 5'9 215lbs and I have had 4 children ages 14, 12, 8, and 10months. I have been wanting a TT for ages and I am finally done having kids :) so it is time for me to get this body of mine back in shape. I know I am not a small woman, but I personally like my curves.

I love my hips, butt, thighs and boobs....even after having 4 kids. What I hate in my stomach and my back fat at the bra-line. I am having an extended TT w/lipo of the abs and flanks with muscle repair and lipo of the back. I cannot wait. I cant lie and say I am not nervous, but I gave it to God and I trust my surgeon.

This is hands down one the the best sites for getting a feel of what the process is like and seeing other womens stories. You women have inspired me to move forward with my journey. Thank you. Pray for me and I will pray for you. I will be posting before and after pics very soon.



Updated on 25 Apr 2011:
I am almost one week away from my big day, and today is my birthday!! Ya!! This TT is my birthday gift to myself. I cannot wait to become a part of the TT club. I am soooo looking forward to my surgery, but as most people I am scared. I know its all normal, but my emotion are all over the place I am soooo concerned about this surgery that I forgot it was my birthday today. My boyfriend had to remind me. I had my final appt. a few weeks ago, The dr. went over everything for me. Told me to keep on a multivitamin schedule and to get my scripts filled. I have done all of that. Now is just the countdown.
I am sooo excited!! I cant wait to get rid of this stomach I have been carrying around for 14 years. I have not worn a bikini since I was 18 years old and I just got the courage to wear a one piece for the first time last year! I feel like its time for me to get my life back. I am donr having children. I want to be able to enjoy the beach with my kids and not feel like the odd man out.
Pray for me and wish me luck!
I will post pics after the surgery.

Almost here!! :)


Updated on 29 Apr 2011:
I am 6 days out from my surgery and I am feeling better about doing it now. I was really nervous for a while, but I know that the odds of anything traumatic happening are pretty low. Anyway, I feel better. I am just waiting for my day.
I will update after my surgery.


Updated on 1 May 2011:
I am only a few days away from the big day. Everyday gets better and better. i am now feeling ultra excited, optimistic that everthing is gonna be alright.
I will pst after photos asap.
Keep praying :)


Updated on 3 May 2011:
I am really excited!! Its almost my big day. I am just tying up loose ends. Cleaning house, getting my food together for the next few days etc. I will post pics after the sugery.
I looked at myself in the mirror tonight and I realized I made the right decision. My belly and back fat have got to go. i dont have to do one more summer trying to fit into the clothes that I love with rolls hanging out andjeans not fitting. I am thanking the lord everyday for this opportunity. Cause as we all know, this surgery isnt cheap :)
Pray for me. Its almost here!!!


Updated on 6 May 2011:
I am very happy this morning. I can tell he really made my back and waistline smaller. I am having a hard time standing up straight. The drains are hell! I can't wait til those come out. I had. Ton of fluid pumped in me for the lipo so I am using the bathroom a lot.
My dr. said he took off 7 pounds of skin and four 16 ounce bags of fat! I still can't get over that. I was carrying around that much excess skin and fat on my back abs and waist. But thank the lord I am here.
I truly feel like crap on morning 2. Tons of fluid coming out of me. I can't mustar up the strenght to take a pic yet. I will have my boyfriend take one later this afternoon and post for you ladies. I haven't really looked in the mirror yet. Kinda scared to see. But I can't feel that I am alot smaller. I have a bit of a bulge in my tummy but I know that is from all the swelling. He didn't give me a compress to wear so maybe that's why. He said he doesn't recommend them unless truly necessary. So we will see.
All in all I'm taking percocet,vallium and celebrex. I am also taking iron pills and multi vitamin. I am supposed to be taking vitamedica but I think they forgot to give it to me when I went home yesterday. So I called about it this morning and am waiting to hear word on what to do.
Any questions feel free to ask.


Updated on 7 May 2011:
Sorry about all the upside down photos. Its just the way they are coming off my phone :-)


Updated on 8 May 2011:
Here I am on day 4 and I cannot poop. I know I know TMI but its killing me. I have taken prune juice hot and cold, exlax and milk of magnesia. I'm about to lose my mind! I feel it but it won't move on out.
I have a dr. Appt tomorrow. Hopefully it will happen by then. My stomache is so swollen and tight from this.
Oh well. Ill update when the magic happens lol :)


Updated on 9 May 2011:
Hey everyone I had my first post op appt. Today and he said everything looks great! I even got all of my staples out so that made me feel good. I can now officially shower :) I am still very swollen but I tried on a form fitting summer dress and even with all of the swelling I almost cried. I haven't ben able to wear anything like that without spanx on since I was 19 yrs old. And I'm only 5 days out. Thank you Jesus!!! I still have my drains booooooo!! "LOL but oh well, whatever gets me to my goal faster.
Any questions feel free to ask.
New pics later today.


Updated on 10 May 2011:
Hey there today is day six and I'm feeling so so. I am hating my swelling. My tummy is big and tight. I know its all part of the process but aughhhhhhh!
Hopefully progress will come soon. Its just one of those days. Blahhhhhhhhhh :)




Updated on 17 May 2011:
Almost 2 weeks. It is amazing how time flies. I have had ups and downs. The ups are I tried on some bikinis in the store for the first time since I was 18 yrs old. I'm 34. That was life changing for me. Although I still have cellulite I hve learned to appreciate my body and thank god I don't have a huge bely and back rolls anymore. I don't care what anyone thinks about my thighs I'm gonna rock a two piece this year! Lol
The other plus is I got my last drain out yesterday and I feel soooooo much better. I will post pics very soon. My dr told me my incision looks amazing and I agree. Its so light for only 2 weeks. I'm happy.
I still have a lot of swelling above my navel. A LOT! When I'm standing my tummy looks great but when I sit it still is. Little pudgy. I guess I have to hit he gym hard once I'm cleared.
The dr did tell me I can start liht walking but no lifting for another month.
Now onto the worse part I think I pulled a muscle yesterday in my abdomen. Ouch! It hurts so bad I went back to square one with pain pills and vallium cause I started having stomach spasms and everything. So pray for me I'm hurting.
But all in all I'm happy.
I will update again soon.



Updated on 28 May 2011:
I am 3 weeks PO and kinda feeling better. Its truly a process. I have lost 20 lbs to date since surgery and for that I am thankful. I am having some issues with my tummy. Right about my navel I havea part that's sticking out... it won't flatten out and it kinda hurts. I thought I popped a stitch or something. I find my self holding my tummy right there when I walk sometimes cause it hurts. I need to mention it to my dr. Also now my hips and thighs appear huge due to the smaller waistline. Now I know I have to go to the gym LOL!
All in all I am down from a 16 to a 12 in the waist but my butt and hips are in need if some help.
Notice in the 3 week pic I appear bigger in the waist... right after my period I justlooked bigger for some reason. But my weight i s down. I don't get it. I feel swollen though.
I will update again soon.


Updated on 28 May 2011:
By the way I cut my hair off! And I just bought the swimsuit ij the photo and I just noticed I still had the tag on it...oops! Lol




Updated on 8 Jun 2011:
I went to the dr for my 1 month post op and it went better than I expected. I thought I might have had an umbilical hernia but I don't. Thank God. Its just swellin and irriatation from the stitches in my abs. He told me if the swelling doesn't go down he could do spot lipo or a mini tuck pulling upward under the breat to fix the protrusion. We wil see. Still in some pain but I'm looking and feeling better everyday. I will post new pics soon.

Updated on 10 Jun 2011:
Week 5 and feeling better, doing more. I'm still not aloud to lift much due to my pain an protrusion above my navel. I have been walking a few miles a day. Trying to drop some more weight. But feeling good about life.
My incision is healing very well. My dr ad his nurse were shocked and excited about how great it looks after a few weeks. I havent been doing anything accept neosporin and vitamin e oil occasionally.
I do feel buring and tightness on and around my incision. I am still very tender to touch. I can sleep on my sides but I do feel pain. This is truly a process but well worth it. I have new pics. Don't mind the tags in some pics I was so excited to take the pics I forgot to take the tags off lol!



Updated on 18 Jul 2011:
Its been a while since my last update. I'm sorry for that. I have had death knock at my familys door over the past few months. 1st my father passed away and now my grandfather all in the past 4 months. I mention this because my recovery was going good and then I started to swell and my stomach was huge. I don't know why. Maybe stress. But it was horrible. I looked like I was 6 months pregnant at one point in he past month. But once the stress subsided a little my stomach went down. So go figure. But that freaked me out.
Now I thinking I'm gonna need some more lipo maybe ever a mini tuck on my stomach....my dr said the same the last time I was in for a visit. I still have noticable loose skin above my incision and some protruding above the navel. I'm ready the get it fixed but I have to wait.
All in all I wouldn't change anything. I definately look better than I did. I am 4 sizes smaller than I was Wooo Hoo! I started at a size 16 I'm down to a 12. Praise God. But I will say my butt and hips are like whoa!!! Lol.
Question: is anyone doing ab work 2 months out? Let me know if u are and how that's going.
Anyway, I will try to stay more current. I miss my tummy tuck family.
Sidenote: I'm now considering more surgery....nose job, lipo of the legs.....maybe :-) maybe not.

Updated on 11 Nov 2013:
Well I had my surgery in May of 2011. I cant believe its been that long already. I have been through ups and downs with my body since then. After the surgery I thought it was going to be easy for me to keep my weight down and within a year of my surgery I not only gained back the 30 pounds I lost but I gained more! I went from 230lbs before surgery, to 200 after. I kept that off for about a year and then it slowly crept back on me. I got up to my heaviest at 252!! I was so upset!! Well I decided to do something about it and Dec. 2012 I went to another Dr. and he helped me to get down to 190!! It took me 6 months to lose that 60 plus pounds. I am planning on losing 40 more by march or 2014!! Lets pray!! LOL
Needless to say this weightloss affected my surgery aftercare progress.
I gained alot of my weight in my upper body. Mostly my arms. I had heard from many people that they struggled with this after a tummy tuck. It is true!!
I am still dealing with that, I just have to focus my efforts on my arms and back now.
Over all here are my pros and cons since having this surgery:
Pros: Flat tummy (mostly)
It has definately helped my confidence
able to wear a bikini
Cons: Having a hard time with my stomach (hardening)
Issues with using the bathroom (blocked up often)
Pain in my abdomen (I feel stitches still and I feel like one area never healed right)
I have a hard time working out without pain in my abs afterward
My arms and back carry my weight now (top heavy)\
I look "box-shaped" in my middle" no real shapely curve. I never looked like that before the surgery and I have had a hard time trimming my middle since the surgery because of the pain when I workout.

Overall I am happy with the external results. I never expected some of the long term sideeffects. I can live with it, but I dont think I ever want anymore surgery for cosmetic reasons. There are so many things your body goes through afterward it unreal.
Im not trying to be debbie-downer...Im being blunt and honest for those getting ready to embark on this journey. Its worth it, but be prepared for the changes that may come later.

Updated on 14 Feb 2015:
First off, anyone that is even remotely thinking of going to Dr. Van Raalte ...DONT GO!!!
All he cares about is getting your money. As soon as he got my money (and I paid in cash by the way) he stopped treating me with any kind of respect! I stated in prior updates that I felt a "pop" happen in my abdomen 3 weeks after the surgery and my stomach was sticking out, he told me that he thought it was just a fat pocket and that it was from too much pizza and donuts. Then he told me that I need to lose weight. I had already lost 30 pounds after the surgery and if it was a fat pocket.. Isn't that what I just paid you 10,000 dollars to remove!!!
Anyway, over re next few year my stomach was giving me problems... Lots of swelling, pain. I have been unable to work for years at this point. Just walking and doing laundry hurts by the end of the day.
Well I decided to go back and see him after about two years because it wasn't getting any better and I ended up in the hospital with so much pain I couldn't walk. They told me I had two hernias. Umbilical and Ventral. Stemming from the abdominal surgery. I knew when I heard that POP that was something wrong in my stomach.
Well I went to talk to Dr VanRaalte about it and he berated me. Told me I was overweight, out of shape (which I can hardly workout because it caused so much pain) and it wasn't his fault. I also stated to him that my back where he did lipo was worse than when I came I to see him. He didn't want to discuss it. He decided to finally refer me to a friend of his regarding my "possible hernia" and I went to see him but I wouldn't allow his friend to do the repair. I went to another dr that I trust.
Well since that hernia repair I have still had problems. I was recently told that the abdomial repair of my diastase a was never really fixed. My walls are separated bigger than before the surgery. And that now it is medically necessary for me to have my abdomen repaired.
I can't work, I can't hardly lift and I am restricted to walking mostly for exercise. I'm pissed!!!!
I want my money back!!! I want to be able to see a dr that knows what he's doing to fix this mess he made of me.
I don't even know if my insurance will cover this abdominal repair!!!
DO NOT GO TO IOWA PLASTIC SURGERY FOR ANYTHING!!! He's mean to women unless you're getting a breast aug!! He loves that!!! I refused and he was not happy with me.
Hopefully I can get myself fixed... Right now I'm a mess!!!!

I am a 31yr old mother of 2 beautiful children. I currently am 5ft 11in and weigh 278. I came to this page looking for support. I have absolutely no support system. Everybody says I am not big enough to get the surgery. I don't want to tell my mom and worry her. I am tired of being at war with my body. I have been researching weight loss surgery for many years. I have finally made up my mind and going to get it done.

I called to schedule a consult today with a reputable ps in my area and was surprisingly told they had a cancellation for TOMORROW!!! I am so excited to go and the anticipation is killing me already lol. I have been waiting since I was 14 to have a ba, however having kids put that on hold but now I am ready! I was at one point a small b in high school but since having kids and breastfeeding (even just a few months each) I have become completely flat chested and I hate it. I am hoping to go from a 32aa to a 32 full c/d. I would love to go bigger (I think I have boobie greed lol) but I am pretty sure the ps would not allow it as I am very petite and don't have the room. I am currently 105lbs, 5ft 5in with almost no body fat. I have been looking at boobs all day, just dreaming about going tomorrow to try on some for myself. I am really hoping to have the surgery in the next few weeks as my husband and I are finally taking our honeymoon in April :))

Have any of you ladies gone from my size to a d? Also what types of implants did you get and how do you like the results? I have looked at saline and silicone and just can't decide :(

Updated on 29 Jan 2015:
Yesterday I went for my first consult and I'm not entirely happy with the results or potential results I should say. I know I am very petite but what the doctor suggested doesn't seem to be very big at all. While I realize the doctor must work with each patient individually based on their measurements I feel like what he suggested was very small. I am currently a 32aa and want to be at least a full 32c if not d but I'm not sure that's achievable now. Maybe I am just having boobie greed I'm not sure. I tried talking to my husband last night about it and all he could say was that they still look small and saggy (doctor suggested 320cc's in a mod+ profile, teardrop shaped gummy bear implant so they can look as natural on me as possible). My husband then went on to tell me how he knows so and so who got their boobs done elsewhere and they were "the most amazing boobs he's ever seen". While he may have been trying to be helpful nothing of what he told me helped, he doesn't know the doctors name just that he's located an hour and a half from where we live. Already being self-conscious the last thing I wanted was that reaction from him so now I'm having second thoughts. I was already planning on talking to another doctor to get a second opinion but I also don't want to keep going to doctor after doctor getting consults that all give me the same suggestion.
Sorry for the rant.. I'm a little emotional about the whole thing lol.
I've attached some photos -don't mind the blurry 3D before and after it's hard to take a picture of the computer lol. I would like opinions from others who maybe have had second thoughts about size and how they worked through it. Did you go with what the doctor suggested or tell him you wanted bigger? Did you get a second consult with a different doctor to check options? Did you go with what the doctor suggested feeling they were small and were actually happy with the end result? Any help is appreciated.

Updated on 3 Feb 2015:
I went yesterday with my husband for a second consult with the doctor. He was able to answer a few more questions for me and I feel much more comfortable than I did initially. I was kind of disappointed with the size he choice (320cc's) but he reassured me that they will be very proportional to my body and that he doesn't want to go bigger as my skin is too tight and will show the implant. I agree that I would rather be smaller than to have the implant visible and I can always go bigger in a few years once my skin has had time to stretch. My husband was pleased with the size once he saw them in person, pictures can be a bit different lol. Now to wait for surgery.. I have my pre-op on the 9th and surgery first thing in the morning on the 16th. I am beyond excited yet feel guilty for spending so much on myself. I have always put every one else's needs before mine so to do something for myself is odd and the pricetag scares me. But my husband has made me feel as good about it as possible, reassuring me that it is okay and that he fully supports me. Oh and we're going to Jamaica in April (a late honeymoon) and I'm so excited to have my surgery and be recovered in time to look good in a bikini.. Hope mine still fits after but is finally filled out lol.

How do you ladies deal with the anticipation.. I'm so anxious now that everything is scheduled and paid for. What do you ladies recommend to get beforehand? What did you do that made recovery easier?

Updated on 12 Feb 2015:
I went for my pre-op on Monday and was given all the needed prescriptions and paperwork and it has made me so anxious. I can't stop looking at reviews and before/after photos, I feel like I'm becoming boob obsessed lol. Getting to talk to the doctor again reassured me that what I am getting (320cc Sientra shaped round based implants) are the best option for me. He told me that if I want to go larger he could give me a saline implant that he can fill until there is no room left for my skin to stretch but again cautioned that that will leave me with very unnatural looking breasts. As he put it, they would look like coconuts on my chest lol, which I definitely do not want. I am very excited yet anxious to have the surgery and be in recovery. I am hoping for a quick recovery but we will see how it goes. I have bought my post-op supplies but feel like I am missing something.. any suggestions would help!

I really hope that my results are nice and natural looking and that they compliment my figure, I am hoping I don't get boobie greed and feel like they are still too small, but at this point I feel like I will be happy with any thing more than I currently have.

Has anyone close to my body type had the Sientra? What are your thoughts on them? I went with one that is in between a normal silicone and the gummy bear as they felt the most realistic to me (they felt like pillows haha). Any advice on how to calm my nerves right about now would be appreciated as well! I seriously feel like I am going crazy thinking about and looking at boobs all day haha

Updated on 17 Feb 2015:
Went in for surgery yesterday morning at 715 and was home by noon. Yesterday I was sore but groggy and could stop nodding off from time to time lol. I didn't sleep well last night as I'm a side sleeper so sleeping propped up on my back was hard. This morning I woke up even more sore than yesterday but doctor said that's normal. I go for my post-op tomorrow at noon and will finally be able to see them. Hoping they're just what I'm wishing for. I will post pictures tomorrow hopefully :)

Updated on 21 Feb 2015:
I've been pretty lazy since getting surgery lol so here's a full update..
Day one was pretty easy as I slept most the day. Day two was worse as the anesthesia had wore off so I felt more pain. Day three I went in for my post-op and had all bandages removed. I was so groggy from the pain meds I really didn't have a reaction lol. I also stopped taking all pain meds on day three (only taking antibiotic and celebrex for swelling now). Day four (tmi) hubby and I decided to test out the new girls and all I can say is we are both in love!!
They are the perfect size for me and even with the swelling I feel like they look pretty good. I tried on a bra from when I was pregnant, it was a 34C and was actually small!! I was very surprised but I'm sure once the swelling goes down it will fit well. I tried on my old swimsuit tops and those are definitely not going to work.. My nipples were popping out of one top haha.
Overall I am extremely pleased with having gotten the surgery. My recovery has gone well and I am already feeling more confident and womanly. Only complaint I have is that everyone asks about them and if they can see them. Maybe I'm weird for not wanting to show every person I know but I didn't get them to just flash everyone. The only reason I post on here is because how much you ladies have helped me, I hope to do the same for someone else.
I'll update again in a few days :))

Updated on 1 Apr 2015:
It's been awhile since I've been on here but thought I would do a final update as I am now 6 weeks post-op. I am beyond happy with the results and am feeling 100% normal again. I'm still getting used to them a little but for the most part I don't really notice them lol, they really just feel like a part of me. I still have moments where I wish they were bigger but I think that's normal, my husband is in love with them and any time I mention going bigger in the future he tells me no haha. The doctor did an amazing job and I am very thankful to have "normal" looking boobies that complement my small figure.
Updated on 1 Apr 2015:
Since I was in high school I have always felt like I never "developed" like the other girls. I then had two babies, both of which I breastfed for a short time, which left me with the tiniest amount of breast tissue (I wasn't even a 32aa- no need for a bra but always wore one to give the illusion of breasts). I was very self-conscious for years and finally decided it was time to stop thinking and to just have the surgery. I scheduled a consult with Dr. Benjamin VanRaalte of Iowa Plastic Surgery and was very pleased with what he told me. I had a few moments of doubt, as I was hoping to go bigger, but as Dr. VanRaalte explained you can only go as big as the body will allow. I had read a few reviews which gave him a rep of having a bad bedside manner but in my opinion he doesn't at all. He is very professional and straight forward. He doesn't tell you what you want to hear but rather the truth and realistic expectations, which I guess to some people may be bad. When I pushed him about going larger he said "I can give you saline implants and fill them until your skin won't give but you will not be happy with the results; you will look like you have coconuts on your chest and will most likely get lots of noticeable rippling" and to be honest I believe him. I went with the Sientra Textured Round Based Implant at 320cc's and they look perfect! The "teardrop" shape is great and while some say they look weird laying down I don't agree. I can finally fill out a 32C (sometimes D, depending on brand) which is just what I was hoping for.

If you are looking for a doctor who is going to be all cuddly and sugarcoat things than VanRaalte isn't your guy; but if you want someone who has 20+ years of great work and knowledge then go see him. I would highly recommend him and his staff to anyone looking for a breast augmentation.



Updated on 16 May 2015:
Just updating for amanda04ag...
I am three months post-op today and loving my results. I got Sientra 320cc anatomicals. I car find my official before and afters from the surgeon but my before was literally almost zero breast tissue. I was a 32AA and am now a 32DD at Victoria's Secret. I don't think they look like a 32DD, I feel the look more like what I thought was a full C. Either way, no complaints lol.