Ever since I first heard of a breast reduction at the age of 14, I have wanted one. I remember going into the 5th grade pretty flat chested and starting middle school with a C cup. It's like they literally grew over night. Can you imagine? An 11 year old with a C cup! I used to wear jackets all day (even during the summer) to try to hide my overly developed breasts. By the time I was 16, I was very petite at 5’3 and 120 pounds wearing a 38 ddd, which obviously was not the correct size because my back was so little, and I’m sure at least 6 pounds came from my breasts. I'll say I'm pretty sure I was an H cup then. I got my bras from Lane Bryant which was the only place I could find bras that “fit." Someone as petite as me had to shop in a plus size store just for bras.
Fast forward a couple of years and I'm graduating high school a 32 K. I'm now 22 and 170 pounds. Still a 32 K. I wish I wasn’t as heavy but unfortunately I didn't lose the weight before surgery, so I will lose it afterwards. I've had neck and shoulder pains for years, especially if I was standing or sitting for too long. My back pain would come and go. It would be its worse during my period because the weight of my boobs would become too much. I stopped trying to complain to doctors about back pain after an incident with a nurse. I was maybe 16 when I tried to tell her I was having back pain. She went into the hallway and started talking loudly with her coworker. I can still recall what she said, and her words still stick with me today. She stated that I was a little ol thing with big breasts trying to complain about back problems, and it was probably just gas. *insert huuuuge eye roll here* Not only was that unprofessional, but who was she to tell me my pain was something as simple as gas?
I have struggled to accept my breast. I really wanted to try to accept them, but they are two of the things on my body that I could never accept for what they were. So, I started my breast reduction journey and found my doctor, Dr. Jenny Chang, right here on real self!
Updated on 25 Oct 2017:
My consultation with Dr. Chang was on September 25th. She is the only plastic surgeon I've seen for my breast reduction, and I couldn't be any happier with my decision. I did a lot of research on here. Looking at pictures. Reading patients' documentations and reviews. That's how I decided on Dr. Chang.
My appointment was at 10 am on a Monday. The office space is absolutely beautiful! The staff was amazing also. My wait time was a little long but it seems as if she is a very sought after doctor, especially considering the fact that my consultation was booked 2 weeks from when I called to set up the appointment.
Dr. Chang was great. She was sweet and explained the surgery throughly. I booked my appointment the same day, and they submitted my paperwork to the insurance company. I didn't have to worry about any of the paperwork which was often.
I'm happy that she was as great as her previous patients said because I'm not sure how many times I could have stripped down and shown the girls to anymore people. I think for me taking the pictures they had to send to insurance was the worst part because I'm so insecure about how large my breasts are.
Updated on 25 Oct 2017:
I swear I was calling my insurance, United Healthcare, at least 3 times a week! AND, I kept getting the same person lol! I was finally approved literally a week before my surgery! So, yippee! It's getting real you guys!
I actually had my pre-op appointment before I officially knew I was approved, so that drove me completely crazy!
Updated on 25 Oct 2017:
My pre-op appointment was on October 18th. I didn't get to meet with surgeon :(. I actually met with the Medical Assistant, Stephanie. She was great, too. I just had a few questions to ask my surgeon and wanted to show her a few pictures of what I liked. Stephanie explained everything to do after the surgery, gave me my prescriptions for after the surgery, and then sent me on my way to the hospital to do my pre-testing. I was literally the only patient in the office the time I got there so things moved a little bit quicker. I believe it was because it was a surgery day for Dr. Chang.
Moving on... I went to the hospital, which was literally across the street I kid you not lol. I was there for a while, which was completely unnecessary because all my pretesting included was peeing in a cup to make sure I wasn't pregnant. I could have told them that myself! Lol. But, seriously, I know that they have to make sure. I also paid for the surgery. I paid a little over $930, which isn't as much as I was expecting! Woohoo!
Now, all I can think is October 27th where you at?! Lol.
Updated on 25 Oct 2017:
So, the last couple of the weeks I have been preparing for my surgery. My mom and grandma are the ones buying most of these things because I'm a recent college graduate and decided to take some time off to get the breast reduction! I'm super grateful for everything they are doing for me!
So far, I've bought 3 zip up sports bras, a wedge pillow, and some button up pajamas. I plan on buying 2 more zip up bras before my surgery. I bought all of the pictured items from amazon except for the socks. One unicorn socks are from bath and body works. My grandma bought the other pair so I'm not sure where she got them from.
I've also attached a pic of a few of my soon to be old bras. We plan on having a bonfire and burning some of the ones I don't want to donate. I can't weight to literally burn them! I think it will be somewhat therapeutic lol.
Updated on 25 Oct 2017:
Okay... Okay.. This is my last update for today! I just wanted to get everyone caught up on my journey. I'm posting some pics to show everyone why I'm doing this. My right breast is obviously bigger than my left. The pink bra is one of my everyday bras. The black sports bra is a bra that I hope to be able to fit after surgery. Idk how I even managed to stuff my girls in that lol. And, the zip up bra is one of the bras I bought for after surgery. It's a large. I literally had to zip the bra up and then put my boobs in it lol.
But, 2 days aways! This is my last post for today! I swear lol.
Updated on 26 Oct 2017:
I'm scared, excited, and anxious all wrapped in one! I've been cleaning, getting my room ready, and cooking all day, and now I'm just tired. Please send good energy and vibes my way tomorrow and keep me in your prayers also. I will see you guys on the other side! :)
Updated on 28 Oct 2017:
So, yesterday was the big day. And, first I would like to say thank you ladies for checking in on me and keeping up with my journey. The sense of community here is amazing and greatly appreciated!
Yesterday, I got to the hospital at around 10:30 am. My surgery was supposed to start at 1 but started closer to 2. Since I am prone to anxiety, they game me something through my IV which my nurse and I referred to as a margarita to calm my nerves lol. I was giggly because it started to work so fast. That medicine kind of wore off by the time I go to the operating room. They gave me anesthesia, and I was knocked out and can't even remember falling asleep lol. My surgery was supposed to take a little over 2 hours; however, it took 3.5 hours to do. My doctor basically said that I had a lot of dense, tough tissue, so that's why it took her longer than expected. Bless her heart lol.
I finally woke up at around 6 and we left the hospital around 7 something. We arrived home at 8:40 because traffic is the worst here in Atlanta. When I got home, I ate some chicken noodle soup from Chick-fil-a and took my cocktail of medicines. The anesthesia did quite a number on me throughout the night though. My legs were itching, and I threw up twice. I also bled through my dressing on my left breast during the night. This also happened at the hospital, so I will be seeing my surgeon on Monday instead of my original appointment time for Thursday. My left breast was pretty swollen but after the blood came out the swelling went down a lot. I also don't have any drains in but for now I'm doing fine. I haven't been sick since last night! Thank goodness! My chest feels a little tight but I think it's a combination of the wound therapy system I'm wearing, called pico, and swelling. I make sure to keep up with me pain medication so I won't feel it as much.
Overall, I'm doing great! I just have difficulty pulling my pj pants up and down to use the bathroom but it isn't too bad. I will update this again on Monday after I see my plastic surgeon. Much love you guys!
Updated on 1 Nov 2017:
The last few days have been a roller coaster emotionally and physically. I've gone through swelling and headaches and dizziness. I've been in and out of sleep and recently started back itching all over again. Monday, I went to see my surgeon and they changed my dressings because a lot of fluid go into them. I mentioned before that I have wound therapy machines that suck out the fluid instead of drains. One of the machines kept vibrating and vibrating and vibrating. It drove me crazy! The percocet started to give me headaches, so I decided I wanted to take them less and only take them at night. The swelling has been my worst enemy! Especially last night. I woke up and my breasts were so swollen. I then went to the bathroom and realized my period came five days early. I feel like my body can't get a break. But, I know it will all be worth it in the end. I also still haven't used the bathroom regardless of all the stool softeners I have taken and my period really isn't going to help with that. I go back to see my surgeon tomorrow, so I'm just going to take it easy today. Last question.. anyone else feels like their chest is pulling? Could it just be the swelling that's causing that?
Updated on 3 Nov 2017:
So, yesterday I went to my post op appointment and was told everything is healing fine! The medical assistant, Stephanie, removed the tape and the wound therapy machine. I'm so relieved to have those things gone! They started to drive me crazy. There was this smell coming from my breast when she removed the tape and gauze because of the fluids. I didn't even want to look at my boobs because the smell was bad, but Stephanie said it was because the fluids remained moist. She didn't even seem phased by any of it. Stephanie also said I was still swollen but that is to be expected. My doctor told me she removed 12 pounds y'all.... 12 POUNDS from my breasts. And, to think that I still have some left is crazy. I always joked I was carrying a new born baby on my chest but turns out I was really carrying twins lol.
The last few nights have been rough because I couldn't get comfortable sleeping on my back. I will sleep in almost any position to be completely honest but sleeping on my back just hasn't been working for me. I finally was able to use the bathroom so not being constipated is awesome! I'm feeling a lot more like myself not being on the pain killers. I finally took a real shower and it was great. My surgeon is truly an artist with her work, and you can tell she really cares about her patients and enjoys what she does. I'm happy with the results so far. Sorry the pic I'm posting isn't better. I'll post a better one next time. Also, my right breast is a bit more swollen than the left. So, I hope they are the same size when swelling stops.
One last question, anyone else feel more swollen when they first wake up? I feel like that's when my breasts are the most swollen and achey feeling and throughout the day it gets better.
Updated on 7 Nov 2017:
For the last 4 days, I've been in kind of a funk. I've just been down a lot. When my spirits finally lifted, something went wrong with my breasts, and I was back feeling down again. I basically had discharge coming from my incisions under my breast and where my sutures are. I believe it was because I put on a bra that was too tight on that area. Then, the next day, blood started coming from my right breast in the nipple area. It was a lot of thick, dark red blood. So, that freaked me out.
I went to see the medical assistant at my plastic surgeon's office, and she told me I had a hematoma in my right breast. Also, my body didn't seem to like the tape used to cover my incisions. So, I formed a blister, and some skin peeled off near my nipple. The medical assistant didn't seem alarmed by any of what's going on and told me not to worry. She assured me that the skin will heal and come back. To me, it looks like my boob is falling apart, but I'm also not used to seeing stuff like that so I trust what she was saying. I also have to go back to the office on Thursday, which was my original appointment, to get my sutures removed and to get fluid removed from my right breast. I hope that goes well!
So, I'm just trying to stay positive, but I'm prone to anxiety attacks and freaking myself. I literally had an anxiety attack about losing weight and thinking I would lose weight in one of my boobs and the other remains the same size lol. Now, I know that the anxiety attack wasn't worth it lol. I'm itching like crazy after she removed the tape from my incisions. Let's all pray that I don't scratch in my sleep! It was hard for me to look at my breasts today. I guess it was naive of me to assume healing would be so straight forward and nothing could go wrong. Man, am I eating my words, right? I know in my heart that in the end my breast will be wonderful! It's just hard to see them like they are now. I forget that it's only been a little over a week since my surgery, so I can't expect too much this early. All of my days are running together lol. But, happy healing to everyone on here! And, hopefully I get back on the right track soon.
Updated on 12 Nov 2017:
Just a little update. One, I've been in much better spirits for the most part since my last post. Two, I've been tending to my wounds. My surgeon assures me that the skin will grow back and that the wounds are just superficial. The right breast had a hematoma, and I believe the sore is where the blood came from. You can see the sutures under my breasts kind of hanging out there. I'm getting them removed on Tuesday. I was given a cream to put on the sores. I have wash with soap and water and apply the cream to twice a day until they heal. Even though I don't feel like they are looking any better, I hope within a few weeks time that they will be on their way to being completely healed. I've only been applying the cream for 4 days, so I'm just trying not to over think and get in my head about how they are looking because I am only 2 weeks post-op. On a better note, I love the shape and size of them. I wore a low cut shirt today and didn't have any cleavage lol. That's a first! Anyways, happy healing everyone.
Updated on 17 Nov 2017:
So, as I mentioned before, I have some wounds under my breasts and on one of my nipples. I've been cleaning the wounds with antibacterial soap and applying Silver Sulfadiazine Cream on them twice daily. Today, they just look worse, and I'm freaking out. My surgeon is in surgery on Fridays, and I'm so tired of always calling and asking questions. I feel like a bother. What do you guys think about the wounds?
Updated on 17 Nov 2017:
My surgeon emailed me back and said that everything looks clean and healthy and to just continue to apply the prescription. Hopefully, it doesn't get bigger. She said the wound stretched out because of the suture being removed.
Updated on 26 Nov 2017:
So, a couple of days ago marked my 4 weeks post op. My left breast still has a wound on it that I'm tending to. So does my right but it isn't as big as the one on my left. My left breast is softer than the right so I'm waiting for my right breast to follow suit. I found out today that even though my left nipple/areola area is numb that my nipple still gets hard when it's cold. What a lovely surprise lol. I experiencing some skin peeling on my breasts so I'm trying to make sure that they are moisturized twice a day with shea butter and coconut oil. I'm also putting that on my scars. The wounds under my breasts are healing slowly but the one on my areola is no longer open and the skin is back so yippee! I spared you guys close up pictures of the wounds under my breast. I haven't experienced as much swelling lately so that is good too! I went to the mall today and it felt like a whole new world of clothing was available to me! So, I can't wait to actually go on a mini shopping spree soon! I have a few doubts about the size. I feel like I asked for them to stay too big but I also think it was a combination of my mind playing tricks on me and the dress I tried on that made them look larger than they actually are. My surgeon said she thinks I'm a 38D which is perfectly fine with me. I will update on my wounds in a couple weeks, probably after I see my surgeon and see what she says. Sorry this update seems a little unorganized. I was just typing things as I thought of them... Happy healing everyone!
Updated on 26 Nov 2017:
Here's the pics for my 4 week update!
Updated on 21 Dec 2017:
Hey Ladies! Long time no see... Thank you to the ladies who reached out to me earlier this week to check on me. It's been a month since I posted. So, let me dive right in and give you guys an update.
1. The last time I saw my surgeon was on December 11th. So, early last week. When she walked into the room, she instantly said that my cleavage looked great from where she was standing. My breasts are also the same size now and most of the swelling has gone down. She saw my open wounds and said that I just need to be patient with them. She said she could do a skin graft but would prefer for it to heal naturally. I was also told to start applying the cream she prescribed me once a day instead of twice a day. I think that has been working for me better as you can see from the pics that the larger wound has started to heal much quicker! I'm also hopping the color on the right areola come back soon. Remember I had an open wound on that areola and a hematoma.
2. I finally found some bras at walmart that don't rub on my wounds. They are the hanes cozy comfort bras, and they are only $8. The only con is that I have to pull them over my head and that can be tricky with keeping the dressings in place to cover my open spots.
3. I started walking on the treadmill this week and that went well. So, I can start doing that and hopefully drop a few pounds from the belly area since I can no longer hide behind my boobs lol.
4. My girls have definitely went through the drop and fluff stage. They seem sooo much bigger now, and they are also softer and feel more like regular breasts. They have some jiggle bounce to them now lolol. Sometimes I feel like I should have went smaller. I asked to be a full D when I probably should have asked to be a small D, but overall, I love them! I have a hard spot on the top of my right breast which my surgeon said is scar tissue. She told me to massage it and if it doesn't get softer within some months that there is a way to break up the scar tissue. It doesn't bother me, so I'll just keep massaging it.
So, that't my 8 week update! I'm starting to apply for jobs (I graduated back in May and then ultimately decided to put off looking for jobs in order to get this surgery... best decision ever!) and get my life back on track. I'm looking forward to the next stage in my life and happy that I can move about with much more confidence and not feeling like I have to hide behind my boobs. I have less anxiety caused by the healing process and my breasts in general now which is great. Also, my boobs look so much better in person haha. But, happy healing everyone, and I hope everyone is loving their new girls :)
Updated on 5 Nov 2018:
Hey ladies! Long time no see! I wanted to post a quick update on my breast reduction. Sorry if this is a little all over the place and not organized... I hit the one year post op mark on October 27, 2018 and things are going great. I'm currently a DDD down from a K. I also gained about 15-20 pounds which I'm trying to lose now, so my boobs are a smidge bigger than they should be. I have sensation in both nipples now, and started wearing underwire bras comfortably about 4 or 5 months after my surgery. I'll also be meeting with my surgeon in January to see if she wants to fix my right nipple, which healed a little wonky because of minor issues.
Overall, I am so happy that I got the surgery. Although a cup size or two bigger than I want to be, I'm so happy I did the surgery. My surgeon was great and the process was great besides the setbacks with my wounds. Shopping is so much fun now. I don't have break downs when trying on clothes anymore because my boobs are too big. During the summertime, I was also killing all of the off the shoulder and strapless bra outfits! ^_^ Everyone says my boobs are a great size for my body size and build. I can walk around the house with no bra on! My confidence is so much better higher than it was before, and I feel like I've become who I'm meant to be. Whenever this extra weight comes off, I'll really be feeling myself then hahaha.
Anyways, thank you guys for following my journey and being a great support system!
