Two summer ago I had a combined rhinoplasty and septoplasty after breaking my nose for a second time. I went to meridian plastic surgery as I was referred by a friend and Dr. Perkins did my surgery. He was impeccable. Just incredibly kind, walked me through the entire process, and followed up with me in the following months throughly. On the day of my surgery I arrived, signed paperwork, then I was put under for the surgery. They both fixed my deviated septum and removed a bump on the top arch of my nose. When I awoke I had a cast on my nose that I wore for two weeks and as a part of my post treatment care Dr. Perkins gave me a complimentary glycolic facial for having the cast on my nose for so long. Recovery is rough as I couldn’t exercise at all, I could not bend down, or sleep laying down at all. Sleeping was the worst part as I mostly felt sure sore no actual pain it just felt like I had a numb headache for the first week and the cast definitely looks super dramatic when I had to go out and buy groceries. Getting the cast off felt amazing though I love my results. My nose was massively swollen for the next two months though but seeing it without the bump just felt so good!!! I loved this procedure and I definitely think it was worth it my only suggestion though is to understand the time off you may have to take and understand working out is just totally impossible for a few months so just be aware!
I am a mother of two, and my youngest just turned one. I breastfed with both children, and my breasts really went through it during the breastfeeding process. They swelled to a small D cup, and then shrunk back down to "A/B" size with both children. They became saggy and lost a great deal of volume, especially after my second. I never had large breasts before pregnancy; I always had around a "B" cup. After my second, I also had some asymmetry - one breast measured an "AA", the other a small "B". I really struggled with the decision to get an augmentation. It worried me because it seemed like women knew off bat that they wanted one, or didn't. My confusion made me feel like I shouldn't do it. On top of that, close friends had a lot to say about it, both for and against. Though helpful, I think that all of those voices added to my confusion. However, I knew that I wanted to explore it. First of all, it's not like I detested my breasts. I just felt like they weren't what they were before, and I liked the fullness of them before. Secondly, I was very worried about the potential complications and future revisions. You see pictures of women with TERRIBLE results, and I didn't want that to be me. Thirdly, I wondered if I was being too vain, and if I was not accepting of my body and spirituality. Fourthly, I work in a corporate environment and manage a team. I didn't necessarily want for people to question if I had surgery. I have been compensating with gel inserts and push up bras over the last few months after losing volume breastfeeding. Fifthly, my husband and I are unsure if we are done having kids. We know that we want to wait at least a year and a half to two years, but don't have any concrete plans. I didn't know if I should wait or not. Lastly, though my husband was supportive (both selfishly and also because he wanted me to be happy *smile*), my immediate family was VERY AGAINST IT. We are close knit, and I share everything with them. It was hard to articulate my feelings around it as I was also unsure in the beginning. They even staged an intervention. That part was hard. My first consultation was 6 months ago. I visited 5 doctors in that month, and then took a break to really sit back and think about it. I also thought about domestic vs. international surgery options. Finally, two weeks ago, I was looking in the mirror, and thought, "why not?" I scheduled an appointment two days later, and they were able to get me in in a week and a half. I selected my doctor for a number of reasons. One, she is a woman and I felt that she could really relate to what I am feeling. She understood that I was not doing this to have LARGE breasts, but rather replace and enhance what I had before. Two, 90% of her clientele is made up of mastectomy patients. I thought that was great because she really knows how to deal with complicated anatomy due to scarring, etc. I also felt that she would be more caring, empathetic, and precise due to her background with cancer patients. During my consult, she spent over two hours with my husband and me. She showed us pictures, allowed me to experiment with silicone and saline implants, thoroughly explained the process, and answered ALL of my million questions. I was in love. What further made me fall in love my doctor was the fact that I strongly considered backing out of the surgery about 5 days prior (due to the family intervention). The office staff told me that I would have to forfeit my deposit in order to do this. The forfeit amount was not cheap. However, Dr. Kelley called the next day when she caught wind of my apprehension. She reassured me, and also told me that this was about my personal happiness and not money. She said that she would give me ALL of my money back if I decided to cancel, and she would be totally understanding, no hard feelings. This solidified the fact that I chose the right doctor, and I felt confident enough in her ability to produce the results that I wanted, so I kept my appointment. My doctor also asked me to email her pictures of results that I liked and did not like and the reasons why. We went over these pictures on the phone and discussed them in detail. Afterwards, we both felt pretty confident regarding the results that I wanted. The night before my surgery, my husband and I sat down with my family and really explained why I was doing this. I was not seeking their approval at this point, but rather wanted to make them aware of the process and address any of their concerns. This made me feel a lot better, and I think that it was helpful to them as well. So, finally, I had the surgery yesterday. I was very nervous and even cried in the waiting room. Again, the nurses and my doctor addressed my concerns, and the nerves finally started to calm down. We went back over the size that I wanted and I tested the implants in a bra again just to be sure. My doctor and the anesthesiologist came back to talk to me, and I was off. I was in surgery for an hour and forty five minutes. My doctor told my husband that she took a great deal of time setting the implant pocket, ensuring that the sizing was right (she tried to fix my asymmetry), and ensure that I would like the results. I came out of anesthesia with no complications, stayed for an hour and a half, and then they sent me home. I LOVE MY RESULTS!! I am so happy that I did this. My doctor told me to take a shower and wash my hair last night to get the muscles working and blood flowing. She is not a strong advocate of massage as she feels that it could stretch out the pocket. I didn't have immediate swelling, and when I took off all of the wrapping, I was so happy with the results. They are perfect! Exactly what I wanted. I know that they will drop and will change over the next few months, but the placement and size is just what I wanted. I know that this review is LONG, but I wanted to give as much info as possible to help any other women in the same boat as me. I hope you find this helpful! I will post pictures a little later today. Age: 29 Height and weight: 5'2", 120 lbs. Implants: 330cc in left breast, 300 cc in right, silicone implants (chosen for more natural look) Updated on 30 Jul 2011: My doctor is Christine Kelley with Meridian Plastic Surgeons. Updated on 1 Aug 2011: I am now five days post op and still feel great. My mother (who was the biggest opponent of the surgery) even loves my new breasts. She thought they were going to be big and fake, but they really suit my frame nicely. I have attached an after pic. I never thought to take a before pic (too nervous!) I will get before pics from my doc and will post them here in the next week. :) There is no pain, only discomfort. I am starting to feel the tingling and numbness, but it comes and goes. Again, so happy I did this!