Gummy Bear Breast Implants

I had the breast augmentation almost 4 weeks ago, May 7, 2009. I had all the same worries that most women had about the procedure (capsular contracture, auto-immune diseases, anesthesia allergies, pain, etc) but I did a lot research. I'll admit I was scared and worried that I would not pick the right amount of cc's and was very worried about the post-op pain. I think the most important part of the process is picking a competent doctor and being clear about your expectations to your doctor. It is worth paying the extra cost for a better doctor instead of wasting the time and money getting reops because of initial unsatisfactory work. I do feel extreme sympathy for the women that have had to go through the heartache and headache of many reops.

I am gad I didn't settle for just local doctors. I went down to the LA area from the Bay Area just to see my doctor.

During the consult, I told my doctor I was more concerned about looking natural rather than looking large. (I really didn't want to look like a pornstar!) Since I was only a 34A I figured anything bigger than what I had would be an improvement. I have never had any children so I have no idea what it is like to have bigger breast besides putting on extra padded bras.

So my doctor and I discussed the cc amount during the consult and he insisted smaller than I expected. But we compromised at 280cc moderate profile Mentor cohesive gel implants ("gummy bear implants") that would be placed under the muscle infra-mammary. That sounds small but he insisted that since I had very tight skin and tissue that this would be the most he could put in while still looking natural and not damaging my current tissue. He said if he put a larger implant in it would cause stretch marks and it would look unnatural. The edges of the implant would be more noticeable. I took his expertise to heart and agreed.

Let me tell you I am so happy I listened to him. Because after the op I was in considerably more pain then I expected and they explained to me it was because my skin and muscles were so tight. Imagine if they had put more implant in! It would have been terrible!!!!

My doctor does the 24 hour recovery BA surgery which is a newer procedure. So I was definitely in a lot less pain than if I had gone the traditional BA. The evening after the surgery I was able to go out to dinner after a nap. They did give me some Vicodin since I did feel more pain than women who had looser tissue. But after that I just took some strong iBuprofen. I was in pain though. I'm not going to pretend.

One thing I will tell other women contemplating a BA... Getting boobs is a process. The breasts take a while to heal and they take a while to settle. At first admittedly I was disappointed. I think the pain and swelling were talking. I kept telling my boyfriend they were too big and that I mutilated myself. The doctor reassured me that everything was fine. One thing I think was remarkable about my BA was the fact that I didn’t need much narcotics, I didn’t need a surgical bra, and I wasn’t bandaged at all… just a little surgical tape on my incisions that would left on for 10 days.

The interesting thing is that every day in the past 4 weeks my breast have looked and felt different. At first they were huge and swollen, bruised and looked so unnatural. And each breast was healing at a different rate. One day the right one would be more swollen than the next day it was the left one. But each day they get better and better (less swelling, bruising faded) and I like them more and more. I was told by my friends that have implants that I healed remarkably well and quickly. I returned to work a week early. My incisions are just a small line now. The doctor gave me kelo-cote which is a scar reducing topical ointment. It is awesome! Works like a charm!

So my last bit of advice is to listen to the doctor’s post-op instructions. I think that is why I healed so well. I tried to do exactly what I was told.

My experience has been very positive. I am very happy with the results and all my friends are jealous. They keep telling my how pretty my breasts look and how they fit my body. It is really nice being able to fit into my clothes. And the best part is people who don’t know me can’t even tell! In case you are wondering my new bra size is between a 36B/34C. Just what I had wanted. Not too big not too small. :) I would highly recommend my doctor. His staff was wonderful and caring as well.

I want to post some pictures but I don't have any good ones yet. Just mostly post-op pics.