POSTED UNDER Breast Reduction Reviews
19 Years Old, 98lb, 5'3", 28I
UPDATED FROM AnonymousAlice
3 months post
PO 3 Months
It's been a while. There's not much to update on, aside from photos but:
1) Exercise. Apart from yoga walking to class, I've been doing jumping jacks, ab work outs, and pushups about 3 times per week, with no issue. I can't wait to get back to running in the summer, and maybe soccer and dance.
2) Fourth PO Appointment. Last week I had my fourth appointment and my PS examined the progress. As always, the appointment was 10 min, max, which irritates me a bit, because I feel she isn't telling me everything I need to know, or she isn't carefully assessing the progress. As if, if nothing is obviously wrong, there is no issue at all. She said it was good but I need to keep up with my scar care. Ironically, I had been keeping up with it (BioOil x2 per day) until that point and have since began to slack due to travel and schoolwork.
3) Scarring. My scars are still very red, and I haven't seen as much improvement as I would like. I may look into silicon sheeting. I think the darkness of the scarring also contributes to how "large" I percieve my breasts to be (because they draw a hard outline.)
4) Shape&Size. Over the next week or so, my internal sutures should dissolve, and my breasts will take shape. I am currently a bit worried about my nipple placement (they appear to go "out" to the edges of my breast, rather than center) and the overall shape (too top-heavy, still somewhat "square" in that the tissue is more horizontally distributed than I believe it should be.) These should change in the coming months but we'll see.
As for sizing... I've said it before, and I will say it again: my surgeon did a wonderful job, given what she had to work with, but I wish they were a size smaller (maybe even two sizes.) I got a bra at Pink the other day because they were having a sale. It's a 32C, and I'm still ever-so-slightly too big to fit into it. Because I wanted to be a 32B, this is very disappointing to me. I still get very jealous when I see women with A and B-cups, who say they wish they had larger boobs, because, even with surgery, I wasn't able to be that small. I am still wearing sports bras 24/7 because I like the support and the compression.
I went swim suit shopping and couldn't find any I liked. I'm not sure if it was the style of my continual dislike for my breasts (which, of course, isn't my surgeon's fault.) I may look into masectomy or a second reduction, but that won't be for years ahead. My breasts no longer impair me physically, and that was the main goal of my surgery. Psychologically, however... I still don't like them... I'm just better able to ignore them now.
5) Etc. I have felt occassional zaps from nerve regeneration, but nothing irritating. Some itchiness when I don't perform scar therapy. None of my friends noticed the change (or, if they did, said nothing.)
1) Exercise. Apart from yoga walking to class, I've been doing jumping jacks, ab work outs, and pushups about 3 times per week, with no issue. I can't wait to get back to running in the summer, and maybe soccer and dance.
2) Fourth PO Appointment. Last week I had my fourth appointment and my PS examined the progress. As always, the appointment was 10 min, max, which irritates me a bit, because I feel she isn't telling me everything I need to know, or she isn't carefully assessing the progress. As if, if nothing is obviously wrong, there is no issue at all. She said it was good but I need to keep up with my scar care. Ironically, I had been keeping up with it (BioOil x2 per day) until that point and have since began to slack due to travel and schoolwork.
3) Scarring. My scars are still very red, and I haven't seen as much improvement as I would like. I may look into silicon sheeting. I think the darkness of the scarring also contributes to how "large" I percieve my breasts to be (because they draw a hard outline.)
4) Shape&Size. Over the next week or so, my internal sutures should dissolve, and my breasts will take shape. I am currently a bit worried about my nipple placement (they appear to go "out" to the edges of my breast, rather than center) and the overall shape (too top-heavy, still somewhat "square" in that the tissue is more horizontally distributed than I believe it should be.) These should change in the coming months but we'll see.
As for sizing... I've said it before, and I will say it again: my surgeon did a wonderful job, given what she had to work with, but I wish they were a size smaller (maybe even two sizes.) I got a bra at Pink the other day because they were having a sale. It's a 32C, and I'm still ever-so-slightly too big to fit into it. Because I wanted to be a 32B, this is very disappointing to me. I still get very jealous when I see women with A and B-cups, who say they wish they had larger boobs, because, even with surgery, I wasn't able to be that small. I am still wearing sports bras 24/7 because I like the support and the compression.
I went swim suit shopping and couldn't find any I liked. I'm not sure if it was the style of my continual dislike for my breasts (which, of course, isn't my surgeon's fault.) I may look into masectomy or a second reduction, but that won't be for years ahead. My breasts no longer impair me physically, and that was the main goal of my surgery. Psychologically, however... I still don't like them... I'm just better able to ignore them now.
5) Etc. I have felt occassional zaps from nerve regeneration, but nothing irritating. Some itchiness when I don't perform scar therapy. None of my friends noticed the change (or, if they did, said nothing.)
UPDATED FROM AnonymousAlice
2 months post
PO Seven Weeks
I want to post a brief update because I forgot to address some items in my last review. Additionally, it has been a week since I began scar therapy, and I want to photographically record my progress.
My chest, above my breasts, has been sore, mainly if touched. This has faded.
I've begun to do yoga again, and it's going well.
I feel my nipple size is a big large relative to the size of my breasts, but I may feel this way because the scarring is still noticable.
Being at the 6-8 week mark, my scars are "maximally red, firm, and raised." They are patchy. Some areas look almost fully healed, while others appear to not have completely healed. Some areas (specifically the inner horizontal incision on my Left breast) hurt, as if I'm stretching the area when I massager it. I am taking a multivitamin and massaging the scars with BioOil twice daily.
There is (or, rather, was) a small hole where I thought a suture end was sticking out. There was no pop, no residue, it was simply gone one morning. No complications.
My chest, above my breasts, has been sore, mainly if touched. This has faded.
I've begun to do yoga again, and it's going well.
I feel my nipple size is a big large relative to the size of my breasts, but I may feel this way because the scarring is still noticable.
Being at the 6-8 week mark, my scars are "maximally red, firm, and raised." They are patchy. Some areas look almost fully healed, while others appear to not have completely healed. Some areas (specifically the inner horizontal incision on my Left breast) hurt, as if I'm stretching the area when I massager it. I am taking a multivitamin and massaging the scars with BioOil twice daily.
There is (or, rather, was) a small hole where I thought a suture end was sticking out. There was no pop, no residue, it was simply gone one morning. No complications.
Replies (1)
For the stage in healing you're at, your scars are looking great!
The scars from my breast surgery (mastectomy in my case) were red, firm, and raised seeming for probably the first 5 months or so then one day they just...weren't. I'm sure it was a lot more gradual than that, but it seemed like one day I woke up and the red rings around my nipples were suddenly thin white lines and the scars from the incisions were white in places an pale pink in others. I was almost CONVINCED they were going to be red/dark pink forever somehow.
The incision scars also ached when being massaged and felt like they were being 'pulled', but I've read and heard from PT therapists who deal with scar tissue & breast surgery PT that that's pretty normal and to just keep at it as it helps break up and flatten the scars as well as keeps you from getting adhesions.
With mine I used a combination of emu oil (which you won't want to use if you're vegan as it's made from rendered emu fat) and jojoba/almond oil, which seemed to work pretty well.
I also bumped up my vitamin C consumption in addition to a usual vitamin supplement for a few months as well; not sure if that helps in reality or if it's a placebo effect, but I'm not going to complain about the white/pale pink scars. :)
Thanks for the info and advice!! Did you buy the oils online? What made you think to use emu oil?
I get my emu oil from Desert Palms Emu Ranch (not allowed to put links in comments, but if you google that, it's the first result). Their shopping cart is a little...weird. If you click "Buy now" it takes you to a shopping cart with a 'free' item in it and, at that point, you click the dropdown and select the size bottle of emu oil that you want. I usually just go with the 2oz bottle as, you only need a few drops, so it lasts a couple of months. If you mix it with jojoba or almond oil, you'll use even less so it'll last even longer.
I started using it years ago for healing piercings and tattoos and found it really helped speed things up; it's also difficult for bacteria to grow in/on emu oil so that was nice for the piercing/tattoo healing.
It's also super good to use on sunburn or other mild burns as it's very high in fatty acids.
That all aside, it's super moisturizing as well.
It's not the cheapest oil but, like most oils, a few drops is usually all you need to get the job done so it lasts a long time.
I started using it years ago for healing piercings and tattoos and found it really helped speed things up; it's also difficult for bacteria to grow in/on emu oil so that was nice for the piercing/tattoo healing.
It's also super good to use on sunburn or other mild burns as it's very high in fatty acids.
That all aside, it's super moisturizing as well.
It's not the cheapest oil but, like most oils, a few drops is usually all you need to get the job done so it lasts a long time.
I'll have to look into buying some! Thank you ^^
UPDATED FROM AnonymousAlice
1 month post
Post-Op Week 6
To begin, I'm on my second post-op period, so there may be slight swelling in the pictures.
At six weeks, I can technically begin exercising, but I want to wait for the official release from my PS in mid-feb, at our third PO appointment. However, I am beginning scar treatment today; BioOil, twice daily. It's made me realize the bottom of my breasts are actually still numb and quite dense.
I feel my scars aren't as healed as some others' are at this point PO, but I know some PS start scar treatment week 3-4, so hopefully mine will progress in the coming weeks. I hear weeks 6-8 are the worst for scarring (then comes nerve endings regenerating in weeks 8-12, and sutures dissolving in weeks 12-14.) If this is as bad as it gets, great! They're thin and flat, except the right drain site. They're pretty dark, though.
There're two places at the top of my right nipple that haven't completely closed, and three potential spots where I might spit a stitch, which is unusual because my PS used absorbable monofiber sutures (Monochryl.) One is a hard poking along towards the center of my chest, from the right horizontal incision. It's a bit "pimpley," but it's been that way for a while without working out, and I'm not going to mess with it. If my body wants it out, it'll push it out. If not, I'll talk to my PS about it in February. Another area is the right T-incision, where it meets the nipple. For the last two weeks or so, there's a plastic end sticking out. It's very small, and at first I mistook it for some hard skin flaking off. It's not raised but it is a little red. I'm disinfecting it and placing a BandAid over the area to keep pressure on it (you can see the imprint in the photos, haha.) Lastly, there was a fabric-like end with a blue tint on the left side of my left nipple incision, but it seems to have gone away. There's also a little red area near the bottom T-intersection on my right breast, where I scratched some dry skin, but I'm not worried about that.
I've been showering with this 18-in-one organic liquid soap, and it has oils in it, which might be helping. I'm staying away putting anything with "fragrance" or other possible irritants on the incisions. Nonetheless, my breast skin has been very dry, and always flaky after a shower (however, it IS winter and the showers at my school notoriously use bad water.)
I'm still wearing a sports bra because I like the compression and support. Even wirefree bras are uncomfortable against the incision. Cup-wise, I think I'll settle into a large 28C by June. I realize the pictures look a little smaller, but keep in mind perspective and lighting can play tricks. Of course, it's not a 28B/A, but my PS did absolutely amazing with what she was given, and there were biological limitations to the amount she could remove. If I want to go smaller, I'll consider buying a binder.
Other than that, my breasts still sometimes ache when I lay down, and sometimes I feel I've disrupted the surgical work if I'm carrying my laptop bag to class. I've also noticed more chest acne, which could be from the 24/7 sports bra.
Hoping healing stays smooth; the "worst" of it should be over now, although it wasn't bad at all. Just psyching myself out. Only two hurdles left are scarring and the possible spitting stitches. Will update after PO appointment 3, near Week 8.
At six weeks, I can technically begin exercising, but I want to wait for the official release from my PS in mid-feb, at our third PO appointment. However, I am beginning scar treatment today; BioOil, twice daily. It's made me realize the bottom of my breasts are actually still numb and quite dense.
I feel my scars aren't as healed as some others' are at this point PO, but I know some PS start scar treatment week 3-4, so hopefully mine will progress in the coming weeks. I hear weeks 6-8 are the worst for scarring (then comes nerve endings regenerating in weeks 8-12, and sutures dissolving in weeks 12-14.) If this is as bad as it gets, great! They're thin and flat, except the right drain site. They're pretty dark, though.
There're two places at the top of my right nipple that haven't completely closed, and three potential spots where I might spit a stitch, which is unusual because my PS used absorbable monofiber sutures (Monochryl.) One is a hard poking along towards the center of my chest, from the right horizontal incision. It's a bit "pimpley," but it's been that way for a while without working out, and I'm not going to mess with it. If my body wants it out, it'll push it out. If not, I'll talk to my PS about it in February. Another area is the right T-incision, where it meets the nipple. For the last two weeks or so, there's a plastic end sticking out. It's very small, and at first I mistook it for some hard skin flaking off. It's not raised but it is a little red. I'm disinfecting it and placing a BandAid over the area to keep pressure on it (you can see the imprint in the photos, haha.) Lastly, there was a fabric-like end with a blue tint on the left side of my left nipple incision, but it seems to have gone away. There's also a little red area near the bottom T-intersection on my right breast, where I scratched some dry skin, but I'm not worried about that.
I've been showering with this 18-in-one organic liquid soap, and it has oils in it, which might be helping. I'm staying away putting anything with "fragrance" or other possible irritants on the incisions. Nonetheless, my breast skin has been very dry, and always flaky after a shower (however, it IS winter and the showers at my school notoriously use bad water.)
I'm still wearing a sports bra because I like the compression and support. Even wirefree bras are uncomfortable against the incision. Cup-wise, I think I'll settle into a large 28C by June. I realize the pictures look a little smaller, but keep in mind perspective and lighting can play tricks. Of course, it's not a 28B/A, but my PS did absolutely amazing with what she was given, and there were biological limitations to the amount she could remove. If I want to go smaller, I'll consider buying a binder.
Other than that, my breasts still sometimes ache when I lay down, and sometimes I feel I've disrupted the surgical work if I'm carrying my laptop bag to class. I've also noticed more chest acne, which could be from the 24/7 sports bra.
Hoping healing stays smooth; the "worst" of it should be over now, although it wasn't bad at all. Just psyching myself out. Only two hurdles left are scarring and the possible spitting stitches. Will update after PO appointment 3, near Week 8.
Replies (3)
They look so good! Congrats to you:)
Hello Alice, Thank you for sharing your experience with us. A breast reduction is a joy. I hope, in coming weeks you feel liberated and get out jogging and dancing.
I really like your result,really. It is a shock momentum after years you see one style and then after. Don't worry,you will be fine.
Replies (5)
It can take 6-12 months for swelling from breast surgeries (reductions, augmentations, or any sort of surgery to the breast) to fully resolve, so it's possible you'll see the size go down a little more in the next 3+ months.
That aside, even though my mastectomy was for cancer prevention reasons, I was SO GLAD to have them gone; they were a 34DD prior, caused a lot of back and shoulder pain, and I had fibrosystic breast disease so the breasts themselves were extremely painful.
Having the mastectomy was the best thing I've ever done; I don't miss having breasts at all and like the look of myself with a completely flat chest. It's just so comfortable to not have breasts at all.
It's doubtful insurance would cover a mastectomy outside of gender (depending on the insurance provider's plan), cancer, or cancer prevention reasons, however, so if you do choose that route eventually, you may end up paying out of pocket for that.
Some insurance providers have weight or size limits on reductions as well, so if your already reduced breasts don't meet those requirements, they may not cover the second surgery.