POSTED UNDER Breast Implants REVIEWS
"I just want to feel normal"
ORIGINAL POST
"I Just Want to Feel Normal"
WORTH IT$4,000
I used to spend a substantial amount of time obsessing over my breasts. I know we should try to uplift one another by undermining these ridiculous and mean body standards, but easier said than done, and at the end of the day, we really should be allowed to feel good in our skin. After years of feeling uncomfortable, never fitting into a bra, being emotionally incapable of going without a padded bra, and always (irrationally) worried that whoever I was talking to was thinking "holy crap, she's so flat she's concave!" I decided to take the leap into breast augmentation. I just wanted to 5 minutes without feeling upset about my boobs.
(Spoiler Alert: Mission Accomplished)
I'm a petite 5'4", fluctuate between 100-125 lbs, and was between a 30A and a 30B, which basically equated to less "meat" than the palm of my hand.
I used to abhor the idea of plastic surgery. I want to say this for the other ladies out there who are held back by this rhetoric. I used to worry it was "fake", but what about the two cups worth of padding I was wearing every day just to feel normal? I also used to worry because my mother had experienced a botched breast augmentation, including Capsular Contracture, when I was a preteen, and I had watched the expensive and painful fallout from that. (Ladies, this is why your choice of Dr is so important, and I can't recommend mine enough!)
**I chose Dr. Piyapas in Phuket, Thailand, I have 250cc (which is a 30DD on me but translates to a 34C/36B), silicone, round, high profile.**
This is where it's important to make these decisions with your DR. I thought I would need 300cc+ in order to get the size I was looking for, (I requested to "look like I do already in my padded bras, but not have to wear them anymore"), but I have a 30 band frame so the cc's will look different on every frame, just like cup size is so relative to body type. I also didn't want high profile because all the high profile pics I saw looked very "obvious" and, not to insult, like "Vegas girls". However, I had an infection in my breasts when I was developing that I'd always suspected stunted my breast growth, and that was confirmed when it was explained to me that I had a minor tissue abnormality. Basically, the tissue behaved like someone who had breastfed, so high profile would give the fullness and projection my breasts lacked. Choosing the round implant was also for this reason, though he also suggested tear drop, but discussed the potential risks of that. As for the size, my Dr suggested a 275cc to get to where I had voiced I was dreaming of, but when we tried on the inserts, I panicked. I thought they were huge (they weren't), and while I'm super happy with my breasts, and this difference would have barely been noticeable (25cc is nominal), I definitely suggest taking your Dr's suggestion on cc's.
As for my doctor, Dr. Piyapas wasn't just the right choice for the surgery but for the whole experience. I'm an awkward, introverted person to begin with, but no matter how confused, indecisive, or flustered I was during appointments, he never ran over the top of my concerns or questions, he took his time, and he made sure I was treated wonderfully. When I was having a panic attack before being put under, he held my hand and talked to me until I was out. That image is as burned into my head as the sweet staff, bright office, and homey hospital. A few years ago, I taught in Chiang Mai for a few months, and the Thai culture values service to others in a way we are not familiar with here in the states, but you can experience a sliver of that if you elect to do this surgery in Thailand. As for the standards of health, throw out any reservations you may have because there was a cleanliness and modernity accompanying Dr. Piyapas' practice that you can barely find in a US . (The hospital he uses, or at least did back in 2017, is Phuket Plastic Surgery Institute.)
Additionally, Dr. Piyapas' office uses a service called Renuval. They are amazing. You basically get assigned a case worker, and they help you with all the travel plans, visa paperwork, they have cars that will pick you up, drop you off, you can ask them anything. They stay in constant email contact with you for the months leading up to the surgery, and check in with you every month afterward. They really help answer any questions you have, and relay anything they can't answer to the doctor. For example, I was having nerve pain in my breasts a few weeks after surgery, and she was able to suggest techniques and vitamins, and then was able to get the doctor's recommendation on massaging and altering my medications a little. I also started freaking out when something sharp and plastic was poking out of my incision (it was my stitches, but I was panicking!), and she was able to calm me down and tell me as long as I wasn't tearing a scab, I could use tweezers to gently slide out the pieces that had decided not to dissolve. And that's just a peek into how helpful they've been.
It's been almost a year and a half since my operation. Wonderfully, I spend hardly any time at all thinking about my breasts other than that I love them. I wear whatever clothes I want, whether it's professional attire or sexy clothes, and I feel good about the way I fit in them now. They still won't smush together for cleavage, but it turns out that has way more to do with the shape and set of your boobs than the size. ** I know this isn't for everyone, but you deserve to love your body, and if that means a little help like this, I wish you the best sister!** If you have any questions, please ask!
(Spoiler Alert: Mission Accomplished)
I'm a petite 5'4", fluctuate between 100-125 lbs, and was between a 30A and a 30B, which basically equated to less "meat" than the palm of my hand.
I used to abhor the idea of plastic surgery. I want to say this for the other ladies out there who are held back by this rhetoric. I used to worry it was "fake", but what about the two cups worth of padding I was wearing every day just to feel normal? I also used to worry because my mother had experienced a botched breast augmentation, including Capsular Contracture, when I was a preteen, and I had watched the expensive and painful fallout from that. (Ladies, this is why your choice of Dr is so important, and I can't recommend mine enough!)
**I chose Dr. Piyapas in Phuket, Thailand, I have 250cc (which is a 30DD on me but translates to a 34C/36B), silicone, round, high profile.**
This is where it's important to make these decisions with your DR. I thought I would need 300cc+ in order to get the size I was looking for, (I requested to "look like I do already in my padded bras, but not have to wear them anymore"), but I have a 30 band frame so the cc's will look different on every frame, just like cup size is so relative to body type. I also didn't want high profile because all the high profile pics I saw looked very "obvious" and, not to insult, like "Vegas girls". However, I had an infection in my breasts when I was developing that I'd always suspected stunted my breast growth, and that was confirmed when it was explained to me that I had a minor tissue abnormality. Basically, the tissue behaved like someone who had breastfed, so high profile would give the fullness and projection my breasts lacked. Choosing the round implant was also for this reason, though he also suggested tear drop, but discussed the potential risks of that. As for the size, my Dr suggested a 275cc to get to where I had voiced I was dreaming of, but when we tried on the inserts, I panicked. I thought they were huge (they weren't), and while I'm super happy with my breasts, and this difference would have barely been noticeable (25cc is nominal), I definitely suggest taking your Dr's suggestion on cc's.
As for my doctor, Dr. Piyapas wasn't just the right choice for the surgery but for the whole experience. I'm an awkward, introverted person to begin with, but no matter how confused, indecisive, or flustered I was during appointments, he never ran over the top of my concerns or questions, he took his time, and he made sure I was treated wonderfully. When I was having a panic attack before being put under, he held my hand and talked to me until I was out. That image is as burned into my head as the sweet staff, bright office, and homey hospital. A few years ago, I taught in Chiang Mai for a few months, and the Thai culture values service to others in a way we are not familiar with here in the states, but you can experience a sliver of that if you elect to do this surgery in Thailand. As for the standards of health, throw out any reservations you may have because there was a cleanliness and modernity accompanying Dr. Piyapas' practice that you can barely find in a US . (The hospital he uses, or at least did back in 2017, is Phuket Plastic Surgery Institute.)
Additionally, Dr. Piyapas' office uses a service called Renuval. They are amazing. You basically get assigned a case worker, and they help you with all the travel plans, visa paperwork, they have cars that will pick you up, drop you off, you can ask them anything. They stay in constant email contact with you for the months leading up to the surgery, and check in with you every month afterward. They really help answer any questions you have, and relay anything they can't answer to the doctor. For example, I was having nerve pain in my breasts a few weeks after surgery, and she was able to suggest techniques and vitamins, and then was able to get the doctor's recommendation on massaging and altering my medications a little. I also started freaking out when something sharp and plastic was poking out of my incision (it was my stitches, but I was panicking!), and she was able to calm me down and tell me as long as I wasn't tearing a scab, I could use tweezers to gently slide out the pieces that had decided not to dissolve. And that's just a peek into how helpful they've been.
It's been almost a year and a half since my operation. Wonderfully, I spend hardly any time at all thinking about my breasts other than that I love them. I wear whatever clothes I want, whether it's professional attire or sexy clothes, and I feel good about the way I fit in them now. They still won't smush together for cleavage, but it turns out that has way more to do with the shape and set of your boobs than the size. ** I know this isn't for everyone, but you deserve to love your body, and if that means a little help like this, I wish you the best sister!** If you have any questions, please ask!
jendall's provider
Replies (10)
March 30, 2019
Your breasts look amazing ! I am so glad you posted a review about Dr Piyapas as he is the surgeon I am considering for my BA. If you don’t mind me asking how much was it in total ?
March 31, 2019
The surgery was right about $3,700, though I know it can fluctuate based on your needs. The plane tickets were about $1,700 round trip, but that is by no means average - it has to do with where I live and how long I waited to buy my tickets. My airbnb by the Big Buddha was $650 for 2 weeks. That can be cheaper if you stay in a more local, less modern place, & more expensive if you stay in a touristy hotel. Food, like anything there, is US price if you only go to formal, touristy prices, but can also be anywhere from $1-5 a meal if you buy from markets, carts, & small shops. Pretty much everything else is included in your surgery price, from your anesthesia, hospital stay, medication, & check ups. Their service will even pick you up & drop you off from the airport & between all appointments.
April 12, 2020
Thanks for sharing! Your boobs looks very beautiful! I have same feelings as you always used to spend a substantial amount of time obsessing over my breasts and getting upset :( I'm still confused should I do it or not, because I worry about the scar issue and they will looks fake on me or need to replace after few years. May I ask you some questions. How do you do the research to find this doctor? Why are you pick the hospital in Phuket instead of Bangkok?? I'm still confused for choosing which is the best hospital to do breast agrumention, thank you!!
April 14, 2020
Hi! I completely understand your fears!
I realized just how brave it actually is to do something like this. It's not a light thing, and it says a lot about the respect women are owed and owe themselves when they feel compelled to make this decision. If you feel like you can't get this idea out of your head, that's when you'll know it's for you. I've never doubted my choice.
Scar tissue: It's gotten smaller over time, softened and lightened. I don't feel my breasts look fake, (maybe overly "perky" when I flex those muscles sometimes?), and after almost 2.5 years, they just fall more into place. I think choosing a Dr who's realistic about profile and fitting the size to your frame will make a huge difference. It's important to remember that women's breasts are all so different to begin with. I do think you need to open yourself to the fact that it's not a miracle; you're going to start with the baseline of the breasts you currently have.
I didn't choose Phuket over Bangkok; I chose Dr. Piyapas over every other Dr in every other country I looked at. Yes, price was a factor, and I also taught in Thailand, but that's not why I chose it. I was looking anywhere and everywhere, and I felt good about his work, the facility, and the price. Something interesting about Thailand is that because it's a westerner vacation spot down south, it's also leading in vacation plastic surgery, and they take that seriously. The Thais actually take hospitality and their work very seriously, not to mention how kind and friendly most are; it makes you want to be a nicer person too. "Land of smiles". In the US for example, we are much less regulated, with Drs performing in their offices, with minimal sanitary measures and preparation, let alone no recovering time because it's an outpatient procedure. I feel so blessed with the results, but also with the experience and care I received.
Use this website as a jumping off point for your research. You're not going to just be sold on good testimonials, but real women who will be honest and vulnerable.
I can't speak to what it's like to replace these. I'm actually nervous about having to cross that bridge myself someday.
I realized just how brave it actually is to do something like this. It's not a light thing, and it says a lot about the respect women are owed and owe themselves when they feel compelled to make this decision. If you feel like you can't get this idea out of your head, that's when you'll know it's for you. I've never doubted my choice.
Scar tissue: It's gotten smaller over time, softened and lightened. I don't feel my breasts look fake, (maybe overly "perky" when I flex those muscles sometimes?), and after almost 2.5 years, they just fall more into place. I think choosing a Dr who's realistic about profile and fitting the size to your frame will make a huge difference. It's important to remember that women's breasts are all so different to begin with. I do think you need to open yourself to the fact that it's not a miracle; you're going to start with the baseline of the breasts you currently have.
I didn't choose Phuket over Bangkok; I chose Dr. Piyapas over every other Dr in every other country I looked at. Yes, price was a factor, and I also taught in Thailand, but that's not why I chose it. I was looking anywhere and everywhere, and I felt good about his work, the facility, and the price. Something interesting about Thailand is that because it's a westerner vacation spot down south, it's also leading in vacation plastic surgery, and they take that seriously. The Thais actually take hospitality and their work very seriously, not to mention how kind and friendly most are; it makes you want to be a nicer person too. "Land of smiles". In the US for example, we are much less regulated, with Drs performing in their offices, with minimal sanitary measures and preparation, let alone no recovering time because it's an outpatient procedure. I feel so blessed with the results, but also with the experience and care I received.
Use this website as a jumping off point for your research. You're not going to just be sold on good testimonials, but real women who will be honest and vulnerable.
I can't speak to what it's like to replace these. I'm actually nervous about having to cross that bridge myself someday.
April 14, 2020
not willing to share this private things. Really appreciate you share your experiences and helps other women out. I used to have 32B but since I start working out hard my breast shrink to sizes A :( I feel upset when I everytime take off my clothes and look at them. I start doing some research at online, looking on those successful result really motivated me to get it done asap! I have so many issues to concern and worries, hope I can get it through and find a good surgeon.
UPDATED FROM jendall
2 years post
Incision Scar
Someone asked about the incision scar, so here's a picture. The scar is under my breasts, and is only visible if you're looking up at me from that angle, or when breasts are pulled up. After 2.5 years, the scars are soft and light, with no pain, and they're not chunky or bumpy.
Replies (0)
UPDATED FROM jendall
2 years post
2.5 years on
Hey there! Figured there's been enough change to share. My breasts have gotten softer and fallen more into a relaxed position. (If that's not for you, just do pec exercises and they pop forward perky again, but I wanted them to be "subtle").
Miracle of miracles, they finally fall together now and I can get cleavage! I didn't think that would happen, especially when I was told if you didn't have cleavage before, you probably won't after because it has to do with distance and angle, and that's all natural.
That being said, I don't often wear things with cleavage. I've gotten so comfortable with my size and shape that I don't feel compelled to worry about how my breasts look. I often go without a bra, wearing a camisole or an under shirt if necessary, although a bra doesn't hurt on dates. ;) I also work in a serious field now, and am happy to report that going for a "reasonable size" was actually a really smart move for me long term, in case you're like me and were worried about being taken seriously.
Miracle of miracles, they finally fall together now and I can get cleavage! I didn't think that would happen, especially when I was told if you didn't have cleavage before, you probably won't after because it has to do with distance and angle, and that's all natural.
That being said, I don't often wear things with cleavage. I've gotten so comfortable with my size and shape that I don't feel compelled to worry about how my breasts look. I often go without a bra, wearing a camisole or an under shirt if necessary, although a bra doesn't hurt on dates. ;) I also work in a serious field now, and am happy to report that going for a "reasonable size" was actually a really smart move for me long term, in case you're like me and were worried about being taken seriously.
Congratulations on your successful augmentation! I'm so glad you decided to share your journey with the community, we especially love to hear about long-term results— and thank you for such great details and photos.