WORTH EVERY PENNY! 36yo 1 BF Kid HP Sientra Silcone Implants with Galaflex Internal Bra

For whatever reason, the photos uploaded poorly the first time and the way this site works, you cannot just update the photos in the review, so no I have had to add them again, a little frustrating but I want to make sure I keep this review as up to date as possible, given how happy I am with the results!

Day 5-Day 10
Do you know what makes all the difference in the world….DRAIN REMOVAL! I should have known, but omg…the pressure drains create when working properly…OOPH!

I had my “week” follow up on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving with the office staff at SVIA. They were all incredibly sweet and accomodating, even during the holiday season! My little one waited in their gorgeous lobby and ate chocolates with the girls while one of Dr. Liu’s staff did my check up and drain removal.

It was literally the oddest feeling having the drains pulled. The process was fast, no pain, just lots of pressure and a good nerve zing. And then all sudden I could breathe! The days prior, there was so much pressure and I assumed alot of that uncomfortability was due to normal surgery aches and the fact I had large implants inserted, but all of that extra pressure was immediately gone! A literal breath of fresh air!

I stopped taking narcotic relief Day 5 and only continued on Tylenol, Valium, Arnica & Bromelian. Oh and the antibiotics. The Tylenol/Valium was only as needed so I would take before bed and first thing when I got up, as my chest definitely felt tighter first thing in the morning.

Also of note, with the surgical technique that Dr. Liu performs (under-fascial), it was actually not recommended to use a “breast-band” over my chest as the implants are already close to where they would sit normally in their pocket. I was also instructed on how to lightly massage in order to encourage the “drop & fluff” that all patients look for…although I did not find that this was needed as they are already settling incredibly well on their own.

The bruising has remained minimal and my scars are still under surgical glue but I got to take a real shower that evening and it couldn’t have been more welcomed! Of note, my nipples are more sensitive than usual (I guess I am lucky I haven’t lost feeling!) I am almost tempted to try silicone nipple flowers, as they get sore under clothing. A great find that I purchased was “engorgement” icepacks that nursing mothers use during breastfeeding…LIFE-ALTERING, and easily found on Amazon! I will continue to recommend these to friends under-going similar procedures. They are so helpful with the soreness and swelling…can be heated or put in the freezer, depending on needs.

I have found that wearing a breast band BELOW my breast sometimes relieves the “heaviness” of the implants but I have found myself wearing it less and less. Just a light bralette. I still fit all of my tops which was a welcomed suprise! But I did get to Black Friday shop for some new bralettes to wear for work! Purchased mostly through Cosabella & Spanx (I will update with photos/fit once they arrive.)

I actually plan on fully returning to work at 2 weeks post-op! This feels unheard of! I wish I could take credit for this recovery journey due to the gift of genetics…but alas…this entire experience has been in thanks to the artistry of Dr. Liu!

I am not one to write reviews...good or bad, but there is no way I was going to pass up the opportunity to share my experience with Dr. Liu and the master surgeon that he is.

My breast augmentation has been years in the making...like literal YEARS. I have wanted to increase my bust size since 8TH GRADE! That's right...I was 13 years old and my best friend was gifted by the boob gods the minute puberty hit. The envy was REAL. My natural size was always around a 34A-36B. All the push-up bras and chest exercises in the world would bring me no closer to my dreams. The only reason I didn't end up with a pair of big beautiful implants sooner was my desire to breastfeed my future children and a lack of disposable income.

I religiously followed other reviews on Real Self, convinced I would have to travel to Miami or Orange County to seek out the premier plastic surgeon. I would scroll through countless photos of women with my same body type (height/weight), making mental notes on size, placement, recovery necessities, pre-op supplements, etc.

I was blessed with my awesome kid approx. 6 years ago and breastfed until she was a little over 2 years old. Occasionally my engorged breasts were made of dreams! They looked amazing, but alas, temporary. I was lucky to never have issues with sagging, but the little volume I once had left as soon as preschool started.

This is when my search for a plastic surgeon started to become a real option. I would save money every month, not knowing how much I would need, especially with the changing economy and global impact Covid had on elective cosmetic procedures. There are several well-known surgeons in the Sacramento area, some have even performed breast augmentation mommy makeovers on close friends. But their before/after work online wasn't convincing me that they were MY surgeon. I have always said, "If I'm laying down, I still want my breasts to stand up." I wasn't looking for the "natural" result, but I also didn't want to be a guest on "Botched".

This January, I happened across a review for Dr. Tom Liu and his practice Silicone Valley Institue for Aesthetics (SVIA). Not only was the review extremely flattering, but I found myself impressed with every single one of his before/after gallery photos. Booking a consultation with Dr. Liu felt like a no-brainer. While I don't believe I personally knew anyone that had gone to him, his work spoke for itself. Dr. Liu has multiple office locations, but luckily for me there was one in the Sacramento Area (although I probably would have travelled!) My consultation was in March and I booked the same day for an breast augmentation with an internal galaflex mesh bra this November!

Dr. Liu was incredibly professional, took his time to explain everything, even answered my "silly" questions. Even though I come with a healthcare background, he did not rush through any information. His process was thorough and I never felt pressure to add-on a breast-lift or mommy makeover. Dr. Liu made it clear that he wanted to give me the aesthetic that I wanted to achieve, in a realistic manner. There was no judgement of my request for larger implants and he made sure his focus was on me and not my boyfriend when it came to understanding what MY goals were. In addition, Dr. Liu's front office staff and medical staff were sweet, knowledgeable, and made the entire experience comfortable and enjoyable.

Two weeks prior to my surgery, I met with Dr. Liu at the office again to narrow down final sizes and profiles for my implants. I was 145lb, 5'3" at my pre-op appointment. We decided together that to achieve the aesthetic I was going for, I would need a 575-620cc high profile implant that would be placed sub-fascially through an infra-mammary incision, along with the galaflex internal bra. My goal was to have 620cc on both sides, and Dr. Liu said he would try to achieve this, but I deferred to his discretion if I needed different sizes in order to achieve the most symmetrical look. I opted for the internal bra because the implants are on the larger side and I wanted to decrease the chance of the implants "bottom-ing out" or migrating laterally off my chest wall. The galaflex would be placed through the same incision as the implants, but would require bi-lateral drains that would be removed approx. a week after surgery. The drains would help minimize the odds of developing a hematoma or capsular conracture. Dr. Liu also uses local nerve blocks at the ribcage in order to minimize pain for the first 24 hours and potentially less use of narcotic pain medications during the recovery. All of my pre & post op medications were available for me to pick up a week before my surgery at my pharmacy and then the waiting game began!

Day of Surgery: I took a prescribed Valium so that would actually sleep and then an additional dose on the way to the surgery center. I was his first surgery of the day so I was there by 6AM! The check in process was a breeze and the nurses at the surgery center were kind and helped ease my nerves through laughter. Dr. Liu stopped into my pre-op room and drew all of the landmarks and measurements directly on my chest, explaining everything again with such precision and compassion. He joked about being OCD and I told him that I wouldn't have picked a cosmetic surgeon who wasn't OCD! I took my prescribed Gabapentin and put on a Scopolamine patch prior to meeting the Anesthesiologist, who assured me he would not tape over my eyelash extensions (probably my biggest concern for the last 48 hours!) The last thing I remember was scooting onto the OR table from the gurney and telling Dr. Liu that was as long as I had ever remained awake prior to surgery (I typically don't make it out of pre-op!) He told me to try and remember what the first song was during surgery, but once I closed my eyes in the OR suite, there was no remembering anything! 2 hours later, I awoke in recovery....NAUSEOUS!!! No pain, incredibly groggy, but so so nauseous. The recovery nurse gave me some IV zofran but nothing was helping. I had nothing to actually throw up, but my stomach was doing flips. The Anesthesiologist checked in on me as well, because the only words I could say repeatedly were "I'm just so nauseous!". My boyfriend helped put my pajamas back on and the nurse taught him how to empty my drains. I remember being so grateful to know how to perform this task, because he has a pretty weak stomach when it comes to anything medical...but he powered through and I made a promise to him in my head that I would take care of it all once I was more alert. The drive home was smooth, I never threw up, but continued to say how nauseous I was...I'm sure he was thankful nothing ever came up! At home..I slept...HARD. It was glorious! When I woke up about 3-4 hours later, the nausea was gone, I still didn't have any pain, but I was starving. Plain toast has never tasted so good! Around 5pm that night, Dr. Liu called to check on me and let me know that the surgery went extremely well. He was able to put 590cc on my left side and 620cc on my right side for near perfect symmetry! I had asked him to take a photo in the OR, which he usually does not like to do, but because I am a nurse, he obliged and sent me the image that night! They were PERFECT! If I was a crier, I would have been balling! Because my first follow-up appointment falls during the holidays, one of his very skilled medical assistants will evaluate my drains and remove them if I have had adequate output. If not I will wait until the following week to have Dr. Liu remove them. My plan is to return to work in 2 weeks after my surgery and so far I feel like that is an attainable goal!

Post Op Day 1: A breeze on the pain front, but my arms/chest/back were sore and tight. Because the implants are not under the muscle, I have no animation or squareness to my implant. I also started taking Bromelian and Arnica to reduce inflammation, swelling and bruising around the clock. The only medication I am required to take until completion is Keflex (antibiotic) and I have Tylenol, Valium, and Oxycodone for pain relief and muscle stiffness. I am also swollen...like 6-8lb of inflammation. I can feel like in my sternum, back and abdomen. Bleh.

Post Op Day 2: A harder day to start, I slept through my timing of pain medication at night and was trying to play catch up all day. The pain is hard to describe, as it is mostly just chest tightness, but I started getting "zingers" to my left nipple with movement and OH MY GOD...those are f*cking awful! Ice packs have become a necessity. The lateral portion of my breasts are numb, so I have to be careful not to put the cold directly on my skin but the ice offers sweet relief! I also empty my drains about 2-3 times a day and the color has improved with every drainage which make me happy!

Post Op Day 3: Morning boob...it's a real thing! And it's NO joke! Luckily a little ice intermixed with heat works quite well and I can gently massage the upper and outer poles of the implants. (They are already pretty squishy, I love them!) I tried to stay out of bed today, mainly because the kids were home and I wanted to be with them, so I set up on the couch and we watched holiday baking shows while I shopped on Amazon for breast icepacks meant for engorgement so I wouldn't have to steal my daugther's unicorn and flower lunch icepacks anymore! I can tell when I overdue movement or wait to long between pain medications, so I will try to be better about it tomorrow.

Post Op Day 4: Better...it's just better. The nipple zingers are still fully in effect...100% do not enjoy those. Pain is still minimal, but I took an Oxycodone to stay on top of the pain...forgetting that I no longer had the relief of the scopolamine patch and the nausea/room-spinning immediately hit me...YUCK! Luckily Dr. Liu also sent me a prescription for Zofran so I took that and it seems to have helped. I will actually try to just take Tylenol from now on because the narcotics do not agree with my stomach at all. The drainage color continues to improve and lighten, so I remain hopfeul the drains can be removed tomorrow. A new experience is the intense itching at the incsional sites and drain sites under the tegaderm. If this is the most discomfort I have to experience other than my suprise nipple lightning bolts...I'll take it! No showering until after tomorrow's post-op visit but nothing a quick sponge bath hasn't taken care of!