So i am now 5 days post op after my BL and feeling more human and i just wanted to share my experience with everyone because forums like this have been invaluable for me throughout my whole experience.
Since being a teenager i have been unhappy with my breasts - i always had larger areolas and they were never perky or how i perceived beautiful breasts to be. I then gained quite a lot of weight between the age of 18-20. Then lost all the weight and more resulting in even saggier, unsightly breasts which i absolutely hated!
I didn't speak to anyone about it - not even my partner - i was too embarrassed. I just used to hide them away, get upset if he wanted to see them etc. It all became too much last year (after 8 years together) and i decided to sit down and tell him exactly how i felt. He was very shocked but it all made sense to him after how i had been acting for so long. He was very supportive and told me he would support whatever decision i made. That is when the search for a plastic surgeon began.
I had heard amazing things about Dr Phil Richardson & also about Dr David Chin. I made appointments to see them both & had 2 consultations with both of them - they were both fantastic. In the end, i decided to go with Dr Chin because he was very honest & i just felt very comfortable with him.
We discussed the possibility of implants too but i decided at this stage that i would just go with the lift and areola reduction as my boobs were a fairly good size - 12D.
So the 22nd May 2015, i had my surgery with Dr Chin.
I arrived at the hospital at 6.30am - i was first on the list.. the nurses were fantastic. Checked all my details, got me into my gown, put on my stockings ready for theatre. Then i was transferred to a trolley where i lay and read a magazine for 10 minutes whilst theatres were prepping for my surgery.
The anaesthetist chatted to me, put a cannula into my arm ready for the anaesthetic to be injected. I then spoke to a theatre nurse who checked me over and spoke to me about what would happen before and after surgery.
Dr Chin then came in & spent 15 minutes with me showing me previous pictures taken of my breasts at consultations - taking pre op pictures - showing me exactly what his aim was in order to lift my breasts with minimal scarring. He then drew markings on my breasts using a pen and tape measure & checked exactly what size i wanted my areolas to be. I did not feel at all rushed and i asked all the questions i wanted answered.
The nurses then wheeled me into the theatre room where i was transferred to a different trolley. A lovely male nurse held my hand whilst everyone was busy getting things ready around me. They gave me some gas and air to breathe in and out whilst they injected the anaesthetic into my cannula and before i knew it i was out.
The next i knew i was waking up in recovery with 2 lovely nurses either side of me. It was 10.20am & the surgery had taken about 1hr 45mins. I felt amazing, knowing the op was done. My dressings were perfect, very minimal oozing.
I had something to drink, then once i felt okay i moved to a reclining chair from the bed and had a sandwich.
The nurses were fantastic, so caring. I felt totally comfortable and they had contacted my partner to let him know when i would be ready to be picked up.
Dr Chin came out to speak to me - told me the surgery went really well, he had lifted my breasts higher to allow for them dropping once the swelling had gone down. I had no drains in which initially he thought i might have needed.
I was given a prescription for Panadeine, Diazepam, a 5 day course of antibiotics and Bactroban ointment to apply to the incision sites 4x per day.
I had dissolvable sutures in, steri strips over my nipples and incision sites to hold them together, gauze and padded dressings on top and then a large doubled over tubi grip on top which covered my breasts and stomach.
I was told that i needed 5 days of bed rest, sleeping elevated with 4-5 pillows behind me because of the swelling & keeping dressings dry & intact until my follow up appointment in 5-7 days.
My partner then came to collect me & drove me home.
The past few days have been much easier than i expected. The pain has been very well controlled with my medication. I have felt tired & lethargic but that has been fine because i can just nap at home and relax.
The worst thing for me has probably been the itchy feeling over the last couple of days on the incisions under my breasts. I've been taking Cetirizine to try and stop the itching but i guess it is a good sign because its showing they are healing.
I have been changing between soft, non wired bras and the double tubi grip which i was originally put in post surgery because this feels much more comfortable.
I already love my uplifted boobs and that is with the old bloody dressings still on them. I absolutely can not wait to see what they look like with no dressings on them but i know i will be so much more confident than what i was before. I am already happy to stand in front of my partner with no bra on - which i have never done before. This will totally change my life and i would recommend it to anybody who felt how i did.
I have my follow up appointment today with Dr Chin and i can't wait to hear what he says.
I will continue posting pictures of my breasts as they are healing so everyone can see the scars and how they look.
Hopefully this post will be of use to someone who is thinking of or is having the same procedure :)
Since being a teenager i have been unhappy with my breasts - i always had larger areolas and they were never perky or how i perceived beautiful breasts to be. I then gained quite a lot of weight between the age of 18-20. Then lost all the weight and more resulting in even saggier, unsightly breasts which i absolutely hated!
I didn't speak to anyone about it - not even my partner - i was too embarrassed. I just used to hide them away, get upset if he wanted to see them etc. It all became too much last year (after 8 years together) and i decided to sit down and tell him exactly how i felt. He was very shocked but it all made sense to him after how i had been acting for so long. He was very supportive and told me he would support whatever decision i made. That is when the search for a plastic surgeon began.
I had heard amazing things about Dr Phil Richardson & also about Dr David Chin. I made appointments to see them both & had 2 consultations with both of them - they were both fantastic. In the end, i decided to go with Dr Chin because he was very honest & i just felt very comfortable with him.
We discussed the possibility of implants too but i decided at this stage that i would just go with the lift and areola reduction as my boobs were a fairly good size - 12D.
So the 22nd May 2015, i had my surgery with Dr Chin.
I arrived at the hospital at 6.30am - i was first on the list.. the nurses were fantastic. Checked all my details, got me into my gown, put on my stockings ready for theatre. Then i was transferred to a trolley where i lay and read a magazine for 10 minutes whilst theatres were prepping for my surgery.
The anaesthetist chatted to me, put a cannula into my arm ready for the anaesthetic to be injected. I then spoke to a theatre nurse who checked me over and spoke to me about what would happen before and after surgery.
Dr Chin then came in & spent 15 minutes with me showing me previous pictures taken of my breasts at consultations - taking pre op pictures - showing me exactly what his aim was in order to lift my breasts with minimal scarring. He then drew markings on my breasts using a pen and tape measure & checked exactly what size i wanted my areolas to be. I did not feel at all rushed and i asked all the questions i wanted answered.
The nurses then wheeled me into the theatre room where i was transferred to a different trolley. A lovely male nurse held my hand whilst everyone was busy getting things ready around me. They gave me some gas and air to breathe in and out whilst they injected the anaesthetic into my cannula and before i knew it i was out.
The next i knew i was waking up in recovery with 2 lovely nurses either side of me. It was 10.20am & the surgery had taken about 1hr 45mins. I felt amazing, knowing the op was done. My dressings were perfect, very minimal oozing.
I had something to drink, then once i felt okay i moved to a reclining chair from the bed and had a sandwich.
The nurses were fantastic, so caring. I felt totally comfortable and they had contacted my partner to let him know when i would be ready to be picked up.
Dr Chin came out to speak to me - told me the surgery went really well, he had lifted my breasts higher to allow for them dropping once the swelling had gone down. I had no drains in which initially he thought i might have needed.
I was given a prescription for Panadeine, Diazepam, a 5 day course of antibiotics and Bactroban ointment to apply to the incision sites 4x per day.
I had dissolvable sutures in, steri strips over my nipples and incision sites to hold them together, gauze and padded dressings on top and then a large doubled over tubi grip on top which covered my breasts and stomach.
I was told that i needed 5 days of bed rest, sleeping elevated with 4-5 pillows behind me because of the swelling & keeping dressings dry & intact until my follow up appointment in 5-7 days.
My partner then came to collect me & drove me home.
The past few days have been much easier than i expected. The pain has been very well controlled with my medication. I have felt tired & lethargic but that has been fine because i can just nap at home and relax.
The worst thing for me has probably been the itchy feeling over the last couple of days on the incisions under my breasts. I've been taking Cetirizine to try and stop the itching but i guess it is a good sign because its showing they are healing.
I have been changing between soft, non wired bras and the double tubi grip which i was originally put in post surgery because this feels much more comfortable.
I already love my uplifted boobs and that is with the old bloody dressings still on them. I absolutely can not wait to see what they look like with no dressings on them but i know i will be so much more confident than what i was before. I am already happy to stand in front of my partner with no bra on - which i have never done before. This will totally change my life and i would recommend it to anybody who felt how i did.
I have my follow up appointment today with Dr Chin and i can't wait to hear what he says.
I will continue posting pictures of my breasts as they are healing so everyone can see the scars and how they look.
Hopefully this post will be of use to someone who is thinking of or is having the same procedure :)
