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POSTED UNDER Breast Implant Removal REVIEWS

Explant pictures 3 months post op

ORIGINAL POST

I'm feeling very depressed and need the implants...

FaithandHope11
WORTH IT$3,901
I'm feeling very depressed and need the implants out, I have had bad thoughts and dont want to feel this way anymore. I feel like I'm going crazy, I'm 2 wks post op and I can't sleep at night bcoz of the pain, I don't think I can trust my original ps to explant them as he is more known for BA. I don't have enough money to explant eith so I'm hoping I can get a loan or just a ps that can sympathize.

FaithandHope11's provider

Lavinia K. Chong, MD

Lavinia K. Chong, MD

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Replies (24)

September 9, 2013
Call Dr Pousti in San Diego!!
September 15, 2013
do you know anyone who has had explants there?
September 15, 2013
Me!! Read my story! And there is more just like us!
October 1, 2013
I scheduled a consultation with Dr. Pousti because I've never been impressed so much by someones work, he really knows what he is doing but unfortunately no one can drive me all the way out there, I honestly wanted to go to get a males perspective. But luckily I found someone now that Im very confident with and have also had the pleasure to read stories from other women who go to Dr. Chong. I will be explanting soon, finally!!
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September 9, 2013

I'm sorry to hear you're so unhappy! So you just got them in and now you want them out...sadly that's a story I hear often in this community. Implants are not for everyone. But that's something you can't know until you do it.

You might want to at least ask your surgeon about a reduced fee removal. You never know what he will say.

Please keep us updated and let us know what you decide to do. We are here for you!

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September 10, 2013
I just had mine out by Dr. Bruno in West Hollywood....He is great! Very calm and reassuring. He is on this site just look him up. Since you have only had yours in for a short time you should have great results with the explant. Good luck!
September 15, 2013
how much was the cost, was your explant a simple one?
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September 15, 2013
Well, I don't really know what would be considered a "simple one" but I can tell you about mine. I had my implants for 22 years, I am 52 and in good health other than cfs and depression. Going in the Dr. thought I might have a rupture or leakage in my right breast by the way it was misshaped and the way it felt to him during my consultation. Also, I had a kind of rare type of implant that contained both saline and silicone I'm sure there are many things that go into consideration when the dr. quotes his price...mine was a explant with the removal of all the scare tissue (encapsulation) I wanted it all out because of health issues. I was more concerned with my health then how I would look after the surgery. Dr. Bruno did my surgery for $4000 and it was worth every penny ! I'm so happy now every time I look at myself in the mirror and I feel confident and reassured. Keep reading on the site, it was this site and all the information and support I received that made me feel confident and safe about my decision. Also, seeing all the pictures and how everyone looked so much better after getting the implants out ! I was uncomfortable putting up pictures and didn't until recently...I felt I owed it to all the women that will come after me that need help and all the wonderful women that went before me and were such a help to me. Good luck.
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September 15, 2013
Hi Sadie, How are you feeling? Do you feel like your CFS and depression have improved since explant? I agree with you..I don't know what I would have done without the support and great information on this site :)
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September 15, 2013
I'm feeling great ! I'm not sure about the cfs, but my mood has been fantastic. I knew I would feel better but I'm still surprised how MUCH better I feel. I don't think I realized how uncomfortable the implants made me...and not just physically. I always had in the back of my mind that I didn't look right and I thought everyone was looking at me and judging me. It seems everything I do now, I realize how every minute I was worried about how I looked. I went shopping and didn't have that feeling that other women were looking at me and judging, I put gas in my car and didn't feel the man at the other pump was ogling me, I've been to the marked and didn't worry about what the checkout lady and box boy were thinking! I went to he fair last week and wore a cute little red top (that before I would have looked like a [RS bleep] star in) and a cowboy hat and was totally comfortable...I never wore hats before because I didn't want to draw attention to myself ! It is truly amazing and very sad that for so long I have been living this way :[ But, now I'm free at last, free at last ! :] How are you doing?
September 16, 2013
you look really great! how are ur incisions, do you have any puckering or muscle distortion when u lift your arms. that is what im most afraid of :( Also did you get any stretch marks or is that even possible after explant
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September 16, 2013
Thank you ! No stretch marks yet, not sure if that is something that can still happen or not, but so far so good. My incisions are good, no puckering and no muscle distortion when I lift my arms :] I understand your concerns I'm sure we all had/have them....I just prepared myself for the worst (and knew I still wanted them out even if the result didn't look good) and prayed for the best. I felt much better after seeing how many women look great afterward. Glad to see you have your date, just two weeks away. :}
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September 30, 2013
I feel better than I have in many years. I started running again (after being unable to do it for 10 years). All of the pain and itching that I had had for many years literally disappeared the day I had the explant. I am so happy! I will post updated pics this Thursday (my 6 week point). I am so thankful that I love the way I look, as well! That is truly an added bonus...I wasn't sure what to expect, so I was expecting the worst. I am anxious to see how my latest blood tests come out. As I was diagnosed with Lymes (or another auto immune disorder) last year. I believe my blood will test normal...I swear it was the implants!
October 1, 2013
Thank you for your info, I as well will be posting pictures once I get my surgery done. I cant believe Im actually going through with it, its such a relief to know there are many of us out there, and i felt like I was the only one. btw what is cfs?
October 2, 2013
Hey sadielove, That's great! Ill be praying my outcome turns out like yours. My surgery date is now Oct 22 i cant wait :) im so excited to be back to my old self, ill be having a countdown
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October 2, 2013
Well, thanks for the kind words....I hope the time flies by for you. I spent the time getting ready by cleaning the house, buying button down jammies, and preparing food that I could just reheat. And of course window shopping online for pretty new bras ! :] I wish you the best.
October 2, 2013
Aww thank u so much, I'm feeling very depressed not like myself today. I was trying to keep positive but its do hard when so many things have happened just in one day. I welcome u to read my story. On what day did the pain ease after breast implant removal? Did u shower urself or someone else did I'm just afraid I won't be able to do anything with my hands after explant.
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October 2, 2013
OMG, you poor thing ! You certainly have been through a lot. We sure to learn from our mistakes don't we. Sounds like you are doing things right this time, not rushing, talking to a therapist and making sure you are comfortable with your decisions and your doctor. I'm so glad you got your date and I've heard good things about the doctor you picked. As for your questions...I really didn't have much pain, I was expecting more. The first day a started feeling a little pain after being home a few hours so I took a pain pill. The next day was the day that the pain seemed the worst, but I hate even saying "worst" because it was never really bad! The third day I was feeling pretty good just pain kind of like sore muscles from working out. The drains were uncomfortable but not painful. So, the "pain" was very minimal and I'm kinda a baby. I did shower myself when I was given the okay to do so, my breast hurt a little when I took the bra off to shower or to change bras but it was nothing major. I'm not sure if you will have restrictions from your other surgery, but I don't think you will from the explant. When I would get nervous about the surgery I just told myself that it was only one day and then it would be all over and I would be free and happy for the rest of my life. After what you have been through I'm sure it's hard but try and focus on all the positive things you will be able to do after you get them out ! Take care of yourself.
October 3, 2013
I really needed to hear this from someone that has experienced it, I know I have to focus on the positive things, my bf had an idea to write on my mirror "ur beautiful" "stay positive" "everything will b ok" and I think I will be doing that tmw. because every time I look at the mirror I start to break down and think I look like a monster. I'm going to try and keep my head up thats for sure. Thanks :)
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September 15, 2013
Hi Thali, Welcome to this site. I have had my implants out for 3 weeks now and feeling SO good! I think you will find that is the general opinion of most on this site. I had my implants in for almost 20 years. One was very encapsulated and the other was, as well, but not as severe. I learned so much by reading others' stories on here. I suggest you read more until you are confident with what you are doing. As far as feeling better after explant? My doc told me that not everyone feels better, but I had immediate relief. I suffered from an auto immune disorder, and constant pain and itchiness. Since explant, I have had more energy than I have in years, and virtually ALL of the pain in my breasts is gone. I should have done it 10 years ago! I live in NorCal, but chose Dr. Chun in Newport Beach. He was wonderful and I highly recommend him. He is meticulous and he really knows what he is doing, when it comes to explants and reconstruction. I would suggest having a capsulectomy...many docs say that the scar tissue absorbs over time. I don't agree. Get it out of your body. My prayers are with you as you prepare for your procedure :)
September 18, 2013
Thank you so much, I will certainly try to get a consultation with him, I already have scheduled a couple and I really think this is the right decision for me I lean more towards my natural breasts than these implants, if I may know how much was the procedure and what was your incision
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September 18, 2013
Yes, of course:) I had an explant with en bloc and mastopexy... The incision is an anchor. I haven't posted the 4 week pics but will try to tomorrow. Dr. Chun recommended silicone scar strips, which will virtually make the scars non-existent. The procedure was $7250
October 1, 2013
Hi mamakas6 can these silicone scar strips be applied to the areola area as well and til when after surgery can you apply them? I want to be able to hide the scars once I explant.
February 16, 2018
I feel ur pain! I was EXACTLY the same as u feel right now! I FINALLY got my implants removed 2 days ago. Never thought I'd ever make it to this point because I had no more money. I actually got my health insurance company yo pay for the whole procedure considering how much pain I was in! Maybe that could be an option for u as well. Best of luck!
UPDATED FROM FaithandHope11
1 day pre

Aug 24, worst day of my life

FaithandHope11
I got my implants on Aug 24 thinking I would look better in clothes and finally be able to throw away my padded bras, my bf was very against it but my mom was supportive since shes into plastic surgery, the day of my surgery I was scheduled for lipo and implants I became hesitant about the implants and asked for a new quote but the receptionist told me to just do the implants so I won't have to pay for anesthesia again if I decided to get implants, well I listened to her and honestly I shouldve gone with my initial instinct and that was that I was ok with having no boobs, I think we all have red flags but we don't pay attention to them...well the ps started marking me and everything felt rushed I specifically told him I wanted to look natural I didn't want to b more than a C and as for lipo I only wanted my back and arms and wow when I got out of surgery I felt like I was dying, I fell so much in pain for 4 days finally when I was able to see myself since my mom was showering me I saw incisions that didn't make sense, well a wk ago I finally saw my ps and he admitted that he was trying to contour my waist to make me more beautiful I cried for so long and asked him why if I was fine the way I was and he replied with "oh you were ok with being fat well I can add more fat in you that's a fast procedure its easy" wow this ps has some nerve all the nurses came in and said omg u look so beautiful now, look at u you have a tiny waist look how u were before compared to now, nobody understands that thats not the point, I feel violated, I don't feel like myself I'm in this body that I don't recognize anymore all I asked was for my back and arms not an entire contouring of my body, I also honestly think he added fat on my hips because they look fuller but he denies this, I compare pictures from now and before n I don't look the same, I'm so devastated that this happened to me, I ask why me, why me, I have already had bad thoughts and I attempted suicide at 20 and I honestly dont want to go back to that dark place again its so difficult to get out of that state of mind...right now I feel disfigured and im not sure I even got a good lipo job as I have much rippling but through all the threads I've read on here they said its normal and itll subside in 6mths so I have hope for that, as to the implants I don't feel like myself now I have huge boobs with a tiny waist and huge hips I look like a cartoon character, this was not the look I wanted, ever! Now I want these implants out but everyone is telling me not to make an impulsive decision and to really think things through, I will see a therapist about this so I can just prove to them that this is the right decision, I feel like I did make the biggest mistake of my life with these implants, what was I thinking my bf loved me the way I was, I don't know why I thought implants would make me look beautiful on the contrary I feel ugly and I can't even stand straight bcoz I'm already ashamed of them, I don't want anyone seeing me with them, I quit work and I'm an emotional wreck, I'm already stressing over bills since I have to recover for 3-6mths and I want these implants out now, I don't want to wait 3mths bcoz that will set me back awhole lot and I have no idea how I will get by if I can't work. My PS can do the explant for free I will only pay for anesthesia but would you trust him? After going through all of this I'm not sure if I can trust him and him having the audacity to call me fat and not say sorry and admit it was his fault is not good at all, he even told his nurse to give me inflammation pills so I can see the real results sooner and to. See what a good job he did, well he said to take 2 pills for 7 days they were in a lil baggie with no real instructions and the first 2 pills I took 2 days ago I felt like I was on a drug, I had cat eyes, pupils dilated, I kept clenching my jaw, my room was spinning and distorted I don't know if this ps is trying to kill me bcoz he knows what he did, I never asked for him to lipo the areas he did, this ps is in mexico and I live in ca, you can tell me what you think, I am now looking at ps that specialize in explanting since I need someone that can put me at ease that I can nurse since my incisions are on my areola and now if they do a 2nd incision again I feel like I will have complications nursing if I ever have children...i dint know why I ever thought of implants in the first place, my bf loved the way I was already, why did I think I can be better, honestly plastic surgery is not for depressive people, I'm so devastated by all of this but thankfully I have my bf that cheers me up and he always tells me that I need to remain positive, if I think I will end up deformed that I will end up deformed that the mind is a powerful thing, which I agree, but the implants I need to take them out asap!!! I just don't know with who and how. If anyone is in the los angeles area please guide me, thank you.

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UPDATED FROM FaithandHope11
1 day pre

Sept 25 consultation with Lavinia Chong

FaithandHope11
As soon as I walked in, I was greeted by her staff and there was no wait time. I immediately met with Dr. Chong and had almost a 2hr long consultation. Shes a very sweet lady, she answered every question I had and I never felt rushed. I did let her know that I wanted to explant as soon as possible and she was positive that I will look similar as to pre ba. She also wants me to make the right decision and wants me to consult with other ps, this is a real Dr. that cares about her patients and is not in it for the money. She wants everyone to be mentally prepared. I did voice out that I have a therapist and that my therapist advised me to explant since I felt strongly about it. Dr. Chong wants me to come back in 2wks since im only 5 wks post op to make sure I'm 100%. I can book for Oct 17, 22, 24 I think I'm going with Oct 17. My bday is coming up and I at least won't be stuck at home resting, I can't wait til this nightmare is over.

As for the lipo, she did say it looked like I have irregularities, that I might have internal skin burns, but all the sensations that I'm feeling are normal, at first I was devastated because of the parts he had touched and contoured, and all I did was cry, then I started noticing discoloration and thats what Dr.Chong is talking about the burns. I thought wow im never going to be able to wear a bathing suit or cute backless shirts, then I started feeling pain and ripping of the skin, stiffness, and burning. I can't make certain movements and definately would not be able to touch my toes. So it has been a roller coaster of emotions, first, I hated my body, then it was about my skin, then its about my health so what we need to learn here is do you want to look good, or feel good. I think I shouldve thought about this when I stepped in the ps office I shouldve just accepted my body the way it was, no boobies, fat arms and back, this way he would've never had the chance to touch me in places he shouldn't have, this has become a nightmare.

All I want is to be able to move and stretch like I use to, I became a very athletic person in March and lost 40lbs thats y I opted for lipo on arms and back bcoz they were my problem areas. The minute I found out this supposed ps contoured my body, I felt that he took that away from me, he took away what I worked so hard for. He lipoed my flanks he contoured my waist making me very small at the waist and I come from big hips, this is not my body. Everyone is telling me to just accept it, nothing can be done, and its true, but I am devastated at the other consequences I am dealing with, burns, excessive removal of fat, discoloration, no movement, stiffness, numbness. I'm tired of this nightmare, I just want to disappear.

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