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POSTED UNDER Breast Augmentation REVIEWS

Extremely Unhappy with Initial BA. 2 More Surgeries to Follow. Getting Them Fixed 7k Later, Different Doc... - Minneapolis, MN

ORIGINAL POST

I have had 3 surgeries from Dr. Gervais. The...

kristylinlv
$6,000
I have had 3 surgeries from Dr. Gervais. The first was in 2001 when I had my initial augmentation. I loved his consultation and word around town was that he was the best. I was confident that I would get great looking breasts.
The surgery went well and I was sent home. A week later when I was ably to look at my breasts, they were extremely high and touched each other from top to bottom with no side fullness. From the side, they kind of looked like Snoopy, very full on the top with nothing on the bottom. From the front, I looked like a cartoon owl. My boobs looked like two round orbs like how one would draw an owl's eyes with my nipples perfectly centered in the middle just staring back at you. I went back to discuss my results and was told that they would drop into place and that I wouldn't see the final result for a few months. Well, after a few months, they looked the same. They were so close to each other that I could hold a pencil between them. I could clasp my hands behind my back and they still touched each other. I had cleavage that would never go away and I hated it. I went in for a second surgery to get rid of the Snoopy look and to have them lowered. Since I was having them lowered, my initial incision is now on the bottom visible portion of my breast instead of hidden in the crease. After, they still looked like owls. I also woke up with an additional hole in my breast where the scalpel had pierced through my skin from the inside out when he was trying to expand my pocket. Three years later, after hating my breasts every day, I wrote him a letter telling him how unhappy I still was. It affected my self esteem. I hated how I looked and I was embarrassed to wear anything that showed my cleavage. He asked my to come in for yet another surgery to correct it, again. This time, I was allowed to exchange my saline implants for silicone. I didn't even get put under to exchange them out, he just injected me with an anesthetic and took out the old ones and put the new silicone ones in. The fact that they were silicone made them look and feel a little better, but they are still too close together and asymmetrical. One points downward and the other just stares at you.
After seeing how unhappy I have been, my husband finally told me to go for a consultation with another surgeon. This doctor took on look at me and diagnosed my problem before I even told him what was wrong. I am getting my 4th revision done in April 2014 by this new doctor and I can't wait. He is going to take out the sub muscular implants and replace them sub glandular to correct my problem. My sub muscular pocket placement is terrible, so we are just letting it heal up and close. And it's going to cost me $7,000.
The doctor I consulted with here in Dallas, Texas in 2014 asked me for my permission to use my photos for a presentation he was doing to a panel of surgeons to show how things can go wrong.
I'm sure Dr. Gervais has done good work, but on me, it just wasn't the case.

kristylinlv's provider

Douglas L. Gervais, MD

Douglas L. Gervais, MD

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

4.8 | 298 Reviews
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kristylinlv rating for Dr. Gervais:

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Replies (5)

March 14, 2014
It's so important for stories like this to get out. Even though I am sure Dr. Gervais doesn't love it, it's important for those of us looking for a good doctor read REAL reviews, and not just "he was so great" reviews. Thank you for sharing and I hope the doctor in Dallas can repair your breasts and give you back your self esteem! I can only imagine how tough that is. This is why I tell everyone I know about my doctor, Dr Basu, in Houston. He's just the best, and I wouldn't trust anyone else to operate on my friends and family. Good luck to you and please keep us posted!
March 16, 2014
What is the name of your new doctor? I am having a similar issue but don't know who to go to for a revision.
April 15, 2014
I live in Dallas, Texas now so I am going to Dr. Vasdev Rai.
March 16, 2014
Hi, I am wondering who your new doctor is. I am having a similar issue but don't know who to trust for a revision.
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March 19, 2014
Dear kristylinlv, I am very sorry to hear that you were unhappy with your results. We take great pride in trying to meet our patients expectations and we take our patients disappointments seriously. HIPPA laws prevent us from speaking specifically about our patients so I am unable to address the concerns you have listed. Generally speaking, there are many reasons why certain surgeries do not turn out the way we or our patients want but we always strive to do the right thing. I assure you that our intentions were to help you and make things satisfactory in you and your husbands eyes. My door is always open and I would be happy to discuss specifics with you or your new surgeon with your permission. We wish you well. Sincerely, Dr. Gervais
UPDATED FROM kristylinlv
13 years post

5 days post op

kristylinlv
Update: My current submuscular implants are stationary, but my natural breast on top of it moves. I was told "You have four breasts" and he was right. I lay on my back and the implants stays put but my naturalbreast fall to the side. There's no cohesiveness. Placing my new implant in the subglandular position allows the implant to move with my breast. If I lay on my side, my implants shifts that way, too.
I had my surgery on Tuesday. I went with 250cc silicone sub glandular placement. Upon examination of my pre-op pictures, I had to have a double bubble deformity corrected, asymmetry corrected and basically an entirely new breast augmentation because we had to discard the old pockets and create new ones above the muscle. My deformed pocket was healed and would have stayed an open pocket, so my surgeon had to scrape the scar tissue to make it stick to itself to heal (layman's terms, sorry!) I am swollen, tight and in a lot of pain, even at day 5. I envy the girls who say they just had discomfort! I am HUUUUGE and a little anxious because my intent was to be smaller. I know it's swelling and it will go down, but it's scary, nonetheless.

Replies (4)

September 4, 2014
kristylinkv, great write up and couldn't agree more. Sorry you had to go through all that. I had mine done by Dr. Gervais also, 2 years ago. I am now 2 weeks post op of redoing/replacing the work Gervais had done. His 'open door' policy cracks me up. Sure, he'll let you in. But he won't do anything about your concerns. I am finally happy with my redo! Never referring to him! Llgsmh
September 6, 2014
What doctor did your revision? What did he say and fix?
September 6, 2014
She fixed my capsular contracture. Grade 3! Yeah...that's major! I am so happy now!
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September 6, 2014
That stinks... Sorry you had a 4th surgery to fix the last 3! Hope the 4th is a charm!!! Don't worry about the swelling, soon it will all go down and you will be left with beautiful breasts! Give it time!!!