POSTED UNDER Breast Augmentation Reviews REVIEWS
Silicone implants - 29 Years Old, Starting with 32A Breasts. Philadelphia, PA
ORIGINAL POST
I am 29, 5'6", 125 lbs, with a slender athletic...
$7,500
I am 29, 5'6", 125 lbs, with a slender athletic build and small natural breasts (barely a 32A). No children.
I have consulted with 10 surgeons in the Philadelphia area over the past two months and have finally made a decision to have the breast augmentation I've wanted since puberty! I've scheduled for February because I have a week long break from school at that time.
I was very adamant about finding a doctor who was experienced with transauxillary incisions. Dr. Brenman and I agreed upon Allergan Naturelle silicone implants, style 10 (moderate profile) at 330 ccs. This implant has a base width of 13 cm (my natural breasts are about 11.5 cm wide).
I have consulted with 10 surgeons in the Philadelphia area over the past two months and have finally made a decision to have the breast augmentation I've wanted since puberty! I've scheduled for February because I have a week long break from school at that time.
I was very adamant about finding a doctor who was experienced with transauxillary incisions. Dr. Brenman and I agreed upon Allergan Naturelle silicone implants, style 10 (moderate profile) at 330 ccs. This implant has a base width of 13 cm (my natural breasts are about 11.5 cm wide).
abigail_nightingale's provider
UPDATED FROM abigail_nightingale
2 months pre
More details
I thought I would add a few more details and profile some of my misgivings about the surgery, which have been holding me back from getting implants for years. Hopefully this forum can serve as a place for me to lay some of my fears about this procedure to rest!
I also uploaded a few pictures of my natural breasts as a starting point, and a few pictures of my "wish boobs."
I forgot to mention in the above post that the implants will be placed below the muscle, although that is kind of a given based on my (lack of) breast tissue.
So, although I am about 98.5% committed to this surgery in my mind, I do have fears. Here they are, listed in no particular order:
1. That my implants will look bad and I will miss my small natural boobs, and can never have them back (because even if they are explanted, the skin/tissue will never look the same as they did pre-op).
2. That the implants will be too narrow or too wide for my body, or that my nipples will stick straight out like headlights. It's hard to know exactly how they will turn out without first having them put into you.
3. That having implants will be totally obvious and will make me look over-sexualized in small tank tops, summer dresses, etc.
4. What will my family think?!
5. That the implants will activate some dormant autoimmune disease in my body and my health will be ruined.
6. That I am committing to (at least) a $7500 surgery every ~10 years for the rest of my life. What if I can't afford to replace them down the road?
7. Insurance. What if no one wants to insure me because of my fake breasts?
8. Breast feeding. I know everyone says that there will be no problem (esp. with the transaux incision). But still.
9. Having foreign objects in my body. What if I never feel like the same 'whole' person that I am now?
I feel it's important to express these doubts, because reading about the thought processes of other women on this website has helped me immensely with this decision. Please feel free to comment and address any of the above issues you have dealt with/are dealing with/want to talk about!
I also uploaded a few pictures of my natural breasts as a starting point, and a few pictures of my "wish boobs."
I forgot to mention in the above post that the implants will be placed below the muscle, although that is kind of a given based on my (lack of) breast tissue.
So, although I am about 98.5% committed to this surgery in my mind, I do have fears. Here they are, listed in no particular order:
1. That my implants will look bad and I will miss my small natural boobs, and can never have them back (because even if they are explanted, the skin/tissue will never look the same as they did pre-op).
2. That the implants will be too narrow or too wide for my body, or that my nipples will stick straight out like headlights. It's hard to know exactly how they will turn out without first having them put into you.
3. That having implants will be totally obvious and will make me look over-sexualized in small tank tops, summer dresses, etc.
4. What will my family think?!
5. That the implants will activate some dormant autoimmune disease in my body and my health will be ruined.
6. That I am committing to (at least) a $7500 surgery every ~10 years for the rest of my life. What if I can't afford to replace them down the road?
7. Insurance. What if no one wants to insure me because of my fake breasts?
8. Breast feeding. I know everyone says that there will be no problem (esp. with the transaux incision). But still.
9. Having foreign objects in my body. What if I never feel like the same 'whole' person that I am now?
I feel it's important to express these doubts, because reading about the thought processes of other women on this website has helped me immensely with this decision. Please feel free to comment and address any of the above issues you have dealt with/are dealing with/want to talk about!
Replies (5)
December 9, 2014
The affordable care act gets such a bad rap, but one thing is for sure. No pre existing conditions. Congress is not going to kill this, because insurance companies don't even offer individual plans now and more insurance companies are jumping in as ACA providers. You could have aids or brain cancer and the question would never come up, just where do you live, how old are you and do you smoke, that is it!
December 9, 2014
Wow. Are we related? Because I have the very same reservations. I'm 42 and in the medical field. So I feel as if I'm trying to make a very educated decision medically speaking. You have put into words so well- my very same concerns. I too am an an A cup and have wanted a larger chest ever since I can remember. I think the surgeons have a very good idea of the width and size that will fit our needs. It's up to us as the patient to express very clearly- what our goal is. If you tell him you don't want your boobs screaming out at people in a summer top, he will understand that and give you a more conservative size. I too am not telling any of my family except my husband. I take very good care of myself with diet, exercise, vitamins and supplements and also don't want to ruin my health. Praying that the implants are not going to stir up trouble. If all goes well and we have successful outcomes, I think we will love them and have zero regrets. My surgery is jan 15 and my final pre-op is dec 22. Best of luck!
December 10, 2014
Yes thank you and best of luck to you too! There is so much to consider and it's a big decision - at least we are going into the process as informed consumers and patients.
December 9, 2014
I think it's a little odd that he said 330 is the biggest you can go because he gave my friend 550cc and she is about 2 inches shorter than you and only about 115, although maybe wider hips. I don't think you should worry about them being too close in the middle but rather having a gap. My concern was like yours, but if I had not gotten the size of moderate profiles I did, I would have had that "cleavage canyon" which screams out "fake!" I do have some comments to your concerns.
1. You may miss them, but 99% of women don't. I haven't missed mine one bit. I have seen explants and it's amazing how skin bounces back. Especially if you don't have children. And they are far less destructive of elasticity than pregnancy. Trust me!
2. See what I said before--I think too narrow is a concern. Nipples will stick out no matter what.
3.
December 10, 2014
3. Mine are totally NOT obvious. I work in a major law firm and am a senior partner. Even at outings, nobody would know. You may look more sexualized, but that's what bigger boobs do--natural OR enhanced!
4. Ultimately it's your decision, your family may think whatever they want but really, after a few weeks, nobody will care. You are an adult anyway.
5. DO NOT WORRY ABOUT ANY AUTOIMMUNE--BUNK!
6. The 10 year replacement idea is a myth, the shells are far more durable now, and $7500 is a lot--there are plenty of surgeons who are outstanding who charge below $5000. Silicone acts as a lubricant, less likely to rupture.
7. DO NOT WORRY ABOUT INSURANCE--NO ISSUE.
8. I don't know of anyone who had an issue breastfeeding. Are you married and planning on getting pregnant soon? If so, maybe you should wait.
9. The foreign object feeling disappeared really fast. After a couple of months, I can't remember how I felt before. Hope that helps!
December 10, 2014
I should clarify about the size: Dr. Brenman emphasized that 330 mod. profile is the biggest he'd be willing to do for me due to my body size/amount of breast tissue etc. We didn't discuss other profiles but I'm thinking that moderate (Natrelle style 10) is best if the ultimate look I'm going for is 'natural' (or at least 'believable'). And to mitigate that nipple-sticking-out effect that I mentioned above.
December 10, 2014
And thank you so much for taking the time to address my concerns. Your advice is helpful and very much appreciated!! And about the children/breastfeeding issue - I'm not even 100% sure I want to have kids. I've kind of decided that boobs come first for me, whatever that might imply about my priorities (and to each her own!)
December 10, 2014
I am happy to help--and happy to share more! I am sending you a DM. But I have serious thoughts that you are being overly conservative on size. It's a lot of money to spend to be dissatisfied, and I am surprised because your doctor is not known for being particularly conservative, and you are taller than most women I know but I don't know any who have gone smaller than your size. Just something worth considering. If you had said 400cc I would have felt that was just about right. I seriously worry about cleavage gap. When I had my surgery I was thinking 300-350 and was concerned bigger would look too fake, but exactly the opposite was true because they would not have met in the middle ever and that would have made that funky "implanty" cleavage gap which is super obvious, so going bigger actually made me look more natural.
December 10, 2014
That is a good point, and my biggest concern is really about dimension and proportion of implant to rib cage - whatever size it takes to get there. My 'wish boob' pics display the ratio of boob to chest that I'm looking for. I will definitely have to discuss the issue further with my doc.
December 10, 2014
That's good to know! This issue has popped up in my mind because of some negative stuff I've read on the internet, but I have no idea how true any of it is. I am not currently insured so I want to make sure that down the road I'll be able to have coverage! Thanks for your input!
December 10, 2014
Do yourself a favor and check out www.healthcare.gov you may well be able to get great healthcare coverage for free or really cheap.
I am going to point out something else. Your wished for breasts are much larger than the computer model. I too share a lot of your concerns though about "natural look", what others will think, and health concerns. Still I am learning that what we want for our self is what counts.
December 10, 2014
Sorry for the double reply. I thought the first one didn't post.
And valid points. I can see now that my 'wish boobs' are bigger than computer projections, but I guess I am afraid of defying surgeon's advice and going bigger than the 330. I don't want to look silly, or 'augmented,' but then again, won't I look augmented anyway? Clearly I need to to some thinking about size.
December 11, 2014
I think you need to be strong and go into this with your opinion not theirs, or wait! I am not one to tell you to go bigger, but it does seem the regrets expressed by others are vastly toward wishing they had gone bigger. This is not something you want to have buyers remorse or have to do over, IMO. You are the one who lives with this, it is your choice. Sorry, but a little assertiveness or continued shopping suggested.
December 11, 2014
Oh, someone else wrote me about transauxillary incisions today. I thought you could not do them except in saline and she wrote to say you can do gel, but the size is limited because of the funnel devices they use to compress it to get it in through your arm pit. I wonder if that might be having an effect on the difference between the sizes that Mbk11561 below is mentioning? Still the computer simulations would worry me if they where not where I want to be with the end process. For me then it would be, maybe those under the breast scars are not so bad after all.
December 10, 2014
That is good to know! I've been without insurance for years now - I'm just afraid that when the time comes, implants may make the process more complex or expensive. Thanks for addressing this concern!
UPDATED FROM abigail_nightingale
9 months post
Why I decided not to get breast implants (even though I really, really wanted them)
1. They are not permanent. If you are thinking of having a breast augmentation (BA), the first place you should look is the RealSelf forums for women who are getting their implants removed (http://www.realself.com/reviews/breast-implant-removal). Too much emphasis in the plastic surgery industry is placed on the “new and shiny” phase of having a BA – the excitement of a sudden change, the instant relief from insecurities about your natural breasts, and the thrill of having new curves. But the heart of the matter is what will happen to your implants 10-20 years down the road, when they start to cause you physical problems or when they simply cease to fit your lifestyle and/or body aesthetic. Some of the common reasons women on these forums cite for removing their breast implants:
a. Getting into running or fitness at a later age and the implants can’t keep up with all the activity, or make them feel silly at the gym.
b. Fake boobs start to droop and look matronly on a 50-70 year old woman.
c. Gradual or sudden onset of unexplainable health ailments, like thyroid problems, fatigue, a burning sensation in the chest, weight gain that is difficult to control, or feeling mentally “foggy.”
d. Implants have ruptured due to old age.
e. Having any of these issues and not wanting to commit to a new pair of implants, which will result in having to make the decision about whether to keep them all over again in 10-20 years.
2. The jury is out on how safe they are. And yes, I know this is a controversial topic. Any plastic surgeon will feed you the official FDA line about there being no connection between silicone and auto-immune issues, or really any health issues at all. But common sense has to tell you that surgically inserting foreign objects like breast implants into your body is, at the very least, not what your body wants. Case-in-point: your body forms protective shells around the implants in order to keep them separate from your natural tissues. That means your immune system recognizes implants as foreign objects that shouldn’t be in your body. That’s just kind of creepy to me.
3. On a related note, silicone. Even saline-filled implants have silicone shells, and there are more and more patients (and doctors!) going public about the ills suffered by bad reactions to silicone in the body – in breast implants or other medical devices (http://www.amazon.com/Naked-Truth-About-Breast-Implants/dp/1935079298). I found it disheartening and frankly alarming that the plastic surgeons I met with were so dismissive of this issue. But then again, how can you trust that they will give you such scary information when they are trying to sell you on plastic surgery? It’s what they do for a living. It’s not in their interest to give you a realistic picture of the potential risks beyond what is absolutely necessary.
4. Breast implants are a commitment. Much like the tattoos I got when I was 18 and now regret, breast implants are difficult to get rid of. If I decide in 15 years that they’re not for me, I have to have them taken out (surgically) and then wait for my natural tissue to shrink back to some distorted version of its previous state (and I’ll still have scars). Even if I loved the breast implants at age 45 and wanted to keep them, I would have to keep getting them redone every 10-20 years. Would I want to have to make that decision when I’m 65? How about 80? And who says I’ll have the money to keep this surgery merry-go-round running? I don’t want to have my body cut open unless it’s absolutely necessary. My health is too precious to risk on vanity. And anyway...
5. They’re passe. Something like 300,000 women in the US alone had BA’s in 2013. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery estimates that now 4% of American women have implants – that’s 1 in every 26 women! History shows us that every trend reverses eventually, and breast implants have been popular for a good 20 years now. Anyone can be fake. Any reality-show actress or Instagram model can rock breast implants, but no one can else can have my natural breasts! I know it sounds corny. But instead of looking to an external device to change the way I feel about my body, I’m choosing to accept it for the way nature made it. And I’m starting to realize that there are more important things in life than the way my boobs look anyway.
a. Getting into running or fitness at a later age and the implants can’t keep up with all the activity, or make them feel silly at the gym.
b. Fake boobs start to droop and look matronly on a 50-70 year old woman.
c. Gradual or sudden onset of unexplainable health ailments, like thyroid problems, fatigue, a burning sensation in the chest, weight gain that is difficult to control, or feeling mentally “foggy.”
d. Implants have ruptured due to old age.
e. Having any of these issues and not wanting to commit to a new pair of implants, which will result in having to make the decision about whether to keep them all over again in 10-20 years.
2. The jury is out on how safe they are. And yes, I know this is a controversial topic. Any plastic surgeon will feed you the official FDA line about there being no connection between silicone and auto-immune issues, or really any health issues at all. But common sense has to tell you that surgically inserting foreign objects like breast implants into your body is, at the very least, not what your body wants. Case-in-point: your body forms protective shells around the implants in order to keep them separate from your natural tissues. That means your immune system recognizes implants as foreign objects that shouldn’t be in your body. That’s just kind of creepy to me.
3. On a related note, silicone. Even saline-filled implants have silicone shells, and there are more and more patients (and doctors!) going public about the ills suffered by bad reactions to silicone in the body – in breast implants or other medical devices (http://www.amazon.com/Naked-Truth-About-Breast-Implants/dp/1935079298). I found it disheartening and frankly alarming that the plastic surgeons I met with were so dismissive of this issue. But then again, how can you trust that they will give you such scary information when they are trying to sell you on plastic surgery? It’s what they do for a living. It’s not in their interest to give you a realistic picture of the potential risks beyond what is absolutely necessary.
4. Breast implants are a commitment. Much like the tattoos I got when I was 18 and now regret, breast implants are difficult to get rid of. If I decide in 15 years that they’re not for me, I have to have them taken out (surgically) and then wait for my natural tissue to shrink back to some distorted version of its previous state (and I’ll still have scars). Even if I loved the breast implants at age 45 and wanted to keep them, I would have to keep getting them redone every 10-20 years. Would I want to have to make that decision when I’m 65? How about 80? And who says I’ll have the money to keep this surgery merry-go-round running? I don’t want to have my body cut open unless it’s absolutely necessary. My health is too precious to risk on vanity. And anyway...
5. They’re passe. Something like 300,000 women in the US alone had BA’s in 2013. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery estimates that now 4% of American women have implants – that’s 1 in every 26 women! History shows us that every trend reverses eventually, and breast implants have been popular for a good 20 years now. Anyone can be fake. Any reality-show actress or Instagram model can rock breast implants, but no one can else can have my natural breasts! I know it sounds corny. But instead of looking to an external device to change the way I feel about my body, I’m choosing to accept it for the way nature made it. And I’m starting to realize that there are more important things in life than the way my boobs look anyway.
Replies (2)
November 17, 2015
Best of luck to you on your choice, it's totally your choice and your body to live with!
That being said, I think a lot of your opinions are simply not true. Especially Point 1. I am 54 and have many friends my age who have had implants for a very long time and none or those are true. Ultimately it's a personal choice. Whether it's passe or not is something that frankly is irrelevant. It's a personal choice.
That being said, I think a lot of your opinions are simply not true. Especially Point 1. I am 54 and have many friends my age who have had implants for a very long time and none or those are true. Ultimately it's a personal choice. Whether it's passe or not is something that frankly is irrelevant. It's a personal choice.
October 13, 2019
Beautiful reply. I'm glad you made your decision. I know this post is old- but you can always change your mind and have them at whatever age you want to- it never have them at all!
Replies (3)