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Left breast severely deformed & so much volume loss due to nipple necrosis

ORIGINAL POST

After having a lift and implants done in the past,...

chai1836
$12,500
After having a lift and implants done in the past, I had 5 different consultations with surgeons. All said I needed the surgery done in two procedures, one to have the implants changed out, and one to have the breast lift redone, EXCEPT Dr. Leighton who assured me he could do it effectively in ONE surgery. Why I didnt listen to all the others is beyond me BUT why would anyone want to have two surgeries if a confident well established surgeon says he can do it it one. Initially, it appeared to be a good experience until issues occurred, then I was talked down to, was yelled at which was very unprofessional for a surgeon of his so called caliber. I ended up with a large hole in my breast due to skin that died and in the end my nipple died also. I am left with NO NIPPLE on one side and several plastic surgeons said that with all the scar tissue they CANT make it any better so I am left with the only option of having a tattoo for a nipple. Although plastic surgery is not a perfect science, Dr. Leighton should have been more upfront about what things could have occurred, had I known what I know now, I never would have gone in for the procedure. Besides the $12,500 I spent its nothing compared to what kind of number it did to me mentally and physically. My husband and I are both in the medical field, well schooled and not "stupid" my husband tried to speak with him from one professional to another and asked for a refund as I need to have the work redone but am not comfortable going back to someone who gave me the results I am left with, his response was "the money is better spent on burn victims" I would have had so much more respect for this man had he handled me differently. He did pay to have my nipple tattooed but those results are not good at all because the skin is so thin. I did my homework, but I didnt dig deep enough, listen to your instincts, find out how long his staff has been with him, and NOT a office manager but the nurses that work with him on a day to day basis, are they really RN's or are they just beautiful woman that look the part? Find out if there are gaps in the surgeons history and WHY....then get a list of questions and make sure he or she signs them just as you are asked to sign papers. Be pro active, question question question the surgeon. Ask what happens in a worse case scenario about your procedure...If I can help one person NOT go through what I will have to live with for the rest of my life because of my surgery with Dr. William Leighton I will have felt I made a difference.

chai1836's provider

William D. Leighton, MD (in memoriam)

William D. Leighton, MD (in memoriam)

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

chai1836 rating for Dr. Leighton:

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Replies (5)

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October 30, 2013

Thank you for sharing your story despite your disappointment. Do you think you'll get your nipple reconstructed in the near future or are you ready for a break? Take care!

October 30, 2013
I am truly fearful of having anything else done as several plastic surgeons told me the skin is to thin and they don't think a nipple would even hold....the tattoo has has not held very well at all... And even the tattoo artist is concerned even with redoing it....I am just drained from the games lies and the way everything was handled....besides the fact that the size was suppose to be larger and I am smaller then what I was the implants may be a bit larger but taking off the amt of skin for the lift made then smaller...but thank gd they are healthy.
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November 7, 2013

I don't blame you for being hesitant to do much more at this point. Hoping you can find some time to heal, rest and enjoy some of your regular activities soon.

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November 12, 2013
Terrible! I feel awful for you! Your outrage is understandable. I am hoping you filed a complaint with medical board. Sooooooo sorry!
November 12, 2013
Thank you for your compassion and care! I can't express my sincere thanks enough. Gd bless you :)
November 27, 2013
I can definitely understand how you can be terrified of any other Dr you see. I really do not have experience with this but I am in need of an explant and have had consults with 3 Drs. All of them told me I NEED a lift and 2 of them told me that they could do the lift and explant at the same time. I felt the same way as you and want the surgery done at the same time. Thanks to this site Ive learned so much. I dont even know that I will need a lift once everything is taken out. I am thankful for your post and also sending you love and a whole bunch of light in hopes that the healing process takes a dramatic turn for the best and you are able to lay your head down at night feeling you are on your way to a better you... Hugs...
December 6, 2013
@Znikie I wish you all the best with your procedure, please keep me updated and let me know how it goes, I care. PLEASE check and double check state and medical boards records and reviews on the dr.'s. If I can assist you in any way, please contact me. G-d bless you and thank you from the heart for your post...Hugs, love and lots of prayers to you dear sweet friend. PLEASE keep me posted......
December 6, 2013
Yes, beautiful Lady... I will for sure. I know how important it is to research credentials now. I just read your recent post and Im hoping you will be able to get some sort of justice out of this... Dr. Leighton should not be practicing. I am so sorry... I am praying and will continue to keep you in my thoughts... I do believe in miracles and I am confident you will be able to look at yourself and feel love. Big Hug to you!!! xxoo
December 6, 2013
What a blessing you are..so kind caring and thoughtful, thank you for taking time to respond. I am a positive person have faith and truly believe in karma. As bad as this experience has been and is, the positive thing that has come out of it is meeting wonderful people like you! Like you, I believe in miracles and will continue to believe and have faith. Lots of hugs and love to a very special lady! Xoxo
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February 15, 2015
OMG my dear that's barbaric and tragic..Sorry that happen to you
February 26, 2015
Thank you for your input....and your kindness
UPDATED FROM chai1836
1 year post

15 months later-breasts look terrible...Regret having the work done by Dr. Leighton

chai1836
The tattoo HAS NOT HELD the pigmentation and my left breast is severely deformed, I have lost so much volume due to the nipple necrosis. Prior to Dr. Leighton doing the surgery if he would have taken the time to throughly review my chart he would have found that I had a larger implant in my right breast, as my breasts were different sizes. He put the same size implants in both breasts, so now not only am I a whole cup size smaller (I was to go larger than what I was before) but one breast is considerably smaller than the the other. I still have so much (hard) scar tissue and my scars are awful.. they are so long and so visible even after using Mederma advance scar gel. I am so disappointed the way my whole situation was handled and these results are devastating both physically and mentally.

Replies (5)

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December 15, 2013
I'm sorry you have this problem? How long after the initial BA surgery did it show up?
December 15, 2013
I do hope you meant sorry I had this problem! And not ? I don't quite understand your question but it's pretty well documented if you review it. Thank you for stopping by, I see you just joined real self this month, how did you come across this post ? Have a nice day
December 15, 2013
How are you doing Beauty??
December 15, 2013
hello dear sweet friend.....so nice to hear from you! I hope and pray for a better 2014. My tattoo didnt hold, which was very disappointing as it was very painful to have done. When I was at my appointment at the tattoo artist a few months after it was done normally they like to re fill in the areas but she didnt want to redo anything because she informed me my skin was so thin and comprised and now it has almost completely faded. It truly is devastating as I initially was suppose to be larger breast size wise, and I am not only a full size smaller but am also so uneven as the same size implants were put in and womens breasts are normally different sizes, my first set of implants one side was larger as one breast was larger than the other, it was in my chart, not sure why he would have put the same size in, makes no sense. The left side is so much smaller due to the necrosis and the I lost so much volume, so now not only am I missing a nipple, I am so lopsided....I so appreciate you....I truly want to say I am feeling and doing great, but...I cant and dont bend the truth and cant say something that isnt so. How are you?? Have you made any decisions yet? Know I am here for you and I care!
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December 24, 2013
I seen where he paid for tattooing , that tells me he knew he did a bad job. The last set of pictures show a lot of improvement hopefully the skin will get thicker and the tattooing will stay.
December 24, 2013
Hello dear kindrayo, thank you for your time and your post. Unfortunately, the tattoo did not hold and the tattoo artist will not reapply as the skin is so thin and so damaged. I don't wish this experience on anyone, the pain alone of the tattoo on both nipples were devastating. What it has done to me physically and mentally is something that will be with me for the rest of my life.It is a loss and a feeling of being broken that can not be fixed. If I can save one person going through what I did, I will feel as though I have made a difference. Before pursuing any surgeon one has to dig into the dr.s history, if there are lapses in his employment find out why and then go with your gut, had I done that I wouldn't be in the situation I am in today. There needs to be Laws in place for the public to know what kind of issues dr.s have/had, when they return to practice....as I truly believe this impacts the way patients are treated and has so much to do with the way if a mistake is made how it's handled. As I always say, we are human, mistakes happens but the difference is how the we handle the issues when they arise, that's what sets the real professionals and ethical dr.'s apart from the "others".
December 24, 2013
Thinking of you Friend.
December 24, 2013
YOU are always in my thoughts and prayers....happy holidays to a very special friend lots of
December 24, 2013
LOVE
December 24, 2013
Thank you :)
December 25, 2013
To call oneself an "expert" PS for breast reconstruction, and ending up with the results you have so far suffered, borders on criminality, not just probable medical malpractice. I think women of America need an association through which these doctors are forced to be claimants in class action medical malpractice lawsuits. If our laws don't support this, then our laws need to be changed. No man would want to have pieces of his penis fall off, have thick blatant scars, emotional torment, and probable altered intimate relations. Women are not second class citizens to be dictated to, and sometimes mutilated by, the male dominated medical industry.
December 25, 2013
You are so correct....I applaud you for your intelligence if i can just get more people to feel and think the way you do, we would all be so much better off! Thank you thank you for your insight, your time and above all for your honesty. G-d bless you my friend....and thank you again!
UPDATED FROM chai1836
1 year post

Additional photos from my devastating surgery from Dr. William Leighton

chai1836

Replies (3)

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May 31, 2014
June 4, 2014
Thank you so much for your kind post. I genuinely care about people and just want to help others.xoxo
June 15, 2014
The treatment you have received from this unprofessional is horrid. Hopefully he was reported to the medical board. Isn't there a code of ethics with the medical board? My love, compassion and thoughts are with you and your husband.
September 16, 2014
@beachmaddy, please forgive me for my late response. I just wanted to reach out and express my since thanks to you for taking time out of your schedule to respond to my post. It is so appreciate and from the heart...I thank you! Gd bless you
September 16, 2014
Chantexas, my main goal is to make people aware of what happened to me, and hope and pray that if I can help save one person go through what I did, everything I went through will have been worth it. The only positive thing that came out of this devastating experience is I am blessed with a wonderful group of people on this site. Thank you for your comments...much love to you xoxo
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May 31, 2014
What really bothers me was his attitude and justifications about this after it happened.
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June 13, 2014
Still thinking of you and praying for a good solution!
September 16, 2014
Alliegb hello and thank you for your prayers. Although I will never be whole again, and there is nothing that can be done for me, I am blessed with a wonderful family who loves me. Thank you for your wishes...such a kind caring person you are. Gd bless you.