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It’s been a few months since my last update...
Just posting some comparison photos
1 Year Post Third Surgery (Second Revision)
Dr. Pousti thought it might be best to wait until I was a year post and now that I am, I contacted his office yesterday to get an idea of days of the week, etc. that he does consults. Once I have an idea, I’ll start checking airfare. I won’t be able to go out to San Diego until probably December or January though. And it will be a quick trip - maybe even there and back the same day if flight times work out. I’m anxious to see what he has to say.
In the meantime though, I did an email consult with Dr. Pelletierie in Chicago. I saw a gal on RealSelf with similar issues - mild symmastia, rippling, asymmetry, etc. He did a beautiful job fixing her malpositioned implant and symmastia. You can’t see any of the work on the outside (no funky suture like my cleavage has). All the repair is internally and she has a nice, smooth flat space between her boobs, symmetrical nipple height and no rippling when she bends over. When she bends over they don’t merge together. So I contacted him, sent all my photos and info. Rather than typing out his plan to fix my issues, I will just cut and paste his response. I like his plan.
“From what I have discerned from your emails/ pictures/ notes, our plan should be as follows:
1. Bilateral revise the NAC (nipple areola complex) size to a smaller/ more proportional size
2. Decrease the left breast nipple to fold distance by removing some skin from the lower pole along the breast fold. This would help make the NAC heights more symmetric
3. Left breast medial capsullorhaphy/ lateral capsulotomy. This would reinforce the sternal area to help prevent the implant from coming over like it does now. Opening the lateral pocket internally would allow the implant to sit over a little more as well, taking the pressure off the medial repair area.
4. Keep your same left implant if at all possible. Since those are only a year old, there should be no reason why we couldn’t use your same implant. I would have a backup available just in case I were to find a tear in the shell when removing it from the pocket. This would be rare and would be covered under the implant warranty if that was the case.
The hardest thing is trying to get skin that has lifted off to stick back down to the chest wall. Sometimes, no matter what you do, it tries to do it again. A symmastia / tenting repair is usually 90% successful and 10% recurrence rate. We can increase the success rate by adding a biological dermis (Strattice) internally over the symmastia repair, but that adds a significant expense to the surgery (additional $1500)
As far as costs, without using Strattice on the left side and using your existing implant, the cost would be $6500.”
I like that he is willing to fix my left one rather than re-do the entire lift like two other surgeons I consulted with in Florida wanted to do. AND he’ll reuse the implant if it’s not damaged. The surgeons I consulted with previously in FL want to use new implants. I think $6,500 is reasonable to get my cleavage fixed and have smaller areola!
The photos I’m posting are just outlining the problems with my left and my cleavage. they only way to describe how my left one feels is like it’s slipping out from under the muscle and then there is like two components, 1. My nipple/areola is one part of the breast and then this other rippling area is this bulge of the implant. It’s hard to explain, but it leaves me with a “pulling” sort of sensation (very un-natural feeling) when I bend over to pick something up or bend to the side.
I’m sure its due to the pec muscle being over-dissected. Sometimes I wonder if Dr. Diaco hadn’t damaged my nerve and if I actually feeling in my lower left breast rather than it being totally numb, would I have pain?? Maybe having nerve damage is a blessing as weird as that sounds. I would not want to have pain in my lower breast and cleavage area that is for sure. I’ve read reviews where ladies have pain from symmastia. I am thankful I don’t have any pain.
Will update you all again once I make my plans to fly out to San Diego! Until then, happy healing all. Good luck on your upcoming surgeries! And ladies with issues, you’re not alone and stay positive. Things will work out eventually! Love to all! Xo!
Provider Review
If you're looking for just a breast augmentation, then he's probably very capable. However, if you need a breast lift or any type or reconstructive type work, I would go elsewhere. There aren't a lot of reviews in Tampa for surgeons where ladies actually post photos of their results. I would go to Miami. There are some excellent surgeons in Miami and it costs less. Granted you have to factor in travel expenses but you'll probably still pay less (or the same) and you'll get an excellent result. I just feel Dr. Diaco probably doesn't do a lot of lifts or revisions based on my results after 3 surgeries and feel I would have had a better result if I had used a surgeon with more reviews with photos so I could see the end result. Going by word of mouth isn't always a good thing. I'm proof of that. I'm not crazy at all about the star rating questions. Yes, the office is staff is very nice, there's no problem with appointment times, the payment process is easy and they respond to phone calls and emails... Dr. Diaco is nice enough. Doesn't spend a lot of time with you but that might have been because he was going to law school at the time I had my surgeries. He was a busy guy. He definitely doesn't answer questions though, especially if he feels you are questioning him and his skill, and/or your result. His go- to answer is "don't worry about that, they'll relax" or "that'll smooth out" or "that'll round out, don't worry about that." He is very confident when he says that, but my experience is that just doesn't happen. Things don't magically level out or smooth out... one doesn't magically catch up to the other. And if you hear "he over-corrects" from his office manager when you are concerned about an issue, that's what they say when they don't have an answer for you, or the answer is probably not something you want to hear. Again, I feel he probably does a fine job with breast augmentations so if that's all you're looking for, then consult with him but ask to see photos and not just whats on his website so that you're sure you like his "style." I think different surgeons have a different style or look and you have to be sure that you're on the same page with your wish look. Good luck!