24 and Ready to Be Free!! - United Kingdom

It was a question that had infuriated me prior to surgery. Women would post religiously leading up to and immediately after their surgeries. They'd leave thorough and in depth updates sometimes weekly, and then, suddenly, they'd disappear. Well, I learned why: there's really not that much to talk about. Once you're healed everything is about scar massage to reduce the size, shape and density of your scars and there's only so much you can say about it. My journey isn't over, but I don't have much more to share! Just know that it's worth it so swiftly afterwards. There will be some bad days, days where they're too big or too small, where you can't look in the mirror, but then suddenly most days they're irrelevant. Mine are actually a little bigger at the moment (thanks hormones) than usual but I wanted to post up some scar progress photos so you can see my experience as a very fair skinned girl. I have showered in the past hour so they're brighter at the moment!

So, here we are, well over 8 weeks later (closer to nine now I'm finally writing this) and I'm at a point where it makes sense to write a little more of an update! I know the photos jumped from weeks 5 - 8, but as you can see in my case not all too much had changed in that time outside of the development of the scars.

I've been extremely fortunate in that my healing process has been smooth - about the best I could've hoped for. I spent two solid weeks away from work, returned intermittently for the third, and by 3.5 weeks later I was at my first solid event day.

The important thing for me was reading my body and understanding it. For the first few days I was drained, I was struggling, I was sore. Normal tasks were harder, and figuring out the best / easiest way to get dressed was an art-form in itself. As the weeks passed by it got easier and easier and I was able to more or less move as normal with some limited range of motion towards the higher extension of my arms.

Basically, if something felt like it was pulling or wasn't 100% comfortable, I stopped. There was no point in me hurting myself or limiting my recovery just for the sake of doing something that was a menial task. I recognised my limits and respected them, which I think really helped me in recovery.

Again, I want to emphasise this was my experience, and I've been very lucky in that. I've also been very fortunate in that my surgeon was extremely helpful with guidance and gave me rules to follow, but also the ability to do things I wasn't expecting - such as wear an underwired bra for my staff party for a few hours. I found my guidelines were strict, but equally lenient.

The most important thing she emphasised was the scar massage, and so I've been vigilant. It was difficult at first, because everything was so tender, but as time went on it got a lot easier to manage. I used e45 per her suggestion, as she mentioned Bio Oil was for scars, not wounds. When I had my 8 week follow-up she said everything looked better than anticipated, which was definitely a plus! Hopefully we're going to keep going onwards and upwards.

Sometimes I get aches and pains and zings, but that was all that I expected. The cold weather is bad enough that it has exacerbated them quite a bit! Still, I'm building a new collection of cute bras and celebrating the fact I no longer feel that my boobs are my definition!

I want to emphasise that there are good days and bad days. I'm still a woman with body insecurities. Some day I look at my reflection and they're too big, others they're too small and my ass is huge. This surgery will change your life but it won't be immediate, and it won't be every day. I imagine my updates from here on our will be monthly at best, and likely mostly photos, but I wish all of you the best in your journeys!

Review / update to follow!!!