Polands Syndrome. Asymmetry. Breast Lift - Virginia Beach, VA

My story.

I had a relatively flawless childhood. Upon the onset of puberty one breast grew and the other remained dormant. I was worried, but my mother assured me that it was a normal part of the passage entering into adulthood. So I believed and hoped.

One summer, my mother and I went shopping for bathing suits and we came home empty handed. She realized that this may not sort itself out as I was about a full b/c on one side and completely flat on the other. I endured my first gynecologist exam at the age of 13 and was put on hormone therapy to help see if it would help even things out. I was still confident that my body just needed some pushing and that eventually it will still work out. As I waited, I opted out of sleepovers (as I felt as though it was my secret. How do you tell other 13yo girls that you have one boob) and had dropped out of the neighborhood swim team. Instead I spent the next few years sitting on the steps of my home, quietly residing in a sunny little prison as I watched my siblings run of to the pool. I still had hope though.

After the slight change in the underdeveloped breast came the news that I would have to have surgery to correct it. That day hope took a nose dive as I was now saying goodbye to summers and swimming, or prom dresses and strappy dresses and saying hello to hiding in locker rooms and oversized shirts.

I slipped into a bit of depression.

My mom started taking me to plastic surgeons. I was a modest girl and they were all very patient and compassionate. Not taking photos unless I was okay etc. so many doctors recommend a reduction/lift one. I was young and so scared of all the scars.

I ended up seeing a doctor who gave me the diagnosis of polands syndrome. Although Poland's syndrome can affect hands, pectoral muscles and the limbs, it can appear in a milder form like I had. I finally had a reason and a name to call it! I ended up going with this plastic surgeon who put a tissue expander in the one side. I was 16. He would add saline and take some out over the years.

I never really gained the confidence. Having a port where he'd add and take out saline had me shy away from a lot of experiences. How was I going to explain what that was? Not to mention having an implant/tissue expander on one side and nothing on the other. Life went on and I told myself after college and after I saved enough I'd have them both done.

After college, that's exactly what I did. I ended up seeing Dr. Galumbeck in Virginia beach. He didn't think I needed a lift which I was happy to hear. So I went with him and he put 350 filled to 400 on one side and 275 filled to 275 on the other. (Photo 1). The thing was, it wasn't everything I thought it was going to be. The one sat really high and the other has a slope to it. Wearing v necks you could see one breast start before the other. So he went in and lowered the pocket.

It's been about 7/8 years since that procedure. I saved up again and am ready to start the search again. I'm excited and hopeful. It's like I'm 16 again crossing my fingers that this will be it!

I had visited several docs all over the area. I ended up going with Dr. Denk. He does a fair share of cancer survivors so I figured he'd know how to match my breast. I was pretty set that I'd have to have a full lift either by the lollipop method or the anchor. He felt very confident that I didn't need that type of lift which was a bonus. He also was very confident about the results he'd be able to get me. I told him that the two main things I wanted was the nipple placement and the roundness of each boob to be more symmetrical. He spent a lot of time with me and suggested saline moderate plus. I have saline in anyways and they never bothered me.

I thought maybe I'd see a few more surgeons before making my choice but again he was so sure and very nice. He even came back into the counselors office and asked if I had any other questions and he said something along the lines "I hope you let me be your surgeon". I just felt like he was invested in me and my story. That he wanted my case and he wanted to fix it. That he was going to see me through this process. He even said he have me smiling as I look at myself naked and that his goal was to get me to were I could go bra less if I wanted to!!! Something I've never been able to do. 420cc in one side and 330 in the other. He also did some fat transfer. I was really on the fence about the fat transfer. Scared actually. After a life of surgeries not going the way I thought they'd go...I didn't want to introduce another poss complication....but I trust him and he's the professional. So I did.

I ended up doing the fat transfer. Actually, it's the one thing I'm confident in that was a good choice. I've healed up nicely where the fat was taken from (it's been three weeks) and my one breast has more fat and cushion on it then it ever has.

Still pretty sad about the overall shape and nipple placement. Looks pretty similar to how I was and the nipple is still very low. I feel like I got the scar from the lift but not the actual lift.

I'm going to remain patient and hopefully the implant settles and lots that nipple up a bit like they keep saying.

So most of my previous posts I took from another website and just cut and pasted them (that's why they were over just a couple days where in reality it was a couple weeks). This post is the first update in real time.

I ended up submitting a question to the RL docs and the overall consensus is to wait and see how everything settles out.

I suppose living a life with severe lopsided breast and being hopeful with each surgery you'll be free from hiding just to be disappointed has left me a bit jaded. I just so badly want to be done. 20years I've been on this journey. I honestly don't care if they are smaller or bigger or whatever. I just want some symmetry. I also hope that when they get to be the best they'll ever be - that I realize that and won't continue chasing perfection.

I attached a photo of me laying down (see a lot of gals giving this perspective).

I just got done flipping through some other photos. I realize that Im pretty blessed to have stumbled across Dr Denk. I've hadn't had any infections and he seemed to correct some of the "flexing" issues I had with my one...and again I'm really happy with the fat transfer (has me thinking about a Brazilian butt lift with fat transfer) lol. So

So I'm just going to stay hopeful. Keep massaging and praying that once this is all done and over that I'll finally be able (for the first time in my life since hitting puberty) wear a bathing suit, wear an open back dress, go braless and feel somewhat good being naked.

I'm about a month out now from my procedure. As reminder, my one breast has more breast tissue to it because of the polands syndrome. I went with a lift on that side to hopefully move the nipple up. Now I just have to do the waiting game which is soooo hard. I keep hoping this is my last surgery. I have 420 in the one and 330 and a lift on the other. Saline moderate plus.

Yesterday I saw Dr Denk and he thinks everything is looking good. He talked about waiting a few more weeks before deciding if we should do a small lift in office. I think I probably will but until then I keep massaging it in hopes that it will drop a bit more. The nipple scars has some healing pain every once and a awhile. Has anyone used scar guard?

So it appears that my one nipple has grown/stretch. I am so ready for a lift on the one side but I'm worried it will stretch some more....

I went back in and saw Dr Denk in November. He was really nice and told me I wasn't crazy for my concerns. That was nice to hear. He is willing to do a revision where we put a larger implant on the saggy one and do another donut lift where he'll size down the nipple. I had to delay the surgery with all the holidays and really needed to mentally prepare for another surgery. So scary to go at this again. I'll keep you updated.