Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Shay D on November 20, 2012 at 8:03pm

I used Dr. Pousti in SAn Diego for augmentation in 2005 and have been very happy with results, his pictures of his lifts look nice, he doesn't do a lot of cutting like I've seen others do in lifts.

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Permalink Reply by Shay D on March 24, 2013 at 7:53pm

I am sorry I wasn't more clear.  I had a breast augmentation with him, not the lift.  I paid about $5000 if I remember correctly. I know that lifts are more.  Before I got my b.a. i went to probably 4 dr. for consultations and that was great because some I just did not like their work or I liked what I saw in portfolio but they had a bad attitude and I couldn't see them taking my concerns seriously.

  Sorry for the delay, I am not getting notifications when responses are left to my comments. 

Also

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Permalink Reply by Felinaea Fatale on November 20, 2012 at 2:51am

I can't give any real advice as far as the procedure goes, but I will strongly suggest that you research doctors as well as you can. Google their names and clinics to see if there are any reviews or complaints on their work. While many people are very satisfied with the procedures they choose, there are still a lot of botched surgeries. Often people having procedures done don't really want others to know they are doing it, and if something does go wrong only their very close and trusted hear about it, so you don't frequently hear the horror stories. In your consultations, ask what the worst case scenario might be. You might want to seriously reconsider a doctor who brushes that question off. Be very wary of doctors who fly in to perform procedures. If something goes wrong, you'll have a hell of a time getting it corrected. If you travel elsewhere for the procedure, be just as careful to research the facility and I strongly suggest taking someone along just in case something goes wrong. Also be very careful to investigate what your medical plan covers and does not cover, just in case there are any complications. I am not in any way trying to dissuade you (been researching abdominoplasty myself), simply advising you to make sure you are well protected.

I would also suggest reading breast implant forums. Some of them have a wealth of information that you simply may not have been given by the doctor, especially with regards to what you can expect after the surgery.

Good luck! :)

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Permalink Reply by Felinaea Fatale on November 20, 2012 at 9:49am

Just google breast implant forums and there are a lot to choose from. One that I've seen mentioned a few times is http://www.justbreastimplants.com/forum/  . I always suggest people research a good dozen or more different sources to see if the information provided is consistent. Beware of things that sound or look as if they've simply been copied and pasted from elsewhere. There are plenty of sites like that out there that are set up simply for the site owners to make a few bucks through sponsored links or such. They frequently have only very basic information and sometimes even misinformation. I look to see if articles are authored by medical authorities and then I google those individuals to see if they are legit. Wikipedia also has a fairly long article about breast augmentation with external links at the bottom of the page. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breast_implant

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Permalink Reply by Desilu on August 18, 2013 at 7:15am

Agueda -

In the state of California (and other US States, I believe), you can actually look up a doctor's credentials, what they've actually studied/performed, if they've had any lawsuits, complaints, malpractice, etc, what they are licensed for (not all plastics are certified plastics!), etc. Dept of Consumer Affairs website - you enter the doctor's name and it pulls up all of the info for you.

I don't know if Canada has the same, Tahitia, but it wouldn't hurt to check it out.

I used to look up doctor's for one of my previous jobs in order to do recruiting, so I know it's an excellent fount of info!

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Permalink Reply by Tahitia Belle Fille on November 21, 2012 at 10:46am

Thank you so much Felinaea! These are just the kinds of question and answer forums that I have been looking for :)

That's also good advice on watching out for misinformation, I'll have to be sure to double research facts about the procedure to be sure they have a basis in reality.

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Permalink Reply by Felinaea Fatale on November 26, 2012 at 5:37am

Glad to help. :)

If you're not too squeamish, you might also consider looking on Youtube for videos of the various procedures, but once again, view a few of them to make sure of the information you are getting. I always want to know what is going to be done during a surgery, so I watch surgery videos, but many people can't handle them.

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Permalink Reply by Bianca Vasquez on November 20, 2012 at 12:38pm

I'm so glad you've posted this! I haven't gotten it done, but it's something I've been looking into and thinking about. I look forward to reading what the ladies who have done it have to say. 

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Permalink Reply by Tahitia Belle Fille on November 20, 2012 at 2:52pm

This is all really great information that's being shared here, thank you so much to everyone who's chimed in. You've definitely given us all a lot to think about and more information is always a good thing. :) 

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Permalink Reply by Leia Mehlman on November 20, 2012 at 5:11pm

As a nurse, who has dealt with breast cancer patient and breast reconstruction issues, I can answer some of your questions regarding implants.

The reality is that your pain and discomfort level post-operatively will really vary depending on what kind of reconstructive or enhancement surgery you undergo. If your implants require the repositioning of your nipple, you will not be able to breastfeed. This is because to reposition the nipple, the areola is cut and moved, severing the connection to the mild ducts. This would be a mastoplexy with breast augmentation.

Whether you're able to breastfeed at all also depends on the implant placement. Generally, if they're behind the chest muscle, (submuscular) the risk to interference with breast feeding is minimal. It also generally gives a more natural appearance. However, when you're dealing with manipulation of chest muscles, you will also experience more pain and longer recovery post-op.

Subpectoral, means the implant is embedded in the pectoral muscle, but not completely covered by it. This also generally does not affect breast feeding.

Subglandular implants are place on top of the chest muscle wall, but behind the mammary gland tissue. This is the surgical approach with the least pain and discomfort, but also has the highest risk for post implant contraction. Contractions can develop when your body places fibrous scar tissue around the implant. This can result in deformity of the implant bag (whether saline or silicone) and the need for revision of the surgery at some future date.

The submuscular approaches generally have a lesser risk of this developing, but doesn't guarantee that this won't happen anyway. The reality is if you're in your 20's, odds are that you'll require at least one revision of your implants by the time you reach your 50's to maintain a cosmetically appropriate look. This is due to aging, scar tissue formation, implant fatigue and various other issues.

How much sensation you lose in your breast post-op is also dependent on the surgical approach used for implant insertion, and whether you are having a mastoplexy with the enhancement.

Implants have improved in feel since they were first developed, and how natural they feel also depends on placement of the bag, but IMHO, non of them feel 'natural' compared to breast tissue. Also, be aware that they will affect the accuracy of mammography and other breast-imaging technologies.

Finally, if you're an A-cup, don't just jump to a D with implants. You'll end up looking freakishly large. I'm a natural F-G cup on a small frame, and I have enough problems finding shirts that fit correctly. Think about going to a B or C cup. You can always go larger later if you feel like it. You want to look curvacious, not like a refugee from anime porn.

Good luck.

PS. Any good surgeon will answer your questions about their success rate and their rate of complications. If they're not keeping that data, then find another surgeon. Make sure your surgeon is certified by the Board of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeons for your state or by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. You don't want a doc who does appendectomies all day putting your implants in. You can find this out online by going online and putting in your doctor's license #.

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Permalink Reply by Tahitia Belle Fille on November 22, 2012 at 8:14am

Leia as someone who's a medical professional but also a patient of this procedure your insight is truly invaluable. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise and your experience. I've already taken note of the type of implant placements (subpectoral, subglandular, submuscular that you mentioned and when I do go for a consultation I'll certainly be discussing that with the surgeon. I'll also be asking about their certification status, their success rates and rates of complications as you say. That is all vital information to have moving forward.

Now I'm not quite in my 20's, but I think I'm close enough to expect that I'd need at least one revision based on what you've said. It's better to plan for that scenario in any event, that way I'm not taken aback if and when it is needed.

As for the size, I'm a natural C/D and I was thinking of essentially going to a DD. I have padded bras that give me lift to that size and I really like the look they give me.

Thank you again so much Leia and everyone else who has commented here so far, your advice has all been exactly what I was looking for!

Hugs :)

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Permalink Reply by Shay D on November 20, 2012 at 8:09pm

I got saline submuscular done 8 years ago.  The pain was pretty bad, and I needed about 5 days of recovery time, not unbearable just couldn't lift arms and stuff like that.  I have since gained 60 lbs and breasts got bigger, went from D to G with weight gain, but they don't look misshapen, so I am sure with pregnancy most people are fine.  I have no scars because they cut under aureola.

I went to a few different consultations, looked at pictures in their portfolios, and cut out pictures of breasts I liked as well as brought in a collage of breasts (implants) that I didn't like.

I managed to get my chest size to my hip size which was my goal.

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