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BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101

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Comments

  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,028

    Amie: Also, you can send me photos via private message. I need the style and volume of your tissue expanders also

  • amieclemens5
    amieclemens5 Member Posts: 22

    Bless your heart!!  Thanks so much for getting back to me.  I think you are right.  A second opinion would be good. Yes, she said this because I'm very thin on top.  Said there would a good chance of rippling.  Yes, I do understand the problem with the anatomical (thanks to your post about them) implants, so I see what you are saying about there not being any guarantee.  I did not have any radiation.  I can send photos.  I will have to check my medical records but will get back to you on expanders info. 

    I will say they are now bigger than what I want.  I want to be about a size smaller.  I was originally an A cup and wanted a small C, but she wanted to over expand so they are about a D now (according to her).  Very well respected PS

  • Stix
    Stix Member Posts: 610

    Can anyone tell me how long they waited to put on silicone strips to their incision post surgery.  Thanks

  • Dnice
    Dnice Member Posts: 156

    I never used silicone strips on incisions. Not sure what they are for? Is it to minimize the scar?

  • Stix
    Stix Member Posts: 610

    It puts pressure on the scar... it is suppose to make the scar look better.... not as red or hypertrophic. It helped with my 1st. Mx. I also used vit. E and almond oil and occasionally bio oil. But i think i put the silicone strips on a bit late... i am thinking of waiting 1 mo. Postop....not sure

  • barbara510
    barbara510 Member Posts: 4

    Whippetmom,

    Thank you so much for the very helpful information! I will keep all that in mind going forward. Will start laying off the chest exercises too. :)

  • lulivesay
    lulivesay Member Posts: 30

    Stix, my PS wants me to wait 2 months to use silicone gel or strips.  But I know that some women get the go ahead much earlier!  I called an specifically asked and was told to wait.

  • Chrisrenee77
    Chrisrenee77 Member Posts: 693

    Stix:  I was told to wait until the outside stitches were out and the scab had fallen off.  I think in all it was more than 6 weeks before I was able to use the silicone tape.  What does your PS say about starting scar care?

  • Stix
    Stix Member Posts: 610

    I have not asked him yet. I forgot to ask at my last postop. I see him next week. Thanks!

  • amieclemens5
    amieclemens5 Member Posts: 22


    My PS told me nothing would really work and just let time to the trick, but I also think my scars are still very prominent.(surgery May 2014).  I have hear good things about silicone strips.  Who all has this helped?

    Amie

  • Stix
    Stix Member Posts: 610

    Aimee. I did use silicone strips. But, to tell you the truth I think massaging lightly with Vitamin E oil and almond oil 3 times a day helped the most. I think I will start that 2 weeks postop. you will have to ask you P.S.  what he or she thinks about massaging and when to start. let us know

  • amieclemens5
    amieclemens5 Member Posts: 22


    OK, thanks.  I have also heard coconut oil and bio oil.  Any knowledge on these?

  • Stix
    Stix Member Posts: 610

    oh, I used bio oil also with my first mx. also. I switched off with almond oil ( i had small stretch marks)on the skin and mainly vit. e and rotated with bio oil. I tried everything. But, I massaged it about 3-4 times a day. Not for a long time though... probably 2-3 minutes. Just enough pressure as the scar matured to make it turn white as I was massaging. I had a hard time keeping the silicone fx strips on with all that oil though. My incisions were totally healed at that point, so I didn't fear introducing an infection.  But, I think I was a bit of a nut about it. I never missed a day. Since I have had my second recently- I am a little more lax and think....   "it is what it is".  :).

    btw. if you need tattoos - I would advise you to go to a prof. tattoo artist that has a good reputation. I had a bad tattoo from the office.  Going to ask my new ps. what we can do about that- once we get symmetry.  ALSO... if you need nip. reconst. make sure you mark where you want the nips at - look at them from the side of the breast also with your arm behind your back parallel to the floor.  Sometimes there are great PS's but they place the nipples wrong which defeats everything. Any questions let me know or PM me..

  • Dnice
    Dnice Member Posts: 156

    Just chiming in about tattooing as I will need repigmentation of my own after revision surgery. I had researched and found VINNIE MYERS in Baltimore and now in New Orleans at the Center for Restorative Breast Surgery. He was a tattoo artist but now only works with BC patients. You can google him. I asked my PS also and there is a woman near Boston that he mentioned as well. I'm just thinking that I've always wanted to go to New Orleans so....... Why not get it done there?

  • Stix
    Stix Member Posts: 610

    Dnice- It is more expensive in New Orleans. The center charges more.  My insurance did not cover mine (I had a correction of my unil. in 12')- even though they say to submit. I had mine done in Maryland. I went by myself and pretty much remember where to stay.

    I think you have to get your physician saying why you need  a tattoo artist instead of a P.S office and submit to your insurance. Have the doctor put it in his note and send to your insurance.  B/C I had a bad tattoo and did not get official documentation that It needed correction- it was not covered. Even though I had pictures- it wasn't documented that my P.S said I needed correction (of course he didn't- his worker created it) I could have fought it.... but, I had Aflac and two years after I decided to submit it to them and they paid for it. Got lucky. Someone on here told me about Aflac and coverage.

    We could all meet up- if we all are ready at the same time.  It takes a while to get into Vinnie I think- it may have changed. You can pay more I think if you want to get in sooner. I think he donates some.

     Lets keep in touch re : meeting up for the tattoos. That would be fun.

  • Stix
    Stix Member Posts: 610


    There is also Earleen. She does them for 100 dollars I think. She charges less. She does it as a good deed- her mom died of breast cancer. I think her name is earleen Bennett.

  • Stix
    Stix Member Posts: 610


    http://www.restoreareola.com/Pricing.html

  • AlexaP
    AlexaP Member Posts: 90

    Whippetmom I'm turning to you for your input.

    I had a MX 18 years ago with a TRAM reconstruction. A few years ago I had a silicone implant added to the TRAM for symmetry with my right Breast. So lefty is a TRAM plus a Natrelle 304cc style 15. PS estimates it to be around 900cc.

    This past NOVEMBER I had a PMX on righty. I now have an Allergan 133MV-15-T 600cc TE overfilled to 800cc. the projection is clearly no match... I will say that the IMFs look dead level.

    Trying to match righty... If we use a silicone 800cc round perhaps the upper pole fullness in the TE would be shifted to the projection and this would match the right side? Or do I opt for a saline where we have more flexibility in matching, perhaps going to 900cc if needed? I do NOT want to make right one smaller if I can avoid it, enough surgeries already. 😛

    You can see my pics on the pic forum I am bcnowbrca there. If you need more pics let me know and I'll send. My ribcage is 38" I am 5'7" and weigh 208.

    One thing my PS is concerned about is matching width of right side. I suggested that fat grafting could take care of that. Especially since I have quite a dog ear under my right arm...

    Your thoughts are most welcome! Thanks for all you do❤️

  • Dnice
    Dnice Member Posts: 156

    thanks stix for the heads up with insurance and PS note. I will do that. It is easier for me to go to Maryland. I live in CT. Would be fun to get lots of women to meet up. I'm not there yet as I have revision surgery(s)? To get through. But it might be so inspirational.....

  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,028

    AlexaP: You will need to send me photos via private message or email. I spent twenty minutes on the Pic Forum and found your posts but no photos. Then my iPad stopped working on the site.

    However, I will say that if you still look smaller than the flap side, now that you are filled to 800 ccs, you might not look much larger with 800 cc implants than you do now. In that case, saline implants that can be overfilled in the 900 plus cc range might be your best option.

  • AlexaP
    AlexaP Member Posts: 90

    sorry you couldn't find my pics. Ill pm them to you ASAP. Thanks for your help

  • tiddlywinks
    tiddlywinks Member Posts: 11

    Whippetmom, I tried to pm you my pics and messed it up horribly. After the third message I was blocked from sending any more pms today. I lost the third pm completely which had today's pics in it. Can you send me your email address? I can't find it in the pm you sent me. So sorry.

  • Stix
    Stix Member Posts: 610

    No problem dnice...

  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,028

    tiddlywinks: I received the "before exchange" photos. Pm'd you my email to send me current photos.

  • WindingRoad
    WindingRoad Member Posts: 7

    Hi Ladies! I posted a few weeks ago about implant sizing and am back to update. I just had my exchange yesterday and my PS was able to put in a Mentor 270cc Ultra High profile silicone implant. I'll be bandaged for a week but I'm so anxious to see how it turned out. It looks relatively small(I'm not able to go large as there's not adequate skin) but trying not to get disappointed just yet. The general gist I've gotten is to NOT judge your implants just yet. Patience, right? How long does it typically take to see the final result? Dropping and fluffing?

  • lmcqueen
    lmcqueen Member Posts: 2

    whippet mom,

    I had BMX (NAC) on 12-1-2014. Ended up back in the hospital with cellulitis in the left breast. After 5 days they sent me home with picc line and IV antibiotics. Saw the plastic surgeon on Thurs and she wants to place my implants in four weeks. Initially she had agreed to lift them and now does not want to since I have had this infection. I had 2 drains still in when I went into the hospital. One was pulled while in there and the other a week after I got out. Breasts do not look like I want them to and she put 500ccs in them when she placed them and I have had no fills. I am not very happy with this. She is also concerned about infection being in the expander but. Doesn't want to address that until then. What are your thoughts

  • Stix
    Stix Member Posts: 610

    Hi.

    Question for anyone that will answer.

    Just out of a revision. Went fairly well. However the revision side is quite a bit flatter than the other reconstructed side. I would say around ,7, 8 and 9 o'clock ( on the cleavage side- yet not at the clevage exactly..... probably from the perimeter on the clock and extending inward 2 inches from the perimeter toward the center of the breast. Probably about 3/4 inch flatter in those areas. flatter more as it moves central I am sure with the way it looks in a bathing suit or a tight shirt it would be noticeable. Also flatter in the center of the breast. I am less than a month post op. I know it will change some- Anybody know what they do for this if it doesnt resolve on its own? The shape looks fairly good-the breast just flatter -

    Just thinking ahead. :) thanks


  • Chrisrenee77
    Chrisrenee77 Member Posts: 693

    stix- My left breast always looks flat especially when I stand up. My right breast looks good. But they may have replace that particular implant again. I hope they don't have to but that would be a possibilty

    I saw my PS yesterday and I am having a revision hopefully in April. Lefty (cancer side) implant starting rotating sometime last year so he was just going to replace that one. I asked him if he uses the ultra high profiles and he said he does, so I told him I want those. He was telling me about them, " they are more narrow have more projection they are more round in the breast. blah blah blah." I said ok and that's bad? Sign me up for those now! Because what I have now are rotated flat and snow projections. I had to go get pics for the before pics and saw the difference between the HP and the UHP and got to play with them. The UHP is so soft. Im so exciTed I can't wait

  • Stix
    Stix Member Posts: 610

    thanks chrisrenee.

    The shape is good- it needs to drop a bit though- just flat. I have ultra high pofile round implants aldrady in.

    So, not sure what the deal is. Like you I have good projection on the other side- newly reconst. side does have cleavage- just flatter.

    Any comments would be appreciated greatly. I know toooo early to tell- but, has anyone else experienced this? Since the swelling went down its quite noticeable.

    The P.S did a great job with the shape- just flat when comparing to the other side.

  • Stix
    Stix Member Posts: 610

    Hi.... I corrected the clock on the description in my message b4. Haha.

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