Hi
Has anybody ended up having extra fat injected around implant to fill them out. Had bilateral implants done 3 years ago, one of them wasn’t brill because of infection, but in general had creasing along top of them where I have put on a little bit of weight. The Plastic Surgeon has agreed to inject extra fat, taken from somewhere else by liposuction, to fill out the creases. Want it done, but scared in case of any problems, i.e. infection or implant being damaged.
Anyone got any pearls of wisdom to offer !! They had offered me a date for next week, but because of holidays and other complications (family staying etc), have put it off until later in the year.
Julie
I would be very interested to read anyone’s comments on this…
Thanks x
Hi Julie and Poannie - I am at similar cross roads - had one mastectomy last September and then preventative other side in March. I had LD flap both sides with Becker implant - silcone with saline pocket in the middle to increase or decrease the size. The preventative one looks great but the other side has saggy skin and obvious implant line due to previous radiotherapy to the breast 4 years ago. I am seeing my surgeon on Monday to discuss Lipo fat transfer/nipple recon and possibe exchange of implants re size. I was a B/C cup before - had B cup put in and now wish I had had C cup.
Am worried about infection/going wrong because they look fine but could look better and worry if I am just being vain? Also not sure if I can cope with any more surgery as had 2 8 hours ops in past 9 months and feel I need a rest for a whole - might postpone until after summer hols.
Will let you know how I get on
Sarah x x x
Hi Sarah
This is very much my concern as well. Had a massive infection the first time round, and was in hospital 9 days, implants taken out, and had to start again with expanders, which took about 6 months before the final “permanent implants” could be put in, so like you worried about things going wrong again. I know people will think it’s vanity, but I don’t think it is. I think it is just a case of wanting to be what you were originally. You have this self image for a long time, and then this happens, and that goes out of the window, and it can affect your confidence, your feeling of self worth, everything, relationships, so it is very important. Alot of illnesses can cause great distress, and scarring due to surgery can be traumatic for people, but losing your breasts for a woman is a major shock to the system, I don’t think you ever quite feel the way the did about yourself. Some women depending on age etc. seem to be able to cope after a mastectomy, and don’t want to go down the reconstruction route, which I understand totally, but I’m not going to feel guilty about wanting my body to feel the way it did before.
They offered me a date for the week after next, to be honest just totally panicked, plus I want to see if losing a few pounds in weight, about 9st 4 at the moment, might make any difference, to see if the creasing will look less when I’ve lost a tiny bit of weight (say about 10 lbs). I had a hysterectomy last summer and ended up with the muffin top over my hysterectomy scar, and the Plastic Surgeon has offered to do a revision of the scar as well, which will make the scar longer, but tighten the muffin top up. So I am tempted I have to admit. It’s just that “what if” I keep worrying about !!!
I’m going to have a holiday in August, so will take a couple of weeks just to think things over as well. Want to go and lie on a beach somewhere and just totally relax.
Anyway best of luck
Julie xx
Hi there
A brief word re lipomodelling. I had mastectomy and LD recon in 05 followed by radiotherapy, then second mastectomy and LD recon in 06. First one was small and went hard after radio with dents so had first lipomodelling last year when took fat from stomach and injected into recon. They could not put enough fat in as radio makes skin less elastic so I knew I would need more and have just had liposuction to my thighs and fat injected into recon.
I think it is a great way to get your recons looking better…it seems to even out dents, fill gaps, soften hard recon etc. I have found lipo to thighs is much more painful than to stomach but I am a weekpost op and feeling much more human and it was worth it as even though my thighs are still swollen they are flatter and my stomach is good too from last year!!! Every cloud has a silver lining! Having this has meant I did not have to have an implant…I met a lady in hosp who had had an implant removed and then this type or treatment done to even out her boobs…
I take 3 weeks off work, wear a pressure garment for 8 and massage to soften the fat up and keep skin moisturised … and although a hassle I could do without … it’s worth it to get your bod more as you want it…
Oh, my plastic surgeon is Eva Mithoff, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow - I think she is the first to do this and my last op was videoed to train others.
good luck
Buff
To Buff40
Well that sounds a bit more promising. I am going to give it a think for a few months. All I’m worried about is any damage to my implants, which apparently can happen.
Glad things seem to have worked for you.
Julie
Hello,
Thanks buff40 for that info, I’m also a patient of Eva - she is awesome. I’ve been waiting quite a while for the lipo op so I’m looking forward to it. Like you, I don’t have implants. I thought recovery would be about one week so it’s interesting to hear you are taking more time.
Buckwheat