Hi - wanted to see if anyone had gone from Becker’s expander implant to silicon only one. I find the Becker’s quite firm/hard and wondered if a silicon one would be any softer - perhaps slightly more natural feeling - and a better shape?
Over the next few weeks, I need to decide whether to keep the one I’ve got and just get the port removed, or change it for a silicon. Don’t want to make the change if it’s not going to be any different.
Had mastectomy on one side in Feb.
Thanks.
Hi bluebella,
I had an implant change from a becker to a silicone implant in march this year (previously had ld + becker oct 2009).
I had also heard that the silicone one would be softer, it is actually slightly softer. I found the becker rippled more and now this one is smoother. I also had liposuction to the side, and some of this lipo put into a small area around the top of new boob to smooth it out.
I am pleased i had it done, but dont expect too much, mine is still relatively firm.
Am now waiting for a nipple!
Good luck,
Rosie x
Hello Rosebud
I am in a similar situation to yourself, the surgeon said he needs me to wait a year for skin to settle before the nipple recon can be done for me. I did have the becker implant then in nov 2010 had a silicone one inserted. My skin wasn’t stretched too much as the radiotherapy had to be started, so the let is 32a and the right from the mastectomy barely 32a!!!
Not sure how i feel about it all to be honest, feel lop sided!!!
How does the liposuction work? Hope you don’t mind me asking what sort of nipple reconstruction you are going for
thanks for reading
crystal girl
Hi crystal girl,
I had excess skin at the side of my recon, so consultant was able to take some of this away and inject into top half of boob. I believe this doesnt always work first time, and disperses back into the body. It actually isnt too bad, have lost a little bit i think, but as there is still a little excess skin at side, when i go for nipple, i will see if he will do it again.
I am the opposite to you in that my new boob is slightly bigger than my nat one, so hoping the more fat taken out the better!
I think i am favouring the nipple that is created by the recon boob where its all gathered up in the middle, and then a tatoo around it at a later date. ( i am too squemish to have skin taken from the top of my thigh or anywhere else!)
My consultant said he would see me again in 3 months, but as he is always so busy, i suspect that will not be the case.
My only concern is that the nipple will end up in the wrong place, as my recon is slightly higher than nat boob.
Rosie x
Hi Bluebella,
I had double mastectomies in Nov '10 with expander implants. I got these changed for silicone in April this year and am pleased with them. I am quite thin and the expanders gave me a kind of shelf effect from rib cage to boob which I was not keen on! However the silicone ones look much better even when I raise my arms. They are a bit softer, but like turkish delight texture, not squidgy soft, and still stay put more or less. I am only small, I wanted to still be able to lie on my front, which was difficult when expanders were fully filled before exchange, but OK now. I’m glad I did it, and exchange surgery was quite straightforward and done as a day case for me. Hope this helps!
Hi Bluebella
I had surgery on Saturday to remove my expamder implants and ports and have now got silicone only one’s. The surgery was quick and I stayed in overnight. I feel ok, a bit tired and a few nerve niggles but generally I don’t feel too bad. I am only taking paracetamol when I feel I really need to. I am still bandaged up so cannot tell you want it looks like but first impressions seem ok. I had a double mx last June as had a 2nd diagnosis of DCIS.
Hope this helps
Louise x