This blog will easily be the most requested likely in my lifetime.
At 33 years old I got a boob job. I wanted to share my experience because normally by 33 your boobs stop growing, so I didn't think i'd get away pretending they were just lost in the mail all this time.
Really though, I wanted to share my experience for two reasons:
Social media such as Instagram has definitely warped beauty expectations for everyone. It's a lie factory. We know it's a lie factory but we still buy into it. On the off chance any girl looks at me and wishes she looked like me, I want to be as transparent as possible that I was not born this way. Personally, I think that is the healthier attitude to approaching plastic surgery and a social media image, but to each their own.
I researched a breast augmentation for years and did not find a lot of informative, personal resources. Whenever I reached out to women that had theirs done to ask questions I was often met with an eye roll emoji or them denying they had work done (despite posting that they had work done?) So. I know plastic surgery can be deeply personal for many people and they are not required to share. It's just tits to me, so I am happy to share.
Let's get the BOOB FACTS out of the way first so you know if this is even relevant to you:
Height: 5'9
Weight: 140
Surgery Date: January 9th, 2019
Bra size: 36B (Before surgery)
Bra size: 38D / 36 DD (After surgery)
I usually wear bralettes so I don't go by cup sizes. I went from M to L in bralettes.
Placement: OVER the muscle (Subglandular)
Why over the muscle and not under? I had a good amount of breast tissue to let me go over naturally. I do like weight lifting and am active - and didn't like the idea of my implant under the muscle being compressed constantly and distorting when I move.
Implant: Mentor brand smooth round memory-gel silicone
Size:
LEFT: 450CC High Profile
RIGHT: 475CC Moderate Plus Profile
Incision: Inframammary (in the breast crease)
Where: Doctors Plastic Surgery in Queens, NY
Who: Dr. Micheal Bruck (Actual angel)
Cost: $5,900 (Not financed, but options available most places)
Why A Boob Job?
Honestly, no real reason other than I just wanted slightly bigger breasts to balance out my body. I had asymmetry in my breasts so correcting that was nice for sure, but I really just wanted to balance my figure out. I wasn't insecure about my breasts so much as I wanted to treat myself after thinking about it for years. I also felt I was in the right place mentally for them and was doing it for the right reasons.
What's The Recovery Time?
My surgery was Wednesday morning. I felt fine when I got home and rested most of Wednesday. Thursday I felt fine and even did some work from my laptop. Friday I did more work on my laptop and lounged the rest of the weekend taking it easy. Monday I went back to work. My recovery felt very easy but everyone is different. I didn't really need my pain killers and was in good spirits. I have heard that over the muscle implants have an easier recovery time because you are not cutting into the muscle. My Doctor would have preferred i'd taken more time off - but since my job is sedentary and I don't have to drive to work it was fine. You don't want to be making any big push or pull movements the first week of your surgery especially.
Do They Feel Natural?
Yes. They feel incredibly real. They actually blew my expectations out of the water. They move and feel great. I think this may be due to me having some breast tissue to start with and them being subglandular. Your existing breast tissue and implant type and placement will determine the realistic feel - so discuss with your doctor!
Why Silicone Over Saline?
Simply because it looks and feels more natural. There are pro's and con's to both and each do the same but different job - so it's up to you. Since I was going over my muscle, silicone seemed like the right fit for
the look and shape I was going for.
What Was The Worst Part?
The surgery and post-op care was the easiest part. The worst part was learning how to sleep on my back for 6+ weeks, or wearing a bra to bed every night at the start when everything is tight and swollen. Itchy incisions healing were also annoying. Thankfully, nothing about this recovery was truly awful.
What Was Your Process?
Started reading forums and reddits, tracking hashtags on Instagrams, looking into surgeons on Instagram and reading reviews - etc
Contacted places for more information, made some consults
Put a deposit down on a date
Continued to research and prepare until my surgery date
Did my pre-surgery blood work
Showed up on surgery day, fell asleep to Cardi B playing in the operating room, woke up with boobs and crushed 8 apple juices as I came off anesthesia
(L) One Day (R) One Week
(L) 2 Weeks (R) 3.5 weeks
(L) 4.5 weeks (R) 5.5 weeks
Trail Mix:
Your boobs won't be perfect immediately. It takes 3-6 months on average to see the truly final results of your boob job. They change week to week as the heal and settle into the pocket created for them, usually looking more natural as time goes on.
Parts of your breast will feel numb or hypersensitive. You may even feel dull "shocks" zipping through your chest for weeks - this is the feeling of nerves reconnecting. I love a reunion.
You'll ride an emotional rollercoaster. The weirdest part of plastic surgery is the emotional bit nobody ever talks about. My doctor warned me of "post surgery blues" where you are a bit manic the first few weeks - fluctuating between joy and confusion. You'll be frustrated having to wait to see final results and you'll wonder if you made the right decision. Don't worry though - this passes.
Drop & Fluff. This is a common term you will see when researching augmentations. Your breasts will look like torpedos for a while after your surgery. "Drop" implies the implant dropping down as the swelling subsides. "Fluffing" is the term used to describe the implant settling into its pocket and filling out the lower part of the breast as the implant drops and swelling reduces. When breasts finally and fully fluff, you should have the round, natural look you desired. Rome wasn't built in a day!
Size up. If you're torn between sizes - the rule of thumb is to size up, especially if going under the muscle since you lose roughly 10% of implant size under the muscle. I sized up per everyones advice and I am so glad I did.
Your incisions will disappear. Don't worry so much about scarring. The incisions are tiny (see below) and heal quickly. A week after surgery my incisions looked great. I've been using silicone scar sheets suggested by my Doctor and they work an absolute charm.
Would I Suggest A Breast Augmentation?
I'd never suggest plastic surgery to anyone that wasn't already interested. My experience has been very positive and due to that I would (and have been) making myself available to talk about this procedure to anyone with questions. I am glad I made this investment and want to empower anyone else looking to invest in their image. Don't let shame discourage you. Shame is a bullshit liar. Feeling good about how you look is priceless.
Resources:
Eden Knows Implants (best reference site and socials)
If you have any questions please send me a message, or check out my Instagram story highlight to see if i've answered it.