Breast Implants - a few questions for anyone who's had them.

[JJSpire]

I'm thinking of doing this after having breastfed 2 children.

1. I'd really like to know about how they feel. If someone that didn't know they were implants felt your breast, would they immediately realise they were fake? Can you actually feel the edges of the implant within the normal breast tissue IYSWIM?

2. What was the recovery like after the op? Did it hurt to lie on your side? If so, how did you sleep?

3. Do you think it would be possible to take a week off work, get the op done, and tell no-one except dh?

4. Any regrets? If you had your time over, would you do it again?

it depends what type you get. mine are coheasive gels and acording to most people they cant tell when they cop a feel.
go check out justbreastimplants.com for info and there forum its run by a wonderful woman called nicky and when it comes to implants if she dont know it dont exist

Yes you can feel them. I have 3 friends that have them and it is obvious to the touch.

With regards to what they feel like, it depends on it depends on what type of implant you have, what your breasts were like before the op, how much breast tissue you have, what size implants etc. Generally, the less breast tissue to have and the bigger the implant, the more likely it will be obvious to the touch what the implant feels like. The same with feeling the edge of the implant, although the edge isn't likey to be very obvious. Generally though, implants feel a bit firmer than actual breast tissue if you have silicone.

Recovery wise, it depends a bit on where your implants are placed, under the muscle is more painful. I don't think it would be recommended to lay on your side though soon after surgery and you wouldn't be able to lay on your front.

You do need to wear a support/sports bra/dressings for quite a while after the op, but there's no reason that you can't just have a week off work and not tell anyone you have had it done. I know people who have done this.

Do I have regrets? Not really, despite the fact I have PIP implants and a probable rupture. At the least I have grade 4 capsular contracture in my left side, which seems to have been caused by recurrent mastitis while breastfeeding. It's painful and I look a bit wonky because of it, but I am still breastfeeding so can't have further corrective surgery yet. I also have silicone in my lymph nodes and this can happen even if you don't have a rupture. However, other than that I am happy with them and although I considered removal only, I think I will have these implants replaced when I finish breastfeeding.

It not only depends on the type of implant but also where it is inserted and how much of your own breast tissue you have.

Mine were inserted under the muscle as I had such little breast tissue, so I was advised that this would give a more natural look. They looked very natural (I was 18, so being perky didnt give them away!). Now I'm a bit older (30's) and thay have dropped a little, plus I'm not as thin as I was - so you would never guess they were implants unless you had quite a firm feel of them.

2. I dont remember it hurting to lie on my side. I was in hospital 2 nights, I would have been out earlier but I always bleed more than expected in operations, so the drains didnt come out as quick as usual.

3. A week off should be plenty, unless you are a cheerleader. I found the most difficulty was when putting my arms over my head to get clothes on and off.

also i dont recall laying on my side being an issue.

i took about 3 weeks off but thats because it wasnt an issue for me to do that but i know loads of ladys who only take a week.

ive had implants now for approx 12 years have no regrets and i would do it over again

Midori! How can you not regret that? I'm shocked. You'd still rather have Bigger boobs even if they are making you ill? How can you not regret having pips?

Krum, given your attitudes to cosmetic surgery, I'm not surprised. How can I not regret it? Well, my breasts are still capable of their primary function, which is feeding my child and I wouldn't class myself as 'ill' either thanks. Of course of they were making me ill they'd be no question of removal.

i've had mine in 3 years. yes, they feel harder - but then i had no breast tissue to speak of! and yes, i can feel the edges.
i took 3 weeks off work. i suppose it depends what job you do; they were very sore for a couple of weeks and movement was limited.
regret them? never! Best money i ever spent. actually feel like a 'real' woman now :)

I've had them, they were inserted behind the muscle wall so look and feel very natural.

They are small implants to, and thanks to the surgeon's recommendation I went for the tear-drop shape. They don;t all have to look like the hideous beachballs favoured by wags. Like any plastic surgery done well, they look natural and enhancing rather than fake and in-your-face.

sorry - too not to!

Oh, and to the cynics out there, I haven't regretted them for even a millisecond in the 16 years since having them done. I was one of those rather extreme cases (even the surgeon admitted it!) that had nothing but nipples. I hardly think about them now, but I have started to get the odd pang in them, particularly my left one, so I may have to start thinking about having them replaced soon.

I'm hopefully coming to the end of a big weight loss journey (nearly 5 stone gone, possibly one to go) and it is becoming apparent that certain areas of my body have changed drastically.

Breast implants are something I'm now pondering (too scared to even look at the tummy tuck thread properly) but I'm wondering where to look / how to even start researching the options properly?

its not something I want to rush into but I can't deny the thought of surgery hasn't crossed my mind recently.

cutitout well done on the weight loss!

I would suggest speaking to your GP first as they may be able to recommend someone. A lot of NHS plastic surgeons also do private work. You may also be able to get surgery related to a large weight loss on the NHS if you don't have any ethical issues with that.

Otherwise, I'd suggest looking at the BAAPS register for a qualified plastic surgeon experienced in the area of surgery you are interested in. I would look at the actual surgeon rather than the company and I would avoid the large and well advertised companies like the plague. They emply cosmetic surgeons, not plastic surgeons (who are much more highly qualified) and in light of the recent PIP scandal, their aftercare has been shown to be severely lacking.

You could also try looking on a cosemtic surgery specific forum and there is a UK one that has a couple of BAAPS registered, reputable surgeons who also work within the NHS as consultants that you can ask questions so that you can get a better idea of what you want from the surgery.

A would also suggest seeing at least two surgeons for consultations and expect to pay around £100-£150 for each consultation.

I am watching with interest. I have breast fed my two DC for 4 years in total and then lost 4 stone in weight so far, still have probably 7 to 14lbs to go but my boobs have gone from a very pert DD pre DC, upto a GG when feeding and now are just empty sacks of skin. When I look in the mirror I have the boobs of a 60 year old (or so I think) and I am 36. I am seriously considering surgery.
I think I would prefer saline, just because I'm not keen on the idea of silicone but I need to research it all. I think my procedure would be more than a straight forward implant surgery.

Do you still have to replace them after a set length of time or do they last a lifetime now? Obviously this cost is going to have to be factored in to any decision I make

You don't have to replace implants these days unless there is a problem, but obviously as you never know if a problem is going to occur then you need to make sure really that you can afford repeat surgery if you need to. Most surgeons do offer sensible aftercare though, which would include a repeat operation if something happened such as you didn't get the results agreed with your surgeon,had a problem such as 'double bubble' or pronounced scarring. Sometimes you are still liable for hospital/anaesthetists fees though. This is obviously something you need to discuss with individual surgeons.

Saline implants aren't very common these days really and they do have their own set of risks, some of which are much more serious than silicone leaking from an implant. (silicone is in your body already by the way, it's also in pretty much everything, including water and infant formula milks. The type used in implants is inert.

Thats interesting Midori I thought of saline implants as being safer because saline is just salt water effectively. Obviously I have a lot of research to do

Oh sockpixie I loved that forum!

I spent 2 years on there before I got the courage (well then bf, now DH said stop talking about it, just do it).

I LOVE my boobs and wouldn't change them for the world.

In my head I will have 3 kids then a revision with bigger implants but not even pregnant yet so that could be a while/never happen.

Going to check out the forum as its been so long :)

xxx