It’s common to feel a little bit of apprehension about the breast augmentation process before undergoing surgery. While Dr. Raymond Jean will do his best to answer all your questions in detail, it can often be helpful to hear the stories of other women who have had the procedure performed.
One of Dr. Jean’s breast augmentation patients agreed to tell us her story after she was fully recovered. Below is her detailed explanation, in her own words, of every aspect of the process – from her initial consultation through the recovery period.
Breast Augmentation Consultation
During my breast augmentation consultation with Dr. Jean, I didn’t know what to expect. I was self-conscious about my body for a very long time. I felt as if my breasts were awkward looking and I was the only person in the world that looks like this. I wanted to be able to fit in certain tops without them hanging on me and making me look like I’m too thin and unhealthy.
After going over the procedure with Dr. Jean, I felt more comfortable. I felt like I knew what to expect and I knew what I wanted to achieve.
Once the procedure was explained and all my questions were answered, I tried on the implant sizers. I already researched the different sizes and saw pictures on the website, so I had a pretty good idea of what size range I wanted. I started out as an A cup and I wanted to be a C cup. At first, I liked 350cc breast implants. Then, I went down to 325cc and even 300cc. I liked the way the larger size looked, but I was concerned that other people would notice that they were fake. I’m a very modest person, so I didn’t want to look showy or unnatural.
I’m happy that I didn’t have to make my final decision on size until my pre-op appointment. While trying on the implant sizers, I finally felt like I looked normal and my breasts were proportionate to my body. At this point, I knew I wanted to go through with the breast augmentation surgery.
The next difficult decision was choosing the best date for surgery. I knew I wanted the procedure done before the summer so that I would be healed and able to wear a bathing suit comfortably. I also didn’t want my family and friends to see me while I was swollen and getting used to my new body. Deciding to have the surgery in the winter allowed me to cover up with baggy sweaters until my implants settled and looked normal. I decided on December so I would be fully healed for the summer.
Pre-Op Appointment
Before the pre-op appointment, I started to have second thoughts about all my decisions:
- Why am I choosing to go through with a surgery that is elective?
- Why am I stressing over something that isn’t necessary?
- What if something goes wrong?
- What if my lab work doesn’t come back okay?
- What if the implant I chose is too small or too big?
- What are my relatives and friends going to think?
- Are people going to notice?
- Who am I going to ask to take care of me after surgery?
During the pre-op visit, Dr. Jean went over everything with me again and answered all the questions I had. At this point, I knew I was in good hands and I felt better about going through with the procedure.
Before the pre-op visit, I gave the size of my implant a lot of thought. I trusted Dr. Jean’s opinion and asked him if he thought 300cc would be a good fit. He said that it would, and I trusted his judgment. I went through all the sizes again with a bunch of different tank tops and t-shirts. I decided to go with my gut and go with the smaller implant because I knew I wouldn’t feel funny or look unnatural with this size.
Day Before Surgery
On the day before my breast augmentation surgery, I had so many mixed emotions and I felt like I was walking around like a zombie. The surgery center called and asked me a bunch of questions about my medical history. At this moment, I kind of felt like I was put on the spot and I hoped I answered all the questions accurately.
They advised me how to prepare for surgery. I was very nervous that I would do something wrong or forget to do something. Throughout the day, I was also very excited that I will finally be able to fit in blouses and clothes for adults rather than teenagers. I was excited to go on the beach and be able to wear a bathing suit that wasn’t all padding.
At the same time, I felt overwhelmed that I didn’t have everything prepared for surgery. I was most nervous that I might have a complication or would look unnatural. I couldn’t wait until the surgery was over so I could stop worrying about this constantly.
Day of My Breast Augmentation Procedure
I was excited that surgery day was finally here. I was extremely nervous and worried about all the things that could go wrong. As soon as I walked into the surgery center, everything moved very quickly:
- I was taken back to pre-op and the nurses prepped me for surgery.
- I met with the anesthesiologist and she asked me a couple of questions. This is the point when reality set in that there’s no turning back from here.
- Dr. Jean came in and asked if I had any questions. Then he marked me for surgery.
- After this, I was taken back to the operating room. As soon as I went in the operating room, they injected my IV. I fell asleep and don’t remember anything about the procedure.
The next thing I knew, I was waking up in the recovery room. The nurses and anesthesiologist were there making sure I felt okay. At first, I felt really tired and it was difficult to keep my eyes open. Other than that, I was feeling pretty good.
The nurses made sure everything was okay and then I was able to go home. I felt numb, but I was able to walk around fine; I was just a little sore.
Recovery after Breast Augmentation
Day 1 after Breast Augmentation Surgery
I woke up feeling very sore the day after my breast augmentation procedure, as if I had pulled a muscle. It was difficult to get out of bed, however the pain was tolerable.
I took it easy and spent the majority of the day on the couch propped up with a few pillows. It felt better to sit upright than it did to lay completely flat. I was swollen and was eager to shower and see what my new breasts looked like.
Day 2 after Breast Augmentation Surgery
I was still sore and swollen. I wanted to feel better quickly, but I know it takes time to heal. I was able to lift my arms a little more on day two. My muscles seemed to be getting better, but my stitches were uncomfortable. It felt as if the weight from the implant and inflammation was pushing on my stitches.
I was happy that I could take a shower. It was the first time I took my surgical bra completely off and was able to a get a good look at my breasts. When I first saw them, I felt like they were huge! They were swollen, and they looked so weird because they were hard as rocks. I just tried to stay positive because I knew they were going to change day by day. Taking a shower was a bit of a challenge. It was difficult washing my hair and it was uncomfortable washing my chest and underarms.
Day 3 after Breast Augmentation Surgery
I wasn’t as sore, but the stitches still felt a little tender. The shower helped relax my muscles a little bit. I was now able to lift my arms almost completely above my head, and I was able to walk around fine.
No pain medication was needed, just Tylenol. I was trying to get used to my new body, and it felt a little uncomfortable. I realized it was going to take time to adjust. It actually felt better to walk around the house rather than sit on the couch. When I sat on the couch for too long, my muscles and the stitches seemed to get sore.
Day 4 after Breast Augmentation Surgery
This was my first day back to work. I wore an oversized sweater so that people didn’t notice I had surgery. I tried to hide my chest because I wasn’t feeling like myself yet.
Everything that I normally do on a day to day basis was taking a little more effort. I was having difficulty driving and turning the steering wheel because it pulled on my tight skin and on my stitches. I was worried that something was going to go wrong or that I was going to hurt something.
I felt really swollen with a lot of pressure on my chest, especially at the end of the day. I kept pushing myself too much and I felt bad asking for help. It was hard to take it easy and give myself time to heal when I’m used to such a busy lifestyle.
Day 5 after Breast Augmentation Surgery
I had been sleeping on the couch every night. It made it easier to sleep on my back because I’m usually a stomach sleeper. I was starting to feel a little bit depressed and uneasy. Why did I put myself through this? I felt so uncomfortable and just wanted to feel like myself again.
I was trying to get used to my new body. I was having difficulty figuring out what tops I could wear that weren’t too tight or revealing. I was starting to get frustrated.
I wanted to feel normal again so that I could do everything I wanted to be able to do. It was hard to do everyday tasks such as grocery shop and carry the bags, do laundry, take the trash out, and clean the house.
Day 6 after Breast Augmentation Surgery
I woke up starting to feel a little more like myself again. I felt more confident and was getting used to my new body. I was starting to not care if people noticed that I had breast augmentation. I believed I went with the right implant size for my body type. I thought they looked natural and fit my frame. I knew they would look even more natural once they began to drop.
Day 7 after Breast Augmentation Surgery
I felt good and was getting used to my breast implants. I felt less awkward in my tops. I was getting more feeling back. My breasts felt a little numb at first, and I was experiencing a little bit of strange nerve sensation. Overall, I was happy that I chose to do this.
I had my follow up appointment with Dr. Jean. He said everything looked good and normal, which eased a lot of my worry. I was given a different bra because the one I was wearing was snug.
I felt a lot more comfortable now. I started sleeping in bed instead of on the couch. I was still sleeping on my back because it was uncomfortable to sleep on my side.
Week 2 after Breast Augmentation Surgery
I felt surprisingly great. It was such a relief to get my steri-strips taken off. The scars already looked pretty healed. The strange sensation in my one breast had subsided and I was regaining feeling in both my breasts.
I felt that my breasts changed shape almost every day. The swelling seemed to be going down, but they were still hard and sitting high on my chest. I was hoping that they don’t get much smaller because I was happy with the size they were now.
Week 3 after Breast Augmentation Surgery
I went to the store and tried on different bralettes. I was really excited and happy with my results. They were starting to take shape and look normal, and I felt a little more confident now. My blouses and sweaters that I wore before surgery fit and looked even better now. They were a little tighter, but they were more form-fitting.
My breasts didn’t look or feel as hard as they did before. They were still sensitive, and I got some nerve pain every once in a while.
Overall, I think I picked the perfect size and I’m extremely happy that I did this.
Contact our Philadelphia Breast Augmentation Surgeon
If you’re interested in breast augmentation, please contact Main Line Plastic Surgery using the form on this page or call 484-222-0010 today to schedule your consultation. Dr. Raymond Jean serves patients in Bryn Mawr, Villanova and throughout the Main Line of Philadelphia.