A
female
age
51-59,
anonymous
writes:I have a few questions for the ladies.I am seriously considering breast implants. I am 46 years old and about three years ago, I lost a good 40-50 pounds, got back in shape again and have become a gym rat and regularly swim and have turned most of that fat into muscle. Anyway, though this is all fine and good, there has been a major downside to all of this.... I have been left with completely deflated, saggy breasts with horrible stretch marks, and I'm sure age is a partial contributor, but I lost 10 inches off my chest/back...that's a LOT. There is not a damn excercise that's going to give me back the breasts I had. I am not looking to get implants to make myself bigger, I just want back what I had. I often feel guilty wanting to do this because I think of so many women who have lost their breasts, have gone through breast cancer, and would give anything just to HAVE them...and I am complaining? I struggle with this... It's not a self-esteem issue as in needing to have them popping out of my clothes like so many women do for attention, but there is a self-esteem issue with my Fiance in, I am more uncomfortable him seeing me naked standing up or walking around with my breasts the way they are then I was when I was heavier. He doesn't care, but I do. It's not about him anyway, it's about me.I have not gone for a consulation yet...My questions:Is it painful? What is the recovery time?When can you have sex again?How long does it take for them to look normal?I have heard from men they are hard and don't feel like real breasts? Is this true?How do you really find a reputable plastic surgeon?
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female
reader, anonymous, writes (11 April 2012): LOL And for the record I am not considering "breast transplants"....I thought that was pretty funny! Anyway, wow! Thank you for all the great information! And for all the opinions.@Danielpew...that was very sweet, thank you for a male perspective...my Fiance hasn't really given his opinion, but he did say he was concerned that it was a major surgery as well.@anonymous...well, I didn't look at it as pathetic, yikes...and I didn't think I was THAT old lol. I am happy with my body...I am back to where I was when I was a young spring chicken, but as I said, not so much in the breast department...I am shocked at how much I lost and of all places...there.And for the rest of you who answered my questions, one of the questions I should have also asked was...was it worth all of it? Are you happy with YOUR results?@so very confused...I can't imagine going through all you did! That is amazing!!! I imagine you are feeling great! I was a pretty solid 40D at my heaviest and last time I was measured and finally went to get a proper fitting bra, I was trying on 36 large B, small C, also depending on the bra...I have been pretty athletic all my life and physically an average C cup most of my life...this is just odd how I went so far in the other direction.
A
female
reader, shrodingerscat +, writes (10 April 2012):
 I'm seeing a lot of negative press in here about implants and I have to say, yes, implants CAN drop, and yes implants CAN look and feel soft and natural, especially silicone and the new "Cohesive Gel" implants.Again, lots of celebrities and models have breast implants that most people don't even realize, because they look and move naturally. NOT ALL BOOB JOBS ARE BAD! The only obvious breast implants are BAD breast implants, which is why this surgery gets such a horrible rap.Much like hair plugs, the only ones you notice are the ones that look fake. Natural big breasts, or natural looking big breasts, are something that's just normal, so you tend to ignore them, or say "Wow, she has big boobs." But fake looking implants are very obviously implants.Please remember that sooo many people have a really twisted opinion about breast implants because of this. Not all boob jobs are bad. Just go and look at a few before/after websites and see for yourself. Some of them look amazing, they often DO drop and sit very normally on the chest, instead of everyone looking like Pam Anderson.
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A
female
reader, So_Very_Confused +, writes (10 April 2012):
 Dear OP,
Congrats to you for losing a good amount of weight and getting healthy.
I am 52. At age 49 I had gastric bypass and lost over 100 pounds. This past June at age 51 I had a tummy tuck and a MASTOPEXY at the same time.
YOU do not WANT IMPLANTS…what you WANT is a MASTOPEXY. I had one and I’m pretty pleased.
1. Find a good RECONSTRUCTIVE plastic surgeon… do NOT go to a MOMMY MAKEOVER mill. GET way more than ONE consult…
2. A mastopexy is a breast LIFT… it maintains the natural remaining breast tissue and removes the sagging skin….. they will naturally over a bit of time fall and be way more natural but the nipples will now point OUT and be closer to your armpits than pointing down at your waistline…
I did NOT get implants and have a lovely full B cup breast now…. NATURAL except for the fading scars.
They are as natural breasts fuller on the bottom and not full on top (which is what gravity and age do to us)…. There is scaring but even at less than a year out it’s not too bad… most of it hidden in the fold of the breast (there was no fold after surgery I had little tiny baby teen boobs… that within 6 months had sagged to a natural position…
1. You risk loss of nipple sensation. They will cut and remove the nipples and areolas.. if the areolas are too big they will resize them to a more appropriate size. I lost about half of mine… but I have MORE NIPPLE sensation than prior to surgery. My surgeon says this is normal in 50% of his patients in that we now LIKE our breasts so we LISTEN to them… in fact until recently they were HYPER sensitive and I did not like having them touched… it’s getting better.
2. The scars all the way around the areola that is reattached and then down the center of the bottom of the breast under the breast and around the side to the armpit. You will after about a week or so have to start massaging the scars with lotion a few times a day and keep that up (I still do it… my doctor told my fiancé to do it for me btw)
3. You cannot wear underwire bras for 6 months they sit right on the scars… also no unstructured sports bras
4. It was painful and I came home with drains in each breast that were removed at about a week out… but it was mild compared to other surgeries I’ve had. Heck the tummy tuck pain still hurts and I”ll be a year out in June.
5. You will get pain meds
6. You will need help as you can’t use your arms all that well for a few weeks
7. By three weeks out I was feeling better on top (again I had a tummy tuck at the same time so I can’t say I was human for months)
8. You can have sex as soon as you feel up to it…. (but check with your doctor)
9. At first they look like some teenage titty on your chest they look too high and too firm (this is without implants) and within 6-9 months they round down and look way more natural (IMPLANTS will NOT drop and will never look ‘natural’… if you are getting for fullness they won’t look too bad but it will be clear they are implants… and they will never FEEL right either.
Feel free to personal message me if you wish to discuss this in private.
GO FOR IT… the plastic surgery I did was a HUGE mental help to my sense of self.
Yes my fiancé would like bigger titties… he was told to suck it up… right now I’m pretty happy with what I have.
BTW I was a 48DDD at my largest… I am now about a 34/36 C/B depending on the bra…
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A
female
reader, CindyCares  +, writes (10 April 2012):
 Uhm. Consult a good , reputable plastic surgeon who will give you an expert, unbiased opinion ( yes, hard to believe :) but there actually are good surgeons that will only operate if it's good for you ,and not just for their pockets ).
The problem here is that you want your breasts to look "normal" and they never will again, at least when you are naked.
It sounds like you need to correct a remarkable ptosis ( falling down of the breasts ) and according to its degree of severity, it may not even request an insertion of pretesis like in augmentation procedures, but most probably will require a mastopexy procedure ( lifting and recontouring of the breast ). It's done with different techniques, but they all leave visible scars , in general periareolar ones, and a long one from the lower edge of the nipple to the intramammary fold ( where the breast is attached to the chest ). The scars fade in time, -a long time, but how visible they'll remain, is basically a draw of luck.
The choice so would be between sagging but intact breasts , or lifted but noticeably scarred ones. Perfection, I am afraid, is unattainable ; but if you spend time looking for a reputable, experienced plastic surgeon he will explain you your options and illustrate them with pics, computer simulationi etc. so you'll know what you can realistically think to attain.
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A
female
reader, CindyCares +, writes (10 April 2012):
Uhm. Consult a good , reputable plastic surgeon who will give you an expert, unbiased opinion ( yes, hard to believe :) but there actually are good surgeons that will only operate if it's good for you ,and not just for their pockets ).
The problem here is that you want your breasts to look "normal" and they never will again, at least when you are naked.
It sounds like you need to correct a remarkable ptosis ( falling down of the breasts ) and according to its degree of severity, it may not even request an insertion of pretesis like in augmentation procedures, but most probably will require a mastopexy procedure ( lifting and recontouring of the breast ). It's done with different techniques, but they all leave visible scars , in general periareolar ones, and a long one from the lower edge of the nipple to the intramammary fold ( where the breast is attached to the chest ). The scars fade in time, -a long time, but how visible they'll remain, is basically a draw of luck.
The choice so would be between sagging but intact breasts , or lifted but noticeably scarred ones. Perfection, I am afraid, is unattainable ; but if you spend time looking for a reputable, experienced plastic surgeon he will explain you your options and illustrate them with pics, computer simulationi etc. so you'll know what you can realistically think to attain.
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A
female
reader, k_c100  +, writes (10 April 2012):
 This website should help you - http://www.bupa.co.uk/individuals/health-information/directory/b/breast-augmentation
In order to address your questions one by one (but please keep in mind I am no expert, I'm not a doctor so this is just very general advice):
1. Is it painful? Yes. It is surgery, you have to go under general anasthetic so of course it is going to hurt, your skin is sliced open and a foreign object is stuffed into your body, pain goes hand in hand with being sliced open I'm afraid. However they will give you painkillers, so some of the soreness and pain will be subdued.
2. Recovery times varies depending on the individual and by the type of implant you have. As the website link above states, it can take even longer if your surgeon puts the implant underneath your chest muscle. Best thing to do is speak to the plastic surgeon about recovery times, we cannot speculate for you on this.
3. When can you have sex again? Well your breasts are not attached to your vagina, so theoretically you could have sex the day you leave the hospital. Will you be in too much pain to have sex for a while? Most likely yes. Again it will vary depending on the individual, some women may heal very quickly and life will go back to normal in a couple of weeks. Some women may be in pain for a lot longer, some women get infections and are in and out of hospital for weeks. We cannot speculate on this either I'm afraid, you will have to ask the surgeon and see how you feel after the surgery.
4. How long does it take for them to look normal? They will never look 'normal', ever. Fake breasts look fake, real ones look real - you will never achieve a result that looks 100% natural and has no scars. You will have scars for the rest of your life, they will fade but will always be there. They will be swollen for a few weeks, maybe even months afterwards - again it all depends on the individual, if you get any infections...etc. Another question to ask your surgeon.
5. Men say they are hard and dont feel like real breasts, is this true? Sort of. Some men cant tell the difference, but a lot can tell. And you have to think logically, when you put an implant under the skin that is a man-made material, it is going to feel harder than a normal breast would feel. They defintely feel different to normal breast tissue, and they dont move around like a real breast would - but that is part and parcel of having fake breasts.
6. How do you find a surgeon? Do as much internet research as possible, and speak to your doctor, who may be able to put you in touch with the right people. Google 'finding a plastic surgeon' and there should be lots of results local to you - here in the UK we have an association of plastic surgeons so I'm sure there is something similar in the US. Generally the advice is do as much research online as possible, read reviews from other customers etc. Go and visit them in person, have a tour of the hospital, make an appointment with a different surgeon as well to compare the two. The more research the better.
I hope this helps and good luck!
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A
female
reader, shrodingerscat +, writes (10 April 2012):
1. Yes. All surgery is painful, because it's surgery. You have to decide if the pain is worth it, to you.2. It depends on the individual person. For some people, they'll recover in just a week or two, some people it can take months. Tons of different factors change this time, including age, weight, health, medical condition, if they smoke, etc.3. Again, it depends. You'll have to ask your doctor when the time comes. Only s/he can tell you, judging by the speed in which you're recovering.4. AGAIN, it depends on the person. Some folks will never have "normal" looking breasts. When it comes to implants, you get what you pay for, and if you go to a cheap doctor, you'll get cheap looking results. If you go to big, they'll always look fake, etc. Make sure you're getting the right size and shape suitable FOR YOU. 5. Not all boob jobs are bad boob jobs. Most men cannot tell real breasts from fake. Here's a great little secret men don't know...they don't hate fake tits, they hate FAKE LOOKING tits. If you get a good job, from a good surgeon, they won't care.1. Ask around. Do your research. Google. Ask someone who has a boob job, if they're good, who did them. Etc. You have to do legwork and get consultations, look at the books of before/after pictures the doctor will have, and read websites. It takes work, but if you take your time and really do the work, you can get the information you need.
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A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (10 April 2012): No offense but....seriously? Have you taken a look at your age? This is pretty pathetic. With age, medical complications dramatically increase, why would you want to place yourself at risk? You should be GLAD that you have a great body. Don't worry about your boobs.
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A
male
reader, Danielepew  +, writes (10 April 2012):
 I don't know about the surgery but you say yourself that your mate doesn't mind. Seriously, if I loved you (and am beginning to, given your description of yourself), I wouldn't like the idea of you undergoing surgery, with all of its risks, just so I would not see sagging breasts, that would make me very sad.
It's your body, but my opinion is you shouldn't do this.
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