Real Reviews

At an age that is no longer young, I finally had the breast surgery I had wanted for so long. I found the courage thinking, before I die, I want to have pretty breasts at least once.

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I went to about seven consultations.

Shape, feel, and scarring matter to me, so I read reviews, narrowed the list, and started making the rounds.

Most consultations were not bad. I used a process of elimination: one clinic that insisted I also needed fat grafting was out (in my case, grafts did not take well when I tried it on my face ㅜㅜ); a clinic whose consultant lied was out (claiming the chipped implant feels softer); clinics that bad-mouthed other clinics were out. Then I went to UNE, and while waiting on the sofa I watched the lobby monitor — the director had performed a great many suture operations in a university hospital emergency room, some 2,000 cases a year, I believe. So I thought, his suturing skill must be excellent. He is famous for short operations, and I had worried that meant rushing — but during the consultation he explained that precise dissection leaves almost no bleeding to control, which is what shortens the operation. If a vessel is nicked, blood obscures the field and finding and sealing the bleeding vessel is what drags an operation out. I came to understand that a short operation is not a careless one — it is only possible with real skill. And the director and consultant are both so genuine and kind. I have had several surgeries in my life, and I have never met a consultant like UNE's. You will know when you visit. So after that consultation, I chose UNE.

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After deciding on UNE, I agonized over size. I lean natural, so I was thinking around a B to C cup.

We settled on Mentor Xtra, 325 and 350 — he said I could take something larger too. I kept insisting on smaller; he cautioned that 325 might leave me wanting, but fearing 350 would be too big, I chose 325. Something about the number itself felt intimidating.

Now, one week out, I regret not taking the 350 ㅜㅜ. It is not that big even now, and they say it will get smaller still. I was so fixated on being slim that I insisted on a small size and forgot to account for my frame.

My measurements: 170cm, 54kg, ribcage 72, breast pockets 13 / 12.5.

If you are having surgery at UNE — just do what the consultant and the director tell you, haha.

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They said the operation took about 40 minutes. When I woke, my body kept trembling and shivering, my chest hurt, and it was rough — but it kept improving as time passed, and I was grateful the surgery came out clean without a single bruise. I had packed a small bag to visit my parents, and after discharge I carried it onto the subway and then an express bus to their home. On the first day the chest and armpit incision areas were uncomfortable and a little painful, but honestly the pressure of the compression bra was harder to bear.

Daily life was inconvenient but almost entirely possible. Since mine was transaxillary, I tried not to use my arms — I was afraid of fluid collecting. Around day five I carefully raised my arm and it went up; apart from a pulling feeling at the incision it was fine, which amazed me. Sleeping, though, was uncomfortable and painful. I could not lie flat, and when I reclined to sleep, my chest pulled and stung, my ribs ached, breathing was hard, and my tailbone and lower back hurt too. Sitting did not hurt, so for four or five days I dozed briefly and kept getting up — that was the hardest part. After that, sleeping flat on my back became possible and my sleep hours grew. Not that sleeping stopped hurting entirely, but it is better than before. I suspect sleep will stay uncomfortable as long as this compression bra is on — I cannot wait for the one-month mark when it comes off. At one week I am still swollen into a loaf-of-bread shape with a long way to go, but I am hoping it settles into a beautiful shape.