Mentor Xtra 325cc, Axillary Incision: Week 1 Review in My 40s

I'm not exactly young anymore, but I finally went through with the breast augmentation I'd wanted for years. I figured I wanted pretty breasts at least once before I die, so I found the courage.

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I think I went to about 7 different consultations.

Shape, feel, and scarring mattered most to me, so I read through a bunch of reviews, narrowed down my list, and started going in for consultations.

Most of the consultations were actually fine. I went with a process of elimination — I crossed off one place that said I'd also need fat grafting (I'd tried that on my face before and it just didn't take well, ugh). I crossed off another place where the coordinator flat-out lied to me, saying the Motiva chip inside makes it feel softer. I also crossed off places that badmouthed other clinics. Then while I was waiting for my consultation at UNE, sitting on the couch watching the monitor, I learned that Dr. Kim Uigeon had done a ton of suturing surgeries in university hospital ERs — something like 2,000 cases a year? So I figured his stitching skills had to be excellent. He's also known for his 27 min. surgeries, so at first I worried that meant he rushed through it, but once he explained it during the consultation, it made sense — because his dissection is so precise, there's almost no bleeding to deal with, which is what makes the surgery faster. He said if you accidentally nick a blood vessel, it bleeds, and then you have to find that vessel and stop the bleeding, and all that blood makes it harder to see clearly, which is actually what makes surgeries drag on longer. So I realized a short surgery time isn't about rushing — it actually takes real skill to pull off. Both Dr. Kim and the coordinator were also just really warm and kind. I've been through several surgeries before, and I don't think I've ever met a coordinator like the one at UNE. You'll get it once you go there yourself. So after that consultation, I decided on UNE.

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After deciding on UNE, I agonized a lot over sizing. Since I wanted a natural look, I was thinking somewhere between a B and C cup.

I decided on Mentor Xtra implants, and he said 325, 350, or even bigger were all options. I kept insisting on going smaller, and he mentioned 325 might leave me a little unsatisfied, but I was worried 350 would be too big, so I settled on 325. There was just something about the number itself that felt intimidating.

Now that it's been a week, I regret not going with 350, ugh. It's not even that big right now, and apparently it'll get even smaller as it settles. I was so fixated on staying thin that I kept pushing for a smaller size, without really thinking about my actual frame.

For reference, I'm 170cm, 54kg, with a chest measurement of 72 and a breast base width of 13 / 12.5.

If you're planning to get surgery at UNE, just do whatever the coordinator and Dr. Kim tell you, lol.

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They told me the surgery took about 40 minutes. When I woke up, I kept shivering and shaking, and my chest hurt — it was rough. But things kept improving as time passed, and I was grateful there wasn't a single bruise, everything looked so clean. I'd packed a small bag to stay at my mom's place, so after discharge I carried my bag, took the subway, then hopped on an intercity bus to get there. On the first day, the incisions at my chest and underarms were uncomfortable and a bit sore, but honestly the pressure from the compression bra was way harder to deal with than that.

Daily life was uncomfortable but mostly manageable. Since I got the axillary incision, I tried hard not to use my arms much, worried about fluid buildup. Then around day 5, I carefully tried lifting my arm and it actually went up. There was that pulling feeling around the incision that was uncomfortable, but it honestly amazed me. Sleeping, though, was rough. I couldn't lie flat on my back, and when I tried lying propped up, my chest would pull and sting, my ribs hurt, breathing was hard, and even my tailbone and lower back ached. Sitting up didn't hurt though, so for about 4-5 days I'd just doze off for a bit and wake up again. That was honestly the hardest part. After that, I was able to sleep flat on my back again, and my stretches of sleep got a bit longer. It's not like the discomfort at night disappeared completely, but it's definitely better than before. I think sleeping will stay a bit uncomfortable the whole time I'm wearing this compression bra. I really can't wait for the one-month mark when I get to take it off. Right now I'm only at the one-week mark, so it's still swollen and kind of loaf-shaped — it'll be a while before it settles into its final shape, but I'm hoping it turns out pretty.

After

— Jung** · UNE Plastic Surgery Breast Augmentation Review

This review is based on a personal experience, and individual results may vary.