Questions about DIEP vs implants

StaceySue2U

I've had my skin-sparing BMX with tissue expander placement and am almost fully inflated. I told the plastic surgeon who did my TEs that I'm not going to be able to have DIEP right away. This PS doesn't do DIEP but was going to transfer my care over to one of the ones who does. When I told him it might be a year before I can take the 6 weeks to have the DIEP, he recommended doing implants soon and then DIEP later, to get the tissue expanders out and feel more comfortable and look more normal. So my first question is - does this recommendation make sense and will it complicate things for me?

The second question is about the eyeball- or football-shaped scar you get with DIEP. I don't want that. Why is it necessary with a DIEP flap when it's not necessary with implants? Why can't they just do, like, a purse-string closure or something? Or even just the straight line scar like I have now. I don't need the extra skin from my belly, just the fat. My boobs don't need to be nearly as big as they were before. I have enough skin left on my breasts now to be as big as I want to be. I haven't got to talk to a PS who does DIEP yet because the one who was available to do the expanders when I had my surgery wasn't a DIEP one.

The only reason I wanted DIEP was to get the tummy tuck. I've always loved the look of implants and wished I had them. My lower abdomen has bothered me so badly for so many years, though, that i thought it would be worth getting the DIEP in order to get rid of this "mother's apron" that will not go away no matter how much I exercise or how thin I get.

Meow13

my scars are not noticeable only under my arm but bathing suit hides it. My skin color match is perfect I can barely see a white line. I do think I could use another fat transfer in one spot. If your lower abs bother you, you may not want the DIEP it is tight for me and the feeling is slowly coming back all over.

I bought a plunging neckline bathing suit that goes to navel and you can't see my scars. I haven't worn in public but so happy I can wear it if I wanted too.

StaceySue2U

That is so good to hear, Meow! Thank you so much for sharing Do you have good projection and cleavage?

The thing about my lower abdomen that bothers me is the loose skin and fat, which is why I want the DIEP.

Meow13

I look like a teenager again with DIEP at least in clothes, looking at photos it is definitely an improvement.

StaceySue2U

AWESOME to hear! Can you go braless?

Plans have changed and I might actually get the DIEP sooner rather than later! Coincidentally, a PS who does DIEP was covering for my PS today when I went to have my seroma drained so we had a little mini consultation.

He surprised me by saying I really don't have enough fat to go very big at all. I can go about as big as I was with 450cc in my expanders, which looked to me to be maybe a small B cup? But - my abdomen will turn out very flat, he says, and my breasts will project further than my abdomen.

I asked if I could avoid having the football-shaped scar and he says they need to leave a "tissue paddle" behind because looking at that skin tells him how the flap is doing underneath. Once they're sure the flap is going to stay healthy they can remove the extra skin and draw everything together closely enough to make the scar part of the nipple.

Meow13

wow sounds good.

craftysandy

Stacey, I'm having DIEP surgery on April 1st and my surgeon at Penn will be inserting small silicone implants under the DIEP flaps to bring me to C cups. He explained that with the belly fat I have, he can only get me to B cups. I decided on the implants under the DIEP flaps so that I can look more like I do now. He only recently starting performing this particular surgery but has had amazing results! He said that the patients he has performed this on have been very pleased with the end result. He also mentioned that they required less "touch-up" surgeries. Feeling nervous and excited at the same time! Good luck with your decisions on your surgery!

StaceySue2U

craftysandy, I asked my PS if there was any way he could put implants underneath. He said he could but he'd like to do everything he can to avoid it. It doesn't sound to me like he's done it before or, if he has, he hasn't done it often. I reallly wouldn't mind that at all. I think I'd probably be happy with a full B but I'm still planning on losing more weight and I'd like to have something left in the breast department after I lose 50 lbs.....I remember the last time I got thin I still had this abdominal fat but it was haning there, really thin. I'm imagining my breasts looking like that after losing weight LOL