Tissue Expander look vs the "final product" look

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countdooku
countdooku Member Posts: 63
edited September 2019 in Breast Reconstruction

Hi everyone,

So I had my 2nd fill today. Now I'm at 450 cc. And I'm finally not concave anymore in each breast, but I'm not exactly "full" looking either. It's like the tissue expanders seem pretty wide (Hubby said it looked like I had a lot of side boob) and there isn't much projection or "lift." I have no idea what the proper terms are.

For those of you have gone through the full reconstruction process involving tissue expanders followed by implants, did the final result after the implants look better than the tissue expanders did? Because right now, I am totally not satisfied. It hardly looks like I have anything at all at the moment.

Comments

  • Keepongoing
    Keepongoing Member Posts: 62
    edited July 2019

    The way my PS explained it was the TE process is the foundation work , the exchange to the implants is when he does the art of making them look good . The implants are softer , rounder and look more realistic than the TEs which were firm and odd feeling .

  • countdooku
    countdooku Member Posts: 63
    edited July 2019

    Keepongoing - thank you for that info! The TE's do feel weird. They feel very firm, stiff. Now I know what people on these boards mean when they've talked about the "iron bra" thing. Add this compression bra onto that and holy cow! Hahaha!

  • JaBoo
    JaBoo Member Posts: 520
    edited July 2019

    I guess it very much depends on the whole chest shape... I have TE's with just 60cc and have small boobs that I think I could quite well live with. This is certainly very individual...

  • OnTarget
    OnTarget Member Posts: 447
    edited July 2019

    I have 450cc's in my TE's right now and mine look reasonably ok, but again it is what you are used to and how much you want them to project. If you are at 450 on your second fill, I'm going to guess that you were much larger than me to start with, so that makes a difference.

    I can't say that mine are perfectly shaped at the moment, but they are fine in clothes. They are more under my armpit than I'd want.

    My PS said that the real implants will be a little closer together and not as much in my armpits, but they'll still be some distance apart so that the skin in the center stays adhered to my sternum rather than popping up and making a monoboob.

    I'm still really unsure of what exact size I want to end with, somewhere between 450cc's and 550cc's I think. I have some hope of getting access to the pictures forum before my exchange so I can have an idea of what they'll look like.

  • SummerAngel
    SummerAngel Member Posts: 1,006
    edited July 2019

    I'm very happy with the shape of my final result. My TEs were quite flat and wide, too, so don't worry about that. My final result is a bit bigger than I anticipated since I had a small chest for my frame before (B cup and I'm 5' 6" of average weight), but very nice. I ended up with 550cc very high-profile rounds.

  • hodgepodge
    hodgepodge Member Posts: 92
    edited July 2019

    I am hoping mine look VERY different with implants than they look with the tissue expanders. Mine have projection but are completely flat on the front. It looks like I've run into a wall and they didn't bounce back. On the left one there is a very pronounced "corner" on the front edge. Downright freaky looking at this point. OnTarget, I'm hoping to get access to the picture forum too. I've made it through the first part of the process but waiting for the final ok.

  • Lindzfay
    Lindzfay Member Posts: 16
    edited July 2019

    I had my exchange 3 weeks ago and the implants look so much better. The expanders were odd and misshapen. My implants already look much better and more like real breasts. My ps said it will take about 3 months until we can tell exactly how they will settle and look but I’m happy so far.

  • countdooku
    countdooku Member Posts: 63
    edited July 2019

    Thanks for all of your replies! I'm relieved to hear that I'm not the only one with tissue expanders that look like inflated pancakes. I'm also relieved to hear that the end result after the exchange surgery looks a lot different!

  • Artista964
    Artista964 Member Posts: 530
    edited July 2019

    For sure. They weren't symmetrical and looked more like large golf balls. Let your ps know what size you'd like to be. I was dd and now am a happy c.

  • Neesie70
    Neesie70 Member Posts: 3
    edited July 2019

    I had double mastectomy with expanders last Tuesday. No saline was injected. I have small lumps which I think is the edge of the expanders. Anyone else feel this??

  • OnTarget
    OnTarget Member Posts: 447
    edited July 2019

    One thing I've discovered recently is that my skin flexibility makes a difference in the way the TE's appear. I had a fill to 450cc's 3 weeks ago. After the fill, the TE's seemed flatter on front. Now, 3 weeks later, they are much rounder looking.

    Mainly because the skin stretched and stopped digging them into my pecs and ribs. It was pretty painful and now the skin is much looser and happier.

    For me, a longer wait between fills is letting me see a little more of what they will look like I think (and hope)!

  • countdooku
    countdooku Member Posts: 63
    edited July 2019

    Neesie70 - I've encountered that, too. But after these last 2 fills, that sensation has disappeared. I **definitely** had a lot of what you described earlier in this process though!

  • Artista964
    Artista964 Member Posts: 530
    edited July 2019

    how the tes look isn't important. It's just to keep the skin stretched while you go through txs. A good plastic surgeon will give you good results. However, even though my guy is tops, my anatomy is such that even with lipo filling an area, it's still has a little dip. Not the ps fault, just my body.

  • Katharinew
    Katharinew Member Posts: 1
    edited July 2019

    I could see the edge of the TE following surgery, especially on the edge closest to my sternum. It is still fairly pronounced and I’m at 450 cc’s

  • a3vee
    a3vee Member Posts: 8
    edited August 2019

    Hello countdooku. I currently have an expander in and my reconstruction will be in October. I currently have 5oocc in and I'm done with filling it.. Like you I have a lot of side boob and I didn't have that before. My plastic surgeon told me he left a little extra in case he hand to "pull it in more" and he due to radiation tightening the skin. I've had my procedure pushed back from August to October because he thought the incision area was still going through some post radiation changes. he did tell me that he will lipo some out of that side boob if he doesn't need it, so it can be smooth again. I know that I STILL have such much tightening over the expander and under my arm.

  • countdooku
    countdooku Member Posts: 63
    edited August 2019

    I'm done now with fills & am satisfied right now w/how my clothes look on me. Exchange surgery is scheduled for the end of this month!

  • k4523
    k4523 Member Posts: 9
    edited August 2019

    Did anyone have their tissue expanders rotate on them? I just had my 6th and final fill today (total 360 ccs) and both had rotated since the last time. PS then added 'revision bilateral reconstruction' to my swap out surgery since they did that. I never think to ask all the questions when I'm there. So ready to get the expander replaced!!

  • hodgepodge
    hodgepodge Member Posts: 92
    edited August 2019

    I had my right side expander rotate about a month into my fills. I am currently filled to 525cc I had radiation back in 2005 on that side so it isn't as happy about stretching I guess. It looks super weird. Kind of like a football standing on it's tip. My PS doesn't seem concerned about it and it hasn't presented any problems with fills or otherwise so far.

    This whole waiting game is tough!

  • countdooku
    countdooku Member Posts: 63
    edited August 2019

    Well, I have my exchange surgery scheduled for this Monday! Wish me luck!

  • hodgepodge
    hodgepodge Member Posts: 92
    edited August 2019

    Good luck countdooku!

    I just got a tentative date for the exchange. Nov. 13! I was really hoping to get it done sooner! :(

  • kber
    kber Member Posts: 394
    edited August 2019

    Hi. Thanks for this thread. I'm not going to do the exchange until February, 2020 since I just finished radiation this week and my PS is somewhat conservative in his approach.

    I had my first and last fill - that's an interesting process! I had them pumped up when I had them put in (during my BMX) and then "topped them off" a few days ago.

    I'm really hoping that the final product is softer, lighter, and generally less bulky and uncomfortable feeling! Also hoping the exchange surgery is significantly easier than the BMX experience!

  • Turkeypoult
    Turkeypoult Member Posts: 36
    edited August 2019

    After surgery 7/31, my PS injected TE, then 2 more times - that is 3 injections in 3 weeks. Now full at 700. She wanted to finish injections before I start chemo 9/9.

    So far, pain is minimal. I have more of a discomfort, with pins/needles and or burning feeling.

    The look is a little high and to the outside, with lumpiness about the suture line. However, the PS is very pleased. She “has the vision" and says I look exactly as she expected. Reconstruction is delayed until Spring, 2020, due to chemo and needing knee replacement.

    Looking at online before and after pictures helped me see the possibilities and be less worried about what I see in the mirror.

  • SuQu31
    SuQu31 Member Posts: 160
    edited September 2019

    My exchange surgery is scheduled for Friday the 13th. Gotta love it! I have been done with fills and healing for months but just now having the surgery, by my choice. I don't like the way my TE feel, but I have grown accustomed to my “Barbie" boobs and like the way they look in clothes. I'm worried I will not like a more “natural" shape, after all this time. I'm looking forward to more comfort, though.

    Now, if I could just have Barbie thighs...

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