Did you get implants?
 

Friends,

A friend here is considering getting implants. She's too thin for reconstruction, and she says since she's not married, she doesn't want to do nothing after her mastectomy.

I told her I'd ask all of you your experience with implants. Thanks for helping her out with information here.

Love and light,

Lisa

Hi Lisa,

I have a silicone implant, done in 2002 and have had no problems with it. Sometimes he (Frank - my "frankenbreast") gets some wrinkles and it looks sort of like a plastic bag filled with water would look, but then it straightens up again. I really don't think about it very much, it's now just part of me, and I have bigger things to worry about than my implant! Without clothes, it looks different. With clothes, it looks normal.
That said, it's also just fine to "do nothing" if that's what your friend wants to do. Also, she can do nothing now, and always change her mind later.
Hope this helps.
Chris

I have a saline implant and am happy with it and have had no problems. I also had rads once my expander was fully expanded and had the exchange a couple of months after rads was completed. Does she have any specific questions?

Pat

I have had two primaries and thus two different forms of reconstruction. The first time, I had the DIEP flap or free flap. The second time I had gel inplants. My first inplant did not take because the skin was so fried from radiation, it literally ulcerated through.The gel, however looked pretty natural. I just had a lattissimus flap 3 weeks ago and now I am back to an expander. My free flap looks far more natural. Every time I get a new Dr., nurse or anyone examining me, they always comment on how natural it looks.


Kim in DC

I had silicone implant 1 1/2 years after mastectomy...I have developed capsular contracture in it, which you can see without clothing on...ad it is painful...don't know whether or not I feel up to another surgery to "get it fixed."....sometimes I wish I just went flat chested...it is a personal choice, but if one decides to do it, it must be for yourself and not for someone else.....I did it because I wanted to look and feel normal again....I felt more normal before I did it!

I have a close friend who has one and she likes it but says if she gains weight she can feel it being tight. Said she would go with the saline when she has it replaced. I don't see the difference/advantage with either one but guess she would feel more comfortable knowing it is just saline. I couldn't do anything so am not at liberty to comment. hugs, Sandy

I got Saline implants that have been fine without problems and have helped to restore my shape. Of course, nothing looks as natural as mother nature.

I've had a silicon implant since July 2004 and so far, so good. I went with silicon because I thought it would feel softer and more natural than saline. But I did have a good deal of scarring (internal) so the implant is not as soft as I would like. However, with the nipple tattoo, when I glance in the mirror I am happy to have the symmetry. It certainly doesn't match the other one but it does fill the other side of the bra! I would do it again, but might consider going with the saline instead.

I have silcone implants...they look great, feel natural and have had no problems to date. One was reconstructed and is a little harder to the touch since I didn't have the breast tissue to help soften it. The other I had augmented to match the reconstructed breast. I am also thin and didn't have much tissue to work with for other types of recontruction and I wanted to limit my scarring as much as possible. He used the original mastectomy cut to implant the expander, then for the placement of the implant he went in where the crease line is for my "new" breast. I truly have virtually no noticable scarring. I also had a piece of my only nipple grafted on the "new" breast and skin taken from my bikini line (very tiny scar) to make the areola. I won't need tatooing since this skin is naturally darker. The removal of part of my nipple was the most painful for me! I couldn't go crazy since my radiated skin would only stretch so far ~ I am now a nice full sized B.

I finished radiation almost 2 years before I attempted it. It is a difficult decision to make and very personal. I had originally planned to not have reconstuction...just make it through treatment and hopefully make it to age 40! Last year my daughter Emma, who was 3, was so interested in the fact that I was missing a breast. She questioned me over and over about it. I was nursing her when diagnosed. I may have been worried for nothing but still concerned she would think one day that she had something to do with me losing the breast. My final decision came when I was on the beach last summer in the Outer Banks and worried that I would lose my waterproof gel prostesis....I love riding and diving through huge waves. And I got out of the water and said to myself that's it. I knew it was a big risk going for implants since I had radiation but it worked out so far. I haven't had them for long but I love them! My wonderful boyfriend loves the massaging part too....it's his weekly chore! LOL!

Hope this helps a little ~ Ruth