All About The Chest, ’bout The Chest

I can’t believe it’s about four months since my surgery with Banobagi. For those of you who have sent well wishes through comments, emails and Instagram, thank you so much. I really appreciate the concern.

The picture below was taken around three months after the surgery. It’s hard to describe but I still behave like I have a flat chest. I’d be amazed at how good I look in bikinis or low-cut tops all while forgetting that I have to buy clothes with a little more give in the chest area now.

Was it worth it?
A million times yes. For years I wondered if I would miraculously start growing boobs. I’ve been waiting for them since puberty and when I look in the mirror now, I’m staring at a body that I’ve dreamed of for the longest time. I consider it a milestone in my life and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made.

Didn’t you say it hurt?
It did. I won’t deny that there was pain involved and it lasted about a month for me. I would wake up hugging my boobs cause it felt really sore. I am also still coming to terms with the fact that I voluntarily put my body under distress.

Describe the pain of going through breast augmentation (Mastotomy).
For a detailed account of my pain, you can go to my earlier post where I described it when it was still fresh in my head. I remember a lot of discomfort when moving around. Anything which involved my upper body required extra effort and caused me plenty of grief. I couldn’t lift my arms and this didn’t just involved carrying things. Putting on clothes was a challenge and I usually end up wearing sleeveless dresses that I could just pull from the bottom up. As my implants were placed under the muscle (sub-muscular), it took a longer time to heal but it was a decision that Dr. Ban Jae-Sang and I agreed on as I had very little breast tissue to work with so sub-muscular implants would look much more natural.

What are the details of your surgery again?
I went for 260cc cohesive gel implants which are teardrop-shaped. The incision is transaxillary (from the armpits) and goes under the muscle. I wanted natural looking breasts and I went from an A-cup to about a C-cup. It sounds huge but it’s actually pretty comfortable for my frame as you can tell from the photo above. Remember how big the cup size is, is dependent on your rib cage measurements as well. (Check out /r/aBraThatFits for more information.)

Are there scars?
Of course! My scars are still red and very visible. I avoid lifting my arms in public because of that. They are about 6cm long but I would say that they are healing along very nicely although it will still take a while for them to be less obvious. The scar cream that was prescribed by the doctor from Banobagi really helped.

How long did it take to heal?
My scars took only a few days to heal and according to the nurses at Banobagi (after my first post-surgery check-up), it was healing along nicely. My stitches were removed after seven days. My breasts implants were bolted on my chest and they were really horrible and fake-looking. If i hadn’t read up on it, I would be really upset and thought that my breasts were gonna look like this forever. The body takes time to heal, skin and muscles will take time to stretch as well.

For the first two weeks, my implants looked like they were making my breasts point forward and they sat really high. However, I saw the improvement after the second week as it began to ease into my body. I could see the side rounded out like real boobs would and the side profile of my breasts looked like it was sloping instead of having a sudden roundness.

The pain took around four weeks to completely go away. Every single bump and step was a toll on my chest. I had to hug it to keep them from moving around and causing pain. I was advised not to wear a bra (just pasties) so that gravity would work its magic and make my implants fall and look more natural. I wear bras now but I am still staying away from underwired ones so that I can improve its appearance further.

They don’t feel like real breasts yet and I was told by a friend of mine who underwent breast augmentation too that it would take up to a year for them to feel really soft. I’ll keep everyone updated!

What advice would you have for those who are considering breast augmentation?
Do it for yourself and not because it is an idea that is imposed on you. It is your body.

Do your own research and make sure that you go to a reputable doctor like Banobagi. Read up on the reviews and experiences of those who have gone through procedures which you are considering.

Never settle for less. Breast implants are going to be inside you forever so please do not settle for a cheaper and dodgier option. You never know if you’re putting your own health at risk. You might end up spending more if complications arises.

Let me know if there are any questions you’d like me to answer! I’ll set up a similar Q&A style post for liposuction if anyone is interested!

If anyone has questions specific to Banobagi, you can also direct your queries to my consultant, Claire from Banobagi! She’s super nice and speaks perfect English. Drop her an email at [email protected].