BreastsToBe

Hi Jen, if you join the BII Group on FB you’ll find a list of recommended explant surgeons for your state. These surgeons are all experienced and recognise the importance in removing the entire capsule, appropriate pathology testing etc. x

What a relief they tested negative I’ll do the same as you after explant and wait and see how they turn out/whether I’m happy with the size

Hi @TheFox curious as to whether your Nagor implants were textured? Also whether your capsules were tested for BIA-ALCL (as the swelling you describe is a possible symptom)? Did you end up getting new implants?

Hi @joyfulgirl99, apologies it had been a while since I’ve logged on, and I didn’t get any notifications in my emails! Yes I’ve had mine checked out via ultrasound and there is apparently no indication of ALCL. Please be aware that this cancer generally develops after 7 years post implant however. There have so far been over 80 reported cases Australia wide resulting in a few deaths. While the risk is minimal, it is also very real, and I feel the numbers will only increase as time passes for ladies with textured implants. I will be having mine removed this year (8 years post implant) as the risk is not worth it to me. Had I known all those years ago I would have certainly chosen to implant with smooth implants, or not at all! On a tangent and as @Elle Anderson mentioned above, Breast Implant Illness (BII) is another concern and I do have some symptoms of this which I hope explant will alleviate, however they could be totally unrelated to the implants. The PS I consulted with for explant agreed that the Silimends should be removed and also said I have capsular contracture in one breast. @Mona76 if you haven’t had your explant yet, please be aware that in some circumstances (when deemed medically necessary) you can access your superannuation to fund the surgery. I will be doing this for my surgery. Also ladies, if you weren’t already aware Similed implants have been banned for use in Australia since late 2017. Those who implanted with Plastic Surgeons should have been notified pursuant to APS guidelines. As I implanted with a Cosmetic Surgeon I was not informed of the ban/proven ALCL risks.

Hi, asking for a friend (really though). Has anyone been overseas for a hair transplant? Only just beginning the research process and there is A LOT of info online but we know no one who can provide personal experiences and recommendations. So... would love your recommendations on places to look into, places to avoid?? TIA :)

Are there any other ladies on this forum having their Silimed furry Brazilian implants removed due to the ALCL risks?

Hi Imogen, I have Silimed textured implants and REALLY want mine out due to the cancer risk. I wanted them out a year ago before I’d heard of the cancer risk but fell pregnant before I could have the surgery. Like you, I’m now more motivated to act. I have two beautiful children also and although the risk seems low to some, it’s not one I’m personally willing to take! I wonder if private health will cover any because of the risks..? Probably not. Which implants do you have? Have you scheduled your explant surgery?

Do you mean like height/weight etc? Sorry I'm out of practice on the forums! I'm not sure what my BWD was but I'm 172cm and was 55kg at the time of surgery.

I went 315cc. Was an a-cup before surgery and ended up a full c to small d, exactly what I wanted

No problem Lauren! I can definitely notice the changes (particularly the size increase) haha. I plan to breastfeed for a while longer so we'll see what they're like when I stop and the milk is gone. My BA was August 2011 and I fell pregnant in May 2014 so 2 years 9 months. I did go with Dr H, he is fantastic! Are you going through him? Mine are Brazilians yes

Hi Em, I've just uploaded some post-baby photos to my Dropbox. You can view them here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ydx25pneid1wbja/AABEq3PnoiQXH6G7Rsf1yjVYa?dl=0 So the current ones are 7 months post baby, exclusive breastfeeding. Every woman is different as you know but hope these pics give you a bit of an idea of how breasts/implants can be affected by pregnancy and breastfeeding

I had mine done 4 years ago knowing I'd want children, and to breastfeed in a few years. I had my first baby in February, he is now 7 months old and exclusively breastfed. I'm happy to send you some pics of before and of them now after pregnancy and 7 months of breastfeeding if you're interested? These are the changes I've noticed: - they grew SO big during pregnancy and are still pretty huge. Pre baby my breasts were a nice full C to small D. They're now DD to E with one breast being significantly larger as it's the one bub feeds from mostly so makes more milk. - they are covered in stretch marks because of how rapidly they grew when my milk came in. Some women don't experience this issue, depends on your skin. I hope they'll fade in time. - they actually look even more natural now. Despite all the changes I'm still happy I got them done pre baby, although I probably would've gone smaller implants if I'd have known I'd be breastfeeding for so long (before having a baby I thought I wouldn't breastfeed but did a complete 180 when bub arrived). I got 3.5 years of enjoyment from them I just hope they go down back to their pre baby size once I'm done feeding. If not I'll save for a revision to decrease size. Due to medical reasons there may not be any more babies in our future, and if there is, there will only be one more. I say go for it now! So long as you're willing to accept any potential changes x

After commenting on this thread last night I emailed Dr Harwood who called me immediately. He addressed all of my concerns and in a nutshell said there is no need for alarm as: - the issue is to do with surface particles, all implants are sterilised prior to insertion anyway so the implants are cleansed of any potential contaminants - the concerns apply only to implants manufactured post March 2014 (mine were a previous batch) - if there were surface contaminants on the implants, there would have been symptoms soon after surgery (infection etc) - the investigating body is not even sure at this stage whether the contaminants affect breast implants as the particular factory under investigation also manufactures other Silimed products - the implants have not been recalled, it is a temporary suspension while investigations are underway - the concerns are not related to the quality of the implants or the materials used, it's purely a surface contamination concern Furthrt to my conversation with Dr Harwood, I found this article http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-25/tga-advise-surgeons-risk-from-silimed-implants-extremely-low/6805802 stating that the contaminants were found to be silica and cotton fibres and that any risk to patients is extremely low.

Following this thread! I haven't logged into the forum for an eternity but saw a news story on the Silimed Braz tonight. Very keen to know more about the situation as I got these implants back in 2011. I am now breastfeeding my 6mo son and I am concerned there may be a risk to him

Hi Laura, I got Brazilians and I think mine look pretty natural... There is a link to some of my pics in my signature below. Good luck with your decision making!

Thanks for the advice hanniepie and PrincessCairns! I'll get started on the zinc supplements and will look into accupuncturists and therapists who do red light treatments the light treatment sounds really interesting, just google searched it and found you can buy your own red light device for home use for around $120... is this what you use PrincessCairns or do you go to a therapist?

Hey Pumpkin! Have you found anything that seems to be working for your skin as yet? I'm in the same depressing boat at the moment. I was on Dianne/Estelle for about 8 years and had perfect skin throughout - I'd probably get a pimple once a year if that! But after going off the pill in December my skin has been horrendous, with continuous breakouts on my forehead, chin and back My regular skin care just doesn't seem to be doing the trick anymore, I had no idea how much of a positive effect the pill had on my skin until I stopped taking it. I wash my face every morning and night with Estée Lauder foaming facial wash and use their thermal facial scrub twice a week. I've now introduced a new scrub containing coal (supposedly draws out the pimple bacteria) and I bought CLEARASIL spot treatment too - I felt like a teenager again!! Neither of these products seem to have a lasting effect, although the Clearasil does reduce swelling/redness temporarily. I'm just praying that my hormones calm down after being off the pill a little longer... Would love to hear if there a miracle skin product out there?!?

Hi Pumpkin, thank you - they're 315cc anatomical

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Hi Jena, I've had my brazilians for almost 2.5 years now and love them. They're soft and squishy and (in my opinion) look rather natural. There's a link to some pics in my signature of you're interested

Oh Inde, I've just caught up with what's happened... I am so very sorry for your and your husband's loss. Stay strong, take care of yourselves, be sure to take the time to grieve, and take comfort in knowing you will come out of this stronger than ever. Sending you virtual love and hugs at this difficult time xox

CONGRATULATIONS to you and your husband Inde, that's FANTASTIC news!!!!! So happy for you I have just logged on to the forum after being absent for almost 2 months - what wonderful news to come back to!! x

Hi Sissy! I had my BA with Dr Harwood over 2 years ago now. I'm 172cm and 58 kg. I got 315cc HP anatomical brazilians which took me from a 10A to a 10D. I too wanted a conservative and natural result and feel like I got exactly that! He also offered me 345cc and (contrary to most women) I'm very glad I went with the smaller size... Definitely try out some different rice sizers in different outfits (tight fitting, loose fitting, high necked etc) to get a feel for the kind of look you would end up with. If you're only wanting to go up a cup size, the 250 and 270 sound perfect but on the other hand you would hate to regret not going bigger x

Don, firstly I'm sorry you're feeling this way, you sound deeply hurt and angry about this situation. Secondly, I understand that each and every comment on this thread is based on that person's own experiences etc. so I thought I might offer my differing perspective. I am a strong believer in judging each and every person on their merits as a human being rather than lumping them into a category, particularly if that category is based on social stereotypes such as young foreign women marrying older western men principally for gold-digging purposes, so to speak. In saying that, I am completely aware that this situation is true in some instances. Are you willing to try to get to know this woman (even if it's solely for the purpose of sussing her out)? Her reasons for being with your father may in fact be genuine, and your father may have genuine feelings towards her. I empathise with the fact that you only want what's best for your father and you feel that this woman is pulling the wool over his eyes for some benefit, whether that be financial or otherwise, so here is what I would do in your situation. Go out for a coffee or lunch with your dad. Be civil and do not become visibly angry. Express your concerns in a diplomatic manner e.g. dad, you know I love you and I'm only looking out for you yadayada. I would try to persuade him to see a reputable family lawyer from the outset and having a co-habitation or pre-nuptial agreement drawn up 'just in case' - it wouldn't hurt to see if he would go for this idea Of course though, you would only go down this road if you care to maintain a relationship with your father. If you're happy to cut all ties from the outset, so be it. It sounds like your dad has been good to you in the past and has taken very good care of you throughout your life so to cut ties would be a shame in my opinion. It would be a different matter if his behaviour has altered - for instance, are his mannerisms that of a dirty old man? Has he started objectifying women etc? Or are you merely putting him into that 'category' because of his new choice in girlfriend. If he is the same old dad, albeit, with a young foreign girlfriend I think you should give him a chance. Obviously it will take time for you to get past your initial rage. My mother and father (who passed away a few years ago) were 22 years apart. He was European and she is from the Philippines. She had a wonderful job in the Philippines and had the opportunity to relocate to Canada for work however chose to be with my father and move to Australia instead. I can tell you they were very much in love, completely respectful towards one another and their relationship was 100% genuine. Not all young foreign women are gold-digging whores and not all older men who choose to be with younger foreign women are dirty old perves. Love can strike in the most unusual circumstances. I would recommend trying to learn more about the situation, which means getting to know the gf. You'll be able to discover two things being 1) if their relationship is genuine or not and 2) whether your father knows it's not genuine and chooses to remain in the relationship. Only then will you be able to make an informed decision regarding cutting him out of your life. Also remember your dad has the right to be happy, just like you do. He may not agree 100% with your lifestyle choices either. You just need to weigh up whether this is something you can live with. Best of luck to you, I really hope everything works out for the best x

Hi! I was exactly the same leading up to my op - god the butterflies are insane aren't they?! I hardly slept a wink the night before the op. Just before my op Dr H have me something to "relax" - not sure what it was but it was awesome! I was so nervous I was shaking and my palms were sweating like crazy. Whatever he administered really took the edge off before I calmly drifted off to sleep all the nerves and panicking will be so worth it when you come out of there with an amazing new set of hooters! And for me the pain wasn't bad at all - felt like I'd done about 10000 push ups lol. Try to relax and enjoy the journey xx