Removal of implants

Before we put the frighteners on anyone who is thinking about implant reconstruction, I think it's worth remembering that an overwhelming majority of women cope very well with them.

I'm absolutely covered in low level keloid scars. I heal very quickly, initially, but I end up with raised lumpy tissue over the injury. This is a bit strange, as the people most likely to develop scars like this are of African, Asian, Latino or Indigenous heritage. I'm very much of white European stock, as far as I know, and no-one else in my family has the same response..

I've had some robust discussions with my surgeon who is, reluctantly, coming around to my philosophy that it pays to look at how someone has healed in the past as an indicator of how they may respond to this sort of  surgery. My body goes spacco and attacks any foreign body. It took me years to get over having my ears pierced. Dissolvable stiches don't.  So inflammatory responses should not come as a great surprise when you shove a couple of kilos of silicon under my pecs.

The issue of them moving is interesting. I'm (still) quite muscular and prior to my first recon I was able to do dozens of pushups and could hay cart with the boys. It's been suggested that I just squeezed them out. Even now if I flex I can feel them squashing flat  which feels weird and creepy. I popped my initial expanders into my armpits a week after my 2MX, and wandered around with what looked like sandwich bags full of water just under my skin for nearly a fortnight. It was Xmas 2006 and all the grown ups had gone on holidays and the minions didn't want to believe what blind Freddy could see.  I gather they now use a mesh sling that should prevent things like that happening.

I regret the retreads, but how are you supposed to know if it will be Ok or make your life miserable? Phffft.