The Story of My Breast Augmentation

I’ve had always had small breasts and it really didn’t bother me. Throughout my life, I looked great in clothes and could pull off pretty much any style. After I graduated high school and started college, I gained twenty pounds and that turned into thirty pounds after final exams and all the stress of trying to maintain my GPA. My eating habits were out of control and I finally got a handle on my diet after the first year of my studies. By incorporating diet and exercise into my hectic schedule, I was able to slowly shed the extra thirty pounds I had gained during my freshman year. My body looked great but my small breasts had lost volume and become saggy and it really affected my confidence. I was always proud of my body and had no issues wearing bikinis or tank tops in public. After my weight gain and then loss, I was constantly worried that people would notice my deflated breasts. I felt differently–I held myself differently. I tried padding, foam inserts– anything I could to give the appearance of some breast volume. I was embarrassed to hug friends or to undress in front of others at the gym. That’s when a friend of mine suggested a breast augmentation.

This was never something I would have considered in the past, especially for my breasts. After doing extensive research, I thought I’d explore my options and came across a positive review on Dr. Joubin Gabbay. His website offered plenty of helpful information on breast augmentation and after reading about his education and experience, I felt I could trust his expertise. I was putting my body in the most skilled of hands.

CONSULTATION

The second I walked into the office, I was really impressed at how clean and comfortable it was. It had a luxurious atmosphere and the service I got from his staff was on par with the beautiful office. They offered me additional information while I waited, and Dr. Gabbay was punctual and professional. He was friendly, listened to my questions with concern, explained many things about the procedure and alleviated any worries I had going in.

One of my main concerns was that my breasts would look unnatural. I explained to Dr. Gabbay that small breast were the norm for me, that I really didn’t want to have big breasts, and that I certainly didn’t want anybody to be able to tell I had implants. He assured me that I had the option of picking smaller implants to suit my frame and the shape of my original breasts. I was surprised to find out I could pick the shape, size, even the position of my implants. In essence, he explained that he could fill my sagging breasts and the result would only restore the volume I had before my weight loss. He also explained that silicone implants had a more natural looking and feeling result than saline, even describing the pros and cons of different incision types. Because my breasts didn’t sag too much, I didn’t need a breast lift and was able to just have a breast augmentation. Dr. Gabbay was honest and straightforward about everything and I never felt like he was trying to sell me on additional procedures that I didn’t need.

In the end, Dr. Gabbay recommended 300cc moderate plus profile silicon implants, to get me back to my original cup size. After this, he explained the procedure and preparations. His patient care coordinator talked to me about the cost and financing and gave me a woman’s perspective on the operation. As a person who had never considered plastic surgery, I felt so comfortable and was really excited after our consultation. Needless to say, I booked my surgery appointment immediately after.

SURGERY

I was really nervous on the day of surgery, but the operating room staff made me feel relaxed and comfortable. I was checked into the beautiful surgical center and met by Dr. Gabbay. He chatted with me, answered my questions and gave went over what I should do after the operation. The rest was easy.

I met the anesthesiologist who asked me about my medical history and carefully explained what she’d do during the operation (I was already comfortable because she called me the night before just to check on me!). She gave me some medicine to relax and then we went to the operating room. After the operation, I woke up in the recovery room and was taken home by my fiancé.

HEALING

After my surgery, my pain was not that bad. I came home in a sports bra that I was able to pick out. I was given pain medication, which I barely took. The day I came home, I was encouraged to stay active and out of bed. Dr. Gabbay told me to do arm raises to help reduce swelling and pain – I was worried that they’d really hurt, but was able to do it with no problem. Dr. Gabbay called me that night to check up on me and make sure I was feeling OK. He was so nice and answered all my questions. The office was in close contact with me the days after surgery.

After the first few days, I was back to my normal routine and back to work. At the one-week checkup, Dr. Gabbay introduced a massage regimen which keeps the blood flowing in the breast and breaks up scar tissue. It hurt for the first few times I did it, but the doctor explained that in order for my new implants to have a natural look and feel, the massage was necessary.

All in all, recovery was easy. I scheduled a week off of work (which was way more than what I needed, but I loved the break!), prepared my house accordingly and ate and slept according to what was recommended. I was able to do basic activity after only three days. Dr. Gabbay gave me an exercise regimen to follow and helped gradually get me back into the gym. He allowed me to get back to light cardio within a week and gradually ramp up over the next few weeks. After one month, he let me gradually begin lifting weights with my arms and chest.

PREPARATIONS

I was given specific instructions on how to prepare leading up to my surgery. Dr. Gabbay explained that following the recommended preparations would make my surgery much easier, and it didn’t just involve physical preparation, I also had to mentally prepare. I am not going to lie, even with an experienced surgeon, I was really nervous, so I was strict about following Dr. Gabbay’s suggestions. He was wanted me to choose a caretaker to drive me to and from the hospital and to stay with me during the first day and night of my recovery. This made me much more relaxed before and during my surgery. I designated my fiancé to take care of me, this way, anything I needed was handled and I could just sit back and concentrate on recovery.

Fortunately, I was in good physical condition. Good nutrition and a regular exercise regime are also helpful, and can prevent complications. Dr. Gabbay performed a full medical evaluation to make sure that my body was healthy enough to undergo the stress of the surgery. The most important things to check were that I was not a smoker, that I had a healthy blood pressure and normal blood cell count etc. Before my operation, I was told to eliminate the use of any anti-inflammatory or blood thinning medications and supplements i.e. Advil, Aleve, Motrin, Ibuprofen, Vitamin E, Fish Oil, Garlic, Ginseng, etc.

COST

Dr. Gabbay and his staff were so helpful with the payment process. With his financing program, I kept the whole surgery within my budget and it didn’t break the bank so to speak. The office offered Care Credit which was very easy to apply for and use. His patient care coordinator was really straight forward, and offered a few payment options so I never felt stressed out about the price. Overall, what I’ve learned is that its important to make sure your doctor isn’t charging too much, but it is also really important that they aren’t charging too little because its never a good idea to be cheap when it comes to your health and safety during a surgical procedure.

RESULTS

Where do I begin with the final result? I look amazing, if I don’t say so myself. My breasts are back to their normal shape, size and feel. I can wear whatever I want again, I don’t worry about others seeing my padded bra. I give hugs freely, and carry myself just like I used to. I am so grateful to Dr. Gabbay and his entire staff for making what could have been super stressful, easy and smooth. I feel like a new person. I would recommend Dr. Gabbay for breast augmentation or any cosmetic surgery. If I ever consider any other procedure, he is the only doctor I’d trust.