Author Topic: Did my surgeon botch my surgery?!  (Read 2502 times)

Offline AdamR

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Hey all. I got surgery 8 days ago with a general surgeon. I got my stitches out this morning and saw my chest for the first time, and my heart sank.

This is me pre-op


And post-op


It is pretty obvious that my right side (the right side in the picture) areola is larger in diameter. It is puffier too and indents weirdly on the right side

Right side


Left side


When I visited the doctor a few days post op, he mentioned about how he managed to get the left areola a bit smaller for me but not my right. I was a bit confused, but today I saw what he meant. And I got frustrated obviously.

Why would he only do one side... Now I have different areola sizes and am stuck with a problem that is gonna be just as self-conscious-crippling as having two puffy nips, I now have different sized areolas. AWESOME(!)

I know its only 8 days post op, but I dont see this as being resolved with time.

So I guess my questions are:
1. Did my surgeon mess up?
2. Did anyone else have anything similar?
3. (unrelated) This hard swelling I have under my nipples goes with time I assume?
4. Will the indentation next to my nipple go with time? The doctor said it should fix itself eventually but considering how it looks now I dont really know what to think now..


Offline George Pope, M.D.

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    • Orlando Plastic Surgery Center
At 8 days postop, it is WAY too early to judge any aspect of your result.  It will be several months before you get an idea of what your final result will be.  And don't worry about the areola diameter either at this early date.  I would bet your surgeon did the same thing on each side and one areola just happens to be a little wider at this time.  That will most likely correct itself over time too, as swelling resolves and skin contracts. 

Don't jump to the wrong conclusion 8 days after surgery and think your surgeon did something wrong.  Your surgeon knows a lot more than you about this process, so communicate with him. 

Dr. Pope, MD
George H Pope, MD, FACS
Certified - American Board of Plastic Surgery
Orlando Plastic Surgery Center
www.georgepopemd.com
Phone: 407-857-6261

Offline AdamR

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Just an update, It has been 25 days since the operation. My doctor checked my chest, and he said theres some fluid in the right side.
He then went to drain it with a needle, and he was pretty surprised that nothing ended up coming out. He put me on antibiotics and said give it some time to go down and to see him three weeks later (this was a week ago).

I am being patient at the moment, but after doing some googling, I keep reading that if you have fluid irs pretty important to get it drained. So should I be a little more persistent in getting it drained? I think it is just swollen because my right nipple and around it is a bit hard

Offline Paa_Paw

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Do not try to second guess your surgeon at this time. Be patient, healing takes time. The surface healing seems nearly complete in only a couple of weeks but the healing under the surface takes much longer.
Grandpa Dan


 

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