If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen that I recently found a lump in my breast. If you’re new, you may be wondering what the hell I’m talking about.
So let’s back up real quick.
After nursing my kids, my boobs were wrecked. Like, seriously sad grandma boobs. I knew I couldn’t live with them forever because but I also didn’t want breast implant due to the serious complications that accompany them.
You can read why I got the breast fat transfer, the process and who I chose here.
You can see how it looked a month after surgery here.
And five months after surgery here.
Now, it’s been nearly a year. 11 months. Whatever I’m a few weeks short but close enough.
Finding a lump.
A few weeks ago we found a lump in my right breast. I say we because to be perfectly honest, my husband was the one who noticed.
I had been meaning to do my breast checks, like literally reminding myself and thinking about doing them but always forgot.
Ladies – check your breasts every month! This is crucially important.
So my husband found the lump and I immediately started crying. There are just certain places you never want to find a lump. I knew lumps were possible after surgery, but nearly a year out? It seemed less likely.
We found the lump Monday night as we were going to bed. First thing in the morning, I called a breast cancer center and begged them to see me as soon as possible. I had told them I’d get a thermography scan to bring to the appointment.
Thermography, ultrasound and mammogram.
Thermography is a safe form of breast cancer screening. It doesn’t emit any radiation and therefore is a slightly safer option if that’s a concern, which is it to me. I had always planned on doing thermography scans in lieu of mammograms. This is by no means medical advice, just my preference.
I reached out to a local thermography clinic and explained that I had found a lump. As it turns out, if you have a lump, thermography isn’t recommended.
It is strictly for screening issues like lumps, but if you already have one, you will need a mammogram and ultrasound.
In the future, I may do thermography for screening purposes, but not for diagnostic purposes.
The mammogram and ultrasound.
The breast cancer center had tried to schedule me for the following week, but I convinced them to allow me to get the mammogram and ultrasound on a Wednesday, then a follow up appointment to discuss on Thursday.
I had a huge pit in my stomach waiting for the appointment. It’s hard not to think about the limitation of your life and if it will be cut short. I spent a lot of time crying until a girlfriend called me.
She asked me a bunch of questions about the lump and explained that she has polycystic breast disease. She has to go get mammograms every six months. Her doctor told her that if the lump feels more like a grape with even edges, it was fine. If it feels like a hard little pebble or piece of gravel with rough edges, it’s more likely to be cancer.
Mine felt like a lima bean, so I calmed down a bit.
At the mammogram, the tech was amazing. We joked, which is what I do in uncomfortable situations. She smushed my boobs in the machine and I had no idea where to put my damn head because you’re pressed up a giant plastic screen – but it wasn’t bad.
Honestly, it’s not even painful. Just a bit uncomfortable.
After that I got an ultrasound, and both ladies told me it looked totally normal but to wait for the doctor.
The doctor ended up just telling the ladies to tell me I was fine and I didn’t need my follow up appointment.
The doctor said it was just a lump of fat or a cyst and looked totally normal. It could have been from the fat transfer, it could be just that women get lumps in their boobs sometimes.
THANK GOD.
My breast fat transfer results a year after surgery.
I thought my boobs had gotten so much smaller but looking at these pictures, they’re still about a C. Which is my bra size.
The goal was never to have giant boobs, although admittedly bigger boobs would have been nice.
Like I said in my previous fat transfer post, we went into strict quarantine a month after my surgery. I had zero help with my toddlers because my husband was working so intensely trying to keep everyone in the company paid.
I was picking them up, chasing them, putting them down for naps, wrestling with them, everything – all by myself for literally three months straight. During a time I wasn’t even supposed to be working out or lifting anything, I was lifting two 30+ lb toddlers, sometimes at the same time.
Had I not done that, I’m sure I would have retained more fat. But what could I do? Our quarantine situation was better than most.
Here they are in a regular 34C bra, not a pushup bra, no underwire.
So these are my boobs a year out!
Make sure to read my other posts on fat transfer and let me know if you have any questions!
37 Comments
Hi! How did you determine which doctor to use for your fat transfer? I reside in CO, so I’m not sure yet if I want/need to travel for this procedure. Most doctors don’t seem to have as good of results as your doc. Is this because he has done so many, has a special technique, etc.?
Love your results!
Both, he is the best doctor in the country for transfer. I did a ton of research before landing on Dr. Bednar.
I recently had a fat transfer to my breasts and found a lump yesterday. I have been crying in fear of the worst.
Do you have to have it checked regularly?
Thank you for sharing this-you look amazing. Can I ask if your results were from 1 FT procedure and if you know how many CC’s of fat were places in each breast? I have been researching this and Dr. Bednar keeps coming up as the best. Unfortunately he is booked out for a very long time. I have a rupture in one of my breasts and am scheduled for explant surgery and FT in 3 weeks. I am not looking to have large breasts just enough to fill in some of the excess skin from the explant. I am now really on the fence and may just do the explant and wait to do FT with Dr. Bednar. I would greatly appreciate knowing.
What stood out about this dr vs others? I’m in ATL – Are you local to the Dr. who performed the procedure and if not, did you have to stay in town for long for recovery or were you able to go home immediately/soon after?
He’s simply the best, most experience and performs these every single day. He doesn’t even do implants anymore. He’s the most skilled and has the most patients. I was in DC and traveled, I booked a local hotel and had a friends travel with me. You can book the nurse, but you need someone to stay with you immediately after surgery.
How long did u have to stay there and how often did u go see the doctor. I live in LA so it would be hard to travel with the kids and can’t leave them they r little.
Three days, saw the doc for the surgery and the next day for follow up. Arrived Tuesday night, left Friday morning. I had a 1 and 3 year old at the time and my husband just stayed with them.
You wrote in your 5/6 month update that your back was still sore from where they did the liposuction. Is that still the case now that you are 11 months out? Or has that pain dissipated?
Totally gone!
Hi! Hi! I’ve been doing a lot of research and chose my surgeon, but I really never thought of traveling to have my natural breast augmentation done until I saw your post. I’m out in Orange County California and OC and LA are known to have the best plastic surgeons, but after seeing your results and his website, I am considering traveling. I did see his reviews on Yelp though and the pictures are scary so that makes me nervous, but it seems you have great results. Not sure if this is appropriate, but could you share what your cost estimate was? Mine is 15k :/ I’m a healthy 26 yo. THANK YOU!
$11,395!
Your results looks wonderful! Once things settled out, do you feel like everything is even? I’m concerned about one healing smaller than the other, and I already have a slight size imbalance I would like to correct.
Yep, all even!
You’re at around a year and a half- are you still a C cup?
Yep
How many ml did you have transferred to each breast? How much do you think was reabsorbed? Did you just have one procedure? Xx
Answered in my other posts on breast fat transfer that I linked to!
Thank you for the information and you look amazing!
Thank you!!
I’m thinking about doing this procedure. Can you please tell me where are the scars from them injecting the transfer?
Inside/lower boob area.
hi did he only take fat from your thighs or can you request top have your stomach fat taken
You can request
You’re results are gorgeous! Did you start out as a C cup?
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. Would you be willing to share a two year update? Did the lump ever resolve itself? Do you still feel like the procedure was worth it two years out now?
Still there, still fine, still loving my boobs!
Thank you so much for sharing your journey! How are you doing two years out? Did the lump resolve? Can you share an update?
Did you have a lift as well or just fat transfer?
No lift
Did you have to get a lift as well? I do want a lot of scaring which a lift tends to do but I am afraid fat transfer wouldn’t be enough.
No lift
Hey:) I just love your article it was informative and helpful for my decision. Can I ask what your bra size was before you did the augmentation?
Thank you for all of the helpful information! Your boobs look great! What was your cup size prior to your fat transfer?
Hello, I have scheduled my surgery to get implants but it has been a scary journey. Now I am having doubts. My family is catholic and my mother did not approve so I feel like I am being guilted to not do implants. After seeing your results I kinda think this could be an option for me. Now idk if I would get my deposit back lol. I am scared ?
Hello! Thank you for the article! Would you mind sharing what the scars look like?
Your posts have been so helpful in my own bft journey! Your results are phenomenal, and since you mentioned that you were hoping for a D cup I wanted to say that 34C is equivalent to 32D. If you purchase the latter and use the middle or last hooks, voila, you’re a D! 🙂