How important is aftercare to you?

After looking online and making some calls it seems that everyone offers different things on their aftercare. So I was just wondering what things do you really want from your aftecare package? And what is the most important to you.

I have looked into 3 clinics. One offering 3 years warranty. One offering 5 years warranty. And another 10 years warranty!

Obviously there is a big difference there in price as well as cover.

But I am not really sure what I should be looking for in an aftercare package! What do you expect from aftercare?

I went with transform, with 10 years aftercare. I did have the option to go with surgeon privately instead of through a company for cheaper but I decided the aftercare was very important to me. Xx

It's very confusing, and you have to make sure you read the small print! A lot of large company's will tell you their aftercare gives you X amount of years but when you read the small print it only involves certain issues! So please make sure you understand fully what the aftercare involves.

Aftercare was very important to me as was the qualifications and regulating bodies of the surgeons for this reason for 'me' Mybreast offered what I wanted.

Ask the companies to send/ email you their after care policy's with terms and conditions so you can make an informed choice.

You may want to ask if you required further corrective surgery would you be required to pay any further costs, I found that was not made clear by most companies.

xx

My clinic didn't offer anything near 10 years of aftercare, however, although i do think aftercare is extremely important, i felt comfortable with my surgeon, he has all of the qualifications (BAAPs etc) and to me i felt this outweighed the need for a very lengthy aftercare as he has made it very clear if something goes wrong he will look after his patients. Despite this, I trust him entirely and although there is always going to be risks with surgery.. A good surgeon is able to minimise these as far as possible!

If you look at the implants (i.e. Allergan) they do tend to cover replacement if there are any issues with implants for 10 years and if you require additional surgery they give £700 towards surgery costs.

xx

yeah i went with transform 10 year warranty ! i thought that was fantastic plus i found them very relaxed not pushy at all never contacted me after consultations just left me to deciding and until i rang them which was important aswell x

10 years is fab but alway clarify what the 10years is actually for as it may be a 10 year warranty just to cover the implants and you may still need to cover surgical fees.
It's so confusing, I wish there was a standard benchmark of aftercare that should be legally provided and regulated. xx

Having been here for over 3 and a half years and seeing the complications run through this forum from women I can hand on heart say that there is a VERY small amount of women who have complications after surgery who have used BAAPS/BAPRAS members. The two main clinics using these surgeons are MyBreast and Spire. There are VERY few that do require revision in comparison to the Larger commercial clinics used.

This is fact.

So... From my experience here I believe the surgeon used is MOST important. The better the surgeon, the least risk of complication. I'm not for a moment saying there aren't good surgeons in the larger clinics - there are! But you MUST research them to find them. Check qualifications, find previous patient reviews and be 100% sure you're happy with them.

Personally.... I'd rather have less aftercare from an amazing surgeon who I'd researched and felt confidence in, than have a lifetimes aftercare from a surgeon who I may find myself having to continuously use do to complications... I'm 6 and a half years from naively not researching surgeons, from being stupid and jumping in and having surgery through excitement and 6 and a half years later.... I'm still using the aftercare having had four surgeries for complications.

Silly me hey...I've learned my lesson the hard way. My next surgery to repair EVERYTHING will be a man I HAVE researched, who's work I've followed, whos patients reviews i track to read. I've sat in on a consultation and seen how he conducts himself and I KNOW things will be VERY different then and I'll hopefully, unless I'm the exceptional unlucky one, will have no need for the aftercare that's provided at all and will just save as I have been doing for the time when my implants will inevitably rupture of develop CC.

100% agree with everything you say Cookie! Its the surgeom that matters most. Focus on finding a good surgeon with happy customers xx

I went with the surgeon over the aftercare.. I did still need a revision but it was arranged quickly and easily.. no stress and no fight to get it sorted. I am very happy with my choice and I would definately go with a BAAPS/BAPRAS surgeon again!

The aftercare was very important to me. I also checked the small print as those 10 year guarantees soon turn out to be less when you read what they don't cover.
Important thing to me was I was covered for complications should they arise, I was covered for 3 operations within my aftercare any further surgery to put right a complication I would have to pay for.

There is lots of good advice here ladies, Thank you

And I would assume I would get a copy of the terms and conditions with aftercare upon payment or on surgery day but of course it would make much more sense to ask to see a copy beforehand! I doubt any company offering a decent aftercare package would have a problem with this.

So maybe it's all about getting a balance between surgeon and aftercare? I think that having a really good surgeon that has done 100's/1000's of breast ops would maybe lower risk of complications therefore lowering the need for using the aftercare to it's full. But of course it's nice to have that reassurance that should something happen you have that package there as a safety net.

aftercare was important to me and got great aftercare package however i did go with a surgeon, who is great, and BAAPS BAPRAS registered and im having probs

I think thats about right betterthantoast. Its so important your happy with your surgeon and feel like he knows how to get the results you want, however like tink said, there can always be complications so aftercare should be of high importance also. You could one of the best surgeons there are and still need a re-op because we all are different and react differently :) xx