tissue expanders

i went for my consultation yesterday and the surgeon told me i need tissue expanders before the implants (im funded by the nhs). has eneyone else had them im just waiting for my surgery date now. but im worried as ive got a holiday booked for august

I've not had any experience of this myself, but I've heard about tissue expanders being used in reconstructive surgery, have you had breast surgery before, just wondering why you'd need them?

Hopefully someone else with experience of this will be along to help you soon x

Hi Sian.

I'm sorry hun, can't help with the expanders but just wanted to offer you my support here.

I'm sure your surgeon knows what is best for you to enable you get the best results possible from your surgery.

Good luck sweetheart and please let us know how you get on. xxx

Hi and welcome to the forum .

I don't have experience of tissure expanders specfically for breast augmentation but have seen them used for other plastic surgery cases.

Can you be a bit more specific about why the tissure expanders?

Are you having a straight forward ba or are you having a reconstruction of some sort? Or re-do of previous op where you've had problems with skin healing or necrosis of the tissue?

I've seen them used mainly for things like removal of large moles or haemangiomas, they insert a deflated balloon under the skin then gradually inflate it so that the skin stretches and grows to accomodate it then they can remove the area of tisse they want to and replace it with your own nice new healthy skin.

Hope that helps a bit.

x

im having my surgery done on the nhs. i have small tubular breasts and the surgeon said i will be having tear drop implants but he said i need tissue expanders to shape and mold my breasts otherwise if he puts the implants straight in they will look unatural odd and uneven. he said the expanders get inflated every week and when im happy with the size he will put the implant in and move my nipple up. he never told my exactly why i need the expanders but it must be that the skin on my chest is too tight.

That makes a bit more sense now, it's to increase the amount of skin in the breast area so the implants aren't restricted to the shape your breasts are now - to correct the tubular shape.

Sounds like you have a good surgeon there, good luck

x

Hi Hun,

Just to say that I have had a conversation with my surgeon regarding reconstruction (after breast cancer) and he went into detail about how they use tissue expanders so I know a little more than before about the process.

It sounds as though the process for you is going to be more complex than for most of the girls on here but I am certain that the long term outcome will be a massive improvement on where you are now. What I took away from my conversation with the surgeon is that they use them because the long term cosmetic benefit is often much better when they are doing more extensive surgery and so whilst its likely to elongate your healing and involve more faffing about for you, in the longer term your boobs will look as good as they possibly can and stay that way for longer.

It is an additional faff though and you are right to question it. If you want a second opinion you are entitled to one even if it is an NHS job.

take care hunny and be brave it will be worth it!!

xx

Katyox wrote:Hi Hun,

Just to say that I have had a conversation with my surgeon regarding reconstruction (after breast cancer) and he went into detail about how they use tissue expanders so I know a little more than before about the process.

It sounds as though the process for you is going to be more complex than for most of the girls on here but I am certain that the long term outcome will be a massive improvement on where you are now. What I took away from my conversation with the surgeon is that they use them because the long term cosmetic benefit is often much better when they are doing more extensive surgery and so whilst its likely to elongate your healing and involve more faffing about for you, in the longer term your boobs will look as good as they possibly can and stay that way for longer.

It is an additional faff though and you are right to question it. If you want a second opinion you are entitled to one even if it is an NHS job.

take care hunny and be brave it will be worth it!!

xx

thanks for your help, i just want it over with now i cant wait to get the letter and find out when im having surgery. every time the postman comes im on edge lol, but someone has told me they waited 3 1/2 months to get there appointment from going on the waiting list, ive only been on it a week lol.

I'm having the same surgery to fix the same problem on the nhs as well :)! Have you had your surgery yet? I'm having the tissue expanders put in on wednesday so I'd love to know how you got on xx

yes i had my surgery on the 22nd june. i didnt end up needing to have tissue expanders when i went down for surgery he said if he can put the implants in he would and when i woke up he said he didnt need to use tissue expanders