Today is exactly four weeks from when I had surgery, hard to believe how quickly time goes by. I thought that today would be a really great time to share a little bit about my surgeon, who my surgeon was, how I chose him, and what my experience was. I've received so many questions about that.
I have put this information in a video below as well if you prefer to watch instead or share with someone that this might help. Hopefully you will find the information useful!
The number one thing when looking for a surgeon to remove your implants is a surgeon who is going to perform En Bloc and Total Capsulectomy.
the most important thing
“The most important thing that you want to find is a surgeon who is going to perform En Bloc and Total Capsulectomy.”
This is REALLY important because there are many surgeons that either can't perform the surgery because they don't have the skillset to do it, or they just won't. The En Bloc procedure requires a different skill and is very difficult in that with En Bloc the surgeon ensures that the capsule is not cut into or broken when removing the implant.
The capsule that forms around that implant is removed intact and all the scar tissue.
WHY IS capsule staying intact IMPORTANT?
This is so important because if your implant has been leaking, if the implant has ruptured in any way, if there's other toxins (mold, bacteria, calcium) that have built up within the capsule if it's broken into, or if it's cut open in order to remove the implant, you put the patient (yourself) at risk as to having those toxins being released into your body and causing even more harm.
This makes the procedure difficult to perform and it's why I believe that your surgeon really does matter for this. I thought I would share a little bit of how I found my surgeon.
HOW I FOUND MY SURGEON
One of my lovely girlfriends who is from Canada and is now living in Costa Rica, she was over at my house one afternoon and started to share her experience of removing her implants and why she made her decision.
She introduced me to this incredible Facebook group Breast Implant Illness and Healing by Nicole. Anyone can join it. There are over 160,000 women in this group, majority of them have had implants and then went through the explant process. Many of the women share their stories, what their symptoms were, how they found their surgeon, and how their experience was. You can literally ask any question and within hours you will have many responses from women that are there to support you on your journey (thus far).
I thought this was SUPER helpful. There is a strong sense of community in this FB group, you really do not feel alone. You can literally go on there and put in any surgeons name and you will see all the feedback and stories on that surgeon. This was extremely helpful for me.
My girlfriend also shared with me the website of surgeons from all over the world who will perform the En Bloc procedure.
There is a short list from the total list of “top surgeons” in the world. This short list is of the surgeons that specialize in the En Bloc procedure.
That's what I became really interested in! I really wanted to see which surgeons were going to be available to me that I would be able to have a consultation with.
That's where I started my research.
When I went and looked at this list. I couldn't believe it!
At the start of this list there's one surgeon in Canada from Quebec. Then there's a few in the United States. And then the last one, the last of the only seven on the shortlist, was a doctor in Escazu in Costa Rica!!
I totally had a moment and I started to cry. I felt like this was an affirmation, a sign that I was heading in the right direction with all of this explant stuff.
Of all surgeons in the world, there was one here in Costa Rica.
And so that's where I started.
I would highly recommend to start with the short list, and see if you can make it happen!
I did have a consultation with another doctor in Guadalajara, Mexico. He is a top surgeon in Mexico, but he's not on the short list.
why i chose dr. urzola
“He truly believes in Breast Implant Illness.”
The main reason first and foremost is that Dr. Urzola is a surgeon that truly believes in Breast Implant Illness (BII) and he's not performing this procedure just to make more money.
Dr. Urzola has done so many interviews and videos where he is really advocating and adding credibility behind women's voices that there is something that is happening within the body here that is not being discussed.
For me this was REALLY important which is also why Dr. Urzola understands the importance of the En Bloc procedure and making sure that the capsule remains intact during the removal along with any scar tissue from the capsule, making sure nothing is left in your body.
There are many surgeons that will say you can leave the capsule in your body because it will break down. I'm not going to go into those details here, but if you go do your research, that is not the case. Often women will get closed up and the capsule causes further health complications, because of mold, bacteria, or other toxins that were contained in the capsule.
which can cause further illness. It is so important that your capsule remains intact and absolutely everything is removed.
My surgeon believes in this so much and wants women to feel confident that my entire procedure is not only photographed, but it's filmed, YES FILMED!
My entire procedure is not only photographed, but it's filmed, YES FILMED!
I receive a full copy afterwards, so when I awake from surgery and my surgeon says, “everything went well and everything was removed” that I can watch and verify for myself that what he said he in fact did. I loved that!
I thought that that was really important because I have heard some pretty horrible stories. I know of two women personally, friends of mine, where their capsules were left in and both suffered major health issues because of it.
My surgeon invented u-flap
The next biggest reason why I chose Dr. Urzola is he is the surgeon that invented U-Flap, which I'll go into more details in a moment as to what that is.
One of the main comments I've received over the last four weeks from women is “I would remove my implants, but I'm really worried about how my boobs are going to look afterwards.”
Girlfriend, I hear YOU. I understand THAT.
That is a concern for a lot of women. Again, it’s why your surgeon matters!
If you don't know how to perform the En Bloc properly, and the surgeon doesn’t have a solution to be able to do reconstructive surgery, then women are literally sent home with deflated breasts and horrific looking scars.
Some of the photos I have seen are just heartbreaking. So I understand.
But I have some good news for you. Find a surgeon who will perform En Bloc + a lift + fat transfer. In my case, I did a U-Flap. You basically have reconstructive surgery done; have your implants removed, do a lift, and then six months later you're able to have a fat transfer done (U-Flap is possible at the time of removal).
I wish I knew about this from the beginning. It’s mind boggling that this is NOT discussed with women who want to increase their breast size. I can speak for probably a lot of women who would agree with me when I say: if we were told that unwanted fat from somewhere else on our body was able to be used to give reconstructive surgery, to give us a breast size, shape or volume that we want most women would do that!
I would've gladly taken unwanted fat on my body to do reconstructive surgery!
And yet this is not being discussed often or being advertised. Wonder why?!
I don't really think big pharma would like it very much! Cuts into their profits and all the drugs afterwards from health issues that will be developed from implants.
But seriously, how many women, if they were told that there was an option for this would actually rather use fat on their body to have reconstructive surgery rather than have a foreign object go into themselves.
So it is possible. Ladies, you just need to make sure that you have the RIGHT surgeon! Again, go on that list and take a look because it is possible!
WHY CAN’T A FAT TRANSFER BE DONE AT THE TIME OF SURGERY?
Why can't a fat transfer be done at the time of your surgery? AND What's the difference between a fat transfer and U-Flap (which is what I had)?
The way that I've understood what surgeons have said to me is that because you are manipulating the tissue at the time of surgery, to do a fat transfer at the same time could cause infection and because the fat is being exposed to oxygen (because you're taking the fat from somewhere else) some fat cells will die and therefore will not hold as well in the manipulated tissue. At the time of surgery, the injected fat tends to not hold very well. So you run the risk of possibly creating an infection and the fat doesn’t hold as good as it would six months later once you're healed from surgery.
U-Flap is a completely different procedure. This is another reason why I chose my surgeon, because it allowed me to come out of surgery with a little bit of volume and not needing to wait the six months. This procedure was invented by my surgeon, Dr. Urzola. Basically when the incision is made underneath the breast, he pulls out that part of your skin and basically takes my fat from around my ribs and flips it up into the breast pocket to create volume. You can watch a digitally U-Flap procedure performed here.
During the U-Flap procedure the fat is never leaving the body or being detached from the body, but rather it is being pushed up into the breast pocket.
That's the biggest difference.
With the U-Flap procedure this meant my recovery was going to be a little more intense and that recovery time was going to be longer as well. My recovery time is a solid one month of not being able to do pretty much anything. No walking, to lifting of anything, no raising my arms, not sleeping on my side, no yoga or working out, no pushing or pulling things, literally nothing.
how was my experience with my surgeon?
My experience I've been asked many time how my experience was with my surgeon.
I have to say from day one from walking in the office and meeting Dr. Urzola has been nothing but the feeling of comfortable. I never felt rushed in the consultation. He told me to come in with all of my questions and that we would go over them. Some of my questions, I asked three times, three different ways lol and Dr. Urzola still was gracious to answer them. Dr. Urzola was also there for me emotionally preparing me for the reality of what was to come. As much as you think you can prepare this is a really big change. Emotionally Dr. Urzola understood that and so did the rest of his staff. I have access to my nurse, Cindy, 24/7. and Paula at reception is so helpful, answering endless questions helping me get organized for surgery.
Your aftercare is so important for how well you are going to recover and how strong you're going to recover.
Overall it's been a really incredible process. Same thing with my aftercare. If you are interested to come in to Costa Rica, I'm happy to share more with you directly. I stayed in Verdeza that provides 24/7 care and assistance. I had an incredible experience there.
Your aftercare is so important for how well you are going to recover and how strong you're going to recover. Depending on your procedure the time that you need to recover can vary. Prepare for your healing and recovery. What time of year could you take time off, who do you have around you that can be there to assist and help you. You really need to plan for that, especially if you don’t stay in a recovery centre for more than 1 week.
I think aftercare is a whole other post, so I'm going to save that topic for another time.
Your surgeon matters and now you know why. :)
have questions?
As always, if you have questions or comments, feel free to leave them below or send me a DM.
I love hearing from you. I will keep answering questions as they comes in.
I really believe that this is a topic that is intentionally not spoken about, and I really believe that we need to be sharing these truths. It has the ability to change a lot of women's lives!
I really believe that this is a topic that is intentionally not spoken about, and I really believe it has the ability to change a lot of women's lives!
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