Lesley, 47, decided to have breast augmentation surgery in 2011. After a rushed initial consultation and lack of cooling-off period, she was booked in for surgery just two days later. The quick turnaround proved problematic. Here she discusses the importance of not rushing into choosing cosmetic surgery.
It was a big decision for me to have breast augmentation surgery, and I was nervous about my surgeon understanding that I didn’t want a radical change. Unfortunately, I didn’t do a great deal of research ahead of surgery and wasn’t clear on the amount of support and advice that was available to me.
My initial consultation was very rushed and just two days later I underwent surgery. I knew immediately that my breasts felt enormous – I felt like they had spread to under my armpits! However, I thought I would wait a few months for them to settle down.
Three months later, I went back to my surgeon and asked for his advice; I still wasn’t happy with the size of the implants and they felt bizarre. He simply shrugged. It was then that I realised I should seek a much more professional surgeon.
My experience with my second surgeon was totally different – and in fact he recognised almost instantly that I had been given the wrong implants. After my first consultation with him he insisted on me taking a fortnight to consider the different options open to me. I was delighted after the surgery and have since had three follow-up consultations. I’ll go back again in another year to check in with him.
I wish I’d realised the quality of care I could have received. There was barely a difference in price but my first experience was full of stress and uncertainty. It meant a lot to me to have a surgeon who would listen to me and take into account exactly what I was looking for. I also really appreciated having the breathing space between the initial consultation and surgery to consider what it was that I really wanted to get out of the procedure.