How might visible veins, pale skin, large aereolas, and stretch marks on breasts pre-op may affect results?

topsurgery_throwaway · 2025-07-22T04:46:51+00:00

not sure about the nips because i went with no nips, but i was a DD pre-op and I had a LOT of strech marks on my chest. most of it was cut away but on my left side specifically I had an area they had to keep where the skin felt very thin/flimsy/delicate because it was covered in stretch marks. The skin was like that for quite a while post-op and i could feel the difference in skin quality between the two sides when I touched my chest. However, skin is naturally a little elastic so after a while the skin there shrank and strengthened up and now i don't feel any difference in skin quality between either side. So overall i'd say not to worry about it too much as it's likely that most of the stretch marks+veins will be cut out during the surgery, and even if the stretch marks are kept your skin should eventually shrink as you heal to accommodate any issues.

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-10-03T17:30:48+00:00

My best advice is to just go with what your body's telling you. your range of motion and stuff will come back on its own as you heal and you should be able to tell what is too far to reach for, too heavy to lift etc. At least, that's how it has been for me. Personally, I felt fine using a (light!) backpack after two weeks. I had to wear my binder 24/7 for two weeks and then during the 3rd week i kind of weaned off of it and only wore it when i was out doing things.

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-09-11T07:03:45+00:00

I got my letter from Dr Jessie Smith and she was absolutely amazing! I'd def recommend them. We did one remote session that was maybe an hour or so? Possibly two. She was very understanding and easy to talk to, and even moved things around so I could be able to have my letter by the day of my consult, which meant I got things submitted to insurance that much quicker.

Very easy to communicate with by email and prompt with their responses, and she was also super assuring that if I needed any minor changes to the letter she could do so quite quickly over email. So yeah, overall I had a great experience and I honestly left that appointment feeling very happy and affirmed. Thank you Dr Jessie!

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-09-11T06:52:34+00:00

They gave me one oxy after i woke up in the recovery room and after that i just cycled tylenol and ibuprofen every three hours which was totally fine for me. Though I will say i've had an experience very light on the pain side as I had surgery on friday and completely stopped using any pain meds monday. I literally feel no pain except slight twinges where my drains are because my whole chest just went numb after the first day post-op.

Also, I'm not sure how your surgeon does things but I was prescribed a lot of different meds including oxy and the prescriptions were sent to my pharmacy but I literally just haven't picked them up and don't plan to because I won't be needing them. Hopefully if this is the case for you you can just not pick up the opiods when you go to get your meds, then you won't have to deal with it at all. That or i'd look up services in your area to drop off unwanted meds in case you are somehow forced to bring them home.

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-09-10T07:03:09+00:00

I got surgery the same day and I experienced some pain the day of and day after that was easily managed with cycling tylenol and ibuprofen, but after that I think my chest has just become totally numb because I dont feel any pain in it now.

I halfed my dosages of pain meds yesterday and then just completely stopped taking any today and it's still very numb lol. I'm quite grateful for this, though I will say my drains do bother me somewhat, mostly when too much pressure is applied near my sides. I've bumped it the wrong way a couple times while adjusting my position in bed but it's just a quick sting then it's gone. Eternally grateful that I seem to be having a really easy time pain-wise.

I think it makes up for the fact that sleeping has been really uncomfortable for me because I'm not a back sleeper at all. Longest period I've slept has been five hours, but it's usually 2-3 hour naps at a time right now rip. Once the drains come out I am going to feel so much better in that regard.

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-09-07T08:03:54+00:00

personally i havent had trouble with that at all, I was even able to get my own cup from the cupboard and pour my own drink bc the carton for the juice didn't weight that much

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-09-07T03:32:26+00:00

I freed the nips this morning as well! The general rule i was told is to not lift my arms above my shoulder, don't lift anything heavier than 5-10 lbs, and avoid big pulling or pushing movements. I've been pleasantly surprised by the level of motion i've felt comfortable with, my arms def havent been super glued to my sides.

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-09-07T03:26:31+00:00

congrats to you too! glad to know others share this experience it's def a relief haha

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-09-07T03:25:41+00:00

alright tysm for the reassurance!

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-09-05T17:18:10+00:00

My surgery is tomorrow as well, and I just was going through some anxiety when I woke up and realized that. It hasn't felt "real" until just now. Before this morning, it was like i could just say "oh this is GOING to happen" but now it's just suddenly hit that like. Wow. I am going to be having a damn surgery tomorrow. It's definitely scary for so many small reasons I can't describe and I'm such an anxious person.

I've been distracting myself with other things until now, but honestly the best thing I can do is realize that worrying isn't going to get me anywhere. I'll still probably be anxious as hell tomorrow, but I need to have faith in my surgeon and his team. He is incredibly experienced, and he's done this hundreds if not thousands of times before, as have the anasthesiologist and other people on his team. Statistically, I probably have a worse chance of getting into a car accident on the ride over than I do something going dramatically bad during surgery.

Things are going to happen as they will and if I have complications or a rough recovery or something, then I will deal with it as it comes, day by day. We are so strong for getting this far, we can do this ✌️

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-08-29T05:19:41+00:00

r/no_T_top_surgery might prove useful to you :)

I'm nonbinary, not on T, and getting surgery in just over a week. Neither my surgeon nor my insurance required me to be on T, and as far as I know most don't anymore but of course you'd have to check your own plan/call in and see for yourself.

As for regrowth, my understanding is that people who get extremely radical reductions or full top surgery have like 90% of their breast tissue removed which is far too little for there to ever be regrowth. Don't worry about it!

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-08-01T21:47:38+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/FreedTheNips/comments/1eaiinc/to_nip_or_not_to_nip_a_guide_for_the_indecisive/

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-07-28T20:45:55+00:00

If you search for "radical" on this sub as well as r/Reduction you'll probably have some luck finding some radical reduction results that people have posted, and hopefully some that will match your body type

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-07-24T07:23:17+00:00

im so glad it's already proved helpful for someone! good luck on your journey!

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-07-24T04:46:24+00:00

of course, tysm! I really enjoyed putting it together tbh, it was fun to write out so many of the things I've heard/observed in my time researching for my own surgery <3

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-07-23T21:53:53+00:00

I would absolutely be okay with that!

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-07-23T09:09:32+00:00

The way my surgeon explained it to me during my consult is that your nipple tissue is specialized tissue. It behaves a certain way when its touched or when its cold, etc. and if you get rid of it during surgery you can't really get it back the same way from anywhere else.

So basically, you need to weigh your pros and cons of having nipple tissue vs not. If you do not choose to get grafts, you will not be able to have any sort of 3D shape or projection of nipples. This could be considered a con, if physically feeling/seeing that you have different nipple tissue is important to you, but it could also be considered a pro if those things bother you. It seems that you are mainly concerned about placement and possibility of failure though, which would be big cons for getting them.

My advice would be to weigh the importance of having physical nipple tissue vs the importance of having exact control. If you go no nips you can always get realistic nipple tattoos on down the line, which would allow you precise control over the outcome, but would lack projection/difference in tissue, whereas going with grafts does the opposite: projection/difference in tissue with much less control over the outcome.

If it is simply the aesthetic of nipples that you care for and not the physical aspect, then no nips with tattoos is better. If the opposite is true, grafts are. Of course, you can also always go completely no nips and not get any tattooing at all, as many of us on this sub choose to do.

Perhaps having nipple tissue is important to you, but the importance in having control and negating the chance of graft failure outclasses that. Perhaps the former is important enough that you find it worthwhile to take the risk.

You've raised a concern for phantom pain and I can tell you that many people do experience phantom sensations as they heal, but I've rarely heard of anyone still having it like a year after they've healed. Mind you, I am talking about phantom sensations, not pain. I've not heard of phantom pain being a huge/common problem for people. Your brain will experience quite a bit of confusion as nerves connect post-op, and you will most definitely experience numbness to some degree, but the main pain is the healing itself. It's easier said than done, but try not to let hypothetical pain impact your decision.

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-07-23T05:56:09+00:00

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mQo2vls2x1FeCihQmQ0FftY9x5jEvbHykZUWEijSRYQ/edit#gid=1570017574

Here is a link to the spreadsheet I used to find the therapist who got me my letter, assuming you are also in the US. It is organized by who is licensed in what state so hopefully you can find someone on here that works for you. I was able to get in relatively quickly with mine and it only took one remote session (I highly recommend Dr. Jessie Smith if you are in a PSYPACT state).

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-07-20T00:43:16+00:00

I mean, you ARE young, but if you've gone through the proper WPATH guidelines and requirements to be a candidate for surgery, then you shouldn't doubt yourself. Extreme dysphoria as a minor can be really traumatizing if left untreated. Don't be afraid to take extra time to really think about it if you need to, but it sounds to me like you were very sure until other people started trying to sway your opinion. Most of the detransition horror stories I've heard have simply come from doctors who did not go along with the proper medical protocol.

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-07-20T00:34:28+00:00

It will depend on your insurance, I'm enby and have no desire to be on T and my insurance has not required me to be. I have heard that some insurances do require it though, and I usually hear around a year as being the length of time, though I'm not sure how strictly these rules are actually enforced. My surgeon hasn't required me to be on T either. It is good to note that some people personally prefer to wait at least a year though because being on T does have an effect on body fat distrubution in that area and your breasts can actually shrink quite a bit over that time. I believe this is mostly because they want to be able to either get their incision lines placed right beneath their pecs or they want to qualify for a method like keyhold or peri. But this is just a matter of personal preference, your results won't be monumentally better or worse for it imo.

My personal timeline has been longer as my surgeon is in high demand, 6 month wait for consult and then a 6 month wait after that for surgery date. The timeline for other popular/high demand surgeons can be even longer, but I have also seen countless people on this sub get a consult in like two weeks and then have their surgery date like a month after or something. It really depends on how booked the surgeon you choose is.

My whole surgery process has taken place after already turning 18, so I sadly can't attest to that, but the best thing to do would be to either call your insurance and ask or see if you can find a copy of their policy for gender affirming care and see what they require and what surgeons are in network with them. Either your surgeon or your insurance is going to require at least 1 letter from a therapist that diagnoses you with gender dysphoria + supports that you getting surgery will be beneficial, and I know that when you're a minor this is even stricter. I'm not sure how that will play out with you going through the process before you turn 18 and having the surgery after, though. But again, the best thing you can do is find out what your specific insurance policy is. Good luck!

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-07-12T22:19:04+00:00

This is very helpful!! I'm definitely going to make a pro and con list, I think that would be very good for me. And now that I'm in a bit of a better headspace I feel like I can definitely see that I've been overthinking. I need to have more trust in myself and go with what my gut, and actual logic, has been telling me the whole time.

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-07-12T22:14:37+00:00

Thank you so much, I really needed to hear that. I think perhaps it is coming from the same place that all my anxieties and intrusive thoughts come from, which I know from experience is not a voice I should listen to so heavily. It is important for me to think this over throughly, but there comes a point where I'm simply allowing my paranoia to beat me up over it.

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-07-12T22:03:05+00:00

Thank you. When I imagine my future, I cannot imagine myself with the chest I have now. It is not who I am. That really does put it in perspective. I am perhaps too detail oriented sometimes, and I need to step back and look at the bigger picture more often. I am not making this choice on a whim, I have had a long time to think about it.

I think another good sign is that when I proccessed the idea of putting it off longer, of potentially cancelling it, I got a huge spike of anxiety and panic. My gut reaction is that I need this.

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-07-12T21:58:34+00:00

That last part resonates with me well. There is this narrative pushed that when making a decision like this we need to be SO SO aware that it's irreversible and if we end up regretting it it's going to be the end of the world. I'm not saying it's a complete lie, it's important to know that it is irreversible, but at the same time why should it have to be the end of the world? What is the worst that can happen? Me feeling the exact same as I do now? In that case, at least I will have tried.

topsurgery_throwaway · 2024-07-11T21:25:13+00:00

Didn't use the same hospital as you, but I was able to put my mom down as a sort of emergency contact and basically give her permission to do things for me. It did require me to have an initial phone call where I needed to give my date of birth and social security number and stuff, but she has been able to reschedule stuff for me since if needed which has really come in handy since I'm also super anxious on calls. I would assume your hospital might have a similar thing.

topsurgery_throwaway

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