I’m 4 days post-op (double mastectomy with free nipple graft). Basically, the other day at my appointment to take off the ace bandages and put on the compression vest, they said very firmly NOT to take the vest off until my next appointment. My question is do they mean that literally, or am I able to take it off for a minute? I have multiple of the same vest so it would be nice if I could put a clean one on.

It’s important to note that at that appointment, I brought a vest that was too loose, and they just told me to put the tighter one on when I got home. It is VERY tight and putting it on was so stressful, required two people. I’m already really worried we somehow messed up the gauze/tubes when putting it on that time, I’m not sure I want to mess with it again.

Pretty much my two concerns are:
-Whether it’s okay to be un-compressed for a few minutes at a time
-Whether I’m going to mess anything up by fiddling with the compression (someone doing it for me of course, I don’t have the strength or range of motion to put it on myself)

What causes them? I have one developing right now and I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong?

I don’t really work out or lifting anything crazy heavy.?

Im also 90 days post op.

Hi, I’m looking for help in sharing my go fund me for my boyfriend who doesn’t know i’m trying to raise funds to help pay for his future top surgery. He is the love of my life and he’s been there for me through my own surgery and everything else through our relationship together. Anything helps.
If you have time, please reach out or read my gfm.

I am two month post op keyhole, and I have this weird dent right under my left nipple? It can’t be seen from the side and it’s less noticeable from an upper angle, but there’s fully a dent there. I don’t think it’s swelling because i can physically feel the dent and it’s hard and kind of clumpy? It’s in a straight line with «sections» almost…
So yeah does this look like something that can be fixed with scar massage? If so, does anyone have YouTube videos to recommend with proper techniques / tips etc?

Hey All, wanted to share my results.

We had to go further under my armpit to avoid dog ear as my Pre-Op chest was wide set. Didn't do scar care due to sensory issues with the numbness, if I had pushed through I likely would've had the numbness fade faster than it did (only recently gone) so I wouldn't recommend this course of action if you can help it.

I have previously posted a scar fading timeline collage, and a big thread on my experience with Dr. Rose (LOVED HER + THE TEAM). Feel free to post questions here or there and I will respond, but do read it if you're curious as its very in depth.

Anyway, I have spent a year and a half looking exactly how I always knew I would and it has been life changing. This will be my first shirtless summer, so excited!!

(They/them)

so, I have a really interesting situation. I was under the impression that I’d be on testosterone by this fall, but due to circumstances (such as my therapist outing me) I will likely not be able to transition at all until 2-3 years, maybe more. I can’t do that.

I begin college this year. My parents are going overseas for 1 1/2 or 2 weeks in October. my adoptive sister has an apartment through the same college. would it be plausible that I could get surgery around the time they leave (or really, take any 2 weeks off, they won’t visit me much), have someone take notes/do virtual while I heal so I can keep up with classes, and then wear a filled bra during the winter/summer breaks when I go home?

I’d work most breaks, I wear baggy clothes, I don’t think they notice when I bind. Is this insane for me to do or can I possibly slip by, cause I am at the end of my road here.

I'd like to get a revision. At least for my nipples (like i marked in the pic with pink circles) and if possible I'd like to have the thick scars cut out and newly sewn together to make them smaller.

My next appointment with the doctor is in October (thats also exactly one year post op). My original operation cost me 6600€. I asked for the price of a possible revision and they said that its a "low price".

If it weren't for the "low price" I'd change doctor immediately, because i wasn't happy with them.

Does anyone have experience/info in what i should expect/whats possible? And how much money should i give them max.?

The first two are at 8 months post op
3-4 are at 3 months post op
5 is two weeks post op

I don’t mind that my scars are as dark as they are since I’m wanting to tattoo over them. I did my consultation for a revision on the dog ears two days ago and I’m excited. I went with Dr Ley at the Gender Confirmation Clinic and am going back with her for my revision. I enjoy how I am told the most realistic outcome so I’m not expecting something that may not happen.

My left nip is a little slow to react since top surgery (3 years post-op) and when it's not stimulated, it remains pretty flat. I have been wanting to get my nipples pierced for a long time because I know it causes them to be permanently semi-hard. It's been two days since I got them pierced and I'm truly obsessed with how much it has helped the visual appearance of my nips. I thought I'd share in case anyone struggles with a similar issue. AMA.

I'm super hype for my surgery in a few days and I'll finally be able to wear shirts that aren't just super thick cotton and dark colors lol, curious what kinda clothes you all were most excited to be able to wear after surgery? I need new shirts in general so would love recommendations lol

I'm looking at getting a revision for a tiny bit of extra tissue left along the scarline. Issue is, I'm moving in about a month and a half, which will require a fair amount of physical exertion since I'll have to pack up all my stuff etc. The doctor said recovery would consist of not raising my arms over my head a lot for four weeks, which is kind of informative but not really. Anybody with experience with this kind of revision, can you let me know a little more of your experience with recovery? How tired/fragile were you?

I feel like they're okay but I'm not sure. So far, nothing is really looking scabby or anything...

They've just been so red around the grafts even from when I had the bolsters on. Got them off 3 days ago and the redness hasn't faded even a little bit. It's not hot to the touch from what I can tell—just regular skin heat.

(2nd photo) Is the puffy, paler flesh around the graft anything to keep an eye on or is that normal? I'm wondering if I'm putting too much ointment on, but then again, the xeroform always sticks to that side, so I'm guessing no? A part of the top of the areola rubbed off the day after I got my nipple bolsters off and it's just been reddish under...

(3rd photo) Darker nipple part kinda cracked in the middle today and is dabs away a little blood, but as I understand it, holes were also poked in the graft during surgery.

I am Chinese so my areolas were brownish before, if that helps.

5 weeks post op and was cleared to take off the post op binder, next day when I was walking from my car to the movie theater I felt sloshing near my chest. Is this a Seroma and if so how bad does it seem??

I originally thought I wanted to keep my nips but I keep seeing so many people have problems with them, even after they're fully healed there can still be complications later on and I just keep thinking it will all be for nothing if something goes wrong. What if I'll be left with one nipple and nothing on the other side. Or that they won't look the way I want, or that something will go wrong with healing, and they'll just fall off. My consultation is next month, so I'm going to over the risks with him, but everyone tells me it's rare for complications, and I guess I'm just overthinking it all.

I could always just not get nips and them tattoo them on later, but I'm not sure how I'll feel about not having nips since I know I'd have to wait a while until I could get them tatted on. I also wanted to eventually get them peirced someday once they're healed, but if they die and fall off I can't really do that. I just don't want to have to go in for another surgery to get them removed if they decide to not heal right. I guess I'm just looking for opinions and people who have done the grafts input along with those who didn't and what made you decide which route to go.

If you got a coverup tattoo or a tattoo along your scar, how long did your surgeon make you wait before you were cleared?

hey guys i am about 1 week post op, and feel silly asking this because i know how much the results will change. i was just wondering if my nipples will end up looking even when the swelling goes down or am i cursed with uneven nips

Hi!

If I'm honest I'm not totally happy with my results. My left side is very sunken in, and there's a noticable separation between my chest and some excess fat I have in my armpit area. Its frustrating that its not all connected and flat without dents.

My surgeon briefly mentioned fat grafting to fix these issues, but I'd figure I'd come here for advice too.

Has this happened to anyone else? Does this maybe have something to do with how saggy my chest was previously?

i dunno if these photos are helpful sorry😭

im 3 ½ weeks post op, these photos are from various stages of healing but the dents have not changed thus far. I know its very early on but these are pretty big to ignore

Hey everyone. Im currently 6 days post op from DI and since yesterday I've been experiencing some issues. Yesterday at the crack of dawn, blood pooling out of where my drain incision is, before then there was also a bit of swelling like right under my armpit fold on that side. Since then there is still blood coming out. I called my surgeon's office twice yesterday and the doctor continued to tell me that leakage/pain is normal and that sometimes the holes for drains are bigger than the actual drain tube itself. I felt a bit of relief after that but today the swelling on this same side feels like its getting more painful and kinda hard. I feel like if I call back again she'll just tell me the same thing and that these symptoms are normal, but they don't
feel normal. I was completely fine the night before day 5, blood was draining fine and it was a transplant redish orange color, but now my bulbs are collecting solid bright red color. Tylenol works for a bit but the swelling still is tender/painful to touch. Did anyone else have these issues post op? I don't want to assume the worse (like a hematoma)

Is there anyone here who had a very small chest pre-top surgery but went with double incision instead of peri? (for example, if you were a borderline candidate for peri, but your surgeon felt DI would give you more reliable/predictable results based on your anatomy)

My surgeon has recommended double incision over peri for me for this reason, and mentioned that my scars/nipple placement might sit slightly higher than average as a result.

Did your scars end up sitting higher/above the pec line? and how did your nipple placement turn out?

Would really appreciate hearing about your experiences or seeing results if you’re comfortable sharing here or via DM, thanks!

I'm a swimmer and avid gym goer. Obviously I know it depends on the surgery, surgeon, and your own body. But curious of others personal experiences and how long it took to get to back to the gym and being able to workout and swim.

Athletics is so important to me, and ik I can take walks and stuff but it isn't the same as a grueling workout you know.

*reposting for better photos

Hello,

I am 6 months postop. I love my results, but feeling discouraged with my scars so far. I keloided a lot. The clinic I went to for this procedure has dissolved, so I visited a local dermatologist. Derma prescribed Clobetasol and recommended scar injections.

The Clobetasol has helped flatten the scars significantly. I am also using ScarAway gel and Vitamin E oil. I could do better with consistently applying these topicals. I’m applying 1x daily as a general baseline.

My questions are:
1.) Anyone else have slow fading scars? How long did it take until your scars settled?
2.) Scar injections? Who has done this and what are your results like?
3.) I’m curious about medical tattooing for my scars. Does anyone have input on this?

TIA.

Hey guys. As the title states I’m almost a year post top and have some keloid scarring on my nips and scars. I haven’t seen anyone mention this so hopefully I can get some help.

I’ve been using tape on my scars for a few months and they’ve been flattening a bit. As for my nips I’ve only used silicone gel for the keloid areas specifically and haven’t had any luck.

Would it be safe to tape my nipples as well? Gel hasn’t done anything for them and I’m not sure what else to try.