According to reality star Tamra Barney, when it comes to breast implant sizing, bigger is not always better. Earlier this year, Tamra Barney from Bravo TV’s “The Real Housewives of Orange County” sought breast augmentation revision from prominent Orange County plastic surgeon Dr. Milind Ambe. Now 40, Barney had long decided the implants she’d gotten in her 20’s were too large for her body’s small frame. According to her blog on bravotv.com, the large implants made it difficult for her to find clothing and bathing suits that fit. And after multiple pregnancies, her breast’s natural support tissue had stretched, no longer supporting the heavy implants properly.
“Imagine wearing a heavy backpack all day long that was too loose. I constantly used my shoulders and back to compensate, which lead to neck and back pain.”
Ms. Barney initially just wanted the implants removed all together, but in consultation with Dr. Ambe, decided on a lift combined with smaller implants. They decided that making a shift from very large implants to no implants, combined with the amount of natural breast tissue lost over time, seemed like too drastic a change. Through careful consultation, Tamra and Dr. Ambe created a surgical plan that worked.
“I’m so thrilled with my outcome, I just wish I would have had it done sooner.” says Tamra. “I’m sure there are a lot of women out there in their 40s that have breast implants they don’t want anymore… I highly recommend removing them and replacing them with smaller implants.”
According to Dr. Ambe, careful consultation is the key, believing patients and surgeons need to listen to each other more carefully.
“I find that sometimes patients tell me exactly what they want done, thinking they know how a procedure will make them look and feel. I would much rather start by discussing their issues and goals, then evaluate the options. Many times we end up planning a procedure that’s slightly different than the one they thought they should have. That’s why these appointments are called ‘consultations’.”
