It’s The Day of Maria’s Surgery

This is the second blog from Maria Redmond ahead of her breast reduction surgery at The Avoca Clinic.

Previously Maria spoke to us about her excitement ahead of the operation and her reasons for undertaking this big step. Having suffered from years of back pain, anxiety and unwanted attention, Maria is ready to undergo a breast reduction and begin a new and exciting chapter in her life.

Video Summary

In this video diary, we catch up with her on the day of her surgery. Having fasted overnight and removed all make-up and nail varnish, Maria has completed all of the routine pre-surgery steps and is hours away from her visit to The Avoca Clinic.

Although Maria has no reservations ahead of the breast reduction, she voices concerns about how mobile she will be post-op.  After she’s been discharged from The Avoca Clinic, she’ll be staying with her parents for a night, so will have lots of help at hand.

However, Maria is still worried that she won’t be able to lift her arms above her chest after the surgery. To ease her concerns, she has moved things around in her apartment so they’re easily reachable when she returns home. She hopes to be as comfortable as possible whilst in recovery.

With the minutes ticking by, she’s still looking forward to the surgery and can’t wait to see the results. If you’re interested in following Maria’s journey, make sure to watch her day after surgery video diary.

Want to learn more about breast reduction at The Avoca Clinic?

To learn more about our breast reduction service, simply fill out our online contact form. You can also get in touch with us by phone at 01 201 4563 or email info@avocaclinic.ie.

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The post Maria Redmond: The Day of Her Breast Reduction Surgery appeared first on Avoca Clinic.

It’s the morning after Maria’s breast reduction surgery at The Avoca Clinic and she’s been up bright and early and is ready to update us on her recovery so far.

In her previous blogs, Maria mentioned that she was worried about how immobile she would be after surgery. Thankfully her concerns were laid to rest as she explains in her third video diary.

The Morning After Maria’s Breast Reduction

Video Summary

So far Maria has been recuperating nicely in her room, drinking lots of water and enjoying her breakfast. She’s even been for a walk along the clinic’s corridors and, as she says herself, is full of smiles and in absolutely no pain.

Wearing a neatly-fitted sports bra, which is in her desired cup size, Maria praises the clinic’s staff for their extraordinary care and attention. After surgery, Maria is hooked up to two drips that are used to drain excess fluid and blood. She’ll bring these drips home with her, but will have them removed at the clinic in a couple of days.

Detailing her recovery period, Maria explains that after she has the drips removed she won’t visit The Avoca Clinic again for another two weeks. At this later appointment she’ll have her stitches removed and will be firmly on the road to complete recovery.

As she ends her video diary, Maria explains that there was no need for her pre-surgery fears of pain, as everything went perfectly with no complications. In a couple of weeks, Maria will have her stitches removed and will finally have the chance to see her new breasts.

Want to learn more about breast reduction at The Avoca Clinic?

To learn more about our breast reduction service, simply fill out our online contact form. You can also get in touch with us by phone at 01 201 4563 or email info@avocaclinic.ie.

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The post Maria Redmond: The Morning After Her Breast Reduction appeared first on Avoca Clinic.

It’s four days since Maria Redmond’s breast reduction surgery, and she’s feeling well enough to get dressed up and meet with her friends. The last time Maria caught up with us was the morning after her surgery, where she was recovering nicely from her procedure at The Avoca Clinic.

In her fourth video diary, Maria brings us up to speed with her recuperation and details the next steps in her recovery.

Maria Redmond: Day 4 After Her Operation

Video Summary

Increased Mobility

Looking fresh and full of energy, Maria explains that she had her drains removed three days after the surgery, which is a great relief to her. Although the drains caused no pain, they were awkward to carry around and hindered her mobility as they were not very discreet. The new-found freedom has enabled Maria to be more independent and she’s very excited to catch up with friends.

Pain?

Describing her post-surgery pain, Maria says that on a scale of one to 10, she’s only between one or two. The only slight discomfort she feels is when she’s getting dressed or doing her hair. She jokes, that it took her a long time to put her hair into a ponytail, but she got there eventually.

Pleased with the Results

Maria is still wearing her surgical support bra, but is really happy with how her profile is looking. She can’t stop checking herself in the mirror and is amazed at how different she looks now. Maria adds that a weight has been lifted off her shoulders and she’s delighted not to be carrying that extra burden anymore.

The Road to Recovery

Since having the drains removed, Maria has been able to do some light exercise and recently took a short 20-minute walk. The exercise is of huge benefit to her recovery process and helps alleviate her shortness of breath. After breast surgery, a slight feeling of tightness across the chest is normal and is all part of the recovery process.

Maria has also been enjoying a full night’s sleep and is making sure there’s lots of extra padding in bed. She continues to sleep on her back, as it’s still far too sensitive to sleep on her side or front. Her next visit to The Avoca Clinic is in a week and a half, where her stitches will be checked.

While she can’t lift her hands above her chest, Maria is still very mobile and has had a very independent recovery.

Help is Always at Hand

She’s very thankful to her family, friends and housemates who’ve all helped her since the surgery. Maria adds that it’s a great comfort to know that The Avoca Clinic is always available to answer any questions she may have.

Next Steps

In her next video blog, Maria will be back at The Avoca Clinic to get her stitches removed.

Want to learn more about breast reduction at The Avoca Clinic?

To learn more about our breast reduction service, simply fill out our online contact form. You can also get in touch with us by phone at 01 201 4563 or email info@avocaclinic.ie.

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The post Maria Redmond: 4 Days Since Breast Reduction appeared first on Avoca Clinic.

It’s been one week since Maria’s breast reduction surgery and she’s been recovering at home. This week, she is off all of her medication, but is still feeling great and is looking forward to having her stitches removed.

In her fifth video diary for The Avoca Clinic, Maria brings us up to date on her recuperation and lets us know what beauty products have been her ‘little saviours’, throughout the recovery.

One Week Post Breast Reduction Surgery

Video Summary

Despite feeling fine, Maria is glad she took the recommended time off work, as she finds herself getting tired very quickly. While she may be physically able to work, she knows she wouldn’t have been able to focus properly.

Must-Have Beauty Products

There’s no doubt that Maria’s family and friends have been a huge help during her recovery. Her housemates have even washed her hair, but there have been a couple of ‘little saviours’, that have ensured Maria always felt refreshed after surgery – namely dry shampoo and baby wipes.

Because Maria still has her stitches in, she can’t have a full-body shower and is relying on other means to keep freshened up. She jokes that she’s really looking forward to having her post-surgery shower.

Even though Maria is off all her medication she sometimes takes a couple of paracetamol before going to bed, which aid her night’s sleep. It’s when she’s in bed that Maria feels a bit tender and sore but apart from that everything is going as normal. She’s still drinking lots of water to help keep her body hydrated and support her recovery.

Energy Levels

Maria is very complimentary towards her support bra, it’s so comfortable she says, you don’t even know you’re wearing it. The extra support has allowed her to be more mobile, as she’s been able to go for little walks and meet her friends.

Unfortunately, this has resulted in Maria having reduced-energy levels. She thinks she may have overdone it a little bit and adds that you’re not as strong as you think you are after surgery.

Apart from moments of low-energy, Maria is still very happy with the results and is enjoying watching her breasts recover. In a few days, she’ll visit The Avoca Clinic for her two-week check-up and have her stitches removed.

Want to learn more about breast reduction at The Avoca Clinic?

To learn more about our breast reduction service, simply fill out our online contact form. You can also get in touch with us by phone at 01 201 4563 or email info@avocaclinic.ie.

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The post Maria Redmond: One Week Post Surgery appeared first on Avoca Clinic.

In Maria’s sixth video blog, she catches up with us after her two-week check-up at The Avoca Clinic.

Previously, Maria had spoken about her post-surgery beauty routine and her low energy levels, but today she’s feeling full of energy as she meets the aftercare team.

Two Week Check-Up

Video Summary

Maria has just had her two-week check-up, where the team at The Avoca Clinic cleaned up the surgical area and made sure all of her stitches had dissolved. To her delight, she’s also finally allowed to have full body showers again.

Aftercare

Maria was also advised on breast after-care and was told to massage the breast area to help increase blood flow, as well as aid the recovery of nerve endings.

She says she has noticed the benefits of following the doctor’s advice and can feel the odd tweak in her breasts as the muscles return to functionality.

Recovery

Maria mentions that she would feel a bit vulnerable without the comfort blanket of her support bra, or as she’s christened it ‘my SWAT vest’. Even though she’s getting stronger every day, the support bra is a great asset in her recovery.

She has to wear the bra for another four weeks but she can imagine that the longer she wears it, the better. As a testament to her speedy recuperation, she says that she woke up this morning on her side, which is great news because as she said in an earlier video, you’d have woken yourself up in pain previously.

So far everything is going great and the only discomfort Maria feels is when she makes a sudden movement. Maria’s next visit to the Avoca Clinic won’t be for another week and a half, where she’ll be signed off by her surgeon.

Want to learn more about breast reduction at The Avoca Clinic?

To learn more about our breast reduction service, simply fill out our online contact form. You can also get in touch with us by phone at 01 201 4563 or email info@avocaclinic.ie.

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The post Maria Redmond: Two Week Check Up appeared first on Avoca Clinic.

It’s been one month since Maria’s breast reduction surgery, and she’s just out of her check-up with her surgeon and the nurses at The Avoca Clinic.

Thankfully her recovery is going smoothly and she answers your most frequently asked question and tells us all about her newfound body confidence and recovery to date.

One Month Post Breast Reduction

Video Summary

Following her latest consultation, the doctors and staff are happy to see how Maria’s breasts are healing and are letting her continue to recover at home. Since her surgery, Maria has been following her aftercare procedures diligently to ensure her breasts recovery properly.

Aftercare Treatments

One of the most beneficial post-surgery treatments is a massage of the breast area. Maria has been doing this for two to five minutes every day and has noticed a massive difference in her breasts’ sensitivity and the appearances of her scars. Maria advices massaging your breasts after the shower as the skin is a little bit softer.

Maria adds that her breasts look completely different from what they used to, but they are beginning to heal a lot more since she’s started massaging them. She must continue to wear the compression bra for several more weeks, but Maria has grown surprisingly attached to it.

Finding the Right Bra

Out of curiosity, Maria tried on a non-underwired lace bra, which is something she never would have been able to wear before. She says she was really excited to wear a bra like that, and while it wasn’t uncomfortable, it did feel a little bit weird to wear one as she wasn’t used to it.

Maria also tried on an underwired-bra which was uncomfortable against her scars. The clinic did advise her not to wear an underwired bra just yet, but she was curious. She doesn’t even think she’ll be able to wear that style of bra in six weeks’ time.

In future, Maria thinks she won’t actually need that much underwiring as her breasts are now much higher and won’t need to be lifted as much. She says that it’s a really positive thing for her and it really puts a smile on her face because she’s so used to wearing bras with tight straps and thick underwire.

Newfound Body Confidence

Since the surgery, a major metaphorical and physical weight has been lifted from Maria’s shoulders and she’s been enjoying her newfound lightness to the full. The surgery has made a really positive difference to her body confidence and the way she carries herself.

Breastfeeding Post Breast Reduction

One of the most commonly asked questions Maria has gotten since her breast reduction surgery is, will she be able to breastfeed? She explains that she doesn’t know how to answer that question because she doesn’t have a child and she doesn’t plan on breastfeeding anytime soon.

She adds that of course not being able to breastfeed is a risk when you have breast surgery, but for her, it wasn’t a negative risk. However if you think it would be for you, then that’s something you personally need to assess beforehand.

Exercise

Over the past two weeks, her recovery has progressed far enough that she can be more active. Maria says she can’t exercise as much as she’d like because she’d put weight and pressure on her breasts. Since the surgery, she has to take exercise very slowly as her chest gets used to exertive movements again.

Maria’s next update will be in two weeks and she expects to see massive changes and progress in her recovery when she talks to us again.

Want to learn more about breast reduction at The Avoca Clinic?

To learn more about our breast reduction service, simply fill out our online contact form. You can also get in touch with us by phone at 01 201 4563 or email info@avocaclinic.ie.

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The post Maria Redmond: One Month Post Breast Reduction appeared first on Avoca Clinic.

A recent survey carried out by the Avoca Clinic in Co. Wicklow, has revealed the reasons why women opt for breast surgery and the massive impact it has on their lives thereafter.

It their responses, the women revealed:

• when and why they decided to undergo surgery
• their feelings on body confidence and self-esteem
• their struggles with partner intimacy
• the reaction of others to their decision
• post-surgery emotions and toast!

Why Do Women Decide To Have A Breast Augmentation?

A lack of body confidence and low self-esteem appear to be the critical factors for people exploring their breast surgery options. Most of the women surveyed started to become self-conscious about their breasts from quite a young age. On average, most women decided that they wanted to have breast surgery by the time they reached 18 years old.

When asked what three words they would use to describe their pre-surgery selves, “self-conscious”, “flat” and “embarrassed” were the three most common responses. Worryingly, some women also described themselves as “ugly” and “freakish” and “masculine”.

When it came to describing their pre-surgery body confidence, 54% of respondents said it was ‘fairly low’ or ‘extremely low’. Nearly 30% of respondents defined their confidence as ‘just ok’.

Body Confidence and the Strain on Relationships

The impact that a lack of body-confidence can have on a person’s well-being can’t be overstated. This includes the impact on their most important relationships. 67% of the women surveyed said that their lack of body confidence had negatively affected their personal relationships.

“Intimacy with my partner was greatly affected because I was so embarrassed to be bra-less.”

While 39% of women reported being ‘fairly unhappy’ or ‘very unhappy’ with their physical appearance when fully-dressed pre-surgery, this shot up to 68% when asked how they felt when undressed.

Confidence Post-Surgery

The survey results reveal that the turnaround in body confidence and self-esteem following breast augmentation is incredible. When asked to describe themselves using three words, the most popular responses were “confident”, “happy” and “sexy” – a stark contrast to pre-surgery answers such as “self-conscious”, “embarrassed” and “masculine”.

An amazing 92% rated their body confidence as ‘fairly high’ or ‘very high’ since having breast surgery. 80% of patients said they felt more confident in themselves and better in their clothes, and 75% report feeling sexier post-surgery.

All this new-found confidence is bound to lead to some retail therapy. Our respondents said they couldn’t wait to show-off their new shape in sexy lingerie, low-cut tops and party dresses. Others were excited to go bra-less.

Biggest Supporter

Unlike in days gone by, today’s patients are perfectly happy to share their life-changing decision with their friends and family and in-turn, benefit from their support throughout their journey.

90% of women tell friends and family (3 – 7 people) in advance of having their surgery and not a single respondent received any kind of negative reaction. 89% received ‘completely positive’ or ‘mostly positive reactions’ and 11% received an indifferent response. It seems that a decision like this is now seen as a positive step of self-empowerment or as no big deal, rather than in any negative context.

When asked, who their biggest supporters were throughout their Avoca experience, it was mothers and partners who featured the most – you can always count on your two biggest allies no matter what.

The Avoca Experience

The quality of aftercare proved to be of great importance to women undergoing these procedures.

“When I awoke from my surgery, I was still very groggy and out of sorts, my nurse said I could leave once I had tea and toast and I cried because I didn’t want toast (mortified) so she went and got a yogurt from her own lunch box and gave it to me, how sweet?!”

I Did It For Me

And finally, when asked, ‘What would be your one piece of advice for anyone thinking about having your surgery?’ the dominant theme was ‘do it for you’.

One woman responded that she underwent breast surgery, “For myself, not society, my partner or any other factors, just for me”, while another said, “Don’t do it because someone is telling you to, do it just for you”. We couldn’t agree more.

Want to find out more about the different breast surgeries available at the Avoca Clinic?

Check out our guide here or contact us on 012014563 or via the contact form on this page.

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The post Breast Surgery: Irish Women Take Charge Of Their Bodies appeared first on Avoca Clinic.

We often hear about women suffering from low-esteem because of their smaller breast size but women with larger breasts can also face the same confidence issues.

Maria Redmond recently underwent breast reduction surgery at The Avoca Clinic and has spoken about how her breasts “took over” and began to control every aspect of her life.

“I never developed breasts until I was about 17 and then they just went from nothing to massive really quickly. They took over, they took over the way I dressed and the way I carried myself. I work in a very male-dominated area so it’s something that I was always very conscious of”, said Maria.

Despite losing weight in her early twenties, Maria’s breast size never changed and her now smaller frame only accentuated her bigger bust.

“I lost weight when I was 24 and came down to my proper shape but my boobs didn’t change. They didn’t change at all. They say that if you lose weight, you’ll change breast size but mine only ever went down to a double D.

“My aunty had a breast reduction years and years ago, so large breasts and small frames are genetic in my family,” added Maria.

Covering Up

Over time, Maria’s bigger bust size started to make her feel self-conscious and she began to change the way she dressed.

Maria Redmond: Pre Breast Reduction

“I always wore very structured, loose-fitting clothes, shirts and dresses. I never wore V-necks and I definitely couldn’t go out in skimpy clothes because I felt there’d be a preconception made about me. I was always covered up.

“Even wearing a suit or work-appropriate clothes, they’re usually a little bit tighter and it just didn’t make me feel very confident. I didn’t want to be perceived in a certain light”.

Besides battling body issues, Maria also started to develop lumbar pain from all the strain and pressure placed on her back. Tired of suffering from pain and having to change the way she dressed, Maria decided to explore breast reduction surgery at The Avoca Clinic.

Surgery

“A lot of my male friends would have said I was bitch-slapping god in the face by doing it, but I said I’d go for it now, while I can enjoy them.

Maria Redmond: Pre Breast Reduction

“I met with my surgeon and the team and they were so professional. You can tell they have had so many people like me in a similar position. They were able to empathise with me which was lovely, every avenue was covered with them”.

After the surgery, a metaphorical and physical weight had been lifted from Maria’s shoulders. Her bra size had now been reduced from a 34E to a more manageable 34C.

“I remember when I first got off the table, with my nurse Caroline, and they felt so much lighter. It was like someone had taken a backpack off your chest.

“I was so happy and so shocked at how great they looked and how well they fit me. Now I feel more myself and look more myself, they fit my frame”.

Scarring

When talking about the surgery’s potential downsides, Maria mentions that for her there weren’t any, but scarring can be an issue for some people.

“The scarring will fade over time, there’s a huge difference from the initial scarring compared to now.

“People always ask about the scarring and it’s bad, but it’s nothing compared to the new breasts you have. If I was told I was going to have permanent scarring, I’d take it over not having the surgery. I love my new boobs, I show all my girlfriends”.

New-Found Confidence

Maria adds that since the surgery, she’s finally started to feel comfortable in her own body and appreciate her womanly figure.

Maria Redmond: New Found Confidence

“People have told me I’ve lost weight, but I haven’t it’s just from the breasts. The surgery has made a huge difference to my appearance, the way I dress and the way I carry myself. Everyone who knows me has commented on it in a really positive way”.

“Before the surgery, I wouldn’t have been able to see my shape. My boobs would have been quite low and gone out to my sides, so after surgery was the first time I could see my hourglass figure. It’s made me feel more feminine”.

Improved Activity

Her smaller breasts have also helped Maria become more active, as there’s “no more bouncing around”. Her golf swing has also improved and she’s looking forward to hitting the fairways this summer.

It’s been nearly four months since her surgery and Maria hopes that by sharing her story, she can encourage more women to make a change.

“I hope other people get it done as well, cause there’s an awful lot of women out there who are unhappy with their breasts. I absolutely love mine. Like if anyone asks, I tell them all about them”.

Want to find out more about the different breast surgeries available at the Avoca Clinic?

Check out our breast procedures page or contact us on 01 201 4563 or via the contact form below.

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