ongoing honda/porsche debate...

I found out today that insurance approved me for a panni with my "honda" surgeon.  I can "upgrade" to a tummy tuck for $1500 more.  I'm pretty sure I will do that.

Now I have to decide if I let him do a BL/BA at the same time (for probably close to half what the porsche dr. would charge).  Cheaper.  I've seen his boobs - they look fine.  He does the "anchor" cut I think (going to confirm next week at our pre-op appointment) not the "lollipop".

Anybody have any thoughts on this - is it worth the (bigtime) extra dough for not having that one scar under the breast?

Not everyone is a candidate for the lollipop incision, especially if you shed a lot of weight. Did you discuss the lollipop with your "honda" surgeon?

Not yet.  I got on Sept 3rd.  When he originally explained it to me, he explained it with a cut below the breast.  The porsche guy explained the lollipop.

Not sure they why's or how that would affect things?

That sounds like an inframammery, which is what I have.  There's no incision that goes from under the breast to the aerola.

A small incision under the breast in the crease and the incision around the aerola.  Unless people know to look for the incisions, they don't know they're there. 

The problem I have with the Honda/Porsche comparison, is that either car can be a great running car or they can turn out to be lemons. But anyway...

Try not to get hung up on the looks of the offices, well at least beyond cleanliness, because if one knows that image sells, then he/she puts money into image rather than refining technique/technology etc.

What's important is the quality of work that the surgeon does and how you connect with him/her as a patient. 

Is there a specific reason you want the lollipop versus the anchor versus any other incision type?  

Yup - I'm trying not to get too hung up on that. 

I'm not sure about those incisions at all.  Is it just a matter of two different approaches, or is one better than the other?  I am unclear on that (but it is on my list of questions for Sept 3rd!)

First of all I want to preface this by saying I am not a plastic surgeon and I've only been researching the techniques for a short time as I prepare for my own surgery. Ask both your surgeons why they choose a particular procedure and not another for you. Hopefully you saw before and after pictures that are similar in body shape to yours? Patients with massive weight loss have additional issues that are best handled by surgeons with more experience operating on bariatric patients. How many formerly obese patients has your honda and porsche surgeons performed?

My understanding is that they can't take much excess skin with the lollipop incision and there may be less control about the shaping of the breast - however it doesn't leave any tell tale obvious scars since everything is sewn back to the nipple. From the reading I've done, it appears that most massive weight loss patients are not candidates for this procedure. The anchor cut allows for more skin removal and additional procedures such as autoaugmentation from side skin  to reshape the breast which is the procedure I'll be having.

How young are you? How much weight did you shed? How do your breasts currently look? I don't know if you can do it, but stand in front of the mirror and just pull in a small amount of breast tissue towards your nipple - is that enough to reshape your breast?

BTW - when it comes to cars, I would prefer the Honda - much more reliable. Porsches are high maintenance, always in the car repair shop and the parts are crazy expensive.

Hmmmm...interesting.

My "honda" guy has a lot more experience working with bariatric patients.  My Porsche guy is known as the "boob man" but mainly does "mommy makeovers' not PS due to massive weightloss.

I wondered about that lollipop because of exactly what you said about pulling the skin.  I can't imagine that would take enough off.

I am 40 years old.  I lost a little over 140lbs.  I went from a full DD to a B cup bra.  My breasts hang, but don't have much fullness anymore.  Mostly skin - very little "boob" KWIM?  The B cup is mainly filled with my rolled up, folded up skin! ;0)

I have a friend who went to he Honda surgeon.  She lost about the same amount of weight as me - we had similar starting breasts and ending breasts.  He suggested implants to her - she didn't take them.  Her breasts look good - small, but good.  A little "deflated" in the top (which is where I'd assume an implant would have kept them filled out).  I do think he would do a reliable job.  And really - not that worried about scars - no one but my DH will ever see them.  More worried about shape, size(not too big), and having them look "natural", not like fake boobs - KWIM?

Sounds to me like the honda guy is just a basic model porsche.  Finding someone with a lot of experience with bariatric patients was extremely important to me.  We are different.

My understanding is that they can't take much excess skin with the lollipop incision and there may be less control about the shaping of the breast - however it doesn't leave any tell tale obvious scars since everything is sewn back to the nipple. From the reading I've done, it appears that most massive weight loss patients are not candidates for this procedure. The anchor cut allows for more skin removal and additional procedures such as autoaugmentation from side skin  to reshape the breast

This is exactly how it was explained to me. I needed lots of skin removed; hence, I have an anchor cut under the breast.