Should I or shouldn’t I?
Many of us have thought about plastic surgery at some point or another – whether jokingly or seriously. For these three women, it was something they decided to pursue – they spoke to us about their unique experiences:
NOSE JOB
Julia Matthews, 31
Why did you decide to have the operation? I was 29 when I had joint rhinoplasty, turbinoplasty and septoplasty in Sydney. The more I looked at images of myself, the more I noticed my nose was a bit wonky, which bugged me. It wasn’t until I had a consultation with my surgeon, who told me my nose was wonky due to my enlarged turbinate, that I realised why I found it difficult to breathe through one of my nostrils. He advised me to have surgery to fix the problem and make cosmetic changes at the same time. Later he said my nose was one of the hardest he’d ever had to work on in his 30 years of surgery!
How much did it cost? $16,600.
What was the recovery like? A lot better than expected. Just like anything in life, it’s a good idea to be prepared and do your research before making such a big decision. So I did a lot of research pre-surgery — realself.com is amazing — to find out about pain, recovery time and whether I’d have bruising, and just about everyone had something different to say.I thought the surgery would leave me in a lot of pain, but it didn’t. I only took pain meds the night I stayed in hospital, and the next day I didn’t take anything, except for antibiotics. It was more uncomfortable than anything, having splints up my nostrils for a week and a splint on the bridge of my nose, sleeping upright and doing nasal rinsing, but that’s all part of it.
Are you happy with the decision in hindsight? Yes and no. I’m having a consult with a surgeon early next year as I’d like to have revision rhinoplasty. My cartilage has shifted, which I knew was a risk, so I’d like to get it fixed.
BREAST REDUCTION
Alice Morgan, 28
Why did you decide to have the operation? I’d always been unhappy with how big my boobs were, so having a breast reduction had crossed my mind, but I felt like surgery was out of my reach — something celebrities did. Cut to one hot summer when I was 25, when a construction worker made a rude comment as I was crossing the street. I went home to my mum, upset, and she said, “Well, how about you get a breast reduction?”
How much did it cost? Costs vary depending on who you go to. My surgery was about $13,000, but it can be much more expensive, so shop around to make sure you find the right surgeon for your budget.
What was the recovery like? Hard. I was under for about three-and-a-half hours and stayed in the hospital overnight. The doctor had told me how long the recovery was going to be, but because everyone is different, you can’t be 100% sure. I ended up taking the recommended 10 days off work but could have done with more. I did the after-care maintenance for about four months after the surgery to make sure
I had minimal scaring.
Are you happy with the decision in hindsight? I have absolutely no regrets. I went from an F cup down to a D, and even though I have gained some weight back in my boobs, I can still walk around without wearing a bra, and no longer get back pain or marks on my shoulder from my bra straps. The surgery really did change my life for the better.
BREAST IMPLANTS
Samantha Roebeck, 28
Why did you decide to have the operation? I’ve wanted to get my breasts done since high school. I’d always been small-chested and told myself it was something I could do after I had children. I had surgery on my 28th birthday; I’m now five weeks post-surgery.
Where did you have it done? In Phuket, Thailand. I chose to go through an agency in New Zealand called Gorgeous Getaways, which I’d discovered on TV when they had their own series called Beauty and the Beach, on which Kiwi and Australian women were shown getting plastic surgery overseas. Watching the TVshow gave me the confidence to have surgery in another country, but I did do A LOT of research prior to making my decision.
How much did it cost? $4,800.
What was the recovery like? I was never worried about the recovery. I was like, “If I can push out three kids with no drugs, I can do this no problem.” The recovery wasn’t bad at all — the medication they gave me was great to manage the pain, and the care over there was just awesome.
Are you happy with the decision in hindsight? I’m very happy. There are some things I went through that I’ll give feedback to the agency about, but the overall experience was great. The care was exceptional, the surgeon was caring and the hospital itself was beautiful.
