June 12, 2024 • 30 mins
Curious about the mysterious term "fluffing" after breast explant surgery? Listen in to gain a medically-informed understanding of this often misunderstood concept. Hear firsthand insights from Dr. Dev, an expert explant surgeon, who clarifies this phenomenon and helps set realistic expectations for your explant journey.
I also share essential recovery strategies to optimize your breast healing and “fluffing” process. By the end of this episode, you'll have a comprehensive toolkit to help enhance your outcome. Don't forget to join our community and help us spread awareness by subscribing and sharing this episode! Much love!
Links and resources:
- Get my Healing Breast Massage Oil
oil.expoweredexplant.com - Healing Super Smoothies Guide
smoothies.empoweredexplant.com - Stemregen Stem Cell Enhancement Supplement
https://www.stemregen.co/products/stemregen/?afmc=EMPOWERED
15% off your first order with code EMPOWERED - Sauna Space Infrared Light Therapy
https://sauna.space/empoweredexplant
5% off your first order with code EMPOWERED - Ultima Replenisher Electrolytes
Their website: https://bit.ly/3nf8ELE
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3VBsTWn - Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Packs
https://shop.queenofthethrones.com/darnahmercieca
10% off your first order with code DARNAHMERCIECA10 - Empowered Explant Website Resources
www.empoweredexplant.com/resources - For coaching and support before or after surgery, email me!
darnah@empoweredexplant.com - Healthline Breast Shape Article
https://www.healthline.com/health/breast-shapes
Please help us be heard and raise awareness:
- Subscribe to the show
- Rate and review
- Share with your friends
Let's connect!
Join the Empowered Explant Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredexplant
Connect with Darnah on Instagram: @darnahmercieca
Interviews and sponsorships email: podcast@empoweredexplant.com
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/ilya-kuznetsov/anticipation
Disclaimer: This podcast does not constitute medical or mental health advice. Darnah is not a medical practitioner. She shares from personal experience, research, and conversations with other people. If you are experiencing symptoms, pain, post-surgery complications, or mental health concerns, please seek care from your medical provider or surgeon.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Darnah Mercieca (00:02):
This is Empowered Explant the podcast
helping women ditch their breastimplants with confidence.
I'm Darnah Mercieca boardcertified health and wellness
coach and explant warrior.
I am here today to debunk,demystify and myth bust the word
that's oh so famous in theexplant community fluffing.
(00:27):
Oh my goodness.
I see so many women hold ontothis word like it's their saving
grace and develop all kinds ofexpectations around what it
might mean for their results.
Then, on the other side ofsurgery, I see tons of women
feeling let down after healing,saying they never fluffed.
(00:51):
And don't get me wrong, thereare a lot of women that are
super happy with their resultstoo.
But I do find that the womenwho aren't quite as happy or
aren't happy with their resultsafter explant are really going
in on the fluff fairy and sayingthey didn't fluff.
But I think the real issue hereis not the mysterious lack of
(01:14):
fluffing or that the magicalfluff fairy decides to show up
for some and not others, butthat our understanding of
fluffing is off target.
To begin with, to prove mytheory that we needed this
definition cleared up once andfor all, I took to the Facebook
(01:40):
groups to ask what does the termfluffing mean to you First,
before I get into that.
I want you to know this is notme going on a mission to prove
anyone wrong.
I appreciate you all sharingyour honest thoughts and
feelings.
This was really about me goingon a mission to find out how
many of us feel misled by theword fluffing, because I know I
was before I explanted, and Iwant to shine a light on what
(02:04):
our magical little fluff fairyactually does so that we can all
feel very clear about this andthe women who haven't explanted
yet, those who are just on theirjourney of figuring all this
out, can go into this with morerealistic expectations.
A quick disclaimer please knowI'm not a medical doctor and
(02:24):
this podcast does not constitutemedical or mental health advice
.
Please make any medicaldecisions in consultation with a
qualified and experiencedhealthcare professional.
Here's what women are saying fsaying: Fluffing means to them.
(02:55):
It's called I got my hopes upfor nothing.
I had de-fluffing and shrinkage.
Filling out and fullnessappearing less empty fat moving
around to fill in empty skin,smashed, compressed breast
tissue.
Filling out the body firstfills them with fluid which is
later replaced by connectivetissue like scar tissue, which
(03:19):
makes them appear less empty.
Hence the visual appearance offluffing.
I understand it as havingfullness of tissue return at the
top of the breast.
That did not happen to meFullness returning to the breast
post-explant or filling out.
Sometimes it pushes out awrinkle, a fold in the skin or a
(03:39):
flattened nipple.
I didn't fluff because mybreast implants were under the
muscle.
Fluffing is what happens to thetissue that was squished
flatter due to the implantssmashing the breast tissue and
fat.
The implants compress ourbreast tissue and, once the
implant is out, the glandulartissue can shape back up to how
(04:00):
it originally was.
The breast tissue re-expands orrecoils back to its original
size and the natural breasttissue settles, reshapes and
contours, leading to a fuller,perkier appearance.
Wow, that was a lot and, as youcan hear, there are so many
different thoughts and opinionsabout what fluffing is and what
(04:21):
it means, which is anotherreason why planning your explant
surgery can feel sooverwhelming.
These Facebook groups andcommunities are incredible for
support.
They really are.
I loved being a part of theseFacebook groups as I was
planning my explant surgery andthroughout my healing and
(04:42):
recovery journey, even now.
I mean I love being in therenow, especially being a support
to other women in the EmpoweredExplant private Facebook group
that we have, and you're welcometo come in and join that, and
we have so many amazing women inthere sharing their stories and
their journeys and supportingeach other, and it's beautiful,
(05:05):
but when it comes to medicaladvice or getting really
specific factual information,there are just so many different
opinions and women havingdifferent experiences because
this really is a unique journeyto us all that you can come away
with misinformation andunrealistic expectations or
(05:26):
comparing your experience andresults to other women.
It makes sense, though, becausebreast implant illness and
explant surgery is a pretty newthing as far as the documented,
fact-based information out theregoes.
So you know, that's my missionhere with this podcast to
(05:47):
deliver what you need to knowand to really go on a
fact-finding mission to uncoverwhat is real, what we can rely
on to be medically correctterminology, and back in
November, I interviewed myex-plant surgeon.
And back in November, Iinterviewed my ex-plant surgeon,
dr Dev, who's based in Miami,florida, at Aqua Plastic Surgery
(06:08):
, and I asked him to explainwhat fluffing is.
Please explain it.
Yell it out a little bit louderfor everyone in the back,
because we all need to know this.
And here's what he said what isfluffing?
Dr. Dev Vibhakar (06:25):
The fluff fairy, the famous fluff fairy.
So you know, the breasts donever miraculously gain tissue
after the surgery.
I mean they'll, you knowthey'll change quite a bit.
So initially after the surgeryyour pec muscle is swollen, you
(06:50):
don't have the implant, yourbreasts are swollen.
So you kind of go through thisCoke bottle wavy phase and as
the weeks and months go on, themuscle swelling goes down, the
tissue retracts and then theswelling of the breast goes down
and they tighten up a littlebit.
So that's, I think, thefluffing in general, and so for
me it's more of a reduction inswelling, skin tightening and
basically having a more naturalshape.
And then, you know, as timegoes on, some patients over the
years, as their diet changes,they might get a little bit more
(07:12):
volume in the breast.
But the breasts themselves donot miraculously get more volume
after the surgery.
I think it's more the way theswelling and the settling of the
tissue happens over the courseof six weeks to three months.
Darnah Mercieca (07:25):
That was such a great description.
Thank you for clearing that up.
So I think that's a nicesuccinct and clear way to put it
and, based on my conversationwith Dr Dev and what I dug up in
my other research, here's myown description of what fluffing
is.
It's where the swellingsubsides and the breast tissue
(07:45):
settles and reshapes followingthe removal of breast implants.
After the removal of theimplants, the skin and tissue
may initially appear somewhatdeflated or misshaped due to the
previous presence of theimplants and over time the
breast tissue begins to fluffout or expand and the skin also
retracts and heals, improvingthe overall aesthetic appearance
(08:09):
.
This process can vary induration from person to person,
depending on factors like theage of the patient, the quality
of the skin and tissue, the sizeof the implants removed and
individual healing responses.
Here's what fluffing is not.
It's not gaining more breastvolume.
It's not getting cleavage orupper pole volume.
(08:31):
It's not scar tissue.
It's not getting fuller orperkier.
It's not going back to youroriginal looking breasts.
Now, in some cases you mightluck out and end up with fuller,
perkier breasts or going backto your near original self, and
that's awesome if that's thecase for you.
But that's not fluffing in andof itself.
(08:54):
That's just how your bodyhealed and that's what your
version of fluffing looked like.
But it doesn't mean that otherwomen didn't get a visit from
the fluffing fairy.
It just means that it lookeddifferent because our bodies are
different.
But in almost every case I'veseen there's been a significant
improvement between right afterexplant surgery and six weeks
(09:15):
later, and then three monthslater and then six months after
that, and that's all a part ofthis so-called fluffing.
So you might be wondering whatthis process looked like for me
after my explant surgery andI'll be real with you no, my
breast tissue didn't magicallyend up all perky and filling out
the loose skin I have, becauseI only have so much breast
(09:37):
tissue and I did not have abreast lift.
Maybe if I gained weight andgained fat in my breasts at some
point I guess we'll see whathappens when I get pregnant one
day.
That'll be really interesting.
But the difference in mybreasts from the day after my
surgery to a few weeks after andthen a few months after was
(10:01):
really noticeable, and I thinkthat's the case for most women
at least.
You know from what I've seen.
I've seen fluffing spoken aboutlike memory foam.
But that just doesn't reallysit with me because our boobs
very rarely go back to how theyused to be and they certainly
aren't as dense as memory foam,especially as we get older.
(10:23):
So you, you know, I just I justpersonally don't really liken
it to a memory foam kind ofexperience.
If only my boobs knew to goback to what they look like at
23 years old, I would have beenabsolutely stoked.
But that just isn't a reality.
Our boobs typically do not goback to looking like what they
(10:46):
did before we put implants in.
So I liken it.
If we're going to go down thepillow route, I liken it more to
feathers inside an emptypillowcase.
Think about it like this If allthose feathers are once
compressed right, like thebreast tissue is with the
(11:08):
implants, and then the feathersare allowed to expand out inside
the pillowcase, you knowthey're no longer compressed,
then they're just going to kindof fall and settle into the
pillowcase.
You're not going to end up witha fuller pillowcase or more
feathers.
And if that pillowcase is realbig and empty, then those
(11:34):
feathers might just end upfalling to the bottom, which is
why lifts exist.
A lift is kind of like totighten up that metaphorical
pillowcase.
We're sewing it up a little bitto make it a little smaller so
that whatever the feathers youhave can be a little higher and
(11:54):
tighter inside that pillowcase.
That's kind of a weird analogy,but I don't know if you
followed with me on that, butthat's kind of it makes sense in
my head Now.
I also don't want that to soundgrim because I don't think it
is.
It's just the reality.
I think having more realisticexpectations on this journey is
(12:21):
a good thing and it's muchbetter for our mental health.
At the end of the day, afterhaving breast implants for so
many years and being bombardedwith what society deems as being
beautiful breasts you know, inmovies, on social media, in
magazines it's no wonder most ofus are kind of oblivious.
(12:45):
Results are still very attachedto an image of what we think
beautiful breasts are or what isaccepted by society or deemed
beautiful by men.
But I was reading an article onHealthline about breast shape
when I was doing some researchfor this episode and I love how
they put this.
Love how they put this In thearticle.
(13:12):
It says so what's normal whenit comes to breasts and how do
your breasts measure up?
The answer is that your breastsare unique and it's perfectly
okay that they have their owndistinctive shape and size.
The only thing that isn'tnormal is unexplained pain and
sensitivity.
So I really love how that's put, because I just think that
changing our thoughts and ourperspective around breast shape,
(13:36):
around breast size, is what'sgoing to be the thing that helps
us move forward in healing andfeeling really good about
ourselves after surgery, insteadof kind of leaning into this oh
I didn't fluff, oh I didn't geta visit from the fluff fairy,
when in a lot of cases, that'snot necessarily true.
(13:59):
It's just that the fluffingprocess looked different.
The fluffing process didn'tmean your breath becoming this
particular shape or size thatyou envision in your mind as
being what they should look like.
Anyway, I've linked to thatarticle in the show notes.
I could talk about that all daybecause I just think that our
(14:22):
mindset is so key here.
But that article it reallyillustrates how different and
unique breasts and nipples are,without using degrading terms or
unflattering words that weoften use when talking about our
own boobs.
In short and this is one of thecool things that I really took
(14:43):
away from going down thisfluffing rabbit hole is that
fluffing is really just ourbreasts healing and, while some
of the results are going to bebased on circumstances such as
age, skin condition, surgerytype, size of implants, all of
(15:03):
those factors, there's thosecircumstances that are out of
our control, but there are a lotof things that are within our
control that we can actuallystart to do to improve our own
results.
So I'm going to share with youseven ways you can help your
breasts heal and fluff afterexplant surgery.
Number one diet.
(15:24):
Okay, we're going to focus ontwo key things here that you
could do with your diet.
So, number oneanti-inflammatory foods.
Number two increased protein.
Eating a diet rich inanti-inflammatory foods before
and after surgery can helpreduce swelling and support
healing in various ways.
I recommend beginning ananti-inflammatory diet at least
(15:47):
three months before surgery andcontinuing for at least three
months after.
Keep going, if you can.
I mean being on ananti-inflammatory diet.
It's actually like lessthinking about it as a diet and
kind of a way of life.
It increases longevity, it'sgood for anti-aging all of the
things that we really want inour lives.
It's just a healthy way ofbeing.
(16:08):
But I really recommend going ona strict anti-inflammatory diet
during this process.
Protein is critical for tissuerepair and should be increased
before surgery and duringrecovery.
The last episode on the podcastwas all about protein.
I really I gave you everythingyou need to know, including how
(16:29):
much your body needs forimproved healing.
So if you haven't already heardthat, be sure to go back and
have a listen after this.
I also include in that episodea free a link to a free protein
tracker so you can really takecount of how much protein you're
getting now and how muchprotein you need.
(16:49):
And I gave you some, you know,a cheat sheet to make sure
you're getting all the proteinyou need.
Proper nutrition gives yourbody and tissue and cells
everything it needs to recoverand reshape effectively.
Number two is exercise.
I've talked about in previousepisodes how important exercise
(17:12):
is before surgery because ithelps your body heal faster.
Then after surgery.
While it's important to restinitially, of course, slowly
incorporating and increasingexercise can improve blood
circulation, which helps inreducing swelling, promotes
tissue repair, supports collagenproduction and improves skin
(17:34):
elasticity All things we wantfor our boobs.
Breast shape and size aredetermined by the amount of fat
and its distribution, but canalso be affected by exercise.
So once you're recovered andcleared for increasing exercise
intensity.
You want to start incorporatingresistance training.
(17:55):
Push-ups and weight exercisesthat work the pectoral muscles,
like chest presses, for example,strengthen the breast area,
which can make them rise andlook fuller.
We all want that.
Pull-ups, squats and plankvariations make the muscles of
the back and shoulder girdlesstronger, which improves posture
(18:19):
and brings the breasts forward.
This is also going to make youfeel better overall.
Right?
Let's face it, you're going toimprove your posture after
having implants weighing youdown for years, and all of this
is going to make you feel moreconfident.
So adding exercise in andreally targeted resistance
(18:42):
training is just a win-winoverall for your boobs and your
body.
Number three is breast massage.
Gentle breast massage can helpimprove circulation, encourage
lymphatic drainage and reducescar tissue formation.
It helps the breast tissue tosoften, decompress and settle
(19:02):
more naturally into its shapeafter surgery.
Now there are a lot of productsout there that you can use on
your skin, but I want to stressthat you make sure the
ingredients are natural, cleanand non-toxic.
Otherwise, you're actuallyadding stress to your lymphatic
system, and we just want toavoid that.
(19:22):
Your body has been through somuch it's trying to detox.
Your body has been through somuch it's trying to detox,
really focus on clean products.
Even some of the products thatsurgeons recommend to use on
your breasts afterwards areloaded with things that aren't
good for your body, go figure.
But then again I guess they areputting implants into our
bodies still.
(19:43):
So there's that.
So there's that you can DIYwith good quality natural oils
like coconut, almond, jojoba,and even mix in some essential
oils that promote skin healing,like frankincense.
So lots of cool ways that youcan DIY it.
Or if you want to buy a productthat is specifically for this,
(20:11):
that is specifically for this.
Here's a shameless plug for you.
I have developed I'm reallyexcited, I have developed my own
breast massage oil and it'll beavailable to order in August,
yay.
So if you want to put your namedown and be the first to know
when it's available, I'll sendyou a special discount code for
being one of the first to order.
Just go tooilempoweredxplantcom and pop
(20:34):
your details in.
I'll be sure to email you firstwhen that product is available
for order.
Or if you're listening to thisafter August and want to buy my
healing breast massage oil, thenjust go to that same website
link and it will take youstraight there.
(20:55):
I've linked to that in the shownotes.
I hope you love this product.
I have been working on it foryears now and it's you know,
women have tried it.
I've just kind of been givingaway samples and it's worked a
treat.
I love it.
I still use it because I'vemade breast massage a ritual in
(21:20):
my self-care routine, becausethere are so many benefits to
ongoing breast massage, just forour breast health right, and I
think that breast health issomething that kind of gets
forgotten about.
But anyway, hope you love theoil and I'm really excited for
it to be available soon.
(21:42):
Number four stem cellenhancement to boost natural
repair processes.
Now, if you want to take it astep further and really
supercharge your body's healingabilities, you can use a
supplement that I recommendcalled Stem Regen, which is a
(22:04):
completely plant-based product.
It's a supplement designed toenhance your body's natural stem
cell production.
So you're not taking stem cells, you are telling your body to
release stem cells, which issomething that our bodies really
(22:25):
slow down in being able to doas we get older.
So this can really acceleratehealing and improve tissue
regeneration, because stem cellsare like magical cells that can
morph into whatever the body isin need of.
So this might give your body ahelpful boost in reshaping and
(22:48):
healing post surgery.
I have a whole interview on thepodcast with the founder of Stem
Regen and we even talk abouthow dry brushing while taking
Stem Regen can encourage stemcells to take action and in
healing and repairing scars.
So really cool.
(23:10):
I recommend listening to that.
If you haven't already.
I will link to the interview inthe show notes.
And there's also a interview inthe show notes and there's also
a link in the show notes.
If you want to order Stem Regen, be sure to use the code
EMPOWERED for 15% off your firstorder Number five again, if you
want to take this reallyseriously.
Next level, red light therapyfor aiding tissue repair.
(23:34):
Red light therapy has beenscientifically proven to reduce
inflammation and promote healingat the cellular level.
It's a non-invasive way tosupport the body's natural
healing processes from theinside out.
This is happening inside us,right, and it has a whole bunch
(23:56):
of other benefits as well.
Once again, I interviewed thefounder of Sauna Space on the
podcast, who explains thebenefits of red light therapy.
So I will link to that episodeand if you want one of their
lights, which are just toptechnology, you can use the code
(24:17):
empowered for 5% off your firstorder.
Number six hydration.
It's essential for recovery.
It seems so simple, but most ofus are just not getting enough.
Keeping well hydrated is soimportant for overall health and
supports the healing processafter surgery, so please don't
(24:38):
slack on your water intake.
It is like one of the simplestthings that you could possibly
do.
It's free.
I need a sip of water right nowbecause my mouth is hella dry
from all this talking.
Oh, needed that.
Water helps in detoxificationand maintaining the elasticity
of your skin.
(24:58):
I also recommend drinkingelectrolytes plus.
They're delicious.
My favorite brand to buy isultima replenisher, which I've
linked in the show notes.
They've got a ton of yummyflavors and they don't have any
sugar.
It's all good stuff in there,so highly recommend them.
And you could also make yourown electrolyte water.
(25:19):
It's really easy and you canuse ingredients like Himalayan
pink salt, lemon juice andcoconut water.
So pretty easy to mix up ayummy electrolyte water yourself
.
Number seven using castor oilpacks.
Oh, my goodness, you knowcastor oil.
It is like the most magicalnatural product.
(25:42):
It's been used traditionally toenhance lymphatic drainage and
improve healing.
My favorite brand of castor oilpacks is Queen of the Thrones
favorite brand of castor oilpacks is Queen of the Thrones.
Oh my goodness.
Like their castor oil is reallyhigh quality.
But they also have just packsfor all parts of your body that
(26:03):
you can use in specific ways.
It keeps it.
You know, sometimes doingcastor oil packs can be a bit of
a messy process, but this keepsit clean and they even have
packs made especially for yourboots and different sizes.
So it's very cool and you canuse my discount code, which is
(26:24):
DanaMersica10.
Now I will put that in the shownotes because my name is not
the easiest to spell, so youwant to make sure you spell that
right, but that's going to giveyou 10% off your first order.
If you can work this into yourself care routine, it can be a
gentle way to encouragelymphatic flow naturally and
(26:44):
just really aid that that gentledetoxification process and
improve the health andappearance of your breasts.
I have found that castor oilcan really tighten things up and
improve scarring and stretchmarks and all of that.
So I do recommend giving that ago.
And there you have it BreastiesSeven ways you can help your
(27:05):
breasts heal and fluff afterexplant surgery.
With these practices, you'renot just helping your body heal.
You're actively participatingin shaping your recovery.
Pun intended, remember fluffingisn't just about physical
appearance.
It's about how your body ishealing from the inside out.
(27:28):
Each body is unique.
Your body is unique andbeautiful, and healing can look
different for everyone.
So with that, I recommendconsulting with your healthcare
provider or your ex-plantsurgeon before you start new
treatments or therapies, just tomake sure that it's appropriate
for your specific situation andwhere you are at on your
(27:52):
healing journey.
And if I can add one more thingto that list, I would say the
most important thing you can dofor your healing is to be kind,
loving and patient with yourselfand your body.
Practicing healing,visualization exercises, deep
breathing, releasing the stressand self-criticism, replacing
(28:17):
negative thoughts and energywith loving, optimistic
affirmation so that your bodycan be nourished with healing
frequency this is what willultimately lead you to the peace
and self-acceptance you'relooking for.
This will help your bodyphysically heal.
(28:38):
I hope this helps you embracethe journey, understand the
process a little better and giveyou some tools to support your
body through its healing process.
You know I shared with you someproducts today and some
discount codes.
All of that is listed in theshow notes, but I just want you
to know I shared with you someproducts today and some discount
codes.
All of that is listed in theshow notes, but I just want you
(28:58):
to know I only recommendproducts that I have researched,
that I have used, that you knowI've spoken with the owners,
the founders of like these are.
That's why I recommend theseproducts and they are what I
consider to be trusted partners,right, but I also want you to
(29:19):
know that you can go and do yourown research.
You can go and find what worksfor you.
That's completely fine.
I just want to always be hereto give you recommendations,
because I know that sometimes itcan be a pain in the butt
having to go and do all of thatextra research, but always find
(29:39):
what works for you.
Speaking of which, for moredetailed or personalized
guidance, check out ourresources online at
empoweredxplantcom or schedule aconsultation with me.
I will be more than happy tosupport you through this
transformation and guide youthrough this really
(30:00):
individualized journey.
If you enjoyed this podcastepisode, don't forget to
subscribe and leave a review,and also please, most
importantly, share this episodewith the explant community, so
women can feel empowered withthe knowledge they need on this
journey.
(30:20):
Let's make natural and healthythe new sexy.
I'll see you soon, rusty.
This is Empowered Explant the podcast
helping women ditch their breastimplants with confidence.
I'm Darnah Mercieca boardcertified health and wellness
coach and explant warrior.
I am here today to debunk,demystify and myth bust the word
that's oh so famous in theexplant community fluffing.
(00:27):
Oh my goodness.
I see so many women hold ontothis word like it's their saving
grace and develop all kinds ofexpectations around what it
might mean for their results.
Then, on the other side ofsurgery, I see tons of women
feeling let down after healing,saying they never fluffed.
(00:51):
And don't get me wrong, thereare a lot of women that are
super happy with their resultstoo.
But I do find that the womenwho aren't quite as happy or
aren't happy with their resultsafter explant are really going
in on the fluff fairy and sayingthey didn't fluff.
But I think the real issue hereis not the mysterious lack of
(01:14):
fluffing or that the magicalfluff fairy decides to show up
for some and not others, butthat our understanding of
fluffing is off target.
To begin with, to prove mytheory that we needed this
definition cleared up once andfor all, I took to the Facebook
(01:40):
groups to ask what does the termfluffing mean to you First,
before I get into that.
I want you to know this is notme going on a mission to prove
anyone wrong.
I appreciate you all sharingyour honest thoughts and
feelings.
This was really about me goingon a mission to find out how
many of us feel misled by theword fluffing, because I know I
was before I explanted, and Iwant to shine a light on what
(02:04):
our magical little fluff fairyactually does so that we can all
feel very clear about this andthe women who haven't explanted
yet, those who are just on theirjourney of figuring all this
out, can go into this with morerealistic expectations.
A quick disclaimer please knowI'm not a medical doctor and
(02:24):
this podcast does not constitutemedical or mental health advice
.
Please make any medicaldecisions in consultation with a
qualified and experiencedhealthcare professional.
Here's what women are saying fsaying: Fluffing means to them.
(02:55):
It's called I got my hopes upfor nothing.
I had de-fluffing and shrinkage.
Filling out and fullnessappearing less empty fat moving
around to fill in empty skin,smashed, compressed breast
tissue.
Filling out the body firstfills them with fluid which is
later replaced by connectivetissue like scar tissue, which
(03:19):
makes them appear less empty.
Hence the visual appearance offluffing.
I understand it as havingfullness of tissue return at the
top of the breast.
That did not happen to meFullness returning to the breast
post-explant or filling out.
Sometimes it pushes out awrinkle, a fold in the skin or a
(03:39):
flattened nipple.
I didn't fluff because mybreast implants were under the
muscle.
Fluffing is what happens to thetissue that was squished
flatter due to the implantssmashing the breast tissue and
fat.
The implants compress ourbreast tissue and, once the
implant is out, the glandulartissue can shape back up to how
(04:00):
it originally was.
The breast tissue re-expands orrecoils back to its original
size and the natural breasttissue settles, reshapes and
contours, leading to a fuller,perkier appearance.
Wow, that was a lot and, as youcan hear, there are so many
different thoughts and opinionsabout what fluffing is and what
(04:21):
it means, which is anotherreason why planning your explant
surgery can feel sooverwhelming.
These Facebook groups andcommunities are incredible for
support.
They really are.
I loved being a part of theseFacebook groups as I was
planning my explant surgery andthroughout my healing and
(04:42):
recovery journey, even now.
I mean I love being in therenow, especially being a support
to other women in the EmpoweredExplant private Facebook group
that we have, and you're welcometo come in and join that, and
we have so many amazing women inthere sharing their stories and
their journeys and supportingeach other, and it's beautiful,
(05:05):
but when it comes to medicaladvice or getting really
specific factual information,there are just so many different
opinions and women havingdifferent experiences because
this really is a unique journeyto us all that you can come away
with misinformation andunrealistic expectations or
(05:26):
comparing your experience andresults to other women.
It makes sense, though, becausebreast implant illness and
explant surgery is a pretty newthing as far as the documented,
fact-based information out theregoes.
So you know, that's my missionhere with this podcast to
(05:47):
deliver what you need to knowand to really go on a
fact-finding mission to uncoverwhat is real, what we can rely
on to be medically correctterminology, and back in
November, I interviewed myex-plant surgeon.
And back in November, Iinterviewed my ex-plant surgeon,
dr Dev, who's based in Miami,florida, at Aqua Plastic Surgery
(06:08):
, and I asked him to explainwhat fluffing is.
Please explain it.
Yell it out a little bit louderfor everyone in the back,
because we all need to know this.
And here's what he said what isfluffing?
Dr. Dev Vibhakar (06:25):
The fluff fairy, the famous fluff fairy.
So you know, the breasts donever miraculously gain tissue
after the surgery.
I mean they'll, you knowthey'll change quite a bit.
So initially after the surgeryyour pec muscle is swollen, you
(06:50):
don't have the implant, yourbreasts are swollen.
So you kind of go through thisCoke bottle wavy phase and as
the weeks and months go on, themuscle swelling goes down, the
tissue retracts and then theswelling of the breast goes down
and they tighten up a littlebit.
So that's, I think, thefluffing in general, and so for
me it's more of a reduction inswelling, skin tightening and
basically having a more naturalshape.
And then, you know, as timegoes on, some patients over the
years, as their diet changes,they might get a little bit more
(07:12):
volume in the breast.
But the breasts themselves donot miraculously get more volume
after the surgery.
I think it's more the way theswelling and the settling of the
tissue happens over the courseof six weeks to three months.
Darnah Mercieca (07:25):
That was such a great description.
Thank you for clearing that up.
So I think that's a nicesuccinct and clear way to put it
and, based on my conversationwith Dr Dev and what I dug up in
my other research, here's myown description of what fluffing
is.
It's where the swellingsubsides and the breast tissue
(07:45):
settles and reshapes followingthe removal of breast implants.
After the removal of theimplants, the skin and tissue
may initially appear somewhatdeflated or misshaped due to the
previous presence of theimplants and over time the
breast tissue begins to fluffout or expand and the skin also
retracts and heals, improvingthe overall aesthetic appearance
(08:09):
.
This process can vary induration from person to person,
depending on factors like theage of the patient, the quality
of the skin and tissue, the sizeof the implants removed and
individual healing responses.
Here's what fluffing is not.
It's not gaining more breastvolume.
It's not getting cleavage orupper pole volume.
(08:31):
It's not scar tissue.
It's not getting fuller orperkier.
It's not going back to youroriginal looking breasts.
Now, in some cases you mightluck out and end up with fuller,
perkier breasts or going backto your near original self, and
that's awesome if that's thecase for you.
But that's not fluffing in andof itself.
(08:54):
That's just how your bodyhealed and that's what your
version of fluffing looked like.
But it doesn't mean that otherwomen didn't get a visit from
the fluffing fairy.
It just means that it lookeddifferent because our bodies are
different.
But in almost every case I'veseen there's been a significant
improvement between right afterexplant surgery and six weeks
(09:15):
later, and then three monthslater and then six months after
that, and that's all a part ofthis so-called fluffing.
So you might be wondering whatthis process looked like for me
after my explant surgery andI'll be real with you no, my
breast tissue didn't magicallyend up all perky and filling out
the loose skin I have, becauseI only have so much breast
(09:37):
tissue and I did not have abreast lift.
Maybe if I gained weight andgained fat in my breasts at some
point I guess we'll see whathappens when I get pregnant one
day.
That'll be really interesting.
But the difference in mybreasts from the day after my
surgery to a few weeks after andthen a few months after was
(10:01):
really noticeable, and I thinkthat's the case for most women
at least.
You know from what I've seen.
I've seen fluffing spoken aboutlike memory foam.
But that just doesn't reallysit with me because our boobs
very rarely go back to how theyused to be and they certainly
aren't as dense as memory foam,especially as we get older.
(10:23):
So you, you know, I just I justpersonally don't really liken
it to a memory foam kind ofexperience.
If only my boobs knew to goback to what they look like at
23 years old, I would have beenabsolutely stoked.
But that just isn't a reality.
Our boobs typically do not goback to looking like what they
(10:46):
did before we put implants in.
So I liken it.
If we're going to go down thepillow route, I liken it more to
feathers inside an emptypillowcase.
Think about it like this If allthose feathers are once
compressed right, like thebreast tissue is with the
(11:08):
implants, and then the feathersare allowed to expand out inside
the pillowcase, you knowthey're no longer compressed,
then they're just going to kindof fall and settle into the
pillowcase.
You're not going to end up witha fuller pillowcase or more
feathers.
And if that pillowcase is realbig and empty, then those
(11:34):
feathers might just end upfalling to the bottom, which is
why lifts exist.
A lift is kind of like totighten up that metaphorical
pillowcase.
We're sewing it up a little bitto make it a little smaller so
that whatever the feathers youhave can be a little higher and
(11:54):
tighter inside that pillowcase.
That's kind of a weird analogy,but I don't know if you
followed with me on that, butthat's kind of it makes sense in
my head Now.
I also don't want that to soundgrim because I don't think it
is.
It's just the reality.
I think having more realisticexpectations on this journey is
(12:21):
a good thing and it's muchbetter for our mental health.
At the end of the day, afterhaving breast implants for so
many years and being bombardedwith what society deems as being
beautiful breasts you know, inmovies, on social media, in
magazines it's no wonder most ofus are kind of oblivious.
(12:45):
Results are still very attachedto an image of what we think
beautiful breasts are or what isaccepted by society or deemed
beautiful by men.
But I was reading an article onHealthline about breast shape
when I was doing some researchfor this episode and I love how
they put this.
Love how they put this In thearticle.
(13:12):
It says so what's normal whenit comes to breasts and how do
your breasts measure up?
The answer is that your breastsare unique and it's perfectly
okay that they have their owndistinctive shape and size.
The only thing that isn'tnormal is unexplained pain and
sensitivity.
So I really love how that's put, because I just think that
changing our thoughts and ourperspective around breast shape,
(13:36):
around breast size, is what'sgoing to be the thing that helps
us move forward in healing andfeeling really good about
ourselves after surgery, insteadof kind of leaning into this oh
I didn't fluff, oh I didn't geta visit from the fluff fairy,
when in a lot of cases, that'snot necessarily true.
(13:59):
It's just that the fluffingprocess looked different.
The fluffing process didn'tmean your breath becoming this
particular shape or size thatyou envision in your mind as
being what they should look like.
Anyway, I've linked to thatarticle in the show notes.
I could talk about that all daybecause I just think that our
(14:22):
mindset is so key here.
But that article it reallyillustrates how different and
unique breasts and nipples are,without using degrading terms or
unflattering words that weoften use when talking about our
own boobs.
In short and this is one of thecool things that I really took
(14:43):
away from going down thisfluffing rabbit hole is that
fluffing is really just ourbreasts healing and, while some
of the results are going to bebased on circumstances such as
age, skin condition, surgerytype, size of implants, all of
(15:03):
those factors, there's thosecircumstances that are out of
our control, but there are a lotof things that are within our
control that we can actuallystart to do to improve our own
results.
So I'm going to share with youseven ways you can help your
breasts heal and fluff afterexplant surgery.
Number one diet.
(15:24):
Okay, we're going to focus ontwo key things here that you
could do with your diet.
So, number oneanti-inflammatory foods.
Number two increased protein.
Eating a diet rich inanti-inflammatory foods before
and after surgery can helpreduce swelling and support
healing in various ways.
I recommend beginning ananti-inflammatory diet at least
(15:47):
three months before surgery andcontinuing for at least three
months after.
Keep going, if you can.
I mean being on ananti-inflammatory diet.
It's actually like lessthinking about it as a diet and
kind of a way of life.
It increases longevity, it'sgood for anti-aging all of the
things that we really want inour lives.
It's just a healthy way ofbeing.
(16:08):
But I really recommend going ona strict anti-inflammatory diet
during this process.
Protein is critical for tissuerepair and should be increased
before surgery and duringrecovery.
The last episode on the podcastwas all about protein.
I really I gave you everythingyou need to know, including how
(16:29):
much your body needs forimproved healing.
So if you haven't already heardthat, be sure to go back and
have a listen after this.
I also include in that episodea free a link to a free protein
tracker so you can really takecount of how much protein you're
getting now and how muchprotein you need.
(16:49):
And I gave you some, you know,a cheat sheet to make sure
you're getting all the proteinyou need.
Proper nutrition gives yourbody and tissue and cells
everything it needs to recoverand reshape effectively.
Number two is exercise.
I've talked about in previousepisodes how important exercise
(17:12):
is before surgery because ithelps your body heal faster.
Then after surgery.
While it's important to restinitially, of course, slowly
incorporating and increasingexercise can improve blood
circulation, which helps inreducing swelling, promotes
tissue repair, supports collagenproduction and improves skin
(17:34):
elasticity All things we wantfor our boobs.
Breast shape and size aredetermined by the amount of fat
and its distribution, but canalso be affected by exercise.
So once you're recovered andcleared for increasing exercise
intensity.
You want to start incorporatingresistance training.
(17:55):
Push-ups and weight exercisesthat work the pectoral muscles,
like chest presses, for example,strengthen the breast area,
which can make them rise andlook fuller.
We all want that.
Pull-ups, squats and plankvariations make the muscles of
the back and shoulder girdlesstronger, which improves posture
(18:19):
and brings the breasts forward.
This is also going to make youfeel better overall.
Right?
Let's face it, you're going toimprove your posture after
having implants weighing youdown for years, and all of this
is going to make you feel moreconfident.
So adding exercise in andreally targeted resistance
(18:42):
training is just a win-winoverall for your boobs and your
body.
Number three is breast massage.
Gentle breast massage can helpimprove circulation, encourage
lymphatic drainage and reducescar tissue formation.
It helps the breast tissue tosoften, decompress and settle
(19:02):
more naturally into its shapeafter surgery.
Now there are a lot of productsout there that you can use on
your skin, but I want to stressthat you make sure the
ingredients are natural, cleanand non-toxic.
Otherwise, you're actuallyadding stress to your lymphatic
system, and we just want toavoid that.
(19:22):
Your body has been through somuch it's trying to detox.
Your body has been through somuch it's trying to detox,
really focus on clean products.
Even some of the products thatsurgeons recommend to use on
your breasts afterwards areloaded with things that aren't
good for your body, go figure.
But then again I guess they areputting implants into our
bodies still.
(19:43):
So there's that.
So there's that you can DIYwith good quality natural oils
like coconut, almond, jojoba,and even mix in some essential
oils that promote skin healing,like frankincense.
So lots of cool ways that youcan DIY it.
Or if you want to buy a productthat is specifically for this,
(20:11):
that is specifically for this.
Here's a shameless plug for you.
I have developed I'm reallyexcited, I have developed my own
breast massage oil and it'll beavailable to order in August,
yay.
So if you want to put your namedown and be the first to know
when it's available, I'll sendyou a special discount code for
being one of the first to order.
Just go tooilempoweredxplantcom and pop
(20:34):
your details in.
I'll be sure to email you firstwhen that product is available
for order.
Or if you're listening to thisafter August and want to buy my
healing breast massage oil, thenjust go to that same website
link and it will take youstraight there.
(20:55):
I've linked to that in the shownotes.
I hope you love this product.
I have been working on it foryears now and it's you know,
women have tried it.
I've just kind of been givingaway samples and it's worked a
treat.
I love it.
I still use it because I'vemade breast massage a ritual in
(21:20):
my self-care routine, becausethere are so many benefits to
ongoing breast massage, just forour breast health right, and I
think that breast health issomething that kind of gets
forgotten about.
But anyway, hope you love theoil and I'm really excited for
it to be available soon.
(21:42):
Number four stem cellenhancement to boost natural
repair processes.
Now, if you want to take it astep further and really
supercharge your body's healingabilities, you can use a
supplement that I recommendcalled Stem Regen, which is a
(22:04):
completely plant-based product.
It's a supplement designed toenhance your body's natural stem
cell production.
So you're not taking stem cells, you are telling your body to
release stem cells, which issomething that our bodies really
(22:25):
slow down in being able to doas we get older.
So this can really acceleratehealing and improve tissue
regeneration, because stem cellsare like magical cells that can
morph into whatever the body isin need of.
So this might give your body ahelpful boost in reshaping and
(22:48):
healing post surgery.
I have a whole interview on thepodcast with the founder of Stem
Regen and we even talk abouthow dry brushing while taking
Stem Regen can encourage stemcells to take action and in
healing and repairing scars.
So really cool.
(23:10):
I recommend listening to that.
If you haven't already.
I will link to the interview inthe show notes.
And there's also a interview inthe show notes and there's also
a link in the show notes.
If you want to order Stem Regen, be sure to use the code
EMPOWERED for 15% off your firstorder Number five again, if you
want to take this reallyseriously.
Next level, red light therapyfor aiding tissue repair.
(23:34):
Red light therapy has beenscientifically proven to reduce
inflammation and promote healingat the cellular level.
It's a non-invasive way tosupport the body's natural
healing processes from theinside out.
This is happening inside us,right, and it has a whole bunch
(23:56):
of other benefits as well.
Once again, I interviewed thefounder of Sauna Space on the
podcast, who explains thebenefits of red light therapy.
So I will link to that episodeand if you want one of their
lights, which are just toptechnology, you can use the code
(24:17):
empowered for 5% off your firstorder.
Number six hydration.
It's essential for recovery.
It seems so simple, but most ofus are just not getting enough.
Keeping well hydrated is soimportant for overall health and
supports the healing processafter surgery, so please don't
(24:38):
slack on your water intake.
It is like one of the simplestthings that you could possibly
do.
It's free.
I need a sip of water right nowbecause my mouth is hella dry
from all this talking.
Oh, needed that.
Water helps in detoxificationand maintaining the elasticity
of your skin.
(24:58):
I also recommend drinkingelectrolytes plus.
They're delicious.
My favorite brand to buy isultima replenisher, which I've
linked in the show notes.
They've got a ton of yummyflavors and they don't have any
sugar.
It's all good stuff in there,so highly recommend them.
And you could also make yourown electrolyte water.
(25:19):
It's really easy and you canuse ingredients like Himalayan
pink salt, lemon juice andcoconut water.
So pretty easy to mix up ayummy electrolyte water yourself
.
Number seven using castor oilpacks.
Oh, my goodness, you knowcastor oil.
It is like the most magicalnatural product.
(25:42):
It's been used traditionally toenhance lymphatic drainage and
improve healing.
My favorite brand of castor oilpacks is Queen of the Thrones
favorite brand of castor oilpacks is Queen of the Thrones.
Oh my goodness.
Like their castor oil is reallyhigh quality.
But they also have just packsfor all parts of your body that
(26:03):
you can use in specific ways.
It keeps it.
You know, sometimes doingcastor oil packs can be a bit of
a messy process, but this keepsit clean and they even have
packs made especially for yourboots and different sizes.
So it's very cool and you canuse my discount code, which is
(26:24):
DanaMersica10.
Now I will put that in the shownotes because my name is not
the easiest to spell, so youwant to make sure you spell that
right, but that's going to giveyou 10% off your first order.
If you can work this into yourself care routine, it can be a
gentle way to encouragelymphatic flow naturally and
(26:44):
just really aid that that gentledetoxification process and
improve the health andappearance of your breasts.
I have found that castor oilcan really tighten things up and
improve scarring and stretchmarks and all of that.
So I do recommend giving that ago.
And there you have it BreastiesSeven ways you can help your
(27:05):
breasts heal and fluff afterexplant surgery.
With these practices, you'renot just helping your body heal.
You're actively participatingin shaping your recovery.
Pun intended, remember fluffingisn't just about physical
appearance.
It's about how your body ishealing from the inside out.
(27:28):
Each body is unique.
Your body is unique andbeautiful, and healing can look
different for everyone.
So with that, I recommendconsulting with your healthcare
provider or your ex-plantsurgeon before you start new
treatments or therapies, just tomake sure that it's appropriate
for your specific situation andwhere you are at on your
(27:52):
healing journey.
And if I can add one more thingto that list, I would say the
most important thing you can dofor your healing is to be kind,
loving and patient with yourselfand your body.
Practicing healing,visualization exercises, deep
breathing, releasing the stressand self-criticism, replacing
(28:17):
negative thoughts and energywith loving, optimistic
affirmation so that your bodycan be nourished with healing
frequency this is what willultimately lead you to the peace
and self-acceptance you'relooking for.
This will help your bodyphysically heal.
(28:38):
I hope this helps you embracethe journey, understand the
process a little better and giveyou some tools to support your
body through its healing process.
You know I shared with you someproducts today and some
discount codes.
All of that is listed in theshow notes, but I just want you
to know I shared with you someproducts today and some discount
codes.
All of that is listed in theshow notes, but I just want you
(28:58):
to know I only recommendproducts that I have researched,
that I have used, that you knowI've spoken with the owners,
the founders of like these are.
That's why I recommend theseproducts and they are what I
consider to be trusted partners,right, but I also want you to
(29:19):
know that you can go and do yourown research.
You can go and find what worksfor you.
That's completely fine.
I just want to always be hereto give you recommendations,
because I know that sometimes itcan be a pain in the butt
having to go and do all of thatextra research, but always find
(29:39):
what works for you.
Speaking of which, for moredetailed or personalized
guidance, check out ourresources online at
empoweredxplantcom or schedule aconsultation with me.
I will be more than happy tosupport you through this
transformation and guide youthrough this really
(30:00):
individualized journey.
If you enjoyed this podcastepisode, don't forget to
subscribe and leave a review,and also please, most
importantly, share this episodewith the explant community, so
women can feel empowered withthe knowledge they need on this
journey.
(30:20):
Let's make natural and healthythe new sexy.
I'll see you soon, rusty.
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