Empowered Explant

What "fluffing" really means + 7 ways you can help your breasts heal after explant surgery!

June 12, 2024 • Darnah Mercieca

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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:

  1. Get my Healing Breast Massage Oil
    oil.expoweredexplant.com

  2. Healing Super Smoothies Guide
    smoothies.empoweredexplant.com

  3. Stemregen Stem Cell Enhancement Supplement
    https://www.stemregen.co/products/stemregen/?afmc=EMPOWERED
    15% off your first order with code EMPOWERED

  4. Sauna Space Infrared Light Therapy
    https://sauna.space/empoweredexplant
    5% off your first order with code EMPOWERED

  5. Ultima Replenisher Electrolytes
    Their website: https://bit.ly/3nf8ELE
    Amazon: https://amzn.to/3VBsTWn

  6. Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Packs
    https://shop.queenofthethrones.com/darnahmercieca
    10% off your first order with code DARNAHMERCIECA10

  7. Empowered Explant Website Resources
    www.empoweredexplant.com/resources

  8. For coaching and support before or after surgery, email me!
    darnah@empoweredexplant.com

  9. Healthline Breast Shape Article
    https://www.healthline.com/health/breast-shapes


Please help us be heard and raise awareness:

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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.


Darnah Mercieca:

This is Empowered Explant the podcast helping women ditch their breast implants with confidence. I'm Darnah Mercieca board certified 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 the explant community fluffing. Oh my goodness. I see so many women hold onto this word like it's their saving grace and develop all kinds of expectations around what it might mean for their results. Then, on the other side of surgery, I see tons of women feeling let down after healing, saying they never fluffed. And don't get me wrong, there are a lot of women that are super happy with their results too. But I do find that the women who aren't quite as happy or aren't happy with their results after explant are really going in on the fluff fairy and saying they didn't fluff. But I think the real issue here is not the mysterious lack of fluffing or that the magical fluff fairy decides to show up for some and not others, but that our understanding of fluffing is off target. To begin with, to prove my theory that we needed this definition cleared up once and for all, I took to the Facebook groups to ask what does the term fluffing mean to you First, before I get into that. I want you to know this is not me going on a mission to prove anyone wrong. I appreciate you all sharing your honest thoughts and feelings. This was really about me going on a mission to find out how many of us feel misled by the word fluffing, because I know I was before I explanted, and I want to shine a light on what our magical little fluff fairy actually does so that we can all feel very clear about this and the women who haven't explanted yet, those who are just on their journey of figuring all this out, can go into this with more realistic expectations. A quick disclaimer please know I'm not a medical doctor and this podcast does not constitute medical or mental health advice. Please make any medical decisions in consultation with a qualified and experienced healthcare professional. Here's what women are saying f saying: Fluffing means to them. It's called I got my hopes up for nothing. I had de-fluffing and shrinkage. Filling out and fullness appearing less empty fat moving around to fill in empty skin, smashed, compressed breast tissue. Filling out the body first fills them with fluid which is later replaced by connective tissue like scar tissue, which makes them appear less empty. Hence the visual appearance of fluffing. I understand it as having fullness of tissue return at the top of the breast. That did not happen to me Fullness returning to the breast post-explant or filling out. Sometimes it pushes out a wrinkle, a fold in the skin or a flattened nipple. I didn't fluff because my breast implants were under the muscle. Fluffing is what happens to the tissue that was squished flatter due to the implants smashing the breast tissue and fat. The implants compress our breast tissue and, once the implant is out, the glandular tissue can shape back up to how it originally was. The breast tissue re-expands or recoils back to its original size and the natural breast tissue settles, reshapes and contours, leading to a fuller, perkier appearance.

Darnah Mercieca:

Wow, that was a lot and, as you can hear, there are so many different thoughts and opinions about what fluffing is and what it means, which is another reason why planning your explant surgery can feel so overwhelming. These Facebook groups and communities are incredible for support. They really are. I loved being a part of these Facebook groups as I was planning my explant surgery and throughout my healing and recovery journey, even now. I mean I love being in there now, especially being a support to other women in the Empowered Explant private Facebook group that we have, and you're welcome to come in and join that, and we have so many amazing women in there sharing their stories and their journeys and supporting each other, and it's beautiful, but when it comes to medical advice or getting really specific factual information, there are just so many different opinions and women having different experiences because this really is a unique journey to us all that you can come away with misinformation and unrealistic expectations or comparing your experience and results to other women.

Darnah Mercieca:

It makes sense, though, because breast implant illness and explant surgery is a pretty new thing as far as the documented, fact-based information out there goes. So you know, that's my mission here with this podcast to deliver what you need to know and to really go on a fact-finding mission to uncover what is real, what we can rely on to be medically correct terminology, and back in November, I interviewed my ex-plant surgeon. And back in November, I interviewed my ex-plant surgeon, dr Dev, who's based in Miami, florida, at Aqua Plastic Surgery, and I asked him to explain what fluffing is. Please explain it. Yell it out a little bit louder for everyone in the back, because we all need to know this. And here's what he said what is fluffing?

Dr. Dev Vibhakar:

The fluff fairy, the famous fluff fairy. So you know, the breasts do never miraculously gain tissue after the surgery. I mean they'll, you know they'll change quite a bit. So initially after the surgery your pec muscle is swollen, you don't have the implant, your breasts are swollen. So you kind of go through this Coke bottle wavy phase and as the weeks and months go on, the muscle swelling goes down, the tissue retracts and then the swelling of the breast goes down and they tighten up a little bit. So that's, I think, the fluffing in general, and so for me it's more of a reduction in swelling, skin tightening and basically having a more natural shape. And then, you know, as time goes on, some patients over the years, as their diet changes, they might get a little bit more volume in the breast. But the breasts themselves do not miraculously get more volume after the surgery. I think it's more the way the swelling and the settling of the tissue happens over the course of six weeks to three months.

Darnah Mercieca:

That was such a great description. Thank you for clearing that up. So I think that's a nice succinct and clear way to put it and, based on my conversation with Dr Dev and what I dug up in my other research, here's my own description of what fluffing is. It's where the swelling subsides and the breast tissue settles and reshapes following the removal of breast implants. After the removal of the implants, the skin and tissue may initially appear somewhat deflated or misshaped due to the previous presence of the implants and over time the breast tissue begins to fluff out or expand and the skin also retracts and heals, improving the overall aesthetic appearance. This process can vary in duration from person to person, depending on factors like the age of the patient, the quality of the skin and tissue, the size of the implants removed and individual healing responses.

Darnah Mercieca:

Here's what fluffing is not. It's not gaining more breast volume. It's not getting cleavage or upper pole volume. It's not scar tissue. It's not getting fuller or perkier. It's not going back to your original looking breasts. Now, in some cases you might luck out and end up with fuller, perkier breasts or going back to your near original self, and that's awesome if that's the case for you. But that's not fluffing in and of itself. That's just how your body healed and that's what your version of fluffing looked like. But it doesn't mean that other women didn't get a visit from the fluffing fairy. It just means that it looked different because our bodies are different. But in almost every case I've seen there's been a significant improvement between right after explant surgery and six weeks later, and then three months later and then six months after that, and that's all a part of this so-called fluffing. So you might be wondering what this process looked like for me after my explant surgery and I'll be real with you no, my breast tissue didn't magically end up all perky and filling out the loose skin I have, because I only have so much breast tissue and I did not have a breast lift. Maybe if I gained weight and gained fat in my breasts at some point I guess we'll see what happens when I get pregnant one day. That'll be really interesting. But the difference in my breasts from the day after my surgery to a few weeks after and then a few months after was really noticeable, and I think that's the case for most women at least. You know from what I've seen.

Darnah Mercieca:

I've seen fluffing spoken about like memory foam. But that just doesn't really sit with me because our boobs very rarely go back to how they used to be and they certainly aren't as dense as memory foam, especially as we get older. So you, you know, I just I just personally don't really liken it to a memory foam kind of experience. If only my boobs knew to go back to what they look like at 23 years old, I would have been absolutely stoked. But that just isn't a reality. Our boobs typically do not go back to looking like what they did before we put implants in. So I liken it.

Darnah Mercieca:

If we're going to go down the pillow route, I liken it more to feathers inside an empty pillowcase. Think about it like this If all those feathers are once compressed right, like the breast tissue is with the implants, and then the feathers are allowed to expand out inside the pillowcase, you know they're no longer compressed, then they're just going to kind of fall and settle into the pillowcase. You're not going to end up with a fuller pillowcase or more feathers. And if that pillowcase is real big and empty, then those feathers might just end up falling to the bottom, which is why lifts exist. A lift is kind of like to tighten up that metaphorical pillowcase. We're sewing it up a little bit to make it a little smaller so that whatever the feathers you have can be a little higher and tighter inside that pillowcase. That's kind of a weird analogy, but I don't know if you followed with me on that, but that's kind of it makes sense in my head Now. I also don't want that to sound grim because I don't think it is. It's just the reality. I think having more realistic expectations on this journey is a good thing and it's much better for our mental health.

Darnah Mercieca:

At the end of the day, after having breast implants for so many years and being bombarded with what society deems as being beautiful breasts you know, in movies, on social media, in magazines it's no wonder most of us are kind of oblivious. Results are still very attached to an image of what we think beautiful breasts are or what is accepted by society or deemed beautiful by men. But I was reading an article on Healthline about breast shape when I was doing some research for this episode and I love how they put this. Love how they put this In the article. It says so what's normal when it comes to breasts and how do your breasts measure up? The answer is that your breasts are unique and it's perfectly okay that they have their own distinctive shape and size. The only thing that isn't normal is unexplained pain and sensitivity. So I really love how that's put, because I just think that changing our thoughts and our perspective around breast shape, around breast size, is what's going to be the thing that helps us move forward in healing and feeling really good about ourselves after surgery, instead of kind of leaning into this oh I didn't fluff, oh I didn't get a visit from the fluff fairy, when in a lot of cases, that's not necessarily true. It's just that the fluffing process looked different. The fluffing process didn't mean your breath becoming this particular shape or size that you envision in your mind as being what they should look like. Anyway, I've linked to that article in the show notes. I could talk about that all day because I just think that our mindset is so key here. But that article it really illustrates how different and unique breasts and nipples are, without using degrading terms or unflattering words that we often use when talking about our own boobs. In short and this is one of the cool things that I really took away from going down this fluffing rabbit hole is that fluffing is really just our breasts healing and, while some of the results are going to be based on circumstances such as age, skin condition, surgery type, size of implants, all of those factors, there's those circumstances that are out of our control, but there are a lot of things that are within our control that we can actually start to do to improve our own results. So I'm going to share with you seven ways you can help your breasts heal and fluff after explant surgery.

Darnah Mercieca:

Number one diet. Okay, we're going to focus on two key things here that you could do with your diet. So, number one anti-inflammatory foods. Number two increased protein. Eating a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods before and after surgery can help reduce swelling and support healing in various ways. I recommend beginning an anti-inflammatory diet at least three months before surgery and continuing for at least three months after. Keep going, if you can. I mean being on an anti-inflammatory diet. It's actually like less thinking about it as a diet and kind of a way of life. It increases longevity, it's good for anti-aging all of the things that we really want in our lives. It's just a healthy way of being. But I really recommend going on a strict anti-inflammatory diet during this process.

Darnah Mercieca:

Protein is critical for tissue repair and should be increased before surgery and during recovery. The last episode on the podcast was all about protein. I really I gave you everything you need to know, including how much your body needs for improved healing. So if you haven't already heard that, be sure to go back and have a listen after this. I also include in that episode a free a link to a free protein tracker so you can really take count of how much protein you're getting now and how much protein you need. And I gave you some, you know, a cheat sheet to make sure you're getting all the protein you need. Proper nutrition gives your body and tissue and cells everything it needs to recover and reshape effectively. Number two is exercise. I've talked about in previous episodes how important exercise is before surgery because it helps your body heal faster. Then after surgery.

Darnah Mercieca:

While it's important to rest initially, of course, slowly incorporating and increasing exercise can improve blood circulation, which helps in reducing swelling, promotes tissue repair, supports collagen production and improves skin elasticity All things we want for our boobs. Breast shape and size are determined by the amount of fat and its distribution, but can also be affected by exercise. So once you're recovered and cleared for increasing exercise intensity. You want to start incorporating resistance training. Push-ups and weight exercises that work the pectoral muscles, like chest presses, for example, strengthen the breast area, which can make them rise and look fuller. We all want that. Pull-ups, squats and plank variations make the muscles of the back and shoulder girdles stronger, which improves posture and brings the breasts forward. This is also going to make you feel better overall. Right? Let's face it, you're going to improve your posture after having implants weighing you down for years, and all of this is going to make you feel more confident. So adding exercise in and really targeted resistance training is just a win-win overall for your boobs and your body.

Darnah Mercieca:

Number three is breast massage. Gentle breast massage can help improve circulation, encourage lymphatic drainage and reduce scar tissue formation. It helps the breast tissue to soften, decompress and settle more naturally into its shape after surgery. Now there are a lot of products out there that you can use on your skin, but I want to stress that you make sure the ingredients are natural, clean and non-toxic. Otherwise, you're actually adding stress to your lymphatic system, and we just want to avoid that. Your body has been through so much it's trying to detox. Your body has been through so much it's trying to detox, really focus on clean products. Even some of the products that surgeons recommend to use on your breasts afterwards are loaded with things that aren't good for your body, go figure. But then again I guess they are putting implants into our bodies still. So there's that. So there's that you can DIY with 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 you can DIY it. Or if you want to buy a product that is specifically for this, that is specifically for this.

Darnah Mercieca:

Here's a shameless plug for you. I have developed I'm really excited, I have developed my own breast massage oil and it'll be available to order in August, yay. So if you want to put your name down and be the first to know when it's available, I'll send you a special discount code for being one of the first to order. Just go to oilempoweredxplantcom and pop your details in. I'll be sure to email you first when that product is available for order. Or if you're listening to this after August and want to buy my healing breast massage oil, then just go to that same website link and it will take you straight there. I've linked to that in the show notes. I hope you love this product. I have been working on it for years now and it's you know, women have tried it. I've just kind of been giving away samples and it's worked a treat. I love it. I still use it because I've made breast massage a ritual in my self-care routine, because there are so many benefits to ongoing breast massage, just for our breast health right, and I think that breast health is something that kind of gets forgotten about. But anyway, hope you love the oil and I'm really excited for it to be available soon.

Darnah Mercieca:

Number four stem cell enhancement to boost natural repair processes. Now, if you want to take it a step further and really supercharge your body's healing abilities, you can use a supplement that I recommend called Stem Regen, which is a completely plant-based product. It's a supplement designed to enhance your body's natural stem cell production. So you're not taking stem cells, you are telling your body to release stem cells, which is something that our bodies really slow down in being able to do as we get older. So this can really accelerate healing and improve tissue regeneration, because stem cells are like magical cells that can morph into whatever the body is in need of. So this might give your body a helpful boost in reshaping and healing post surgery.

Darnah Mercieca:

I have a whole interview on the podcast with the founder of Stem Regen and we even talk about how dry brushing while taking Stem Regen can encourage stem cells to take action and in healing and repairing scars. So really cool. I recommend listening to that. If you haven't already. I will link to the interview in the show notes. And there's also a interview in the 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 first order Number five again, if you want to take this really seriously.

Darnah Mercieca:

Next level, red light therapy for aiding tissue repair. Red light therapy has been scientifically proven to reduce inflammation and promote healing at the cellular level. It's a non-invasive way to support the body's natural healing processes from the inside out. This is happening inside us, right, and it has a whole bunch of other benefits as well. Once again, I interviewed the founder of Sauna Space on the podcast, who explains the benefits of red light therapy. So I will link to that episode and if you want one of their lights, which are just top technology, you can use the code empowered for 5% off your first order.

Darnah Mercieca:

Number six hydration. It's essential for recovery. It seems so simple, but most of us are just not getting enough. Keeping well hydrated is so important for overall health and supports the healing process after surgery, so please don't slack on your water intake. It is like one of the simplest things that you could possibly do. It's free. I need a sip of water right now because my mouth is hella dry from all this talking. Oh, needed that. Water helps in detoxification and maintaining the elasticity of your skin. I also recommend drinking electrolytes plus. They're delicious. My favorite brand to buy is ultima replenisher, which I've linked in the show notes. They've got a ton of yummy flavors and they don't have any sugar. It's all good stuff in there, so highly recommend them. And you could also make your own electrolyte water. It's really easy and you can use ingredients like Himalayan pink salt, lemon juice and coconut water. So pretty easy to mix up a yummy electrolyte water yourself.

Darnah Mercieca:

Number seven using castor oil packs. Oh, my goodness, you know castor oil. It is like the most magical natural product. It's been used traditionally to enhance lymphatic drainage and improve healing. My favorite brand of castor oil packs is Queen of the Thrones favorite brand of castor oil packs is Queen of the Thrones. Oh my goodness. Like their castor oil is really high quality. But they also have just packs for all parts of your body that you can use in specific ways. It keeps it. You know, sometimes doing castor oil packs can be a bit of a messy process, but this keeps it clean and they even have packs made especially for your boots and different sizes. So it's very cool and you can use my discount code, which is DanaMersica10. Now I will put that in the show notes because my name is not the easiest to spell, so you want to make sure you spell that right, but that's going to give you 10% off your first order.

Darnah Mercieca:

If you can work this into your self care routine, it can be a gentle way to encourage lymphatic flow naturally and just really aid that that gentle detoxification process and improve the health and appearance of your breasts. I have found that castor oil can really tighten things up and improve scarring and stretch marks and all of that. So I do recommend giving that a go. And there you have it Breasties Seven ways you can help your breasts heal and fluff after explant surgery. With these practices, you're not just helping your body heal. You're actively participating in shaping your recovery. Pun intended, remember fluffing isn't just about physical appearance. It's about how your body is healing from the inside out. Each body is unique. Your body is unique and beautiful, and healing can look different for everyone. So with that, I recommend consulting with your healthcare provider or your ex-plant surgeon before you start new treatments or therapies, just to make sure that it's appropriate for your specific situation and where you are at on your healing journey.

Darnah Mercieca:

And if I can add one more thing to that list, I would say the most important thing you can do for your healing is to be kind, loving and patient with yourself and your body. Practicing healing, visualization exercises, deep breathing, releasing the stress and self-criticism, replacing negative thoughts and energy with loving, optimistic affirmation so that your body can be nourished with healing frequency this is what will ultimately lead you to the peace and self-acceptance you're looking for. This will help your body physically heal. I hope this helps you embrace the journey, understand the process a little better and give you some tools to support your body through its healing process. You know I shared with you some products today and some discount codes. All of that is listed in the show notes, but I just want you to know I shared with you some products today and some discount codes.

Darnah Mercieca:

All of that is listed in the show notes, but I just want you to know I only recommend products that I have researched, that I have used, that you know I've spoken with the owners, the founders of like these are. That's why I recommend these products and they are what I consider to be trusted partners, right, but I also want you to know that you can go and do your own research. You can go and find what works for you. That's completely fine. I just want to always be here to give you recommendations, because I know that sometimes it can be a pain in the butt having to go and do all of that extra research, but always find what works for you.

Darnah Mercieca:

Speaking of which, for more detailed or personalized guidance, check out our resources online at empoweredxplantcom or schedule a consultation with me. I will be more than happy to support you through this transformation and guide you through this really individualized journey. If you enjoyed this podcast episode, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review, and also please, most importantly, share this episode with the explant community, so women can feel empowered with the knowledge they need on this journey. Let's make natural and healthy the new sexy. I'll see you soon, rusty.