Bonnie had a breast augmentation procedure with Mrs Effie Katerinaki. Read her story…
Cosmetic surgery is something that I’ve always wanted and been open to and, as I got older and my body changed, that feeling never went away. However, having never had surgery, I developed a fear of general anaesthetic. My fear is that I would die while getting new boobs! While to some this might seem completely unfounded, it was enough to put me off!
Now in my thirties, and having had my children, I decided now was the right time. After doing some research online, I was able to identify and locate a few clinics which offered the surgery under local anaesthetic and sedation as opposed to general. This gave me the peace of mind that I was looking for and I booked in for a consultation right away.
My first consultation was actually not with The Westbourne Centre but instead a well-known, national cosmetic surgery brand. To say it was awful was an understatement. Firstly, the consultation was performed by a sales representative, with massive boobs and Louboutins, who was very pushy and focused on upselling. I didn’t just need a boob job anymore, I’d need an uplift too. Secondly, for me, the tone and focus were completely wrong. It was all about size and perception as opposed to anything else.
Walking out, I decided this was not the place for me. Luckily, however, my husband’s friend, who knows Cosmetic Surgeon Mr Fazel Fatah personally, suggested we try The Westbourne Centre. A quick Google of the address and our satnav showed us we were no more than 10 minutes away so, thought we’d head over and give it a try.
Upon arriving at The Westbourne Centre, I was greeted by Steph, who was very helpful. She sat down and talked me through the procedure and what was offered at The Centre. She also gave me a short tour of the building itself which was reassuring as it showed they had nothing to hide. Initially, I had wanted to book in with Mr Fatah, however unfortunately, as I was keen to have the operation as soon as possible, Mr Fatah wasn’t able to accommodate the date that I would have liked for the surgery. Therefore, Steph recommended Mrs Effie Katerinaki, who had been trained by Mr Fatah. Happy, I booked my consultation with Effie that day.
My consultation with Effie was a world away from my first consultation. My husband who had accompanied me each time, also agreed. This time it actually felt medical which is exactly what I was looking it for. Effie was very professional and straight to the point. As a result, I left the consultation feeling well-informed and confident with the procedure. I then booked my surgery for the October half-term as this fitted in nicely with my term-time contract.
In the lead up to the surgery I was nervous, but also very excited, and was looking forward to seeing the results! On the day of the surgery, my husband drove me down to Birmingham from Nottingham. The drive usually takes around 45 minutes, however, due to an accident on the away the journey ended up taking 2 hours instead. The delay meant that I actually missed my surgery slot by one hour meaning there were lots of tears! However, the team were all very supportive and it seemed that the odds were in my favour as I was the only surgery booked in that day, meaning that surgery could still go ahead.
Whilst my delay in getting to the Centre wasn't ideal, in some ways it worked out for the better as it meant that I had little if no time to wait around worrying! The procedure itself seemed to be over in the blink of an eye and before I knew it I was back in the recovery room. Once all the post-op checks were complete, and I’d had a tea and a biscuit, the nurses sent me home.
My recovery went very well. The next day after the surgery I had a check-up to ensure that everything was as it should be. Overall, I felt great, although a little uncomfortable at times.
A week after the surgery, the bandages came off and I was forced to wear a rather unflattering surgery bra. I also went back to work, which at times was a little challenging especially as I couldn’t open the heavy fire doors!
After six weeks, I was able to stop wearing the post-surgery bra. My mum, who has not had surgery, was keen to take it from my hands saying it looked comfy despite me saying I would like to burn it! But hey, waste not, want not.
Since having my breast augmentation my life has changed for the better! I feel much happier and a lot more confident. Despite having round implants, they don’t look fake at all, especially now they’ve dropped and settled.
While my mum was a little apprehensive when I first told her, she’s now been convinced and wishes she’d had it done as well. My husband as you can imagine loves them too, as do my friends who have all had a look and feel!
My biggest regret? Not doing it sooner! Should I ever need any other surgery, I would go back to The Westbourne Centre in a heartbeat.
Mrs Effie Katerinaki is an experienced Consultant Cosmetic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgeon who specialises in breast augmentation, breast reduction, mastopexy, fat transfer, liposuction and abdominoplasty. To book a consultation with Effie, please call 0121 456 8149.
