Notes from Natalie
I honestly cannot believe it has been two years.
Two years ago today, I was recovering from my explant surgery.
Breast implants. Five sets. Over 33 years.
And it all started when I was 19.Yes. Nineteen.
A literal teenager making a “forever” decision.
What could possibly go wrong? 
Why did I get them?
All the reasons you are probably thinking.
Insecurity.
Hating my body.
Not feeling enough.
Believing that looking a certain way would finally make me feel confident, worthy, and complete.
Why did I continue to replace them again and again, even though every single set came with problems?
Same answer as above.
Because once you tie your worth to how you look, it is very hard to untangle that story. And I kept telling myself, this next set will be different.
Why did I finally remove them?
Honestly, I do not know that I would have if I had not had that final rupture.
That moment forced me to stop and really look at the future.
Replacing implants every decade into my 70s and 80s just did not sit right anymore.
Do I miss them sometimes? Yes.
Do I regret removing them? No.
Do I think I have somehow evolved into a human who no longer cares about aesthetics or appearance? Absolutely not.
Please note to the upper and lower eye bleph I recently had as Exhibit A 
I still care how I look. I just care about my health more.
Am I healthier without implants?
YES. Physically, without question.
There is a long list of health changes I experienced after explanting, and it is not subtle.
Do they look better now?
Nope.
I have deformities.
I have several scars.
I have what I lovingly refer to as a negative A cup situation.
And yes, sometimes I feel self conscious.
That part is real.
But I also own it.
I do not stuff my sports bras.
I do not pretend it is something it is not.
I show up anyway.
Will I ever put them back in?
No.
My scars are a daily reminder of the lengths I was willing to go to just to feel “enough.”
I do not need another reminder.
If you are considering breast implants, I want you to hear this clearly.
This is not a one and done decision. It is a lifetime of dealing with them, managing them, replacing them, and making peace with complications.
If you are considering explanting, I want you to know this too.
The scars are forever.
They become reminders.
Sometimes emotional ones.
At 54, I am grateful I explanted and took back my health in ways I could not have fully understood when I was younger.
And that 19 year old girl who got them?
She is still here.She is still learning. Still evolving.Still human.
But that chapter?
The DD implant chapter is officially closed.
If you missed the podcast episodes where I went deep into my explant journey while it was happening, you can find all three of them below:
Breast Implants… The Decisions, The Regrets, The Issues with Dr. Amie Hornaman
My Explant, Capsulectomy, and Lift! Meet My Surgeon Dr. Ricky Brown
What You May Have Missed This Week:
On Instagram and Facebook
No time to cook? Or maybe you hate cooking but still want to eat healthy?
Same
I shared a quick, easy, healthy dinner plus my tips for what else to do to really dial it all in without turning your kitchen into a second job.
You can watch it on Instagram here or Facebook here.
On the Podcast & Youtube
I released a brand new episode with Dr. Dempsey all about MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome). What it is. Why it’s behind countless “mystery” illnesses including long COVID, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and unexplained autoimmune markers. Why it often shows up around menopause, and what we can actually do about it instead of feeling dismissed or confused.
You can listen on Apple here, Spotify here, or watch the episode on YouTube here.
Midlife Truth Of The Week:
You are allowed to change your mind.
You are allowed to close chapters.
You are allowed to care about how you look and still choose your health.
Both can exist.
Until next week!
Xoxo
Natalie Jill
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by Natalie Jill
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