A Lesson in Trusting Your Surgeon: Ella’s Breast Augmentation

Announcer (00:00):
You're listening to The La Jolla Cosmetic Podcast with Monique Ramsey.

Monique Ramsey (00:05):
Welcome everyone to The La Jolla Cosmetic Podcast. I'm your hostess, Monique Ramsey. And today on the podcast, I have a very special patient and I think you're going to love hearing her story. She did something that a lot of patients are interested in learning more about. And so she's going to be here to walk us through that whole experience. And her name is Ella. So welcome, Ella.

Ella (00:28):
Hi. It's so nice to be here. I'm so excited to be back.

Monique Ramsey (00:32):
Thank you. So first of all, I'll just have you tell us a little bit about yourself.

Ella (00:37):
Great. So I was born and raised in Oahu, Hawaii. I love the beach. I love to be a very physical and active person. So my physical appearance is something that I really value and cherish, so I love to work out, go for beach walks. And definitely getting a breast augmentation has made me so happy doing those things and just helped me so much with my confidence. So I'm so excited to share my journey with you guys.

Monique Ramsey (01:01):
Awesome. So what was bothering you about your curves or lack of curves? And can you describe a little bit what that felt like?

Ella (01:10):
Yeah. So I never really had breasts growing up. I was always like a lower A cup. And I think just having breasts is just such a feminine and beautiful thing. And I really thought that it would help enhance not only my appearance, but my confidence as well. So breast augmentation was something that I was thinking about for quite a long period of time. And I didn't necessarily want super large breasts. I wanted breasts that just made me feel comfortable in my own body, something that was more proportional to my appearance, but enough to where I just felt that extra confidence boost. So I would say before having my breasts, I definitely lacked that confidence in that area.

Monique Ramsey (01:48):
And so what was the thing that kind of made you decide, okay, I'm going to do this? Was there a tipping point?

Ella (01:56):
Yeah. So a lot of my friends and family have actually had breast augmentations and I've just seen the night and day difference and their happiness and their confidence and just how it affects them on a day-to-day basis. So I definitely thought about this decision a lot. It was not a decision I made overnight, but definitely the tipping point was just seeing how happy my friends and family were and how much it affected them and just their overall confidence. So that was definitely what led me to choose this.

Monique Ramsey (02:24):
So you can blame your genes for not having much.

Ella (02:27):
Yeah. Pretty much. Yeah.

Monique Ramsey (02:28):
That's okay. And that's good though. It's nice when you have people around you who are going to be supportive and they're supportive because they've been through it and they've been there in that pre-surgery and then knowing how it goes and sort of the difference it'll make for you. And like you say, I think that word confidence is huge. It is. That's a really big thing. And I think it's like that extra ... If you go get your hair and makeup done and you're going somewhere and you have a great outfit, you just have that little edge where you're just feeling so good. Not that you weren't confident before, but it's like-

Ella (03:05):
No, but it definitely gives you that little boost, that little extra.

Monique Ramsey (03:09):
For sure.

Ella (03:09):
And it's such a fun thing.

Monique Ramsey (03:11):
Yeah. So how long ago was your surgery?

Ella (03:13):
My surgery was February 23rd, so I'm about six, seven weeks post-op.

Monique Ramsey (03:18):
Oh, okay. So now feeling ... Well, we'll get into post-op a little bit and kind of how it's been since surgery, but I want to back up and think about how you found us and how did you decide to pick Dr. Salazar?

Ella (03:33):
So I did a lot of research. It's a very extensive process. And I went through a lot of different surgeons, a lot of different places between Oahu, between San Diego. And once I decided with San Diego, the main thing that I was looking for in my research was not only a doctor that I could really trust with my body, but a team that would support me and make me feel comfortable. A big thing for me is just having a staff and people that are going to make me feel comfortable in my decision safe and almost feel like a second home in a way, because I think getting a breast augmentation is not just such a financial commitment. It's like a physical commitment and it's something that you're going to live with for so long. So I was going through reviews of a lot of them and I just really, what enhanced me about this place is just how everyone had such positive things to say about the staff.

(04:23):
Everyone said they make you feel right at home. And Dr. Salazar, I loved his results. I went through all of his results before and after for breast augmentation and I was very pleased with what I saw, so that was huge. And also for me, it was really important that I got to know a little bit more about my doctor on a personal level. So I did go onto your guys' website and read Dr. Salazar's page about his accomplishments, his achievements, and just who he is as a person, like what he does on a day-to-day basis. And I just absolutely love the authenticity of it, and that's definitely what made me choose you guys.

Monique Ramsey (04:57):
Oh, that's so nice to hear. And you're bringing up a really good point because I don't think patients think about this necessarily as they're going into a surgical experience. Obviously you want to pick the doctor and know that they're qualified and know that they have good results that you think, okay, that passes the test for what I want to see, because that's really the proof is in the pudding. And then in the great reviews, but also that team around you, because you're working with patient coordinators, you're working with nurses, and the doctor might be in another consult room or they might be in surgery, and then it's that extra support staff while ... And there was somebody who has said, the doctor does their most important part while you're asleep. So there's that really intense time and getting you connected with what's the right procedure for you, the right type of implant for you, but then there's also that support system around you. So I think that's pretty cool. Do you remember where you found us? Were you just on the web or where were you?

Ella (06:03):
Yeah, I found you guys just on Google. I searched up best surgeons in San Diego. I was very straightforward in my search because I'm like, I just want to get to the best options that it gives me. But I also looked on Instagram and TikTok. So I kind of went through all the social media pages once I found you guys on Google and I just really liked everything I saw, which led me to want to book a consultation with you guys and definitely kept La Jolla Cosmetics at the top of my list.

Monique Ramsey (06:33):
And so from the time you thought about having the surgery to the time you actually booked the consultation, was that like a year? How long had you been thinking about it?

Ella (06:44):
I actually thought about it for quite a long time, like the surgery in general. It was definitely like a year and a half, but between the point of my consultation and then when I got the surgery, it was about a month and a half, but this was definitely a decision that I thought of prior towards even booking the consultation for a long period of time.

Monique Ramsey (07:04):
Yeah. And so coming into the surgery center, what was your first impression as you came in?

Ella (07:10):
I was definitely nervous. I mean, I feel like as one is before, I have never got anything surgically done on me. So I was definitely nervous. I didn't know what it'd be like. I was educated on a breast augmentation just through my research and my friends and family's experience, but I really didn't know much about it. So I was a little bit intimidated. And the second I walked in, I just felt all my worried slip away because everyone was so kind and informative on the procedure and they just made me feel super relaxed. And I think just being relaxed and feeling like you're really supported by the people that are around you, it makes you feel like you're making the correct decision. And that for me was huge just to have all my anxiety and worries kind of slip away. And then meeting with Dr. Salazar, I was definitely like in the beginning like, "Okay, I'm going to go in super professional with a doctor." And I was like super uptight and nervous.

(08:03):
And he walked in just with open arms, a great personality and a huge smile. And I remember just being greeted like that was like right when I knew him like, "This is going to be my doctor." That was definitely the clicking moment for me, just how he greeted me just made me feel like so appreciated as a client and I was just so excited from there on out.

Monique Ramsey (08:24):
Yeah. And I think you could tell if you're meeting somebody, whether it's a surgeon or it's somebody in the business world or wherever, like you can pick up if they're kind of going through the motions or if they're just not- Yeah, exactly. They don't seem very into it.

Ella (08:40):
Exactly.

Monique Ramsey (08:40):
And I know surgeons love to be in the OR, that's their favorite place. But I think having that feeling like I'm important and feeling heard and I feel like that's what I'm kind of getting out of your time as you got to know him. And did you see it sort of as a collaboration? Did you already know what you were thinking of in terms of size or did you kind of let him lead that discussion? How did that go down?

Ella (09:09):
So this is actually something I love to talk about when other people ask. I went in with knowing exactly what I wanted. I had photos collected, I knew exactly what I had in mind because I tend to be more on like the petite side and I didn't really want super large breasts that would look unproportional to my frame, but I really wanted to enhance my breasts and kind of keep the perkiness of them and just make them a little bit fuller, not to where I looked like it didn't fit me, but to where it looked like I just had really nice round full perky breasts. And I told Dr. Salazar that, and I showed him my inspo and he said, "I know exactly what you want and I'm going to make sure that you get exactly what you want. " So we went over a lot of different sizes.

(09:51):
I tried on 265 actually and I really liked it and I thought that that was the size that I would be getting. And in surgery, he actually ended up giving me a complete different sides because he knew that that size wasn't the size that I would actually want and it didn't actually naturally fit me. So he ended up going a size down and I've never been more happier with the size that he chose. And I think it's just because I put so much trust into him and going into surgery, I was so relaxed because I knew that he was going to try on different sizes and he was going to choose the size that best fit me in my aesthetic golds. I could have not imagined going with another size that I agreed on prior. And I'm just so happy that Dr. Salazar during surgery knew exactly what I wanted and knew exactly what sides would fit me and give me the best results.

Monique Ramsey (10:40):
And even when you try on the implants and we have sizers, and I think that sizing appointment is really important. So we have-

Ella (10:48):
It's definitely important.

Monique Ramsey (10:49):
We have some little bras, we have some sizers to kind of let you try it on and feel like, "Okay, this on my body, does this feel right?" But even still, it's not an exact science, you know?

Ella (10:59):
Yeah. But that made all a difference for me, definitely trying it on prior to my appointment too and going over it with Dr. Salazar, just trying on different sizes, getting his opinion, giving my opinion, but also just feeling like I was able to tell him what I wanted and using what the information I gave him, he would kind of give me feedback back instead of him just saying like, "This is what I think you should get. This is what I think you should do. " I felt like we were really a team and that to me was huge.

Monique Ramsey (11:25):
It's like the collab.

Ella (11:26):
Like to be able to collaborate with my doctor. It was huge.

Monique Ramsey (11:29):
I think it is. And I think also knowing that you have to respect the anatomy. Some people will come in and like, "I want this nose or I want these breasts." And it's like, but your body is different than that person's. I know. And so he was talking about in one of his videos, he was talking about the sizing or how he does the measurements for breast augmentation. And it was so interesting. It was like, oh, the footprint and the this and that and the distance here and it's more calculated than you would expect.

Ella (11:57):
It is definitely calculated. You came into this tape measure and I was like, "What?"

Monique Ramsey (12:01):
What's happening?

Ella (12:01):
It's like another language to me.

Monique Ramsey (12:03):
Yeah. It's a whole thing and I think it's really interesting because you don't want to end up looking weird. And I think especially when so many people, and I love the fact that so many people are so open about the surgeries they're doing and they might say, like Kylie Jenner is like, "Oh, I had this shape implant, high profile, blah, blah, blah." And then people think, "Oh, that's what I want. " Well, that might not be right for you. And I think-

Ella (12:29):
Exactly.

Monique Ramsey (12:29):
And so what kind of implant did you end up getting? Do you know?

Ella (12:33):
So I ended up going with, correct me if I'm wrong, I don't know how to exactly pronounce it. I think it's Allegran.

Monique Ramsey (12:39):
Allergan? Allergan.

Ella (12:40):
Allergan. Yeah.

Monique Ramsey (12:41):
They have the Natrelle, I think the Natrelle line of implants. Yeah.

Ella (12:45):
I went with that and I did under the muscle full profile 220cc.

Monique Ramsey (12:50):
Oh. 220. Perfect. I love

Ella (12:52):
That. And it was just, there's the most perfect size and I can't emphasize enough just having a doctor that in surgery is going to give you an implant that knows it's going to make you happy in the long run, not what you like. Even if I agreed on something prior, like when he looked at me, he told me that he lifted me up and he tried on these different sizes with me and he knew that when he did that one, he was like, "This is what she's going to be the most happy with. " And just being able to have that made me so happy because I just knew that all my trust in him really paid off.

Monique Ramsey (13:24):
Yeah, that's cool. Now, before surgery, and it's good that you had people on your side, but did anybody try to talk you out of it?

Ella (13:31):
Yeah. So about that. I think definitely a lot of women that want to get a breast augmentation, I think sometimes, well, maybe not for everyone, but they tell a lot of people and then that kind of gives room for people to say their two cents and kind of say negative things or say this or say that. So I actually didn't really tell much people. I kind of just told my immediate friends and family just because I wanted to have people that I know were going to support me in a very positive way because it was a personal decision that I wanted for myself that I knew I would be happy with. And I think at the end of the day, it just comes down to what makes you happy, not others happy because people have so much room for their two cents, especially when it comes down to surgical procedures.

(14:14):
People love to say things like, "You don't need that, " or this and that, but they're never you. And I think it's so important to just know what makes you happy, not what pleases others.

Monique Ramsey (14:25):
Right. And it's an important thing too because there's some ... I'll see different things online and where some women will think, "Oh, this will make my husband happy, make my boyfriend happy." It's like, don't do it for somebody else.

Ella (14:39):
You can't do it for anyone else, you got to do it for you.

Monique Ramsey (14:41):
Exactly. So tell me a little bit about the day of surgery and what that was like. And were you nervous or excited or a little bit of both?

Ella (14:53):
I was both. I was so nervous because I've never had a surgical procedure like this in my entire life. So this was my first time going under and I definitely had all the pre-surgery jitters, the nerves, the excitement. But I think what made all the difference for me truly is walking in and just having the team greet me with just this very calm energy, this very welcoming and calm energy. Because when you have so much anxiety inside yourself and you have all these emotions, you're like, you're scared, you don't know what it's going to look like, you're excited, you're anticipating a hard recovery and pain. So just having like a team and walking into the room and just being greeted with calmness and just like very welcoming energy, it just made all the difference for me because it made me know that I'm making the right decision and just laying on that bed.

(15:42):
I remember right before I went under, I was just so happy. I was talking to them and they were just kind of making these conversations with me and just I kind of faded away and fell asleep. But I just remember laying on that bed being in such a calm state and just truly having no nerves, like really no nerves.

Monique Ramsey (15:59):
That's so nice. It's a comfortable bed too.

Ella (16:01):
It really, right. Oh my God. They had this warm thing they're blowing under my blanket.

Monique Ramsey (16:05):
I know.

Ella (16:05):
I was like, "I'm ready to go to bed."

Monique Ramsey (16:08):
A bear hugger and it's like a warmer and it's like this bubble and you're like, "Oh, this is so nice." And then all of a sudden you wake up and you're like-

Ella (16:17):
And I have to leave. And I'm like, "What? I don't want to leave."

Monique Ramsey (16:19):
Doesn't it feel like 20 seconds?

Ella (16:22):
Seriously. A blink of an eye.

Monique Ramsey (16:24):
It's the weirdest sensation, but it's not like- It is. It's not scary for the first ... I just remember waking up crying and they were like, "Why are you crying?" I'm like, "I don't know. "

Ella (16:33):
There's so many emotions, that's why.

Monique Ramsey (16:35):
Well, I think everybody kind of reacts to anesthesia differently, but it certainly is a safe experience. And we do have some podcasts about that too, because that is one of the things that people are worried about and you don't have to be worried about it. And especially with the team that we have, we have board certified anesthesiologists and they talk to you-

Ella (16:54):
That was a huge thing for me.

Monique Ramsey (16:55):
Yeah. So did they talk to you ahead, right?

Ella (16:57):
Yeah. So the anesthesiologist talked to me ahead because that was honestly my biggest concern going into surgery is like, "I've never been under anesthesia." And just being able to talk to him and have him greet me in the room prior and get to know him and his experience made me just feel like I'm in good hands. I'm in very safe hands. And I think safety, it really just comes down to safety at the end of the day, honestly, when you're getting a surgery, you just want to know that the people that are working on your body and operating on you while you're asleep are good at their practice and that you're in safe hands. And between Dr. Salazar, being on the board of safety and just the anesthesiologist having so much experience, I felt just so safe laying down. And that was a huge thing for me.

Monique Ramsey (17:38):
Yeah. They're such true professionals. And I do love what you're saying about the warmth of the team. It's all business back in the OR and everything has to be done a certain way. Obviously, it's just like being in a hospital except for easier because you don't have to go anywhere else. We have our own surgery center, but really it's like all business, but yet they're such good humans and they understand how scary it is or how nerve wracking it is, I guess, or how anxious you might be. And so it's like there's this calm professionalism between the team that does make you feel safe.

Ella (18:17):
It does. It takes away all your worries.

Monique Ramsey (18:19):
Yeah. So who took care of you when you went home? Who took you home?

Ella (18:24):
I had my parents. So my parents flew up from Oahu and we got a little Airbnb and they picked me up and took care of me. And I definitely think having someone that you love and trust with the entirety of your life and your body take care of you is a huge, a huge thing for me because I would have not been able to heal without my parents. And just like my friends, but people that were really close to me and people that knew me and my body and were there to support me both mentally and physically because it's such a mental thing as much as it is physical, you're going just through this rollercoaster of emotions of I'm happy, I'm sad, I'm in pain and your boobs are crazy. They're so swollen that you're like, "Oh my gosh."

Monique Ramsey (19:04):
Everything's just tight.

Ella (19:06):
Right. Having people that take care of you like my parents that just know you in and out, both emotionally and physically and are making sure that you're not moving a lot, you're not feeling so independent where you're like, "No, I can do this. I'm going to go cook myself breakfast on the second day because you're all feeling good from your pain meds." Having people that know your body's limits and both how to help you mentally when you're feeling down, tired or so on was huge for me.

Monique Ramsey (19:31):
Yeah. And we have in our little pre-op booklet that patients get, there's one page that's like, explain sort of that rollercoaster of emotions. And it's funny, it doesn't matter what procedure you're having, everybody kind of goes through it and it's just your body or everything's your metabolism and your electrolytes and your whatever, they're all kind of in chaos and you've had some trauma to whatever area and your body's busy focusing on that and healing and helping you get through it. And so then of course mentally sometimes we're like, "Why did I do this? " Or they go from that from like one day to being like, "Oh my gosh, why didn't I do this sooner?"

Ella (20:15):
That was me the whole time. I mean, I never questioned my procedure at all. I was just like, "When can I see them?" I was ready to take the bandages off.

Monique Ramsey (20:25):
So now did you travel also from Oahu or were you living here?

Ella (20:29):
I'm living here, but I was definitely important that I had my family and just people that were really close to me taking care of me.

Monique Ramsey (20:35):
That's nice. That's so nice. And I think it's kind of fun to have ... What did you guys do? I mean, I'm sure like the first day you slept, but after a couple days, did you guys watch movies or do puzzles or-

Ella (20:48):
Yes, it was actually so fun. I was just on the phone with my mom the other day and I said, "Having boobs is so fun." I love looking at them. I love wearing them out. It's amazing. But I think the funnest part was before I got my surgery and like the week of recovery and people don't talk about that enough because I was like, if I could redo it all over again, I would, because in your recovery, you're just so excited. You're like, I just completed this huge surgery and for me, I just laid in bed, watched movies, got a lot of takeout and just got babied. It's definitely important to baby yourself. I'm a very independent person and I'm like, "I can do it myself." But when you have such a surgery, I think this goes just for people that think, "No, I can do it myself. I don't need help". Baby yourself. Take the time-

Monique Ramsey (21:35):
Seriously, take the time.

Ella (21:36):
Take life slow, take off a school or work and just really listen to your body because you're in such a fragile state, even though your brain may not think you are, your body is. And it was just so important for me to really just rest and take it easy, eat my yogurt bowls and relax. And I'm like a very active person. I love to go on walks, I love to work out. So definitely not working out was a little bit hard, but it's just so important to listen to your body during this time. And I think a lot of people that get breast augmentations, it's like they're like, "What do you mean I can't do this? What do you mean I have these restrictions?" But once you're actually in the process of recovery, it's so important that you listen to those restrictions and you're going to feel it too. Your body's going to literally tell you, "I can't physically do this right now. Just give me some time."

Monique Ramsey (22:22):
Yeah. Now how long was it kind of before you felt back to normal?

Ella (22:27):
The recovery for me was actually very simple, like very simple. I had a very nice recovery, just listened to my body, laid in bed, ate some soup.

Monique Ramsey (22:37):
Now did you need the pain medication?

Ella (22:40):
I did. I definitely was relying on the pain medications for the first couple of days, but around the third day, I believe that was my last day I took them. And I think that was amazing because I thought I'd be taking them for much longer than I anticipated. So to stop taking them on the third day was definitely something I was really happy about.

Monique Ramsey (22:58):
Yeah. I think it's good to know that it's like you want to use them if you need them for sure and you don't want to get behind the pain. If they say take it every four hours or every six hours, it's really good to do that for the first couple days because then you kind of keep the pain over here. If you go, "Oh, I'll be okay." And then all of a sudden you're in a lot of pain. It's hard to get yourself back to normal. So it's good to just say, "Okay, yeah, for a couple days I'm going to take them." And then it's amazing, people then they'll say, "Oh yeah, and then you can take extra strength, Tylenol." And you're thinking, "What's that going to do? " But it actually really works. It really works.

Ella (23:37):
Seriously. I mean, I actually don't even think I took any extra strength Tylenol once I stopped taking the pain medication.

Monique Ramsey (23:42):
Oh, that's good.

Ella (23:43):
Yeah. It was really minimal pain for me, which I was really happy about because that was probably the biggest thing everyone's really worried about is how much pain am I going to be in after the surgery that I'm getting on myself? And so for me to stop taking the medication after three days was huge for me. And to kind of start feeling like myself on the second week, it was definitely a big accomplishment for me. I was like, "Yay."

Monique Ramsey (24:08):
Now, when did he let you start going on a walk or then maybe doing cardio? When are the thresholds that you've been given as far as activity?

Ella (24:19):
So on my second week post-op, I went back and I was like, "So what can I do? Am I good for run? Am I good for this? " And they said, "Still just take it really light, light walks, light exercise, don't lift anything beyond 10 pounds and just be very low effort whenever you're doing something physical." So for me, that was just going on little strolls. Getting outside was really important to me. I think sometimes in recovery we're so inside all the time and you're just laying in bed, laying around on the couch. But for me, getting a fresh breath of air and just walking around and taking that time to just be outside and kind of connect with nature was huge for me because it kind of puts you in a different head space sometimes. And then around the third week, they cleared me to do upper body and lower body, which was really nice.

Monique Ramsey (25:06):
Nice. Yeah. So was there anything throughout the process, either before or during or after that you were not expecting? And then how did that make you feel?

Ella (25:17):
Something that I guess I wasn't expecting necessarily was how fast I would feel like myself again and how happy I would feel because that was just huge for me is just being able to feel like myself after that first week and being able to just be so pleased and happy with my results. That was something that's really big for me, especially I was super unsure about my cup sides. I think that was a big stress on me before surgery. I was like, "I don't know what cup size. I want this one. I want this one." Because it's not just like a financial investment. It's going to be on your body for a long period of time.

Monique Ramsey (25:53):
Exactly.

Ella (25:54):
So I wasn't expecting to be just so calm and so trusting in Dr. Salazar or just any doctor, but definitely Dr. Salazar made me just feel so worry free, especially on the day of surgery. I was not expecting that I would just be laying on the table ready, just like trusting them with everything and really feeling little to no nerves in that exact moment. I think that's something I really wasn't expecting.

Monique Ramsey (26:19):
That's so nice to know because it is, and especially for the first time you've ever done anything, if you've never been in an operating room before and all those are like new things. And sometimes in our head, we build stuff up in a certain way and it might not be based on reality. It might be based on television.

Ella (26:37):
Yeah, definitely. I mean, I got my photos from Instagram, just different girls I saw on Instagram, but you got to understand everybody is so different. Everyone's height, everyone's weight, it's so different. So definitely picking a cup size that Dr. Salazar and I both knew would be best for me, not what we saw or what I saw on other people, that was huge.

Monique Ramsey (26:59):
Yeah. Now, as far as like bathing suit shopping, bra shopping, how fun has it been?

Ella (27:06):
I was talking with one of my friends who got a breast augmentation and we're saying it's like having a brand new wardrobe with all the same clothes you've had your entire life. And it's so fun because you have these clothes that you've worn for months, days, years, and then you get a breast augmentation and you open up your closet and your dresser and it's like everything is brand new, like everything is brand new. So I had so much fun just trying on old shirts, old bras, old bathing suits, even though they didn't fit and I loved it. So then definitely going and having, I just recently got my breasts measured and I was just, you should saw my smile, hearing them say my cup size. I was like, "What? Really?" So it's so fun. And I truly think it's like having a brand new wardrobe with all the same clothes you've had. Everything looks so different. Dresses look completely different, shirts, it's amazing. It's such a confidence booster when you retry on your clothes and look in the mirror. It's something like an inexplainable feeling really.

Monique Ramsey (28:04):
So what would you tell someone who's on the fence? Maybe they're thinking about it, but they're not sure because I think hesitation is so natural for all of us. We're thinking, "Oh yeah, I really, really want this. " But then you start to second guess yourself and you might be like, "Well, maybe I shouldn't, maybe I shouldn't want this for whatever reason." Or you hear somebody talking about it in a way that you're like, makes you second guess. So if somebody's in that head space, what would you tell them to help them get through to make a clear decision?

Ella (28:34):
I would say make sure that you are just content with yourself in the moment that you're making this decision. Make sure that physically and mentally you just trust yourself when you feel like you're in a good place. Because for me, about a year ago before I got the surgery, I wanted to get it and I was like, "I think I want to get my breast augmentation." And during that time, a year ago before this, I was unstable. I was mentally kind of all over the place, physically, I wasn't super confident. And I think being able to just know yourself and know your mind and your body and know I'm in a good place in both of these areas right now, I'm content in myself. I think this is a decision that I'm going to make clearheaded, definitely.

Monique Ramsey (29:18):
Yeah. And I think having that team around you where you know you can reach out to them at any time. I mean, we try to give you a lot of good information with your little surgical booklet that kind of is your little surgery Bible of what to expect and what to do and what's normal, what's not normal. And so you've got all that, which is great. And then you also have this team to reach out. It's so easy to, and they want to help you. We don't want anybody at home who's stressing out over some little thing that is totally normal. And so we'd rather hear from you no matter when it is, just to help reassure you that everything's okay.

Ella (30:02):
Yeah. And I agree because coming into here, I knew physically and mentally I was ready, I was prepared, but also having a team that was just as prepared, just as prepared to help me, just as prepared to hear me and what I had to say and get to know me was so important. And I think that's definitely too. I know I'm making the right decision.

Monique Ramsey (30:23):
Yeah. Well, this has been so much fun, Ella. I appreciate you so much coming on the podcast and sharing your story with everyone. And if you want to roll backwards a little bit, do you want to show off the girls?

Ella (30:38):
I do. Hello.

Monique Ramsey (30:40):
Oh my gosh, you look perfect. Wow. How perfect.

Ella (30:44):
I'm so excited. Seriously. Yeah. My confidence was really a night and day difference. And I'm a very confident person in general, so I didn't really lack confidence before, but I did not know how much a breast augmentation would bring me that I didn't have. It brought me to a new level of confidence and it's just been so amazing looking in the mirror every single morning, every single night before bed and just seeing a work of art, seriously, because I think just his Dr. Salazar's surgical craft is so admirable and it is just such a beautiful thing at the end of the day to see.

Monique Ramsey (31:19):
I'm so happy for you. You're going to have such a fun summer. Oh my gosh.

Ella (31:22):
I know. I'm so excited. I got it right in time. They just cleared me to lay on my stomach actually. And before this, I was trying to tan, so I would only tan my chest and my stomach. So when I went back to Hawaii to see my friends, they'd take photos of me and I'd be two different colors. My backside would be completely white. They're like, girl. You gotta figure this out.

Monique Ramsey (31:43):
That's so funny. Well, congratulations on having such a good experience and for coming on the podcast and showing everyone how to do it for yourself and to how to select a surgeon, how that process went for you. And especially as a first time person in the operating room, like an operating newbie.

Ella (32:07):
Yeah, definitely. It's scary.

Monique Ramsey (32:09):
Yeah, it is. It is. And that's normal. And even if somebody's already had surgery before for something, it's still scary. But having that team around you where you know you're in the safest hands, I think that was a really good point that you made. And so thank you again. And thanks everybody for listening. We'll have in the show notes, we'll have links for how to schedule a consultation if you're interested with Dr. Salazar. We'll have our before and after gallery there. Thanks again, Ella, and thanks everybody for listening and we'll see you on the next one. Bye.

Ella (32:40):
Thank you. Bye.

Announcer (32:45):
Take a screenshot of this podcast episode with your phone and show it at your consultation or appointment or mention the promo code PODCAST to receive $25 off any service or product of $50 or more at La Jolla Cosmetic. La Jolla Cosmetic is located just off the I- 5 San Diego Freeway in the XiMed building on the Scripps Memorial Hospital campus. To learn more, go to ljcsc.com or follow the team on Instagram @LJCSC. The La Jolla Cosmetic Podcast is a production of The Axis, T-H-E-A-X-I-S.io.