Breast augmentation

Types of breast implants

Breast implants are silicone shells filled with either saline (salt water) or silicone gel. Both implant types are very safe, and each offers its own advantages. We will help you decide which kind is right for you.

Breast augmentation FAQ

What happens at my first appointment?

Once you fill out a consultation request, you will be contacted to confirm an appointment for a one-on-one consultation in our office. This appointment includes an analysis of your health history, any medications you are taking, and what you desire to achieve with the procedure. You should have all of this information with you when you come to your appointment. Your surgeon will discuss the techniques that will best provide you with the results you desire and answer any questions you may have.

How do I prepare for breast augmentation surgery?

There isn’t any special preparation required for augmentation surgery. It is surgery, so you’ll need to stop taking any anti-inflammatory medications, blood thinners, aspirin, and most supplements for about one week before your procedure. If you smoke, you’ll need to stop for at least three weeks prior to and after your surgery, as smoking constricts the blood vessels, and this can hinder incision healing. Your surgeon will discuss these things with you during your consultation.

Am I a good candidate for breast augmentation?

Maybe you’ve always felt that your breasts weren’t proportional with the rest of your figure. Maybe your breasts are a little uneven or asymmetrical (most women have some degree of this). Maybe you feel your breasts have flattened somewhat with age and you would like to add volume.

Or maybe you’d simply like to have larger breasts and a shapelier figure.

The reasons a woman chooses to have breast augmentation are varied and individual. There is no right or wrong here. One thing our surgeons stress is that patients considering augmentation need to make this decision for themselves. You can’t have this procedure for a partner or spouse who’s pressuring you. It’s important that this is what you want.

That said, breast augmentation has one of the highest satisfaction rates of all cosmetic procedures. A recent survey conducted by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons found that 98 percent of women felt their augmentation either met or exceeded their expectations. Over 90 percent of the women also said they felt the procedure increased their self-esteem.

How is breast augmentation different than a breast lift?

Breast augmentation can achieve dramatic and beautiful results on its own as well as in conjunction with other cosmetic surgery or non-invasive procedures. We sometimes recommend combining breast augmentation with other procedures such as a breast lift for more satisfying results.

Breast augmentation has the goal of adding volume, and usually projection, to the breasts. This is achieved by the placement of implants either above or beneath the chest muscle. While breast augmentation can correct slight breast sagging by adding volume, it won’t correct extensive sagging.

In these cases, a breast lift is necessary. A breast lift does not add volume to the breasts. The goal of a breast lift is to return the breasts to a higher position on the chest. Breast lifts remove excess sagging skin to eliminate any flattening that has occurred as a result of pregnancy and breastfeeding or simply from natural aging. In most breast lifts, the nipple complex can be moved higher to match the new breast position.

Because breast lifts don’t add volume, many women opt to have a breast lift with augmentation. That way the sagging skin is removed and the breasts are brought back up on the chest, plus volume is added with implants. It is possible to add augmentation to a breast lift because the implants can be inserted through incisions already made for the breast lift.

What is my post-procedure care and recovery after augmentation?

Breast augmentation is surgery, but your recovery is not as difficult as you might assume. For the first few days, you will have some discomfort. Your chest will likely feel tight, but this is perfectly normal as the tissue needs to stretch and the implants need to settle into place. When you first look at your new breasts, they may appear too high on the chest. But this is also normal, as settling will bring the implants down somewhat.

Most patients can return to work after about one week, depending on the physical demand of your job. You can begin non-impact activity in a week or so, but impact exercise needs to wait for at least one month. Specific upper body exercises can resume in six weeks.

What are the benefits of having breast augmentation?

What is the benefit of loving the way you look when you see your figure in the mirror every morning when getting out of the shower? Women who have never been satisfied with their breasts can find that their entire body image changes when they have augmentation. Buying clothes is fun and exciting thanks to your new curvier shape.

As mentioned above, breast augmentation is very satisfying for patients. Over 90 percent say it increased their self-esteem and self-confidence.

Will breast augmentation affect my ability to breastfeed?

Our surgeons do everything possible to avoid milk ducts and to keep the nipples intact so that breastfeeding is unaffected with this surgery. The incision location that presents the most risk to the milk ducts is the periareolar incision, but surgeons usually able to avoid damaging the ducts. Still, there is a chance that breastfeeding could be impacted.

Does breast augmentation leave scars?

Scarring on your breasts depends on your choice for the location of your incisions.

If you choose the periareolar incision location, this can be well hidden in the darker skin surrounding the nipples.

If you choose the inframammary incision, which is made just above the breast crease on the bottom of the breasts, there may be a visible scar on each breast, which may fade with time and scar management. Inframammary incisions are typically above the breast crease so they can be effectively hidden under a bikini top or bra.