Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation is a popular plastic surgery procedure that can create fuller, more shapely breasts. Board-certified plastic surgeon Kevin Day, MD is extensively trained and experienced with breast augmentation surgery. With each patient he develops a customized treatment plan to effectively enhance breast size, shape, and proportions according to the patient’s individual goals.
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What Is Breast Augmentation?
Breast augmentation is a surgical procedure to increase the size and change the shape of the breasts, which is commonly achieved through the placement of breast implants. This surgery is often considered by patients who want to enhance the size, shape, and symmetry of their breasts while making them more proportionate to their body. Women who have lost breast volume following weight loss or pregnancy are often good candidates for breast augmentation. Additionally, breast implant techniques are often used during breast reconstruction procedures for patients who have undergone a mastectomy. Breast augmentation can be performed as a single procedure or with other treatments for more comprehensive enhancements.
What Are the Benefits of Breast Augmentation?
Breast augmentation offers both physical and psychological benefits. This procedure involves increasing and improving breast size and shape for those who desire fuller breasts and a more balanced silhouette. Augmentation can also correct asymmetrical breasts and restore volume lost due to the natural aging process, weight fluctuations, or pregnancy and breastfeeding. These advantages can help boost a patient’s self-confidence and body image. Patients may also find that their clothes fit better and look more flattering after breast augmentation.
Who Is a Candidate for Breast Augmentation?
Candidates for breast augmentation are typically individuals who want to:
- Enlarge their breast size
- Improve bustline symmetry and shape
- Restore breast volume that has been lost over time
- Enhance the proportions of their breasts and body
Ideal candidates should be in good physical health, have realistic expectations for the outcome of the procedure, and be non-smokers or willing to quit smoking. Additionally, individuals who are currently pregnant or breastfeeding are generally advised to wait before undergoing breast augmentation.
In many cases, women looking for more comprehensive rejuvenation may wish to include breast augmentation in a Mommy Makeover procedure, which involves a customized combination of cosmetic enhancement options. During the initial consultation, Dr. Day can help determine whether breast augmentation is an ideal solution.
What Are My Breast Implant Options?
Breast implants are either saline-filled or silicone gel-filled, each offering its own advantages.
Saline Implants
Saline breast implants consist of a silicone shell filled with sterile salt water (saline). The implants are inserted empty and filled during surgery, allowing for size adjustments as the procedure takes place, and often require smaller incisions. They can feel somewhat less natural compared to silicone gel implants in some cases, and they typically provide a rounder appearance when filled to full volume. Saline implants are FDA-approved for cosmetic surgery in patients 18 years and older, and they are approved by the FDA for patients of any age who are considering the implants for a breast reconstruction procedure.
Silicone Implants
Silicone breast implants are made from a silicone shell filled with silicone gel, which closely mimics human fat, often giving them a more natural feel than saline implants. They are pre-filled and may require larger incisions for implantation. Silicone implants are FDA-approved for breast augmentation patients over the age of 22 and FDA-approved for breast reconstruction patients of any age.
What Does the Breast Augmentation Procedure Involve?
During the consultation process, Dr. Day helps patients decide on the best breast implant option for them and discusses incision techniques. Commonly utilized methods include:
- Inframammary – Dr. Day typically employs the inframammary technique, which involves making an incision along the natural breast crease, on the underside of the breast. This approach makes the resulting scar easier to conceal and offers ideal access to the breast pocket.
- Periareolar – The periareolar method is an augmentation technique that involves creating the incision around the lower half of the areola. This option allows the incision to blend in with the areola outline for less conspicuous scarring.
- Transaxillary – The transaxillary incision technique is made in the armpit and results in no visible scarring on the breast itself. This approach limits the position and type of implants that can be used.
The augmentation process often begins with marks placed on the breasts that outline how the procedure will proceed before general anesthesia is administered. Dr. Day will create the predetermined incision and place the implants in the desired location, which can be subglandular (above the pectoralis muscle), subfascial (below the connective tissue covering the muscle but above the muscle itself), submuscular (behind the pectoralis muscle), or a combination of both, known as dual plane. After the implants are properly placed, Dr. Day will close the incisions. Since breast augmentation is typically performed as an outpatient procedure, patients can usually go home the same day.
What Can I Expect After Breast Augmentation?
In the days following breast augmentation, Dr. Day recommends that patients rest and relax at home. He will provide post-operative instructions that can help promote a safe and smooth recovery. Patients often experience bruising, swelling, and soreness around the breasts, though those side effects typically subside within a week or two. Discomfort experienced during the healing process can often be managed with over-the-counter pain medication. While many patients are able to return to some of their normal routines after a few days, rigorous activities should be avoided for roughly four to six weeks.
How Long Do Breast Augmentation Results Last?
When the procedure is performed by a qualified and experienced plastic surgeon like Dr. Day, breast augmentation results are typically long-lasting. In most cases, breast implants can last 10 to 20 years, though the resulting longevity can vary based on individual factors. The condition of a patient’s breast implants can be monitored during follow-up appointments to evaluate the overall health of the implants over time and to ensure that the implants have not been affected by ruptures or other complications. Patients are also encouraged to perform regular self-exams and to alert our plastic surgeon or their personal physician in case they have any concerns.
In some cases, implants may need to be replaced or removed if a patient no longer wants their implants, if they prefer a different size, shape, or implant type, or if they have experienced implant complications.
How Much Does Breast Augmentation Cost?
The cost of breast augmentation can vary from patient to patient, as treatment plans and aesthetic goals are unique to each individual. Pricing may range from $8,000 to $11,000. Factors that may contribute to the overall cost include:
- The type of implants used
- The techniques employed
- Surgeon’s and anesthesia fees
- Whether the augmentation procedure is combined with another procedure, such as a breast lift, or if it is performed as part of a Mommy Makeover
- Post-operative garments
Once the treatment plan has been developed, a member of our team will provide a customized quote.
Additional Breast Augmentation Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still breastfeed after breast augmentation?
Yes, breast augmentation is performed in a way that does not affect milk production or letdown, and most women are able to breastfeed normally after augmentation. However, the changes that occur to breast tissue during pregnancy and lactation can ultimately lead to distortion of breast shape and appearance. This can manifest as changes in volume and cup size, changes in breast position relative to the implants, and/or disproportion relative to the rest of your body. If the changes to breast appearance following pregnancy are bothersome, they can often be corrected through revision surgery in most cases.
Will breast augmentation affect my ability to detect breast cancer?
Studies have shown no clinical significance of missed breast cancer diagnoses in patients with breast implants. Post-surgical changes in breast tissue do not obscure or prevent detection of breast cancer with any of our standard breast imaging protocols. However, breast implants can make obtaining the requisite images to fully evaluate all of the breast tissue a little trickier for your mammographer. Sometimes additional images will need to be taken to ensure that all breast tissue is assessed.
Will breast augmentation scars be noticeable?
No surgery can be performed without creating at least a small scar. Fortunately, the incision placement for breast augmentation is typically inconspicuous and can be well hidden in whatever clothing you wear, including swimwear. In most cases of primary breast augmentation with Dr. Day, the scar will be small and located along the inframammary fold, the bottom border of the breast where the breast meets the chest wall. Additionally, Dr. Day can provide instructions on optimal scar care post-operatively to help ensure the best possible scar appearance.
What is capsular contracture and how can it be prevented or treated?
When a breast implant is placed, the body’s natural response is to try and wall it off from contact with your cells and tissues by forming scar tissue around it. This is true of any foreign material in our bodies, such as a sliver in a finger, implantable medical devices like pacemakers and joint replacements, or piercings. The spherical capsule of scar that forms around your implant can eventually tighten and constrict around the implant, resulting in changes of shape, position, appearance, and feel of your breast augmentation. This is known as capsular contracture. Older generations of breast implants were very prone to causing contractures and the shortcomings of those earlier implants have since been corrected with modern breast implant technology.
However, capsular contractures can still occur in the setting of any inflammatory tissue response within the capsule. This can occur due to breast implant ruptures, breast injury, bacterial contamination or infections within the capsule, and on rare occasions, due to no readily identifiable cause. Dr. Day takes great care during surgery to avoid contact between skin and the breast implant, and uses robust antibacterial protocols to greatly reduce risk of implant contamination. In the event that a capsule contracture occurs, it can usually be corrected with revision surgery to remove the constricted capsule and restore the space needed for the implant to move naturally with the body.
For more information about breast augmentation, or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Day, contact Brighter Day Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery today.