Breast Augmentation
Augmentation Mammoplasty
Breast augmentation involves using breast implants (saline or silicone) to increase the size of the breasts. Not only are they designed to increase the size of a woman’s breasts, but they can also be used to correct a certain degree of droopiness known as ptosis, that may have been developed with pregnancies, weight loss, and normal aging.
Patients who have naturally small-sized breasts (A and B cup) and want to have fuller breasts to help fill out their clothing often decide upon implants sized in the 325 cc to the 375 cc range. It is important to note, however, that the size must be uniquely tailored to the patient’s own body frame. A 350 cc implant placed in a taller patient with wider shoulders may actually look too small, while the same 350 cc implant placed in a shorter patient with narrow shoulders may produce an oversized ‘DD’ look. Most of my patients want to achieve a natural, non-surgical look with full but sloping upper pole fullness, in the C to very low D-cup range. When the augmented breasts appear to jump unnaturally off of the chest, an oversized implant has typically been used. Both Saline and Silicone implants are available for use. The pros and cons of both (cost, feel, appearance, weight, etc.) should be carefully reviewed before making a final decision.
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Implants can be placed either in a submuscular (underneath the pectoralis major muscle) position, subglandular (on top of the pectoralis muscle) position, or in a dual plane (combination of both) position. The ideal choice of placement depends very much upon a patient’s unique anatomy. Dr. Lober sees a lot of personal trainers and competitive bodybuilders, and these patients almost always request subglandular placement to avoid the “activation deformity” that can be seen when the pectoralis major muscle is activated during exercise. Women with pre-existing ptosis also see a better correction of the ptosis when the implant is placed in a subglandular position.
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Choices of incision placement for augmentation include periareolar (underneath the nipple complex), inframammary (underneath the breast base), trans-axillary (underneath the arm), and trans-umbilical (through the belly button). Again, the specific choice is very much dependent upon the patient’s anatomy and goals.
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Choices of implant type (saline versus silicone; implant size; smooth versus textured; round versus anatomic; etc.) will ultimately be decided based upon the patient’s desires. These options will be discussed in detail with the patient by Dr. Lober during the initial consultation.
Types of Breast Augmentation
Best Candidates
Patients who have had children and want to re-establish the breast fullness they had while breastfeeding are also excellent candidates for breast implants. These patients also tend to have a degree of drop (ptosis) to their breasts that can be corrected with implants alone if not too severe. These patients tend to get the most natural look of all because of this pre-existing ptosis.
Surgery & Recovery
All Breast Augmentation Surgeries are performed in the privacy of our on-site Surgery Center. The procedure itself generally takes a little over one hour to perform. No drains are used, and sutures are all absorbable. Patients are encouraged to resume light activities immediately following surgery and can return to moderate activities (including driving) within 4 to 5 days. Full exercises can be resumed at 14 days (with some restrictions on chest muscle exercises).