Breast Augmentation

BREAST AUGMENTATION SURGERY

WHO IS A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR BREAST AUGMENTATION?

The first step toward realizing your goal of having larger breasts is to meet with your plastic surgeon for a consultation to discuss your feelings and ensure you have realistic expectations. Your surgeon will explain the procedure in detail and review the various options that are available. You will be able to choose from a variety of types of breast implants. Your plastic surgeon will also discuss your options for incision and implant placement. Some women may require a breast lift in addition to their breast augmentation to attain the firm, full shape they desire. Breast augmentation can also be combined with other procedures in a comprehensive mommy makeover.

WHAT IS THE BEST INCISION FOR BREAST AUGMENTATION?

• Along the breast fold (inframammary incision)
• In the underarm (transaxillary incision)
• Around the areola (periareolar incision)

Your surgeon will recommend the best incision placement for you based on your unique anatomy, implant choice, and other factors to suit your body and to assure that scars are as discreet as possible.

WHAT IS THE BEST PLACEMENT FOR BREAST IMPLANTS?

• Beneath the muscle of your chest wall (submuscular placement)
• Directly behind the tissue of your breast (subglandular placement)

For results that look and feel most natural, it’s important that the upper edge of the implant is not easily seen or felt. Submuscular placement is usually a good choice for women who have little of their own breast tissue because the chest muscle helps cover the implant. This placement also reduces the possibility of capsular contracture and interferes less with mammograms over subglandular placement.

WHAT HAPPENS DURING BREAST AUGMENTATION SURGERY?

HOW MUCH DOES BREAST AUGMENTATION COST?

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO RECOVER FROM BREAST AUGMENTATION SURGERY?

Most patients are able to return to work within a week of breast augmentation surgery. While healing rates vary from person to person, you can expect recovery to follow this general timeline:

FIRST FEW DAYS
As with any surgery, you may be tired and sore after your breast augmentation surgery. This is normal and will generally not last more than a day or 2. Your plastic surgeon will prescribe a pain medication to help control the majority of your discomfort, which may include a slight burning feeling in your nipples. This will subside as the bruising lessens and healing continues.

7 TO 10 DAYS
If you have gauze dressings, they will be removed in several days and replaced by a surgical bra. Follow the guidelines your plastic surgeon gives you for wearing this. Your stitches will be taken out.

3 TO 5 WEEKS
Your breasts will be sensitive to physical contact during this time.

NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS
Your scars will gradually fade, thin, and soften. Generally, this process takes a period of several months.

DOES BREAST AUGMENTATION AFFECT BREAST EXAMINATIONS?

Not if the mammography is conducted by experienced technicians. More X-rays will be taken and in some cases ultrasound exams may be given to ensure the most thorough detection of any abnormalities. Always visit a certified radiology center for these types of exams.

DOES INSURANCE COVER THE COST OF BREAST AUGMENTATION?

Not in most cases because insurance companies consider breast augmentation an elective surgery. The Plastic Surgery Group offers up to 100% financing for this procedure, as well as many other types of elective cosmetic surgery procedures.

HOW DO I PREPARE FOR BREAST AUGMENTATION SURGERY?

WILL BREAST AUGMENTATION HELP SAGGING BREASTS?

WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR WHEN CHOOSING A BREAST SURGEON?

There is no shortage of qualified breast surgeons in and around Albany, New York, so selecting the one who’s right for you can be a challenge. We encourage prospective patients to choose surgeons who are board-certified in plastic surgery. Board certification in a particular field indicates that that doctor has successfully passed rigorous exams in that field, demonstrating a deep level of practical knowledge. It’s also a good idea to browse his or her before-and-after photos to get a good sense of the type of results he or she can create. Finally, when you visit a surgeon for a consultation, you should feel comfortable and unrushed. He or she should address all of your questions and concerns completely, and his or her staff should be friendly, professional, knowledgeable, and organized. Plastic surgery is a significant personal decision; you should feel comfortable and confident every step of the way.

WILL I BE ABLE TO BREASTFEED AFTER MY BREAST AUGMENTATION?

The quality of breast milk is not affected by the presence of breast implants. However, patients should tell their doctors if they plan to breastfeed after their surgery.

IS BREAST AUGMENTATION SURGERY SAFE?

While complications can arise during any surgical procedure, the rates associated with breast augmentation procedures are extremely low. Your surgeon will address all of your concerns and review possible complications as part of your consultation. Common complications include:

• Capsular contracture: This condition involves tightening of the scar or capsule around the implant, which makes the breast feel hard. Removing the scar tissue and, in some cases, replacing the implant, are 2 of the ways capsular contracture can be treated.
• Infection: There is a small chance that an infection may occur around the area of the implant. In these rare cases, the implant might have to be taken out for a few months. A new implant will be placed once the infection is gone.
• Impact to nipple sensation: In some cases of breast augmentation surgery, women can experience sensations of hypersensitive nipples or a loss of sensitivity or slight numbness of their nipples around the area where the incisions were made. In most cases, these symptoms disappear over time.
• Implant leak/rupture: In the event of a breast implant breaking or leaking, saline implants will lose their contents over a short period of time, usually a couple of hours, and the body will naturally absorb the saltwater. In the case of gel-filled implants, there may not be any noticeable change if the scar capsule surrounding the implant does not break. In most cases, these situations will be corrected through another breast augmentation operation to replace the implants.

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