Breast Augmentation

What Is Breast Augmentation?

Breast augmentation is a custom surgical procedure to increase breast volume and create a more alluring figure. Today’s patients have a wide range of options in size, shape, and projection in silicone and saline implants. Imagine having the figure you want, with beautiful, plump curves – that is the beauty of a custom breast augmentation from Denton Plastic Surgery.

Am I a Candidate for Breast Augmentation?

If you have less confidence due to small, uneven, or saggy breasts, you are likely a candidate for breast augmentation. The surgery is considered safe for healthy women. You should be generally healthy and have no medical conditions that could impact your safety under surgery and be a non-smoker.

Table of Candidacy

What Is the Cost of Breast Augmentation Surgery?

The cost of breast augmentation varies from one patient to the next, depending on the specifics of their surgery. During your consultation, your doctor will take many factors into consideration before giving you a quote. Some factors that can affect cost include:

• Your geography – surgery will be priced differently than other states or even other areas of Texas and tends to be a competitively priced market.
• Your doctor’s training and experience
• Whether you are getting saline or silicone implants
• The size of the implant
• The complexity of the surgery
• Whether any other procedures are being performed at the same time
• Any facility fees and anesthesiology fees
• Any post-surgery garments or medications that are necessary

While health insurance typically does not cover breast augmentation because it is considered a cosmetic procedure, your doctor may offer financing or payment plans to help make surgery more affordable. More specific pricing will be available once the doctor has developed a treatment plan aligned with your needs and goals.

Breast Implants

Breast implants change the shape, size, and contour of your breasts, available in silicone and saline versions. Our breast implants are typically placed for cosmetic reasons, helping women who are dissatisfied with breast size achieve a more alluring figure, or for breast reconstructive surgery to restore a breast after a mastectomy.

Which Type Is Right for Me?

Many women think they only have to decide on the size of their implants and whether they want saline or silicone. Besides the size and type of filling, however, there are decisions to be made about shape, profile, and texture. It can be confusing, but at Denton Plastic Surgery, one of the most celebrated plastic surgery clinics, Dr. Flugstad and Dr. Rivet are here to make your choices easier for breast implants.

After your detailed consultation and examination, we will guide you through the decision-making process, providing you with the pros and cons of each option so that you can feel confident that the decisions you make will lead to your desired result.

Textured vs Smooth Breast Implants

Breast implants come in different shapes and textures, and the most important consideration is your preference. How to decide what is right for you?

• Smooth: If you have little breast tissue, a smooth implant might be preferable. Smooth implants are the most commonly used and effective type of implant.
• Textured: Whether an implant is textured or smooth does not affect the texture of the breast itself; even if you choose a textured implant, your breast will feel the same.

The texture on the implant’s shell helps it to adhere to the breast tissue so that it is less likely to move, so, for example, teardrop-shaped implants are usually textured so that they adhere well to the tissue of the breast, thereby avoiding rotation.

Textured implants are slightly more prone to rippling and at an increased risk of developing BIA-ALCL (breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma). Textured implants are considered safe by the FDA.

Allergan Announces Recall of Biocell Textured Implants

Allergan has made the decision to recall Allergan implants that have BioCell texturing. Although there is no recommendation to remove the implants in place, Allergan advises patients to contact their plastic surgeons about the risks of their implants. For more information, you will find Allergan’s statement here.

Round vs Teardrop Shaped Implants

Round implants: The most commonly used historically, round implants add more fullness to the upper portion of the breast.

Teardrop-shaped implants: You may also see teardrop-shaped implants referred to as “anatomically-shaped” implants, as the top has less volume than the bottom. This means teardrop-shaped implants are often shaped more like a natural breast.

Teardrop implants are increasing in popularity in the U.S. and are an excellent option for breast enhancement when a more naturally shaped upper breast is desired.

Types of Breast Implants

At Denton Plastic Surgery, we have extensive experience with silicone, silicone gel, and what is known as “Gummy Bear” implants from major US manufacturers Sientra, Mentor, and Allergan. The one that is best for you will depend on your anatomy, your personal preferences, and how you wish to look and feel.

Saline Implants

Saline implants are implants filled with saline solution after a silicone polymer shell has been inserted into the breast. Saline implants are:

• FDA-approved for women 18 and over
• Firm when filled, which some women prefer
• Placed using a smaller incision
• Customized to a precise degree

Potential disadvantages to saline implants are that some women feel that they do not feel “natural,” they are slightly more prone to rippling, and, in the rare instance of a rupture, the implant will deflate. They also sometimes feel heavier when used in larger sizes.

Silicone Gel Implants

For silicone gel implants, shells of the implants are filled with silicone. Silicone gel implants are:

• FDA-approved for women 22 and over
• Softer than saline, and many women believe they feel more natural as a result
• Predetermined in size
• Less prone to rippling than saline implants
• Highly cohesive, so in the unlikely event of a rupture, the silicone gel can be removed, along with the shell

Although silicone was removed from the market three decades ago to determine product safety, they were demonstrated to be safe and returned to the market in 2006, and newer generations of silicone gel implants are even more durable. Potential disadvantages to silicone gel implants include a slightly larger incision and recommendations for regular screenings.

“Gummy Bear” Implants

If you are considering gummy bear implants, particularly the anatomic-shaped gummy bear ones, it is helpful to keep in mind that it may be necessary to create a longer incision for these implants. There is a slight increase in visible scarring and a recommendation for regular screenings.

“Gummy Bear” is a nickname for implants made of highly cohesive silicone gel and a silicone gel filling that leaves breasts with an excellent shape. They are slightly firmer than standard silicone gel implants. Manufactured by Allergan, Sientra, and Mentor, “Gummy Bear” implants are:

• FDA-approved for women 22 and over
• Round or anatomic-shaped
• Reported as some of the best breast shaping implants on the market
• Can retain gel and prevent gel leakage if the silicone shell ruptures

Other Breast Augmentation Options

Two of the most common options for breast augmentation are saline or silicone implants, but those are not the only options available. Some women may also be candidates for fat grafting to the breasts, which does not include an implant. With fat grafting, your plastic surgeon harvests fat cells from other areas of your body such as the abdomen, back, thighs, or hips and injects them into your breasts. As fat is slowly injected over the course of several visits, it can naturally enlarge breasts by about one cup size. Your doctor will consult with you to determine if this is a viable alternative to implants.

Incision Types

There are four types of incisions for breast augmentation. Where incisions are made will depend not only on the kind of implant used but also the size. If you are having a breast lift performed at the same time, this can also impact where the incisions are placed. Larger implants require longer incisions, but your doctor will aim to minimize the appearance of scars as much as possible. They often blend in with natural creases of the breast or the border of the areola. One type of incision is not better than another as it varies from person to person.

Transaxillary

Transaxillary incisions are only used for saline implants. Because the implant is filled after it is inserted, the doctor can make a small incision in the crease of the armpit and move the implant into place. This leaves no scarring on the breast and only a small mark on the underarm.

Periareolar

Periareolar incisions are made along the bottom of the areola. This allows for access to the center of the breast for more precise implant placement, and scars blend in more easily with the border, color, and texture between the areola and the rest of the breast.

Inframammary

Inframammary incisions are the most common when it comes to breast augmentation. This incision is made along the crease below the breast, so it is hidden by the natural fold. It enables the doctor to have clear access and visualization to optimize implant placement, and the nipple is not affected.

Transumbilical

Transumbilical (TUBA) incisions are made near the navel and are only used for saline implants. A small tunnel is made through which the implant is guided up to the breast. Once it is in position, it is filled to the appropriate size. There is no scar on the breast.

Implant Placement Options

When breast implants are inserted, they are either placed in front of the chest muscle or behind it. Your individual anatomy can affect where implants are positioned, as well as the type and size of the implants and your aesthetic goals. There are pros and cons to each location, so it is important to weigh your options and understand how the placement can affect the outcome. Your doctor will consider numerous factors before providing a recommendation based on your individual situation. Not every woman is a good candidate for each placement option, but beautiful, natural-looking results can be achieved with either.

Subglandular Placement

Subglandular implants are placed over the top of the chest muscle but below the breast tissue and glands. There is no elevation or stretching of the chest muscle during this procedure. Surgery tends to be less complex with faster recovery.

Submuscular Placement

Submuscular implants are placed beneath the chest muscle. The lower portion of the muscle is detached from the chest wall, and the implant is inserted partially beneath it in the pocket that is created. This can result in a smoother, more natural curve, but recovery may take slightly longer. This is the most common implant location.

Recovery

Most people who undergo breast augmentation do not experience a great deal of pain during recovery. This is especially true with implants placed over the muscle. You will, however, experience some level of discomfort during the first week following surgery. Pain medication will be made available to you so that you are not unduly troubled by pain.

Immediately After

You will awaken in a recovery area, monitored by medical personnel. You will not remember your surgery, and your breasts will be bandaged to hold the new shape in place. You can return home, driven by a friend or family member, to recover.

Day Of

The first day you will feel tired and will just want to sleep – the best thing for you after surgery. Your new breasts will be held in place by a compression bra. You will need to avoid putting any pressure or stress on the incisions and must rest or sleep on your back only.

One Week

It is normal for you to have some numbness, which typically fades with time. Swelling and bruising will make your breasts appear larger than they will be once you are fully healed. You are starting to feel better and can do more. Take gentle walks to maintain good circulation.

Two Weeks

Your new breasts are starting to look as they should, as the swelling and bruising from the surgery fades. They may still be quite sensitive, and you will need to protect them by avoiding placing any pressure or stress on the incisions. They will be settling into place, slightly lower than they were immediately after surgery.

One Month

Your breasts are starting to look great, with the surgical sites healing, appearing as a thin red line. You will feel stronger and able to perform most of your usual tasks without trouble, although you must avoid vigorous exercise until given the okay by your surgeon.

Three Months

Your scars are fading, your implants are in their final position, and your breasts look great. You can now exercise, wear the bras you want, and feel confident showing off your new figure. Your scars have not fully faded.

Six Months

At six months, your scars have greatly faded and will continue to do so. As they are hidden in the breast crease or around the areola of the nipple, they are not visible, even when wearing a plunging neckline or bikini.

One Year

Your breasts will look beautiful, round, plump, and natural. You will be enjoying your new figure, whether wearing revealing clothing or a bikini.

What Are the Risks of Breast Augmentation Surgery?

As with any surgery, there are risks, including infections, excessive bleeding, or reactions to anesthesia. These complications are rare, and it is vital that your surgery is performed by a plastic surgeon who employs the most stringent health and safety protocols. Dr. Flugstad and Dr. Rivet promote safety and comfort in breast augmentation procedures.

How to Choose the Right Breast Augmentation Surgeon?

Many surgeons offer breast augmentation, but you need to choose carefully. A medical doctor who has not attained board certification as a plastic and reconstructive surgeon may offer the procedure. Check all of the credentials of your surgeon before undergoing this.

What To Expect

Preparing for Surgery

The healthier you are going into surgery, the faster you can recover. Take care of yourself prior to your surgical appointment by eating healthy foods, drinking plenty of water, and avoiding alcoholic beverages. Prepare your home for your recovery by filling all prescriptions, buying easy-to-prepare foods, and arranging help for the early stages of recovery.

Anesthesia

Our breast augmentation procedure is most often performed under general anesthesia. You will not remember anything after the anesthesia is administered.

During

The breast augmentation procedure will vary, patient to patient, but generally involves creating a surgical pocket in which to place the implants. They may be placed beneath your natural breast tissue, or under the chest muscles. The incisions will be closed with tiny sutures and a compression bra put on you to hold your new breasts stable during healing.

After

You will rest for about an hour after surgery, gradually becoming more aware. Once you are fully aware, you will be released to be driven home by another person to rest and recover. Your friend or family member should stay with you for the first day or two to assist you.

If you are ready to enhance the appearance of your breasts with a breast augmentation or need more information, Denton Plastic Surgery is available to assist you. We welcome plastic surgery patients. You can contact our office at (940) 287-3795.