Is Breast Augmentation Only For the Vain?

Despite what may be touted in the media today, there are no exercises or medications that will have any effect on breast size. Breast augmentation can be a dramatic step in creating that beautiful shape you've always wanted. It can boost your self-esteem, your self-confidence and really get you noticed. Your Plastic Surgeon will work with you to select the highest quality implant of the proper size and shape to give you a perfect, safe enhancement, tailored specifically for you.

Results are immediate and dramatic. We know you'll be thrilled by the new you. Your plastic surgeon will encourage you to compare photos to help you achieve the look that you desire. The breast incision is quite small and is placed in non-visible areas. Saline implants are placed under the chest muscles, as well as the breast, for smooth cover. Through the use of clinical trials and scientific data, Plastic Surgery specialists around the world continue to research the silicone gel breast implant, and in some instances he may recommend a gel implant, or replace one for those patients who've had gel implants over many years.

Types of Breast Implants

Saline Breast Implants - The saline implant has an exterior sack made of solid silicone, which is filled with a sterile saline solution — like the salt-water solution that is administered for intravenous fluids. One of the advantages of this solution is its safety. Should the implant for some reason leak, the saline just gets absorbed by your body, as would the intravenous fluids used during, and after surgery. Yet another advantage of the saline breast implants is a very low infection rate, which is usually less than one to two percent.

Silicone Breast Implants - These are implants that are filled with a silicone gel. More than 1.5 million American women currently have silicone breast implants. Some people feel that the silicone implant results in a more natural appearing breast.

Cohesive Gel Implants - Cohesive gel implants are silicone implants that are filled with a thicker silicone gel that holds its shape and form like a "gummy bear." If you cut into a standard gel implant, the liquid silicone gel escapes from the implant shell. In contrast, when you cut into a cohesive gel implant, the implant itself maintains its shape and integrity. These shaped implants are designed with a focus upon a natural look, rather than for enlargement. Furthermore, gummy bear implants maintain their shape in an upright position that decreases the incidence of folding of the implant shell or rippling. If a cohesive gel implant ruptures, it maintains both its shape and integrity.

View Breast Implant Surgery Before and After Photos

It is always a good idea to make sure one does research prior to having any surgical procedure. Anyone considering Breast Enhancement surgery should first consult with a qualified specialist such as California Plastic Surgeon Dr John Griffin. There are many excellent websites on the internet that provide good information about breast enhancement. The best one I have found is Lookingyourbest.com- a free website that boasts a wealth of plastic surgery information and even offers a free service to help you locate a skilled and experienced doctor in your area.

4D Simulations are personalizing Breast Implant Surgery

After examining your breasts, your surgeon will generally want to discuss your surgical options with you using this new computer imaging, which can demonstrate for you the changes he would suggest for your breasts. 4-D images will be obtained very quickly, which he can then manipulate to show an educated estimate of what might be achievable with surgery, with the ability to vary the implant choice.

Though this is not to be implied as a warranty of the surgical result, it does provide a visual communication aid both for you to give the doctor your feedback and for him to convey to you the limitations of what can be done, as well as the possibilities. It is important to see how one actually looks with the breasts you think you want, and it becomes an educational process to view the result as a third party, rather than just leaving it to the verbalization of the plastic surgeon while looking in a mirror with an implant held up to your body.

Pre Op

Post Op (9 month)

Simulation

What It Takes to Be a Top Plastic Surgeon in California

All too often, many people think of plastic surgeons as Doctors who decided not to pursue a more in depth field of medicine such a heart surgeon, or neurological surgeon, etc. What most do not realize is that plastic surgery is not a fly by night industry and while there are those surgeons who do a good job at furthering that myth, the majority of plastic surgeons are caring, skilled and experienced doctors with a sharp eye for the details.

Realize that plastic surgery is a very in depth field. Everyday a large number of plastic and cosmetic surgeons take a role in advancing the techniques and methods used in order to make cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures safer, and increase the probability of successful surgical procedures. Currently there are many techniques, and advancements for products such as breast Implants in clinical trials, being tested, research data is being recorded, and Patients taking part in these trails feedback and experiences are being sought- all in an effort to improve plastic surgery as a whole.

In order for a plastic surgeon, especially in California to excel, be successful and maintain a positive reputation, it takes a tireless work ethic, never ending study and education, and a desire to help people become the best they can be. Many of these successful plastic surgeons are also talented artists, and that natural artistic quality carries over into plastic surgery.

In short, to become and remain a successful plastic surgeon, one must always maintain a compassionate desire to help others, and do everything possible to further advance the technology, surgical methods and techniques that make plastic surgery procedures and successful results a reality.

Plastic Surgery Q&A - Breast Enhancement

My wife wants larger breasts, but does not want to use silicone implants due to the possible dangers. Are there any other options?

There are now a few different types of breast implant, the first being a saline filled implant which very safe for use as it is filled with a saltwater solution called saline. If a Saline breast implant ruptures, the salt water solution is absorbed by the body.

The second and third types are both silicone filled - the first of these is the standard silicone filled breast implant. In the Early 90's the FDA called for restrictions on use of the original silicone filled implant so the safety of this device could be evaluated. The restrictions have since been removed, and the original silicone breast implant has been deemed safe for use. However, there is still a small chance these implants can rupture, and the silicone can leak out of the the implant. A ruptured silicone filled implant requires surgery to clear the leaking silicone and replace the implant. This is what I imagine your wife wants to avoid, and thus the reason she does not want to use this type of implant.

The third type of implant is known as the 410 style Cohesive Gel or "Gummy Bear" implant. The gummy bear implant is also silicone, but the difference is in the physical make-up of the implant. The Cohesive Gel is firmer, yet still natural feeling. In case of a rupture, the Cohesive Gel will not leak or run. This is achieved during the manufacturing process by adding additional "Cross linker", which causes the Silicone to become firmer. In fact, when a Gummy Bear implant is cut in half, the implant does not leak, or come apart - the gel remains intact.

I recommend consulting with a board certified and experienced specialist, such as Orange County plastic surgeon Dr Dan Mills. Be sure to have all you questions answered. Ensure you do your research and learn all you can about your breast procedure. There are plenty of plastic surgery information resources available online.

Anatomy of a Breast Augmentation

A breast implant is a silicone shell filled with either silicone gel or a salt-water solution known as saline. Because of concerns that there is insufficient information demonstrating the safety of silicone gel-filled breast implants, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has determined that new gel-filled implants, at the present time, should be available only to women participating in approved studies. Some women requiring replacement of the implants may also be eligible to participate in the study.

During the Breast Augmentation Surgery, the method of inserting and positioning your implant will depend on your anatomy and your surgeon's recommendation. The incision can be made either in the crease where the breast meets the chest, around the areola (the dark skin surrounding the nipple), or in the armpit. Every effort will be made to assure that the incision is placed so resulting scars will be as inconspicuous as possible.

Working through the incision, the surgeon will lift your breast tissue and skin to create a pocket, either directly behind the breast tissue or underneath your chest wall muscle (the pectoral muscle). The implants are then centered beneath your nipples.

The surgery usually takes one to two hours to complete. Stitches are used to close the incisions, which may also be taped for greater support. A gauze bandage may be applied over your breasts to help with healing.

You're likely to feel tired and sore for a few days following your surgery, but you'll be up and around in 24 to 48 hours. Most of your discomfort can be controlled by medication prescribed by your doctor. You should be able to return to work within a few days, depending on the level of activity required for your job. Your scars will be firm and pink for at least six weeks. Then they may remain the same size for several months, or even appear to widen. After several months, your scars will begin to fade, although they will never disappear completely.

As with any surgery procedure it is extremely important to consult with a specialist such as Female cosmetic surgeon Dr Beverly Friedlander, MD. Make Sure you have all your questions answered and you fully understand the risks of your chosen procedure BEFORE you have your surgery. Proper research and making an educated ecision can mean the difference between a successful procedure and a nightmare.