Breast augmentation, also known as mammoplasty, is a surgical enhancement procedure to accentuate the size and shape of a woman's breasts. While breast augmentation will make the breasts larger, the surgery will not move the breasts closer together or lift sagging breasts.  Breast augmentation is tremendous help to patients who desire a fuller profile, who have lost breast volume due to pregnancy or nursing, or who have undergone breast reconstruction and want to gain a more natural look again.

Reasons for Considering Breast Augmentation:

• Enlarge a naturally small breast, most commonly the result of heredity
• Restore breast volume lost following pregnancy, as a result of breast feeding or due to weight loss.
• Achieve better symmetry when breasts are moderately disproportionate in size and shape.
• Reconstruct a breast that is lost due to mastectomy, injury or other trauma.

General procedure:

The implants are placed via an incision near the crease under the breast or at the edge of the areola.  The patient and surgeon can determine the best location during the consultation.  It can depend on the type of implant and the degree of enlargement desired. 

The procedure requires an incision to create a pocket either directly beneath the pectoral muscle and on top of the chest wall (submuscular placement) or directly behind the breast tissue (submammary or subglandular.)  The implant is positioned within this pocket. 

There are many sizes, shapes and types of implants.  The most common are textured silicone shells filled with sterile saline solution, though silicone gel implants are also available. 

Recovery Process:

Bandages or dressings are applied to the incisions and a support bra is worn around the clock for several weeks.  This helps minimize swelling and support the breasts as they heal.  Discomfort can be controlled with medication.  Most patients return to work and normal activities within one week, although heavy lifting and vigorous exercise should be restricted for several weeks.  

CARE Clinical Study

If you alreday have breast implants and are not totally satisfied, you may want to consider the Continued Access Reconstruction/Revision Expansion (CARE) Clinical Study. 

Your implants can be removed and replaced with state-of-the-art Style 410 cohesive gel implants.  These implants have a textured outer silicone envelope, a shaped (teardrop) design and a thicker gel fill.  The firmer gel maintains its shape, which means the shell should not fold.  Creases and folds can weaken an implant, causing it to leak.  The cohesive gel implants offer patients a wide variety of dimensions and have been used in Europe for over ten years.

A limited number of practices have been selected to participate in this study, whose purpose is to gather data to submit to the FDA.  Five office visits will be required over the next ten years.  Limited compensation will be provided for each office visit, starting at $100 per visit, increasing  to $200 in the 10th year.  Participants are responsible for all other fees.  For more information, call our office at 631-473-7070.