Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation uses implants to give you fuller breasts or to restore breast volume lost after pregnancy or weight loss. One of the most common plastic surgery procedures in the United States, breast augmentation increases underdeveloped breasts, corrects differences in size or shape after pregnancy or breast feeding, and reconstructs breasts following mastectomy or injury. Breast augmentation can enhance your self-image and self-confidence.

Is Breast Augmentation a Good Option For You?

A breast augmentation may be a good option for you if:

• Your breasts are fully developed
• You feel your breasts are too small
• You are dissatisfied with shape and volume after pregnancy, weight loss, or with aging
• Your breasts vary in size or shape
• One or both breasts failed to develop normally
• You do not smoke
• You are physically healthy
• You have a positive outlook and specific, but realistic goals in mind for the improvement of your appearance

Breast Implant Exchange/Removal

For personal or medical reasons, you may wish to have your breast implants exchanged for a different type or size, or removed permanently. Older implants (usually after 10-15 years) are often replaced with more natural feeling implants. Breast implant exchange may also be done to remove and replace older implants which have displaced, become encapsulated, ruptured, or leaked. A breast lift sometimes follows.

Is Having a Breast Implant Exchanged or Removed a Good Option For You?

A breast implant exchange or removal may be a good option for you if you experience:

• Poor healing and scarring
• Dissatisfaction with implant size, shape, type or placement
• Capsular contracture (hardened scar tissue)
• Implant rupture
• Implant leakage
• Implant displacement

More Information?

If you have questions, please contact us. We are always willing to help you determine if this is right for you.

Breast Augmentation Words To Know

• Areola: Pigmented skin surrounding the nipple.
• Augmentation mammaplasty: Breast enlargement or breast enhancement by surgery.
• Breast Augmentation: Also known as augmentation mammaplasty; breast enlargement or breast enhancement by surgery.
• Breast Implants: Medical devices placed in your body to enhance an existing breast size or to reconstruct your breast. Breast implants fall into two categories: saline breast implants and silicone breast implants.
• Capsular contracture: A complication of breast implant surgery which occurs when scar tissue that normally forms around the implant tightens and squeezes the implant and becomes firm.
• General anesthesia: Drugs and/or gases used during an operation to relieve pain and alter consciousness.
• Inframammary incision: An incision made in the fold under the breast.
• Intravenous sedation: Sedatives administered by injection into a vein to help you relax.
• Local anesthesia: A drug injected directly to the site of an incision during an operation to relieve pain.
• Mammogram: An x-ray image of the breast.
• Mastectomy: The removal of breast tissue, typically to rid the body of cancer.
• MRI: Magnetic Resonance Imaging; a painless test to view tissue similar to an x-ray.
• Periareolar incision: An incision made at the edge of the areola.
• Saline implants: Breast implants filled with salt water.
• Silicone implants: Breast implants filled with an elastic gel.
• Submammary or subglandular placement: Breast implants placed directly behind the breast tissue, over the pectoral muscle.
• Submuscular or subpectoral placement: Breast implants placed under the pectoral muscle, which is located between the breast tissue and chest wall.
• Sutures: Stitches used by surgeons to hold skin and tissue together.
• Transaxillary incision: An incision made in the underarm area.
• Ultrasound: A diagnostic procedure that projects high frequency sound waves into the body and records the echoes as pictures.

Related Procedures

• Breast Augmentation
• Breast Lift Surgery
• Breast Reduction
• Breast Reconstruction
• Nipple/Areola Correction
• Scar Revision