What Is Breast Augmentation?
Breast augmentation surgery is a cosmetic procedure that enhances the breast’s volume, shape, and symmetry. This is often achieved by placing silicone or saline breast implants under the muscle or glandular tissue. Patients may also choose to use fat grafting to enlarge and enhance the shape of their breasts in place of or in addition to implants.
Following breast augmentation, you can expect the following:
- Larger, fuller-looking breasts
- More symmetrical breasts
- Restored breast volume after pregnancy or weight loss
- Increased satisfaction in their overall shape and feel
- Lasting, natural-looking results
- Correction of congenital breast deformities or developmental abnormalities
- Enhanced breasts that WOW
What Are My Breast Augmentation Options?
Breast augmentation is one of the most customizable cosmetic surgeries around. During your consultation at WOW Cosmetic Surgery, you and your surgeon will discuss the following aspects to design a personalized breast enhancement treatment plan.
Implants consist of a silicone shell with two available filling options: saline and silicone. Saline implants are filled (inflated) with sterile saline to the correct size after the shells have been placed in the breast pocket. Saline implants provide a firmer, rounder, and more visibly augmented breast contour.
Silicone implants are pre-filled with a cohesive silicone gel. This option is considered to look and feel more like natural breast tissue and is often chosen by most patients and surgeons.
You can personalize many aspects of your implant beyond the filling material. Implant size (volume), shape, profile, and texture will all be discussed during your consultation.
Breast augmentation does not require significant or large incisions — and the incisions can be even smaller when saline implants are chosen. Your implant incisions will be made in one of the following locations:
- Inframammary fold: This is the crease beneath the breast where your breast meets your ribcage. The inframammary fold is the most common incision option.
- Periareolar: Incisions are made around the lower half of the areola.
- Transaxillary: This incision is made in the armpit, and the implant is tunneled through. Because there are no cuts on the breast, this option has been dubbed “scarless breast augmentation.”
Dr. Patel skillfully places incisions in inconspicuous areas, ensuring a discreet and cosmetically pleasing result.
Breast implants are inserted into a created breast pocket above or below the pectoral muscle. Subglandular breast augmentation describes implants placed below the breast tissue but above the muscle. This placement tends to provide more visible augmentation. Submuscular breast augmentation places implants below the breast tissue and muscle. This provides a more natural look and is better for patients with minimal breast tissue to better cover the sides of the implants. Submuscular breast augmentation does require a slightly longer recovery period.
Fat grafting breast augmentation, or natural breast augmentation, is a breast enhancement technique that uses your fat to increase the size and fine-tune the shape of your breast instead of — or in addition to — breast implants. Here, liposuction removes unwanted fat from the abdomen, hips, thighs, or other areas and injects that fat into the breasts.
While fat grafting provides the most natural look and feel, this technique does not allow for the same size increase as implants. Because of this, many women choose to combine fat grafting with an implant.
Am I a Candidate for Breast Augmentation?
Every woman considering breast augmentation has unique motivations, making it impossible to define a “typical” patient. That said, the ideal candidate should:
- Be healthy and free of conditions that may negatively affect recovery.
- Be at least 18 years old for saline implants and 22 years old for silicone.
- Not be taking blood-thinning medications or supplements.
- Have realistic expectations and accept that the results of the procedure will be unique to each patient.
During your consultation, Dr. Patel will assess you thoroughly and perform tests to determine if you are a good candidate for breast augmentation surgery.
How Is Breast Augmentation Performed?
Breast augmentation is an outpatient procedure, and you can return home shortly after your surgery to begin your recovery.
While breast augmentation is customized to you, you can anticipate the following:
- You will meet with Dr. Patel preoperatively to review the details of your procedure.
- Anesthesia will be administered for your safety and comfort.
- Pre-marked incisions are made that correspond to your incision choice.
- A breast pocket is created above or below the pectoral muscle.
- The implant is inserted and positioned in place. Silicone implants are pre-filled; saline implants are filled at this time.
- Sutures and skin adhesives are used to close the incisions.
- Dressings are placed around the breasts to protect the incisions and aid healing.
What Is Breast Augmentation Recovery Like?
On average, full recovery takes about four to six weeks. Following your surgery, temporary soreness, tightness, swelling, bruising, and general discomfort are expected, but this should subside in a few days. Pain medication is administered to help keep you at ease and comfortable.
It is common for swelling to persist for several weeks as the body adjusts and breast implants settle into their proper position. Most patients return to light daily activities in a week, but if you have a physically demanding job, more time is needed to maximize healing and optimal results.
Patients are encouraged to work closely with Dr. Patel and follow all post-operative instructions to ensure a smooth recovery.
What Results Can I Expect From Breast Augmentation?
Many patients feel content with the improved fullness and projection of their breasts. Besides the physical benefits, your new breasts can enhance your self-image and self-confidence, allowing you to enjoy life more fully.
Why Should I Choose WOW Cosmetic Surgery for My Breast Augmentation?
At WOW Cosmetic Surgery, we have created our practice as the place to turn to when seeking highly skilled specialists who prioritize personalized care with a refined aesthetic vision. Dr. Prem Patel is a master in his craft and a triple board-certified cosmetic surgeon specializing in breast, body, and face surgery.
With meticulous attention to detail, he carefully plans every procedure, taking the time to thoroughly understand his patient’s concerns and goals. At our core, we’re dedicated to restoring youthful beauty using the safest and most effective techniques that guarantee natural-looking results.
Breast Augmentation FAQs
Your breast augmentation cost varies depending on the implant chosen, the techniques used, and any surgical procedures performed simultaneously, such as a breast lift. You will also have additional fees, such as anesthesia and facility fees. Financing options are available.
Breast augmentation is performed using general anesthesia. The team at WOW Cosmetic Surgery prioritizes patient comfort both during and after your surgery and will take all necessary measures to minimize pain and to ensure a smooth recovery.
Breast augmentation is designed to enlarge the breasts. In some cases, adding an implant may result in a slight lift; however, this surgery is not intended to address sagging (ptosis). Women with drooping breasts due to age, weight loss, or pregnancy will need to combine their implants with a breast lift to elevate and tighten their sagging breasts.
Implant shape, texture, profile, and individual factors like body proportion, anatomy, and skin elasticity, all play vital roles in achieving desired outcomes. It’s important to strike a balance and avoid overly large implants, which can accelerate breast sagging (ptosis) and contribute to future back and shoulder complications.
While every woman is different, and there are no guarantees, the majority of women who choose augmentation before childbirth have no issues breastfeeding with implants. There is a higher risk of breastfeeding complications when the periareolar incision is chosen since this option can damage the milk ducts.
Implants are long-lasting devices; however, they are not considered permanent. Most patients need to replace their implants at some point. While some manufacturers have stated their longevity to last 10 to 15 years, this is no more than an estimate. Some women require implant replacement sooner; others have healthy implants for decades. Routine MRIs are recommended for women with silicone implants to evaluate the integrity of the implant.
If you are displeased with your implant selection (too large or small) or if you experience a complication with your implant, including rupture, capsular contracture, or implant displacement, you can return to WOW Cosmetic Surgery for a breast revision. This secondary breast surgery removes and replaces the implant to better suit your needs.
Are You Interested in Breast Augmentation in Dallas, TX?
If you are looking for a dependable cosmetic breast surgeon in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, Dr. Prem Patel of WOW Cosmetic Surgery is an excellent choice. Feel free to contact us today to learn more about the procedure. Call us at (833) DR WOW MD or fill out our online contact form.