Birmingham Breast Augmentation

FAQs: Breast Augmentation

 

Breast Augmentation – Birmington, Michigan

Breast augmentations (aka a breast aug or an augmentation mammoplasty) are plastic surgery procedures that plastic surgeons use to increase the size of the breasts. They accomplish this with implants (i.e., breast implant surgery) or autologous fat (i.e., fat transfer breast augmentation). The board-certified specialists at Chau Plastic Surgery are top Metro Detroit Area plastic surgeons who perform breast augmentations to help women in and around Birmingham, Michigan, attain the beautiful, voluminous breasts they desire.

A Breast Augmentation Near Birmingham, Michigan

Weight loss, pregnancy and breastfeeding can cause a variety of breast changes. Many women are addressing these issues with breast implant surgery. With augmentation mammoplasty using implants, patients can attain rounder breasts or improve their natural breast size and symmetry.

Breast implant surgery can:

• Add fullness to the breasts.
• Increase breast projection.
• Improve the balance between the contours of the breasts and hips.
• Enhance a patient’s self-image, which increases their self-confidence level.
• Help reconstruct the breasts following an injury or a mastectomy.

Are Breast Implants Safe?

Yes, the breast implants that the surgeons at Chau Plastic Surgery use are FDA-approved for breast reconstruction and augmentation procedures. The patient’s age determines which type of implant they are eligible to receive. Women who are at least 18 years old are eligible to receive a saline implant. A woman who is 22 or older is eligible to receive saline and silicone implants.

Who Should Consider Breast Augmentation Near Birmingham, Michigan?

Breast implant surgery is a highly personal procedure. For this reason, patients should have this breast enhancement procedure for themselves, not to make someone else happy.

Potential candidates for breast implant surgery are those who:

• Have realistic expectations.
• Are physically healthy.
• Have tubular or uneven breasts.
• Aren’t currently breastfeeding or pregnant.
• Have breasts that are no longer growing.
• Want fuller, symmetrical and more shapely breasts.
• Have breasts that didn’t develop correctly.
• Think their breasts are too small.
• Have breasts with upper poles that appear deflated.

Potential candidates for breast augmentation using autologous fat transfer are those who:

• Want a slight increase in the size of their breasts.
• Have enough fat to harvest for transfer.

Breast Augmentation Implant Options

The breast characteristics a patient wants helps the plastic surgeon determine whether saline or silicone implants will help her reach her goals.

Saline Breast Implants

The saline breast implant gives the patient breasts with a consistent shape as well as uniform firmness and feel.

A saline breast implant has a silicone shell that the surgeon fills with saline (i.e., sterile salt water) after they place it in its pocket.

If a saline implant leaks, it collapses and the body absorbs the saline, which is harmless. The body naturally expels the saline from the body.

Silicone Breast Implants

Some breast augmentation patients prefer silicone implants because the gel feels more like the natural breast than saline does. Also, if a silicone implant leaks, the gel stays within its shell or inside the implant’s pocket.

Since a leaking silicone implant doesn’t cause the breast to deflate, patients must have an MRI or ultrasound periodically to make sure their implants remain intact.

Form-Stable Breast Implants (aka Gummy Bear Implants)

When compared to traditional silicone implants, the gel inside the gummy bear implant is thicker. If a form-stable implant is cut in half, it maintains its shape. This characteristic has led to its gummy bear breast implant nickname.

Gummy bear implants are very popular. However, placing a form-stable breast implant requires a longer incision than is necessary with other types of implants.

FDA Recommendations for Screening Silicone Breast Implants

Women who have a ruptured saline implant usually recognize that their breast is deflating. However, if a silicone breast implant is compromised, the breast remains the same. Therefore, women who receive silicone breast implants during their breast augmentation should have an ultrasound or MRI five or six years after placement. They should continue monitoring their implants with an ultrasound or MRI every two to three years thereafter. Having routine screenings is vital because it helps verify that the breast implants are still intact.

Breast Implant Shapes: Round and Anatomical

Implant shapes provide the patient with specific breast characteristics. The patient’s goals help their surgeon determine which implant shape to recommend.

Round Breast Implants

Round implants tend to make the breasts appear fuller than an anatomical-shaped (aka teardrop-shaped) implant. In addition, the profile options available with a round implant are higher, which means the patient can choose a profile that offers more breast projection. In addition, round implants that rotate are of little concern.

Teardrop-Shaped Breast Implants

An anatomical implant has more projection at its base than it does at its top. The top section of this implant adds some volume to the upper pole of the breast. However, if an anatomical implant rotates, the breast may look unusual. Our experienced plastic surgeons can perform a procedure to reposition the implant.

Smooth and Textured Breast Implants

Each of these implants has pros and cons. The specialists at Chau Plastic Surgery help breast augmentation patients decide which type of implant will help them reach their breast enhancement goals.

Smooth Breast Implants

A smooth implant offers the softest feel. They can move around within their pockets, which can help the breasts appear more natural. However, a smooth implant may ripple, making it visible or palpable.

Textured Breast Implants

A textured implant allows the scar tissue that naturally develops to stick to the breast implant. This makes it less likely to move around or rotate. One advantage of the textured implant is that it decreases the risk of capsular contracture.

Breast Implant Placement Options

The amount of breast tissue a patient has plays a role in the placement of her implants. Our plastic surgery specialists consider this as they make recommendations and create their patients’ surgical plans.

Subfascial Placement

The plastic surgeon creates the implant’s pocket beneath the fascia. Our specialists can use subfascial placement to give their patients natural-looking results. This technique is desirable because it allows patients to meet their breast enhancement goals without a lengthy recovery.

Subglandular Placement

With subglandular placement, the surgeon places the breast implant in a pocket just beneath the breast tissue.

Since this technique requires placing the implants relatively close to the surface of the skin, it isn’t a good option for women without a substantial amount of breast tissue.

Submuscular Placement

When our surgeons use the submuscular placement option, they create the implant’s pocket underneath the pectoral muscle. However, this placement technique does require a longer recovery than the subglandular and subfascial placements.

Initially, submuscular placement causes the breasts to sit higher than normal on the chest. They remain at this location while the pectoral muscle reshapes itself to make room for the implants, which usually takes several weeks.
This placement technique offers patients natural-looking results.

Incision Options for a Breast Augmentation With Implants

The surgeon and the patient discuss incision options before surgery. St Chau Plastic Surgery, our specialists use three techniques: periareolar, submammary and transaxillary.

Periareolar (aka Infra-Areolar)

The surgeon creates this incision along the edge of the lower border of the nipple-areolar complex. Our plastic surgery specialists can place saline implants with the periareolar incision.

Submammary (aka Inframammary)

Surgeons create this incision in the crease at the base of the breast. They can place saline and silicone implants with this incision.

Transaxillary

Plastic surgery specialists create this incision in the underarm area. They can use this incision to place a saline implant.

An Initial Consultation for Breast Augmentation Near Birmingham, Michigan

Our plastic surgery specialist gathers medical information from the patient. They also take the time to answer questions, understand what the patient’s goals are, and explain which breast augmentation options are available at Chau Plastic Surgery.

Patients must provide their surgeon with:

• A description of what breast characteristics they desire.
• Drug and latex allergy information.
• Medical conditions.
• Previous surgical procedures and treatments.
• Family health history, including breast cancer.
• Mammogram and previous biopsy results.
• Current medication, herbal supplement, vitamin, tobacco, alcohol and recreational drug use.

The plastic surgeon will examine and measure the patient’s breasts. The specialist notes the quality of the breast skin and placement of the nipple-areolar complex.

Following this examination, the surgeon discusses which breast augmentation options they believe will meet the patient’s goals. They also discuss the likely outcome of breast implant surgery as well as risks or potential complications.

If the patient decides to move forward with treatment, their surgeon or a member of the medical staff takes photographs of her breasts. They use these pictures as they create the patient’s personalized surgical plan. These photos are part of the patient’s medical file, which makes them confidential.

Breast Augmentation Near Birmingham, Michigan: Preparation

Some patients need to visit their general practitioner to receive clearance for surgery. Lab tests may also be necessary. Patients must receive surgical clearance and have their lab tests done a week before surgery. This gives their surgeon enough time to receive the results and review them.

At least 10 days before surgery, patients must discontinue or decrease their dosage of certain medications, vitamins and herbal supplements. Medications to discontinue taking include aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Patients taking prescription medication need to speak with their physician before decreasing their dosage or discontinuing it.

Patients who use tobacco must stop using these products at least three weeks before and after their breast augmentation.

Since patients receive anesthesia during their surgery, they must bring a driver to the hospital with them. For-hire transportation isn’t a feasible option following any procedure that requires the use of general or twilight anesthesia. Therefore, patients who arrive without a driver will need to reschedule their breast augmentation near Birmingham, Michigan.

The surgeons at Chau Plastic Surgery request that their patients have someone they trust remain with them for at least 24 hours after their surgery.

Breast Implant Surgery Near Birmingham, Michigan

Patients fast the night before surgery.

Breast implant surgery takes approximately two hours.

Pre-op

While the patient is in pre-op, the surgeon answers last-minute questions. They will also make several markings on the patient’s breasts to use as guidelines during breast augmentation with implants.

A member of the medical staff transports the patient to the surgical suite.

Step 1 – Anesthesia, Skin Preparation and Draping

To ensure the patient remains comfortable during the breast augmentation, she receives intravenous sedation (aka twilight anesthesia) or general anesthesia.

A nurse sanitizes the breasts and places sterile drapes over the areas around the surgical area. The patient falls asleep, and surgery begins.

Step 2 – The Surgeon Creates an Incision

To minimize visible scarring, our plastic surgery specialist creates the incisions in specific areas. The patient and surgeon discuss which incision they intend to use during her surgery. Incision options include the periareolar, the transaxillary and the inframammary.

Step 3 – Pocket Creation and Implant Placement

The surgeon creates a pocket for the implant. This pocket can be submuscular, subglandular or subfascial. The location the plastic surgery specialist recommends depends on the patient’s body type, the kind of implant the patient is receiving and the amount of enlargement she desires.

Step 4 – Incision Closure

While closing the breast tissue, our surgeons layer the sutures. When they close the skin, they may use skin adhesives, sutures, surgical tape or a combination of these products.

Step 5 – Wrapping the Breasts

The nurses carefully wrap the patient’s breasts with gauze dressings and then place a support bra or elastic bandage over them. This helps minimize inflammation and provides support for the breasts as they heal.

Step 6 – Recovery

The patient remains in recovery for about an hour. Once her plastic surgery specialist is happy with her progress, the surgeon releases the patient to her driver.

Postoperative Instructions and Follow-Up Visit

Before the breast augmentation patient heads home, she receives postoperative instructions and information about her follow-up appointment with her surgeon. This appointment will be at the Chau Plastic Surgery Metro Detroit Area office in Berkley, Michigan.

Breast Implant Surgery Results

Directly following surgery, patients will see results. However, due to inflammation, the breasts will initially appear larger than they are. Once the swelling subsides, she’ll be able to see her true results.

Breast Implant Surgery Recovery in Birmingham, Michigan

Patients must continuously wear their support garment, only removing it to shower.

To prevent complications, patients need to give their bodies time to heal. This means they must refrain from exercising and lifting until their surgeon releases them to perform these activities. The surgeons at Chau Plastic Surgery encourage their patients to walk around several times a day. This activity helps prevent clots from forming.

Pain following breast augmentation is typical. Patients may receive prescription medication. For safety’s sake, they must refrain from driving while taking pain medication.

The pain usually subsides significantly within five days of surgery. However, inflammation and soreness typically remain for several weeks.

How To Reduce Scar Visibility

Initially, patients should expect their incisions to be visible. The quality of a scar depends on several things, including the patient’s exposure to nicotine and her genetics. In addition, if a patient develops an infection, her scar may become more visible.

With time, these incisions heal and the lines fade. To ensure the best results possible, patients should follow their surgeon’s recommendations. They may suggest using silicone cream or silicone tape to help reduce the visibility of the incisions.

UV light can darken pink incision lines permanently. So, until they are no longer pink, patients need to keep their incisions covered while in the sun or using a tanning bed.

How Long Do Breast Implant Surgery Results Last?

Breast implant devices can last 20 years, sometimes longer.

Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation Near Birmingham, Michigan

A fat transfer augmentation mammoplasty involves liposuction and the strategic injection of the harvested fat into the breasts.

Pre-op

While in pre-op, the surgeon visits the patient and answers any questions she has. The plastic surgeon may also make markings on her breasts and on the areas where they plan to harvest fat.

A staff member transports the patient to the surgical suite.

Step 1 – Anesthesia, Skin Preparation and Draping

The patient receives twilight or general anesthesia. Nurses sanitize the surgical sites and drape the areas surrounding them.

Step 2 – Fat Harvesting

Using liposuction, the plastic surgery specialist harvests fat from several areas of the patient’s body. Common harvesting areas include the flanks, hips, abdomen, buttocks and thighs.

Step 3 – Purifying the Fat

To remove impurities and attain the strongest fat cells, the lab runs the patient’s fat through a centrifuge.

Step 4 – Injecting the Purified Fat

The surgeon uses special syringes to strategically inject the fat into different layers of tissue in the breasts. However, following injection, the body absorbs some of these fat cells. For this reason, plastic surgeons inject more fat than is necessary to achieve the patient’s goals.

Results

Results of an autologous fat transfer breast augmentation are visible immediately. Final results become visible within six months of surgery. The final results are permanent.

Risks Associated With Breast Implant Surgery

As with any elective procedure, patients must consider the risks before they decide to go forward with breast augmentation using implants.

Risks and potential complications include:

• Bleeding.
• Hematoma.
• Negative reaction to anesthesia.
• Seroma.
• Sensation changes in the nipple or breast.
• Capsular contracture.
• Infection.
• Implant rupture.
• Leaking implant.
• Visible scarring.
• Pain.
• Future surgery.
• Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).

Risks Associated With Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation

There are fewer risks associated with a fat transfer breast enhancement procedure.

Possible complications include:

• Bruising.
• Bleeding.
• Infection.
• Negative reaction to anesthesia.
• Fat cell migration.
• Breast calcifications.
• Fat cell necrosis (death).
• Noncancerous breast cysts.

Will Insurance Cover Breast Augmentations?

Since breast augmentations are cosmetic procedures, insurance doesn’t cover them. However, if a patient is having breast reconstruction surgery, their insurance may cover a portion of their procedure.

How Much Does Breast Augmentation Cost?

To determine the cost of breast augmentation, one of the surgeons at Chau Plastic Surgery needs to examine the potential patient. In addition, the surgeon wants to find out what she would like to accomplish with a breast enhancement procedure near Birmingham, Michigan.

If you’re in Birmingham, Michigan, and you’d like to learn more about the breast augmentation options available in your area, contact Chau Plastic Surgery today. Our plastic surgeons’ caring demeanor, experience, surgical skills, artistic vision and dedication to excellence make them some of the top plastic surgery specialists in the Metro Detroit Area.

To schedule your initial consultation with a board-certified plastic surgery specialist at Chau Plastic Surgery, please call (248) 799-2880. Chau Plastic Surgery is located at 27901 Woodward Avenue, Suite 100, in Berkley, Michigan.