Are You Interested in Breast Augmentation?
If you feel as if your breasts are too small and you want to increase your cup size and/or the shape of your breasts, breast augmentation surgery is an immensely popular and safe procedure to achieve your body shaping goal.
Breast augmentation is a cosmetic surgical procedure selected by thousands of women each year to increase their breast size and achieve their ideal look. The medical director of the Princeton Center for Plastic Surgery is board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Thomas Leach. During your consultation with him, Dr. Leach will explain the many individualized breast implant options available to you and will discuss the best size and shape for you based on your desired augmentation outcome.
Why Have Breast Augmentation?
At the Princeton Center for Plastic Surgery, we find that many women choose to have breast augmentation for the following reasons:
- To increase the size of their breasts
- To balance their breast size to their body shape
- To correct uneven breasts that may be different sizes (asymmetry)
- To restore breast volume lost due to weight loss, pregnancy, or aging
Breast enlargement is a cosmetic surgical procedure that should only be done on women who have completed their development. If you are interested in learning more about breast augmentation, don’t hesitate to discuss your options with Dr. Leach or the professionals at the Princeton Center for Plastic Surgery.
How Is Breast Augmentation Surgery Performed?
Before
After
Since the origination of the breast augmentation procedure in the late 1960s, there has been continual improvements and breast implants and surgical techniques. Patients have many choices when considering a breast enlargement procedure, including numerous types of implants (size, shape, feel) and the approach to surgical placement.
During your consultation, Dr. Leach will review the types of implants and the surgical procedures available to augment your breasts. There are a variety of safe surgical procedures that can be used to insert the desired implants via the breast, armpit, areola, or belly button. The following information is a brief description of the implants and types of augmentation procedures that will be discussed with you in detail when you meet with Dr. Leach.
Size & Implant Type Selection
There are currently two types of FDA-approved breast implants available; saline-filled breast implants which contain a silicone outer shell filled with a sterile saltwater (saline) solution or silicone-filled breast implants which are filled with a safe medical grade silicone gel. Both are safe options for breast augmentation, breast reconstruction, and breast revision surgeries.
Saline-filled breast implants can be implanted pre-filled, and others can be filled to the desired size during the breast implant procedure. Both saline-filled and silicone-filled breast implants come in a variety of sizes and have a smooth surface shell.
Dr. Leach will review and show you the various shapes and sizes of implants. It should be noted that breast implants do not last a lifetime. Breast implant exchange after a period should be expected. Dr. Leach and his professional staff will answer all your questions and concerns during your consultation.
Breast Augmentation Surgical Incision Types
Dr. Leach advises his breast augmentation patients that there are several different types of surgical techniques which involve placement of the surgical incision. The four main types of incisions are:
- Peri-areolar augmentation – the incision is made around the pigmented area surrounding the nipple and is hidden within the breast tissue. With this incision technique a pocket is made, and the breast implant is inserted through the incision into the breast cavity.
- Inframammary augmentation – the incision is made through the lower portion of the breast where the crease of your breast meets your chest. This location conceals the small scar.
- Transaxillary or axillary augmentation – the incision is made in the armpit.
- Transumbilical (TUBA) or umbilical augmentation – the incision is made through the belly button. This technique is used infrequently.
Breast Implant Placement
The next step is to select the appropriate breast implant placement. The types of placements used are:
- Below the Muscle: Submuscular or subpectoral implants are placed under the pectoralis muscle. This implant placement is one of the most popular. Dr. Leach, after making the incision beneath the chest at the crease of your breast, securely places the breast implant and closes the incision with sutures. The sutures and any scar are completely hidden in the fold of the breast. This type of placement is done in an outpatient surgical center and requires a general anesthetic. The procedure takes less than 2 hours.
- Above the Muscle: Subglandular implants are placed above the pectoralis muscle and below the breast tissue or gland. This type of placement is done under general anesthesia in an outpatient surgical center. The procedure takes less than 2 hours. Dr. Thomas Leach will thoroughly cover all the decisions with you and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the approaches to help you select the best approach based on your body and aesthetic breast enhancement goals.
Recovering from Breast Augmentation Surgery
Breast augmentation recovery can be fairly rapid for some, and any pain and soreness, especially in the first week following surgery, should be minimized with the proper aftercare. Some women may experience mild swelling and very minor bruising. Within a week these symptoms begin to disappear. Some women report some numbness of their nipples. This diminished sensitivity of the nipples can happen after surgery and is usually temporary.
You will be asked to always wear a recovery bra following your recovery period and you should be able to return to work within a few days (depending on your profession). You should avoid any strenuous work and activities. All pre- and post-operative instructions will be given to you at your pre-operative visit.
Dr. Thomas A. Leach is a Board Certified Cosmetic, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon serving the Princeton, New Jersey area for more than 29 years. If you have been considering a breast enhancement procedure, contact the Princeton Center for Plastic Surgery to schedule your personalized appointment with Dr. Leach today.
