Project Category: Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation is a popular cosmetic procedure employed to enhance the size and shape of a woman’s breasts. This is typically achieved using implants, which come in various shapes and sizes to meet individual preferences. Women choose breast augmentation for a variety of reasons, including boosting self-confidence, restoring breast volume after pregnancy or weight loss, or achieving a more proportionate and symmetrical appearance.

The procedure involves making an incision, usually in inconspicuous areas to minimize visible scarring, and inserting the chosen implants either behind the breast tissue or under the chest muscle. Recovery time varies, but most women can resume normal activities within a few weeks.

Understanding Breast Lift

On the other hand, a breast lift, or mastopexy, is a procedure focused on raising and reshaping sagging breasts. Over time, factors like pregnancy, breastfeeding, gravity, and the natural aging process can lead to a loss of skin elasticity, causing the breasts to sag. A breast lift involves removing excess skin, tightening surrounding tissue, and repositioning the nipples to create a more youthful and lifted appearance.

While breast lifts can produce impressive results on their own, some women may find that combining a breast lift with augmentation provides the comprehensive solution they desire.

Benefits of Combining Breast Augmentation and a Breast Lift

1. Enhanced Volume and Shape

One of the primary benefits of combining these two procedures is the ability to address both volume loss and sagging simultaneously. Breast augmentation adds volume and fullness, while the breast lift addresses sagging, resulting in breasts that are not only lifted but also beautifully contoured.

2. Long-lasting Results

Combining breast augmentation with a breast lift can lead to longer-lasting results compared to undergoing each procedure separately. The supportive structures added during augmentation can help maintain the lifted appearance achieved through the breast lift.

3. Improved Symmetry

For women with naturally asymmetrical breasts or those who have experienced changes due to pregnancy and breastfeeding, a combination of breast augmentation and lift can provide a more balanced and symmetrical outcome.

4. Single Recovery Period

When opting for combined procedures, you only go through one recovery period, minimizing overall downtime. This can be especially appealing for individuals with busy lifestyles who want to streamline their cosmetic surgery experience.

Why Combine Breast Augmentation and Breast Lift?

The decision to combine breast augmentation with a breast lift is highly individual and depends on the specific goals and anatomy of each patient. While a breast lift alone can address sagging, it may not provide the desired volume or fullness. Conversely, breast augmentation alone may not address the issue of sagging. Combining the two procedures allows for a comprehensive approach, ensuring both volume and lift are achieved simultaneously.

What to Expect During Surgery

During the consultation, your plastic surgeon will discuss your goals, assess your breast anatomy, and recommend the best approach for your unique situation. The surgical plan will involve choosing the type and size of implants, determining the incision technique, and planning the adjustments needed for the breast lift.

On the day of surgery, you will be under anesthesia, ensuring a pain-free experience. The surgeon will make the necessary incisions, insert the implants, and perform the breast lift. The entire procedure typically takes a few hours, and you can expect to go home the same day.

Recovery and Aftercare

Recovery from combined breast augmentation and a breast lift is similar to that of individual procedures. You may experience some discomfort, swelling, and bruising, but your surgeon will provide detailed postoperative instructions to help manage these symptoms. It’s crucial to follow these instructions, including wearing a supportive bra and avoiding strenuous activities during the initial recovery period.

Most women can return to work and light activities within a week, but strenuous exercise and heavy lifting should be avoided for several weeks. Your surgeon will schedule follow-up appointments to monitor your progress and ensure a smooth recovery.

How Do I Schedule a Consultation?

If you’re considering the combined approach of breast augmentation and a breast lift, the first step is scheduling a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon. During this appointment, you can discuss your goals, ask any questions you may have, and gain a thorough understanding of the recommended procedures.

Research potential surgeons, read reviews, and view before-and-after photos to ensure you choose a qualified and experienced professional. Remember, open communication with your surgeon is key to achieving the results you desire.

In conclusion, the combination of breast augmentation and a breast lift offers a comprehensive solution for women seeking both enhanced volume and a lifted appearance. Understanding the individual procedures, their benefits, and what to expect during and after surgery is crucial in making an informed decision. If you’re ready to embark on the journey to achieve the breasts you’ve always wanted, scheduling a consultation with a skilled plastic surgeon is the first exciting step towards your desired look.

Day One

Upon waking from surgery, you will have a surgical bra in place with gauze pads on your chest covering the incisions. Typically, you will have tape or glue under the gauze, directly covering the incision sites. Your surgeon will tell you what to do with these dressings, like when to change them and when you can shower. The surgical compression bra should be worn 24 hours a day, except to shower and assess your breasts. In general, the first week after surgery you will have moderate pain in your breasts and around the sides of your chest. Most people describe the pain after surgery as muscle soreness. This pain should be easily controlled by your doctor’s prescribed medications and will get a little better each day.

There may be minor drainage from the incision lines, like blood or clear fluid. You may even have drains to help manage any expected drainage. This will lessen over the first few days. You should expect to rest the first 24 hours after surgery with intermittent periods of light walking around your home to the bathroom and to get food. Starting the day following your surgery, you will be permitted to go outside for brief 10–15-minute walks up to 3 times per day.

Week One

You should expect to return to your surgeon’s office at least 1 to 2 times during the first week after surgery. This will include monitoring and management of any dressings, sutures, and drains. At your first week’s postoperative visit, you will receive a new compression bra that further expedites the resolution of swelling after surgery, while providing necessary support as you heal. At about one week you should expect any bruising to begin resolving, which may turn a yellowish hue. It is normal to still experience some slight soreness and inflammation. After one week you may start sleeping in a modified sideways position and briefly showering fully, including your breasts and the incision sites. By this time, returning to a sedentary work environment is expected. All medications should be discontinued by 1-week post-op.

Month One

One month after surgery, you will be feeling very well. Other than some minor swelling and numbness, life pretty much returns to normal. You will be cleared by your doctor to return to full workouts, including cardio and high-impact exercises. You will be transitioned from your surgical compression bra into something more “normal” like a sports bra for daily wear. There will be no more care of the surgical site other than keeping the healing incisions clean/dry. Your surgeon by one month will likely advise beginning a topical scar therapy regimen consisting of silicone gels to minimize their appearance for the next 3 months.

How to Speed Up Your Recovery

1. Follow instructions: Your plastic surgeon’s specific aftercare instructions will include guidelines on things such as which medications and supplements are okay to take and which are not, when and how long to wear a compression garment, how to properly clean incisions and when to reintroduce your body to exercise. Your instructions will depend on your procedure and other factors specific to your unique situation, so follow your plastic surgeon’s instructions.
2. Move: Getting up and moving in the early phase after surgery will help restore blood flow to your tissues following a period of immobility. This ultimately helps reduce swelling with gravity and reduces the risk of postoperative constipation. It is important not to be overly active and to follow your surgeon’s guidance.
3. Don’t smoke: Smoking decreases circulation and oxygenation of the tissues, which is harmful to surgical recovery. Most plastic surgical procedures will require you to abstain from smoking for 2-4 weeks before and after.
4. Healthy eating/hydration: Be sure to follow a high-protein, nutrient-rich diet during the period after surgery. This is important for proper wound healing. You should prepare to drink more than the normal amount of water for the first 1-3 days after surgery. This will help restore any fluid volume lost with blood during surgery and helps to prevent postoperative constipation. Avoiding alcohol and salty foods will also improve your recovery.

How Do I Schedule a Consultation?

The first step to scheduling a consultation would be doing thorough research. There are many ways to find a plastic surgeon. Arguably the best way would be to receive a referral from another physician, such as an internist, dermatologist, or OB-GYN. These providers often see multiple patients with good results and can attest to those by referring their own patients somewhere. Friends are a secondarily good referral source, especially if they are patients themselves. When it comes to advertising, the most essential consideration is the plastic surgeon’s education, board certification ONLY by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and before/after gallery. If those components match your desired outcome, then they would be a good source of information to seek in consultation. You will often come across taglines such as “no downtime surgery” or “no anesthesia required”. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. There are no shortcuts to SAFE plastic surgery.

The next step would be contacting the office of a board-certified plastic surgeon to find a time to meet them. First impressions last a lifetime, so pay attention when speaking to the receptionist upon calling. Should you decide to have surgery, this is the team you will be dealing with multiple times per month for at least a year. The administrative team is a direct reflection of the surgeon’s ways of working. Another thing to clarify would be a potential timeline for surgery. This is sometimes best done before reaching out to qualified providers because they are booked one to six months out, on average. Knowing well enough in advance will give you adequate time to interview surgeons, get any preoperative lab work done, and feel confident moving forward with your scheduled procedure.

“Gummy Bear” is the non-medical terminology used to refer to silicone gel breast implants that are form stable. These implants are filled with a highly cohesive version of silicone gel that holds shape, even when the implant is ruptured.

Pros and Cons When Selecting Gummy Bear Implants

Unlike earlier predecessors, Gummy Bear implants do not generally pose a risk of free-floating silicone. They have a much stronger shell and are filled with a material that is designed to remain inside the shell. Despite these advances in structural safety, silicone gel implants remain soft and extremely natural feeling.

A potential downside for Gummy Bear implants is that because they are pre-filled when your surgeon places them, they will require a slightly longer scar. Saline implants come unfilled and can be placed in the body in a deflated state, requiring a smaller incision. Saline implants are generally not as soft, however, and can have more risk of unnatural rippling without adequate natural breast tissue.

Do Gummy Bear Implants Generally Cost More?

Compared to saline implants, Gummy Bear implants are generally more costly in terms of raw materials. Saline implants are filled with just that – saline. This is very inexpensive. The technology and manufacturing process required to produce Gummy Bear silicone implants is taken into consideration when thinking about the cost. As a result, you may see your surgeon price silicone breast augmentation or implant replacement slightly higher than its saline equivalent. This is generally not more than a few hundred to a few thousand dollars unless the technique involved changes the time required in surgery or otherwise.

Deciding If They Are Right For You

The first step would be doing thorough research. There are many ways to find a plastic surgeon. Arguably the best way would be to receive a referral from another physician, such as primary care, dermatologist, or OB-GYN. These providers often see multiple patients with good results and can attest to those by referring their own patients somewhere. Friends are a secondarily good referral source, especially if they are patients themselves. When it comes to advertising, the most essential consideration is the plastic surgeon’s education, board certification ONLY by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and before/after gallery. If those components match your desired outcome, then they would be a good source of information to seek in consultation. You will often come across taglines such as “no downtime surgery” or “no anesthesia required”. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. There are no shortcuts to SAFE plastic surgery.

The next step would be contacting the office of a board-certified plastic surgeon to find a time to meet them. First impressions last a lifetime, so pay attention when speaking to the receptionist upon calling. Should you decide to have surgery, this is the team you will be dealing with multiple times per month for at least a year. The administrative team is a direct reflection of the surgeon’s ways of working. Another thing to clarify would be a potential timeline for surgery. This is sometimes best done before reaching out to qualified providers because they are booked one to six months out, on average. Knowing well enough in advance will give you adequate time to interview surgeons, get any preoperative lab work done, and feel confident moving forward with your scheduled procedure.