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How to Enhance Your Breast Augmentation Results in Fredericksburg, Virginia?

You probably already know that breast augmentation is the second most popular cosmetic surgery procedure in the United States, with very high patient-satisfaction ratings. During your consultation at Plastic Surgery Services of Fredericksburg, you learned that it’s also one of the most customizable plastic surgeries, offering various implant sizes, types, shapes, and placement options.

Whether you want to go ahead with your breast augmentation, or if you’ve already had breast implant surgery, it might be that you just want a little more volume and perkiness. Well, there are procedures to help you get the most out of your new curves while at the same time retaining your completely natural aesthetic results.

Read on and be sure to schedule your next visit to get our experts’ advice on how they can enhance your breast implant surgery results, maximize the gains of your augmentation, and complete the transformation you have already started.

Banish the Bra Roll in Fredericksburg, VA

As for other breast enhancement patients, you might find you are focused on improving your front and profile views. However, for the perfect results, perhaps you should take a 360° approach and consider all sides of your torso?

Like other women often develop stubborn pockets of fat in the upper- and mid-back region, as well as on the sides of their torsos, you might be done trying to conceal those bothersome bulges that show underneath your form-fitting clothing. If you want to banish that bra roll for good, liposuction, or even better, our less intensive Smartlipo™ can do the trick! Your long-lasting “bra bulge” procedure can be completed under local anesthesia in an hour or two.

Touch Up the Teacup Area

Even if your breasts are the size and shape you’ve always wanted, you might still be reluctant to rock that strapless dress. It could be that you have small pillows of fat underneath your armpits in what is known as the teacup area. Well, it’s back to some more liposuction!

Liposuction or Smartlipo™ will remove those fat pockets in the area just above your breasts, near your armpits and shoulders, and create an appealing “frame” for your breasts together with a smoother appearance in strapless tops and dresses. As an even bigger bonus, reducing the fat near your breasts will also visually enhance the shape of your breasts and make them appear more visually appealing.

As an especially great choice for women who are not yet decided about exactly what size breast implants to choose for your augmentation, you may be satisfied with a smaller cup size once you’ve added that extra firmness and visual impact with liposuction.

Want to Love Your Breast Augmentation?

Deciding to get breast augmentation surgery can be a challenging decision. To learn about your cosmetic breast surgery options in Fredericksburg, Richmond, Fairfax, and beyond, contact or call us today at (540) 371-7730.

In May 2021, Plastic Surgery Services of Fredericksburg was honored to have been chosen as the Best Plastic Surgery Practice in the Best of Burg 2021 contest in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Drs. Heppe, Bautista, and Aflaki would like to thank everyone for their vote!

Breast Lift, Breast Implants… Maybe Both? Which Option Is Best for You to Perk up Your Look!

You might have started noticing that the appearance of your breasts is beginning to have a huge impact on your self-confidence. Perhaps you’re experiencing some sagging or are simply not in love with the size, shape, firmness, and tightness of your breasts. Because of this, you may have wondered if cosmetic breast surgery in the form of a breast augmentation or a breast lift, or both is what you need.

Breast lifts (mastopexy) and breast implants (augmentation) are cosmetic surgeries that change your breasts’ shape and size. A mastopexy helps reshape breasts that have lost their firmness or have started to sag or droop. Augmentation involves inserting breast implants on top of or below the chest muscles, making the breasts larger and more shapely. Performed together or separately, these procedures can transform your contours and improve your self-esteem.

You might be surprised to learn that, depending on your doctor’s assessment of your needs, it might be possible to have a lift and implants inserted at the same time. Some patients choose one or the other of the surgeries, or have two separate procedures with time in between for healing. Our professional staff will help you determine the best approach for you during your initial visit.

Do I Need Breast Implants?

Breast augmentation through implants is the most popular cosmetic surgical procedure for women in the U.S. today. With this procedure, a saline or silicone implant is inserted into the breast, adding volume and improving the breast’s shape. The results typically last for many years.

Breast augmentation may be right for you if:

You want to correct breast asymmetry
You want to increase your breast size
You have lost volume in your breasts after pregnancy or weight loss

Breast augmentation is a top choice for many patients, but it isn’t right for everyone. On its own, it does not correct sagging, but it is an excellent option for increasing bust size.

Do I Need a Breast Lift?

If you have sagging, a breast lift could be the solution to restore your breasts to their youthful shape and position. This surgery removes excess skin and reshapes and reforms the breasts for a truly rejuvenated appearance. If you are experiencing saggy breasts after childbearing, you’ll be interested to learn that women often choose to have a breast lift as part of a Mommy Makeover, including a tummy tuck.

A breast lift may be right for you if:

You have breast sagging
You want to rejuvenate the breasts after pregnancy or breastfeeding

A breast lift does not increase breast size on its own but repositions breast tissue, typically similar to the way your breasts currently look when supported in a bra.

Breast Lift and Breast Implants — Do I Need Both?

Combining breast lift and breast augmentation procedures in one visit to the operating room can save you both money and reduce the amount of time spent in recovery.

Choose a breast lift with implants if:

You want to increase the size and correct sagging
You have both breast asymmetry and sagging

Love Your Breasts!

If you have breast sagging or want to increase your breast size in Northern Virginia, you may find it to be more affordable than you think. To learn about cosmetic breast surgery costs, including any special promotions, visit our fees and financing page. We take care of patients from Fredericksburg, Richmond, Fairfax, and beyond.

For a consultation regarding your breast lift or other plastic surgery procedures, call us today at (540) 371-7730 or contact us online by completing our consultation request form.

3 Ways to Choose the Best Breast Implant Size for You

Over 300,000 women in the U.S. choose breast augmentation every year. The procedure has a well-documented history of safety and satisfaction, and it appears that more women are choosing to enhance their breasts with silicone implants.

One of the most frequent questions we hear at Plastic Surgery Services of Fredericksburg is: “how do I select my ideal breast implant size?”

Here, we explain three of the best ways you can use to determine just how big or small you want your implants to be.

Find a Celebrity to Emulate

One of the best ways to visualize implants on yourself is to consider how they look on other women. Fortunately, there is no shortage of celebrities with varying implant types.

To imagine realistically, you should find celebs who have a similar body frame to yours. When it comes to the breasts, relativity is everything; a small to medium-sized implant on a larger woman may be quite large on you.

Look at height and weight to get an accurate idea of how you measure up to your ideal celebrity. These comparisons can provide a better understanding of the aesthetic you’re looking for, so be ready to discuss them with your surgeon.

Consider your Lifestyle

The number of breast augmentation surgeries has gradually increased over time, but the average size of the implants themselves has actually decreased. Trends in appearance, lifestyle choices, and other factors likely contribute to this shift.

It’s a given that almost everyone focuses on aesthetics. Many, though, do not recognize how these changes may interfere with their daily lives. If you enjoy an active lifestyle, err on the slightly smaller side. Going smaller can prevent any interferences with your workouts, comfort, and daily activities.

Overly large implants relative to your body frame can also lead to health complications – primarily in posture, shoulder health, and back health.

Do the Rice Test

The best way to see for yourself how different sized implants look on you is to do a simple at-home test.

Cut the foot portion off an old pair of pantyhose, and fill this with varying amounts of dry rice. You can then put this makeshift rice-implant into your bra and see how you like the look. Increase or decrease volume as you see fit until you find an implant size you like, and then take this with you to your consultation. This will assist your surgeon in recommending the most suitable implant.

Want to Learn More?

Deciding to get breast augmentation surgery is a significant decision. So too is choosing the size of the implant. If you follow this advice, you can avoid revision surgeries such as breast implant removal or exchange surgery.

Please contact Plastic Surgery Services of Fredericksburg at 540 371 7730 or via our online form to arrange your consultation today. Our friendly and professional staff would be happy to meet you and let you test-drive your new implants!

Did You Get Implants? How to Graciously Answer Nosey Questions this Holiday

Breast augmentation remains the most popular cosmetic procedure in the U.S. In 2018, over 300,000 women chose to enhance their physique and give themselves the body they have always desired. As surgical techniques and safe-practices continue to advance, patients are faced with an unprecedented opportunity to customize their appearances.

Although plastic surgery is rising in popularity, many patients still struggle to broach the topic of their breast augmentation with coworkers, friends, and family. The holidays, in particular, present plenty of opportunities for long-lost relatives and friends to ask nosey questions about your aesthetic procedures. Being prepared mentally and even verbally for these situations can minimize anxiety and help you avoid confrontations.

Here, we offer some handy advice on managing these situations. Just remember that you look stunning, and be pleased that your decision is turning heads.

Face It Head On with Calm Clarity

Remember why you chose to undergo the procedure, and share your reasoning. Should you be challenged, ask the questioner why they hold their stance on breast augmentation. People often simply want to express their opinion. A proper conversation about the topic could require that you know some of the best recent research. You never know, you might help open someone’s mind with a frank but level discussion on physical appearance and confidence.

One handy strategy in any debate or touchy conversation is to let your questioner feel heard. Simply repeat their points to them, starting with, “So you’re saying that . . . “ or “Let me see if I’ve heard you . . . . “ Just the fact that you’ve heard them will get them to back down. Once you’ve taken this step, change the topic or end the conversation. Expressly state, “I understand you don’t agree, but we won’t solve this today. Let’s move on.”

Keep in mind that just because someone keeps asking you questions, you’re not obligated to answer. You don’t have to respond to the pressure. You control what you will and won’t share.

A few Choice Comebacks to Nosey Plastic Surgery Questions

When someone asks if you’ve had work done, say:

“Thank you for noticing,” and then change the topic if you suspect they’re about to unleash on you.

“I’m glad you noticed.”

“Why do you ask?”

When someone asks how much you paid, say:

“My granny told me it was gauche to discuss prices.”

“Half of my rent, but twice yours.”

“HIPAA prevents me from disclosing that.”

When someone asks exactly what you had done, say:

“What haven’t I have done?”

“What exactly do you mean asking something like that?”

“What exactly haven’t you done?”

“Where exactly do you get off asking me that?”

When someone asks, why you’ve had it done, say,

“I thought it was an HOA regulation. You mean it’s not?”

“Because I can.”

The Dodge: Avoid the Situation Altogether

If you think that having this discussion at a big family gathering is just going to be too much, you might consider wearing a loose dress with a sports bra for the occasion.

While this does momentarily defeat the purpose of getting your breast augmentation, it allows you to take control of when you reveal your procedure. It also ensures you can have individual talks with particular people in a more controlled social environment.

More often than not, if you take confidence in your stance and politely listen to the opinions of others, you will have a brief, pleasant conversation.

If you’re still unsure about how to confront this issue, call us at our Fredericksburg VA office on 540 371 7730 or contact us online for a confidential chat and even a practice run through a conversation. We’re here to support your personal decision.

How to Determine the Right Breast Implant Size for Your Figure

With more than 300,000 women reshaping their bust every year, breast augmentation is the most popular cosmetic procedure in the U.S.

However, breast implant revision surgeries are also on the rise. Over half of these breast augmentation revision surgeries are performed because women initially choose the wrong size implant, and consequently need to get the implant size changed.

For this reason, it is crucial to choose the right breast implant size when you first get your breast augmentation. By getting your size right the first time, you will avoid unnecessary revision surgery and complications later on.

There are numerous factors you need to consider when deciding the right breast implant size for you. Here, our surgeons at The Plastic Surgery Services of Fredericksburg outline which factors to take into consideration, and how you can estimate the correct size implant for yourself

Measuring Breast Implant Size

Brassiere cup sizes are unreliable measurements of actual breast size. As such, breast implants are not measured in cup size – they are measured in cubic centimeters (CC’s).

This is because brassier cup volume differs between countries and bra manufacturers – a B cup from one manufacturer may be a different size than a B cup from a separate manufacturer. For this reason, plastic surgeons use the precise and universal measurement of volume to standardize measuring the size of breast implants in cubic centimeters.

Breast implant sizes vary greatly, anywhere from 120 ccs to 850 ccs. The size of the implants you should choose depends on a variety of factors.

Bigger Is Not Necessarily Better

Breast implant surgery is a highly personalized process. In the end, the decision is up to you about the size of your implants, but you should carefully consider these factors:

your desired aesthetic result
natural amount of breast tissue
height, weight, chest, breast and shoulder dimensions
skin elasticity
lifestyle

For pleasing aesthetic results, many women are beginning to choose more moderately sized implants that give a full, perky profile without being overly large.

Choosing breast implants that are too large often leads to complications such as the implants becoming displaced or your skin sagging, and in some cases, breast implant revision surgery.

Breast implants that are too large for your frame can also increase the chance that you will experience back and neck pain. They may also lead to postural issues, so the size of implant you choose must be proportional to your frame and musculature.

Visualizing Breast Implant Sizes

Two easy, at-home tests that are very effective in helping you visualize the actual sizes of different breast implants are the rice test, and the water test.

Both tests work because 1ml of rice or water equals 1 CC.

To perform the rice test:

1. Measure out 200 ml of rice

2. Cut out a section of some old pantyhose

3. Tie a knot in one end and fill the pantyhose with the rice

4. Tie off the top end.

This shows you the size of a 200 CC breast implant.

You can manipulate the shape and profile of your jerry-rigged implant, and varying the amount of rice will help you see the difference in breast implant sizes.

The water test is very similar; only you use a balloon with different volumes of water to help visualize the different implant sizes.

Try wearing larger brassieres with different items of clothing and placing your home-made implants into the bra cup to get an idea of how you look and feel with various implant sizes.

Remember that you also need to consider the profile and shape of your implants. This is best done with an on-site consultation so you can see and ‘try’ the different implant shapes and sizes which are available to you.

Deciding on the size of your breast implants takes a lot of consideration. If you’re thinking about breast augmentation surgery in Fredericksburg and whether or not it’s right for you, Plastic Surgery Services of Fredericksburg can help.

In a one-on-one consultation, our board-certified plastic surgeons will consider your specific circumstances, your physique, lifestyle, and desired results and recommend the best implant sizes for you.

To book your appointment, please don’t hesitate to call 540 371 7730 or fill out our online form. We look forward to hearing from you.

How Should I Prepare for my Breast Augmentation consultation?

“Your body is a temple, but only if you treat it as one.” This beautiful quote by author and psychologist Astrid Alauda revisits a popular view of our bodies. Our body is indeed a temple, a sacred place of worship, but like all holy places, we must respect, honor, and love it.

Cultures the world over offer homage to sacred places in hundreds of different ways. Gifts and offerings have venerated goddesses from Aphrodite to Kama for centuries. Your choice to meet our team at Plastic Surgeries of Fredericksburg for your breast augmentation consultation is an expression of your well-deserved self- respect, self-love, and self-worship.

To continue your passage of honoring and gifting your body, we at Plastic Surgeries of Fredericksburg would like to offer you some guidance. It is essential that you understand and properly consider all aspects of your breast augmentation surgery. With this in mind, allow us to offer you some material for your consideration so you can adequately prepare for your visit with us.

You should ask yourself the following questions before your consultation, as our surgeons will want to discuss these topics with you;

1) Why do you want to undertake a breast augmentation? Despite the growing popularity of these procedures in America, breast augmentation surgery is still surgery. When opting for any procedure on your body, your reasoning and motivation must be clear. Whether you want to look better in your skin or recover the appearance of your breasts after pregnancy, clarity, and honesty for your motivation behind the surgery is essential.

2) How do you expect to look after the procedure? So that we can offer you the best advice, you need to be clear with yourself and us what you want out of the procedure. Perhaps you want more symmetry between your breasts or to increase your bust appearance? First determining this with yourself helps you explain what you want to us.

3) What is your current relationship with medication, tobacco, alcohol, supplements, and drugs? The customers who enjoy the best results from breast augmentation are healthy individuals who enjoy life in moderation. If you already treat your body with fairness, care, and respect, you are well on the way to being a standout candidate for breast augmentation.

4) When have you undergone any other medical treatments or faced any medical conditions? By understanding your entire medical and clinical history, our surgeons can accurately advise you on anesthesia, post-op medication, and what your procedure and recovery will look like. The more information you can provide during your consultation, the better.

Once you have honestly answered these questions with yourself, it is time to start considering questions you may have for us! Your consultation with us at Plastic Surgery Services of Fredericksburg is your chance to get to know your surgeon and clarify any uncertainties about your procedure.

The following is a good list of questions for you to pose to any of our staff, and particularly the surgeon who will be performing your procedure.

Are you an American Board of Plastic Surgery certified surgeon?
Did you specifically train in the discipline of plastic surgery?
How many years of training and practice have you had?
Where will my breast augmentation surgery be performed?
According to my body, what incision site, shape, size, and placement do you recommend?
How long after the procedure will it be before I can resume my regular routine?
What are the potential risks associated with my breast augmentation, and how will you handle any complications?
Will I need subsequent implant-related surgeries?
How will the appearance of my breast change over time and after pregnancy and breastfeeding?
Will my ability to breastfeed be affected?
What can I do if I am unsatisfied with the outcome of my procedure?

Do you have a portfolio of before-and-after photos or past patient commendations I can look at to see your previous work?

By entirely understanding all components of your breast augmentation surgery, you fully equip yourself for a satisfying, confidence-building, rewarding gift to yourself. Remember, nerves are perfectly normal, and our team looks forward to discussing any feelings you have about your procedure in your consultation.

Reach out to us at Plastic Surgery Services of Fredericksburg via phone call or by filling in our online form if you have any unanswered queries about booking a consultation with us.

Can Breast Reduction Benefit Your Health?

It is no secret that a woman’s breasts are one of the most sexualized features of the female body, with cup size being the main contributor. The pursuit of bigger and more voluptuous breasts has been the main driving force for breast augmentation, leading it to be one of the most requested cosmetic surgery procedures the world over.

However, not all women are happy with having large, heavy breasts leaving them to seriously consider undergoing breast reduction surgery (reduction mammoplasty). Carrying several extra pounds on a daily basis can take a toll over time leading to the development of pain, discomfort, and an overall decreased quality of life.

The Negative Impact of Having Large Breasts

Breast reduction surgery is a procedure to remove excess tissue, fat, and skin of the breasts, helping to reshape and reduce their overall size and weight. It has been a popular option for women suffering from macromastia, or excessively large breasts, becoming increasingly more common in recent times.

While those small to modest breast sizes often desire a larger cup size, their negative impact on a woman’s life is often underappreciated. Large breasts are generally associated with the development of several unwanted physical symptoms, such as neck, shoulder and back pain. This is thought to be due to changes in the center of gravity leading to prolonged bending postures and continued tension on the middle and lower fibers of the trapezius muscle and associated muscles groups¹.

Additional unwanted symptoms of large breasts include:

The production of tender, potentially permanent, grooves overlying the shoulder area (over the trapezius near its insertion site on the acromion) caused by the need for study support bras
Friction rash development in the areas where the breast and chest meet
Emotional stress caused by chronic pain
Impaired ability to live an active lifestyle
Sleeping and breathing difficulties
Nerve pain

Resulting pain caused by having large breasts often lead to the continued use of pain relievers, which can have their own negative effects on the stomach, liver, and kidneys if consumed in excess over long periods of time².

Reshape Your Breasts

Women with large breasts may simply be dissatisfied with the shape, size, and firmness of their breasts, becoming self-conscious due to a perceived asymmetry. This can be emphasized by difficulties fitting into bras and clothing. A breast reduction will often include a breast lift (mastopexy) that will help women achieve a more appropriate breast size, raise sagging or drooping breasts, and can elevate the nipple to better suit to their body type.

Breast reduction surgery is considered an outpatient procedure, with most patients going home that very day. The procedure itself takes approximately three hours to complete with most patients returning to normal activity in a week with full recovery in about six weeks.

Taking Charge of Your Own Wellbeing

Many women who are considering breast reduction surgery often face a lot of cultural backlash. They are told to they should feel lucky to be blessed with such attributes or that they may regret it after getting the procedure. But these other people simply don’t know the truth about how living with very large breasts can affect everyday life.

Breast reduction surgery can be liberating for women, allowing them to feel more comfortable; positively impact their lives. The elimination of pain symptoms alone is the sole reason many women undergo the procedure, making breast reduction surgery to be consistently reported as one of the highest rated in satisfaction among all cosmetic procedures³.

If you suffer from undue pain caused by large breasts, speak to the highly trained and experienced plastic surgeons at Plastic Surgery Services of Fredericksburg. Their knowledge and expertise in regard to cosmetic surgical procedures are second to none and they are more than happy to guide you through every step of the way.

To schedule a personalized consultation, call the Plastic Surgery Services of Fredericksburg at (540) 371-7730 today!

References:

Top Reasons for Breast Augmentation

While adding volume to your breast size might seem like the only reason for a breast augmentation, there are many more reasons women choose to enhance their breasts. In fact, breast augmentation can help achieve a lot more than increasing your cup size. Here are the top three reasons patients opt for breast augmentation:

To give yourself a self-confidence boost.
To restore symmetry to your breasts.
To reverse the effects of pregnancy.

Ready to enjoy all these benefits of breast augmentation? You’ll need to start with a consultation first! Schedule your consultation with Plastic Surgery Services of Fredericksburg, here.

Top Reasons Women Opt for Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation is one of the most popular cosmetic surgical procedures in the United States. It’s popular because more and more women are seeking the breasts they’ve always wanted – or the breasts they had at one time and may have lost. Below are the top reasons women opt for breast augmentation:

Increase Breast Size

Many women just don’t like the size of their breasts and are looking for a change. With breast augmentation becoming a routine, effective procedure that provides natural-looking results, more women are choosing implants.

Additionally, its availability makes it all the more attractive, especially with the increased improvements over the years and the many options that are now available to women.

Correct Asymmetry

Asymmetric breasts are a common aesthetic disorder for women—and a key reason breast augmentation is popular. Not only does asymmetry negatively affect the self-confidence of many women, but it makes shopping for clothes a nightmare.

Breast augmentation for asymmetric breasts uses two breast implants, each a different size to create balance and harmony at the bustline and make shopping for bras and other garments much easier.

Alter the Effects of Childbearing

There are few events in a woman’s life that are more beautiful than pregnancy and giving birth. Unfortunately, childbearing and breastfeeding does not bode well for the breasts. Pregnancy causes a fluctuation of breast size from smaller, to larger, and then smaller again. This rollercoaster ride of breast size causes a loss of breast volume, elasticity, and firmness.

The good news is you can solve these problems with breast surgery. Breast implants can restore volume and firmness and help you regain youthful breasts, which can often look better than before motherhood.

Many mothers also choose to add a lift to elevate sagging breasts and reposition their nipples.

Alter the Effects of Weight Fluctuation

Pregnancy isn’t the only thing that can wreak havoc on a woman’s breast. Gaining significant weight and then losing it can have a negative effect on the bust as well; when women have a significant weight loss of 30 pounds or more, their breasts tend to react much like breasts after pregnancy.

It’s easy to understand why women who lost weight with diet and exercise would want to follow up with breast surgery.

Restore Breasts after a Mastectomy

Unfortunately, too many women suffer from the effects of breast cancer and a mastectomy. Although a clean bill of health being the most important result, once that is attained, breast reconstruction and restoration becomes a priority.

Breast implants are critical for restoring a woman’s breast appearance and her sense of femininity. Many women with a high risk of breast cancer decide to proactively undergo a mastectomy and subsequent reconstruction procedure, often with both procedures done concurrently.

Improved Technology

Today’s implants have come a long way in offering natural-looking breasts to the patient. Gone are the days of limited choices for the size, shape, and type; now there is a wide selection and a variety of profiles, shapes, and sizes.

The advancements of breast implants and the variety they offer give your surgeon the flexibility to tailor the procedure to your unique body type and desired goals. And the more personalized your breast augmentation is, the more likely it is that your results will last as long as possible.

A Boost in Self-Esteem

Many women who were dissatisfied with their breasts experienced a boost in confidence and self-esteem after breast enhancement. One study showed that patients between 21 and 57 years of age developed a considerable increase in their self-esteem and confidence following surgery. Using the Rosenberg self-esteem scale, they cited these increases as ranging from 20.7 to 24.9.

Women Want to Look Younger

Let’s face it, we all want to look young – or at least younger than we presently appear. A woman’s breast profile and firmness are big determinates of how old a woman looks. With a firm, perky projection, a woman looks younger; likewise, shrinking and sagging breasts suggest advancing years.

Learn more about the benefits of breast augmentation and its life-changing results by contacting the Doctors of Plastic Surgery Services of Fredericksburg at (540) 371-7730 and scheduling a consultation.

Implant Options: How to Ensure You Make the Best Choice

Selecting the right breast implants can be a nerve-wracking process. There are a number of variables to consider—such as the type of implant you want, what size you need, and where you want your implants placed—and all of these factor into achieving a pleasing outcome. If you’re not sure how to begin weighing all of your options, we can help; this simple guide to choosing the right breast implants covers all of the basics you’ll need to know before booking a consultation:

Choosing the Right Implant Size

One of the most common misconceptions about choosing breast implants is the idea that you can simply walk into a plastic surgeon’s office and request a cup size (e.g., “Make me a D cup.”) This approach is not advised because cup sizes are not standardized; they vary between different band sizes and even different underwear brands. What you should do is try on a set of “mock implants.” Ask your plastic surgeon for a set of sample sizes.

Choosing an Implant Type

Today, patients over 22 years of age can choose to have either saline or silicone gel implants. Both options are safe, contrary to some of the early rumors about silicone implants that made their way into the media. Silicone implants are made from a type of medical-grade, durable silicone. Other types of silicone implants, like highly cohesive implants, are increasingly popular because if the implant ever ruptures, the filling sticks together rather than leaking into the body.

The only caveat to be aware of when choosing silicone implants is that implant ruptures can be harder to detect. Unlike saline implants, silicone gel implants do not obviously deflate after rupturing, so you will have to pay close attention to any minor changes in the shape of your implants. If you notice any small dents or lumps around one of your implants, make sure to book an MRI as quickly as possible.

Silicone implants are the preferred choice for most breast augmentation patients because they look and feel more like natural breast tissue. That being said, some people still prefer traditional saline implants because surgeons can adjust the filling during surgery before the pocket has been sewn up. They are also slightly less expensive and leave a much shorter scar. In the hands of a skilled surgeon, both saline and silicone implants can be made to look very natural, so you should choose the implant type that works best with your goals.

Choosing the Right Implant Placement

Breast implants can be placed either above the pectoral muscles or below them. When implants are placed under the muscle, the top of the implant is effectively hidden by muscle tissue. Some surgeons believe that placing implants under the muscle allows for more natural results, while others believe that placement can interfere with athletic activity. This creates a very natural “slope” to the breast and prevents the overly round look that’s associated with breast augmentation surgery.

However, not all patients are suitable candidates for under the muscle implant placement. Most notably, patients with very small chests who want to have large implants inserted usually require over the muscle placement. (This is necessary because they do not have enough natural breast tissue to accommodate under the muscle placement.) Fortunately, if you’re not able to have your implants inserted beneath your pectoral muscles, there are other options available. For many patients, over-the-muscle placement can still create natural results, but it’s crucial that they work with a skilled plastic surgeon with years of experience with breast augmentation.

If you still have questions about breast augmentation surgery after reviewing the information above, feel free to get in touch with us. We’ll be happy to explain your options in more depth or help you book a consultation with one of our board certified plastic surgeons.