Breast augmentation

One of the most frequently performed cosmetic surgery procedures in the U.S., breast augmentation can give women with modest or unevenly sized breasts a fuller and more symmetrical appearance through the placement of saline or silicone breast implants.

This procedure is utilized for many different medical and aesthetic reasons, including balancing breast size, compensating for reduced breast mass after pregnancy or surgery, and correcting a congenital breast defect. Under the expert care of Dr. Cobbins, patients enjoy great-looking, natural feeling breasts that are one or more cup sizes larger after surgery.

Fully Customized Breast Enhancement

Every woman is unique in both her desires and her body shape. With that in mind, Dr. Cobbins takes the time during the pre-operative consultations to learn what each patient hopes to gain from breast augmentation surgery and to decide which implant type, size and placement is best. In this way, each patient enjoys completely customized treatment designed with their specific goals in mind.

Your anatomy will play a major role in the decisions regarding your implant size and type. In your consultation, Dr. Cobbins will perform specific measurements and depending on your body frame, and your expectations, Dr. Cobbins will talk with you about all of your options for breast augmentation surgery.

Complimentary Procedures

Breast augmentation can achieve dramatic and beautiful results on its own as well as in conjunction with other cosmetic surgery procedures. We may recommend combining breast augmentation with other procedures such as a breast lift for more satisfying results. This is called a mastopexy augmentation. This procedure is most commonly recommended to treat sagging that may result from aging or pregnancy. During this combined procedure, Dr. Cobbins may remove a small amount of breast tissue if needed. She will also tighten and lift the breast skin, as well as insert an implant. This allows the breast to have a more youthful shape and improves the nipple position. Although breast lift alone can improve the overall look of the breast, the addition of breast implants to the procedure may ensure a longer lasting result.

Saline and Silicone Gel Breast Implants

Breast implants are silicone shells filled with either saline (salt water) or silicone gel. Both implant types are approved by the FDA for use in breast augmentation surgery. For study purposes, silicone implants were pulled off the market in the United States for greater than ten years, but were continually used in Europe and Canada. Today’s silicone implants have thicker and more durable outer shells making them more resistant to leakage or rupture. Most patients find that silicone implants feel softer and more natural than saline implants. The cost of silicone implants is greater than that of saline, but most patients find the cost is worth the advantage of a more natural and softer feel to the breast.

Saline implants are also a safe product. One advantage of saline breast implants is that the incision used to place the implant is much smaller than that of silicone simply because it comes from the manufacturer unfilled. A disadvantage experienced by some is that saline breast implants may feel and appear less natural. This is especially important for very thin women to consider who have modest breast tissue, or for women undergoing breast reconstruction.

During your consultation with Dr. Cobbins, you will be able to select from the full range of implant options, and she will help you decide which implant type is right for you.

Breast Augmentation Surgery - Incision Techniques

Breast augmentation surgery lasts approximately one to two hours and is performed in an outpatient setting typically under general anesthesia. Incisions are made in inconspicuous locations on the breast to minimize scar visibility. These incisions may be located:

Near the crease on the underside of the breast (inframammary) - Breast augmentation with an inframammary incision is performed with an incision made under the breast and close to the inframammary fold.

Around the areola, the dark skin around the nipple (periareolar) - The goal of breast augmentation with a periareolar incision is to place the incision in the transition zone between the darker areola and surrounding breast skin where it can be hidden. As with the inframammary incision, this incision allows the implant to be placed in precise pocket formation.

Breast Augmentation Surgery - Placement Options

Implant placement beneath the pectoralis muscle of the chest offers a few advantages over placement beneath breast tissue alone. These include reduced risk of capsular contracture (excessively thick and firm scar tissue surrounding an implant), less evidence of visible wrinkling of the skin above the implant, and less interference with mammogram examinations. Dr. Cobbins will help you decide which placement option may be best suited for you.

Recovery

Dr. Cobbins performs all of her operations with great care and precision. Extensive pre-operative planning goes into each and every procedure, which helps to decrease complication risks as well as to assist in a safe and fast recovery.

During the immediate post-operative recovery phase, it is not unusual for the breasts to be bruised, sore, and swollen. Patients may also feel slightly fatigued after surgery, but this typically passes in a day or two. You can expect to wear a surgical bra for several days. It is also recommended that you wear an athletic or support bra free of any underwire until all swelling has subsided.

Heavy lifting or straining should be avoided after breast augmentation surgery. You can typically return to work within a week and aerobic exercise can be resumed approximately two to four weeks thereafter.

Scars from breast augmentation incisions will typically begin to fade in several weeks and will continue to fade for months or years. Scars are usually small and inconspicuous, but inevitably will remain present. The goal of Dr. Cobbins will be to make them as unnoticeable as possible.

Complications

Complications following breast augmentation surgery are uncommon and usually minimal. A few of the complications that may occur include capsular contracture, prolonged swelling and pain, infection around the implant, change in nipple sensation, decreased milk production while nursing, hypertrophic or keloid scarring, rupture or leakage of the implant, and in the case of saline implants - deflation. In the instance of saline implant deflation, we understand how upsetting and inconvenient this must be to the patient, and will do everything in our power to be available to provide a prompt response. If the implants are old, most surgeons agree that both implants should be replaced to avoid another potential procedure. Depending on each patient’s goals, some women use this as a time to change the style or size of their implants while others may consider combining this procedure with a breast lift.

What is most important is that all patients who elect to undergo breast augmentation understand that breast implants do not last forever and at some point in their lives their implants will likely need to be removed or replaced. Manufacturers of both saline and silicone implants offer a free limited warranty and a free lifetime replacement in case their product is defective in any way.