Breast augmentation is a cosmetic procedure that uses implants to enlarge and shape the breasts.
You may be a good candidate for breast augmentation if you feel your breasts are too small, weight loss has changed the size and shape of your breasts, or your breasts have become smaller and lost their firmness following pregnancy. A young woman must have reached full breast development, be emotionally mature, and have realistic expectations concerning the procedure. Your goal should be improvement but not perfection.
How to Obtain Natural Appearing Breast Implants
Most women desiring breast implants are looking for a natural appearing breast after surgery. The key to having natural appearing breast implants is making the right choices at the initial consult with Dr. Hackney. These include choices about putting the implant under or above the chest muscle, the implant size and width, and the type of implant (saline or silicone).
If you have small breasts and not much breast tissue in the upper portion of the breast and the implant is placed on top of the chest muscle, the top edge of the breast implant will be visible under the thin breast tissue. This results in a round, artificial appearance in the upper portion of the breast. But if the implant is placed under the chest muscle, then the additional thickness of the chest muscle will cover the top edge of the implant resulting in a more natural slope and contour. For more detailed information on this read the section below,
Breast Implant Location.
Just as important as the breast implant location, is the size of the implant you select. As the breast implant sizes increase, the implants also get wider. To have the most natural appearing breast augmentation, it is best to select a breast implant size with a width that matches your natural breast. Selecting an implant that is too wide for your breast will result in an artificial appearance.
What happens if your breast width is narrow, and you need a larger (wider) breast implant, to give you the cup size you desire? Fortunately the implants are made in three different sizes for each width. These are often referred to as low, medium, and high profile implants. Dr. Hackney will explain this in more detail in your consult.
The choice of saline or silicone implant can affect how natural your breast augmentation will look. If your breast has very thin skin and breast tissue, a saline breast implant may not look as natural as a silicone implant. The saline implants have a tendency to fold or ripple as the breasts move, and these folds or ripples may show through the thin skin. Silicone implants are less likely to fold or ripple. For more detailed information read below,
Types of Breast Implants
Occasionally women come to our office for breast implants; only to discover they have a “constricted breast.” In a constricted breast, the fold under the breast is too high on the chest wall and too narrow for the breast. In addition there is often a lack of development of the lower portion of the breast. The breast will not appear round, but will be narrow (constricted) from side to side. The skin and breast will be tight around the nipple. The nipple may be larger than normal and may even be protruding. The constriction may range from mild to severe. The more severe forms are called tubular or tuberous breast.
Women with larger breasts can also have this problem. As their breasts develop, the breast will fall over the abnormal high and narrow breast fold giving the appearance of sagging. Often young women who have not had children, but who have sagging actually may have a constricted or a tuberous breast.
The treatment of this is more complicated than a routine breast augmentation. To treat the constricted breast, the implant is usually placed through an incision around the areola (the darker skin around the nipple). This is usually inconspicuous. The high and narrow fold below the breast will be reshaped to make room for the breast implant. The tight, poorly developed breast below the nipple will be released internally to round out the lower breast. This causes the breast tissue to spread out over the breast implant. Since the breast tissue is thinner, a silicone implant gives the best result and will look more natural. If the nipple is too large or too low, it can be made smaller or lifted at the same time.
24 Hour Rapid Recovery Breast Implant Surgery
Some cosmetic surgeons attribute their patient’s rapid or 24 hour recovery to unique surgical techniques and special protocols they use, when in fact obtaining a quick recovery is not that complicated or unusual.
Many of Dr. Hackney’s patients return to most of their usual activities of daily living in 24 hours and are back at work in a few days after their breast augmentation. It requires a patient with a positive attitude and desire to follow instructions, and a surgeon dedicated to meticulous and very gently surgical techniques. This combined with performing exercises following surgery to relax the tissues, use of the appropriate pain medication if needed, are all part of the equation.
While of course there is some individual variation from patient to patient, we expect our patients to be up and about immediately after surgery. We encourage our patients to resume their usual activities of daily living as soon as possible, such as bathing, eating, walking, standing, getting in and out of a bed or chair, light housework, cooking, shopping, or errands. However we ask our patients not to drive if they are taking any pain medicine and cannot turn the steering wheel easily. We ask our patients to avoid any heavy lifting, pushing/pulling, or other strenuous upper body activities for one month after surgery. We allow our patients to start some light “cardio” three weeks after surgery. There will be no stitches to remove and usually no drains.
Incision Placement
Three different incision locations are commonly used to place the breast implants; under the breast just above the natural crease, around the lower edge of the areola (the darker area around the nipple), and within the armpit (axilla). There are several factors to consider when choosing the location of the incision such as the visibility of the scar, potential numbness of the nipple, if the implant is saline or silicone, or the need to have a breast lift at the same time. Dr. Hackney will help you decide which one is the best option for you.
Breast Implant Location:
The breast implants can be placed either behind your breast tissue only or behind both the breast tissue and chest muscle. The choice of location depends on how much breast tissue you have. If you have enough thickness of breast tissue, then the implant can be placed behind the breast tissue. If not, the implant is best placed under both the breast tissue and muscle
Types of Breast Implants:
Saline Breast Implants A saline breast implant is filled with a salt-water solution. This breast implant is filled by the surgeon in the operating room. Saline is a natural solution and if the breast implant leaks, the body will safely absorb the fluid. Many women will have a natural appearing breast with saline breast implants, but in some women with thin skin and thin breast tissue, the shape and edges of the breast implant may be seen under the skin.
Silicone Breast Implants A silicone breast implant is pre filled by the manufacturer with silicone gel. Silicone was the first substance used for breast implants because of its natural feel and movement. Following allegations that silicone gel may cause autoimmune diseases, the FDA restricted the use of silicone gel implants to breast reconstruction patients and other patients who met certain criteria. Since then multiple independent medical studies have failed to find a link between autoimmune diseases and the use of silicone gel breast implants.
After years of extensive research with silicone implants, the FDA in November of 2006 approved the use of silicone breast implants for cosmetic patients. To have silicone implants you must be 22 years old and be well informed about silicone implants. For you to make the decision that is best for you, the FDA requires each patient to read and understand a patient information pamphlet about silicone breast implants. After discussing this information with Dr. Hackney, you may schedule your surgery in 1 to 2 weeks.
Many patients may be candidates for silicone implants. Patients with thin skin and thin breast tissue may especially benefit from silicone implants as compared to saline implants. Silicone implants are less likely to be seen under thin skin or tissue, and may look and feel more natural.
The FDA requires surgeons using silicone implants to be certified in their use. Dr. Hackney has been certified by both USA implant companies to use silicone implants.
Implant Shell:
The shell of both types of implants is made of solid silicone. The FDA never restricted solid silicone, as it is much different than silicone gel. The shells can have a textured surface or a smooth surface. The textured surface was originally designed to decrease scarring, also called capsular contracture, around silicone gel implants. However, many surgeons believe the textured implant may make the implant more visible under the skin.
Shape of Implant:
Breast implants may be either round or anatomic (tear drop shape). No single implant is right for everybody. Dr. Hackney will discuss the pros and cons of round and anatomic breast implants, examine you, and recommend which implant would be best for you.
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