Breast Augmentation

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Breast augmentation (also known as augmentation mammoplasty) is one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries in the world.

If you are unhappy with the size or shape of your breasts, then this surgery can help you. Recent research ranks breast augmentation as the number one cosmetic surgery procedure performed in America, out-ranking other popular procedures, such as: facelifts, rhinoplasty (nose jobs) and abdominoplasty (tummy tucks). Every year, hundreds of thousands of women undergo this surgery to get shapely, full, natural looking breasts.

Breast Augmentation

There are many breast enhancement techniques to improve the size and shape of the breasts in one surgical procedure.

It's easy to understand why breast augmentation is so popular. The most common complaint among candidates is dissatisfaction with breast size and shape. Many women want to increase the size of their breasts. This desire is very widespread among women of every age, race and body type.

Some women are genetically predisposed to small breasts. During puberty, these women do not develop large amounts of breast tissue. Although small breasts are common, and they are functionally sound (able to produce milk), some women prefer to have more volume in their breast shape and size, because they feel more attractive and clothes fit better.

There are also women who have larger breasts, but seek breast surgery to add shape to their breasts after pregnancy and breast feeding. Breast shape and size will decrease and change after having children and breastfeeding, leaving the breast tissue deflated, less firm and saggy. Breast augmentation can help restore the breasts and make them look more perky, youthful and attractive.

In addition, some women simply lose breast mass with time. This can sometimes happen when a woman loses a large amount of weight. It can also be a function of age. As women enter menopause and the post-menopausal period, hormonal and other changes can result in a loss of breast fullness.

Finally, women who have physical deformities of the breasts, such as uneven breasts or different size breasts, have this surgery as a corrective procedure. And in other cases, reconstructive breast surgery is necessary after cancer. If one or both breasts were removed, they can be replaced with this procedure. Reconstructive surgery can be elective or medically necessary, and require breast implants to restore breast tissue.

In most cases, breast augmentation is considered a cosmetic, elective procedure, which means the patient will have to pay out-of-pocket or get financing at the time of the surgery. If breast surgery is medically necessary and authorized, then insurance will apply partial or full payment for the procedure, depending on the case.

Breast augmentation is a safe surgery that can help many women to be more satisfied with their appearance and femininity. However, the decision to change your breast size will alter your physique and the way you look, so it should be taken seriously.

Learn About Breast Augmentation (or Augmentation Mammaplasty)

Our goal is to provide you with all of the resources you need, so you can make the choice that's right for you. Just one click on our site will provide you with a wealth of information about breast augmentation techniques, breast augmentation costs, recovery times and much more.

Breast Augmentation Guide has helped prospective breast augmentation patients like you learn everything about this procedure, find the latest trends and developments in this surgery, learn the potential risks and successfully find talented and trustworthy surgeons.

Breast augmentation is the No. 1 cosmetic surgery procedure performed in America, out-ranking other popular procedures such as liposuction, rhinoplasty (nose jobs) and abdominoplasty (tummy tucks). Every year, hundreds of thousands of women undergo this surgery to get shapely, full, natural looking breasts.

Am I a Good Candidate for Breast Augmentation?

Breast augmentation allows women to decide for themselves the size and shape of their breasts. They should be aware, though, that this decision is theirs and theirs alone to make. Women should not feel pressured to undergo a breast augmentation by anyone else. Small breasts are common, and there is nothing medically wrong with them. The only person you want to be happiest with your appearance is you.

Some women are genetically predisposed to small breasts. During puberty, these women do not develop large amounts of breast tissue. Although small breasts are common, and they are functionally sound (able to produce milk), some women prefer to have more volume in their breast shape and size, because they feel more attractive and clothes fit better.

Women who have larger breasts seek breast surgery to add shape to their breasts after pregnancy and breastfeeding. Breast shape and size will decrease and change after having children and breastfeeding, leaving the breast tissue deflated, less firm and saggy. Breast augmentation can restore the breasts and make them look more perky, youthful and attractive.

In addition, some women simply lose breast mass with time. Breast volume and shape can change for a number of reasons. Age can certainly play a role: As one grows older, changes appear everywhere on the body! Similarly, large-scale weight gain and loss can affect the breasts, as can menopause, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.

Finally, women who have physical deformities of the breasts, such as uneven breasts or different size breasts, have this surgery as a corrective procedure. And in other cases, reconstructive breast surgery is necessary after cancer. Treatments such as lumpectomies and mastectomies can leave breasts requiring reconstructive work.

In most cases, breast augmentation is considered a cosmetic, elective procedure, which means the patient will have to pay out of pocket or get financing to pay for the surgery. If breast surgery is medically necessary and authorized, then insurance will apply partial or full payment for the procedure, depending on the case.

Do Your Research

The more you learn about breast augmentation, the better prepared you will be to make these decisions. The more you know, the better your chances for achieving great results.

Today's breast implants can last up to 20 years, reducing the need to replace them. New techniques give women more natural looking results with less downtime. This surgery is always being fine-tuned by industry providers and surgeons.

Most importantly, patients should select a properly skilled surgeon, who is experienced with multiple breast surgery procedures. Additionally, a host of other decisions must be made. The patient must decide which type of breast implants she wants to use or whether she wants to use an autologous fat transfer breast augmentation. If breast implants are used, she must decide the size, shape and texture of these implants. The exact placement of the breast implants is also an important factor, as is the placement of the surgical incisions.

Finding the Right Breast Augmentation Surgeon

Although breast augmentation involves a number of choices, the most important one you will have to make is finding a qualified surgeon who is right for you. It is of the utmost importance that you find a surgeon you can trust, both in terms of his or her skill set and business ethics.

The surgeons on this site are experienced medical professionals. They are highly trained breast augmentation surgeons. They operate only in accredited medical facilities, and they complete ongoing breast augmentation and medical education requirements.

Use our Surgeon Locator to find one in your area. If you do not see a surgeon listed in your area, contact us being filling out the web form. To find surgeons in your area, enter your ZIP code or state and city into our Surgeon Locator, and then click "search."

After Online Research, Schedule a Consultation

Once you have found surgeons in your area, read their profiles, access their contact information and visit their websites. You can easily compare surgeons by learning about their levels of experience and comparing their breast augmentation before and after pictures. Once you've found one or more surgeons that you are interested in, set up an appointment for an initial consultation.

Depending on your surgeon, your breast augmentation consultation might be free. If there is a fee associated, chances are that it can be put toward the price of your surgery. He or she might order blood work and X-rays, and all prospective patients are required to have mammograms to determine the health of their breast tissues.

During your consultation, the surgeon will review your medical history and determine if you are a good candidate for this surgery. Let your surgeon know all details regarding your medical history. This includes your surgical history, adverse health conditions and all medications you take. The more you tell your surgeon, the more accurately he or she can assess you.

He or she will ask you questions about problem areas, to target the specific results that you would like. Your surgeon will ask you to identify your expectations. He or she will want to determine if your expectations are realistic in comparison to your anatomy and body proportions.

In light of your particular physical condition and your goals, he or she might suggest which breast augmentation techniques are most likely to give you the results you want. Your surgeon will give you an idea of what to expect from your surgery, how it would be performed, how long your recovery would last, the breast augmentation cost, and what payment options would be available.

During your consultation ask to see before-and-after pictures. The surgeon might use software to help you visualize the possible outcome of your surgery.

Your surgeon may also show you the kinds of breast implants available, and he or she might let you touch the implants so you can feel how soft and natural they feel. He or she might ask you to place different sizes and shapes of breast implants in your bra so you can have a better idea of how your larger breasts might look.

Don't be embarrassed to ask a lot of questions. Some consultants suggest you treat your consultation like a job interview, where you interview the surgeon to ensure that you want to hire them for your breast procedure. Between now and your consultation write a list of questions to take with you.

Breast Augmentation: Finding the Right Size

The right size implant for your breast augmentation will leave you looking better than ever in a way that fits your body's physical proportions.

Too small of an implant won't make enough of a difference in your appearance. On the other hand, a breast implant that is too large might be visible through the skin after the operation, resulting in a less natural feel and appearance. In addition, if the implants are too large, they can cause back pain and limit athletic abilities.

A number of factors determine how much a breast can and should be enlarged.

Women with large builds and large shoulders can typically receive larger breast implants than smaller women. Smaller implants can give petite women the impression of having larger breasts. Your surgeon can help you know what size of breasts will look best on your body.

Body size isn't the only factor in determining ideal breast implant size. Your surgeon will examine your breast tissue and skin. The amount of breast skin that you have and how elastic it is will play a role in determining your ideal breast implant size.

Patients who have relatively small amounts of breast skin and whose skin is relatively inelastic might need to scale back on the breast implant size. If patients choose implants that are too large for them, they run a greater risk of developing stretch marks and of having lengthier recoveries. In these cases, the surgeon might recommend smaller breast implants with a higher profile to help the breasts stand out more prominently and look perkier, without being too big.

Capsular contracture, or "hardening" of the implant is rare but possible. In extreme cases, implants can rupture. You can minimize your chance for these risks by selecting a competent surgeon, and by following his or her directions in the pre- and post-surgical periods.

Some bruising and swelling around the breast implant area and under the arms are normal. It is also possible that you will experience pectoral muscle spasms because your chest is trying to accommodate the newly inserted breast implants. These can be uncomfortable, but they are not typically long-lasting.

You can also expect to have a small amount of scarring at your incision site. You can use topical medications to minimize the scarring. Avoid heavy lifting, strained movements and stretching the surgical site while your scars are healing to help your scars be as small and unnoticeable as possible. Similarly, avoid direct sunlight on your breasts and incision site during the recovery process.

Take prescribed medications as directed by your surgeon. This will help you to control your pain, manage swelling and avoid undue scarring. Wearing the proper supportive garments (which your surgeon will provide) can also help you heal quickly and beautifully. You may also find that sleeping in a reclined rather than a prone position helps swelling to go down more quickly.

If you notice any firm, large, discolored and painful areas referred to as hematomas, you should contact your surgeon. Hematomas are abnormal in appearance and require medical treatment to avoid any additional complications. Similarly, if you notice signs of infection-redness, warmth, localized swelling, tenderness, vomiting and fever-contact your surgeon. Cleaning your incisions as your surgeon directs can help you to avoid infection. Should your incision become infected, it can be treated with antibiotics.

Depending on the extent of the surgery, patients are generally able to return to work between two days or a week post-operatively. Most people are completely back to normal within a couple of months.

Surgical Overview of Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation is typically performed as an outpatient surgery in a surgical suite in a cosmetic/plastic surgeon's office or in a hospital. The surgery typically takes one to four hours, and it can be performed under local or general anesthesia.

Local anesthesia with IV sedation is most common, but some surgeons prefer to use general anesthesia. During most procedures, the surgeon will place an implant filled with saline or silicone under the breast through a small incision. Popular spots for the incision include the armpit, under the breast, the belly button and the areola.

The implant itself can either be placed directly under the breast tissue (subglandular) or it can be placed under the pectoral muscle (submuscular). For patients with a small amount of breast tissue, a submuscular breast implant might appear more natural. However, this breast augmentation technique is more traumatic, and it requires a more extensive recovery period.

Breast Augmentation Questions

Questions to ask yourself:

• Is breast augmentation the right procedure for me? Are my complaints the sort that a breast augmentation would address?

Questions to ask your surgeon:

• Are there alternatives to this surgery that you would recommend?
• Am I a good candidate for this surgery? Are there health indications that suggest that I shouldn't undergo this surgery?
• What results should I expect from my surgery?
• How much will my breast augmentation cost? Do you offer financing options or payment plans?
• Can my surgery be done on an outpatient basis? Where will it take place? What other medical staff will assist? Will you be performing the whole breast augmentation surgery? What type of anesthesia will be used?
• Will I need additional blood work or X-rays before my breast augmentation?
• How soon can I have this surgery performed?
• Would you recommend silicone breast implants or saline breast implants for me? What size would you recommend? What shape and texture?
• What are the benefits of the different incision sites?
• What is your rate of success? Can I speak with some of your past patients? How much experience do you have with breast augmentation?
• What are the risks associated with this procedure? What complications could develop from my breast augmentation (both immediate and long-term)?
• How long will the surgery take?
• How can I best prepare for my surgery?
• Are there any medications or supplements that I need to stop taking before my surgery? Do I need to stop smoking or drinking?
• Do you have malpractice insurance?

Questions about after breast augmentation surgery:

• How long will I have to stay in recovery after my breast augmentation surgery?
• How long will it take me to fully recover? When will I be able to return to work, exercise and continue sexual activity? Do I need bed rest after my breast augmentation surgery and for how long?
• How much pain is there after this surgery? Will I need a prescription for pain medication? What other medications will I need after breast augmentation surgery?
• What are my chances of experiencing a permanent loss of nipple sensation?
• What are my chances of experiencing hardness or rotation?
• What are the chances of my implant rupturing? What do I do if that happens?
• Should I have someone help me after my surgery? If so, for how long?
• Should my diet be different during my recovery? Are there any special foods that I should eat or avoid?
• What symptoms should I watch out for during my recovery period?
• Under what circumstances should I contact you?
• Are there any things that I should avoid during my recovery period?
• Will I need to wear bandages or special garments after my breast augmentation? If so, how long will I need these?
• When should I contact my gastric bypass surgeon?