Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation can enlarge the breasts, balance a difference in breast size, and improve body proportions.
Incisions are designed to hide scars in the breast crease, around the nipple, or in the armpit. Tissue is lifted, creating a pocket for each implant.
Breast implants are inserted over or under the pectoral muscle. Placement partially under the muscle is also an option.
Your breasts will appear larger and fuller, yet natural in tone and contour.
Breast augmentation in Beverly Hills is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures available. The goal of this surgery is to enlarge the breasts, while maintaining a natural shape and body proportion. At our practice in Beverly Hills, breast augmentation can be performed using a variety of techniques to meet your specific needs. Plastic Surgeon Dr. Aboolian also offers a wide variety of breast implant shapes, sizes, and types.
Benefits of Breast Augmentation
Plastic surgeons have been performing breast augmentation for many years. Over time, the techniques and technologies have been advanced and perfected. The average patient now has a multitude of options to choose from when considering this procedure. Medical literature has also grown considerably, and the patients have spoken about all of the benefits involved:
Benefits such as the following have been reported:
- Improved body proportion
- Greater number of clothing choices
- Enhanced sexual well-being
- Increased satisfaction with breast size
“For me it's a confidence thing, to walk into a room and the way my clothes fit now, you know, it's just cause I feel like the rest of my body is proportionate, its how I look in my gym clothes...overall, it has been really, really good...I just feel so much more confident, my self esteem and everything. “
“Some things are much more fun to put on, and the stuff that I used to wear looks way better. I am sure they looked good before, too, but I just fill in a bit more, look a bit more busty in them.”
“What I find now is that I am sensual, which I didn't feel before.” *
Risks of Breast Augmentation
Like all surgical procedures, breast implants carries a risk of complications. Possible adverse events include but are not limited to hematoma, seroma, changes in nipple sensation, capsular contracture, delayed healing, scarring, implant rupture, or unsatisfactory cosmetic outcome. During your consultation, Dr. Aboolian can explain these events and their likelihood of occurring in greater detail.
Your Consultation
The most important aspect of this procedure is that you partner with a qualified surgeon. Dr. Aboolian is a distinguished plastic surgeon, experienced in a variety of cosmetic procedures including breast augmentation. Experience with thousands of breast augmentation procedures is critical in assisting patients in making the right decision about surgery and its many considerations.
During evaluation of patients, Dr. Aboolian considers the location of incision, the type of breast implants and breast implant placement, and implant size. There are advantages and disadvantages of each choice, which can all be discussed for your individual case.
Incision Locations
Location of the incision may be placed at four different sites:
- Around the nipple/areola complex
- The breast crease - the fold created by the bottom portion of the breast where it meets the chest wall
- The underarm area
- In the belly button
Dr. Aboolian has used all four of the incision sites. He prefers an incision of approximately 3 cm, placed at the edge of the lower half of the areola. The incision becomes almost invisible in approximately 4 - 8 months. There is almost always no loss of sensation to the nipple, unless the nerves supplying the nipples are cut during surgery, or extremely large implants are utilized which create tremendous pressure on the nerve supply. Future breastfeeding is also not compromised with this incision.
Implant Types: Saline or Silicone
There are currently two options for breast augmentation — silicone breast implants and saline (salt water) breast implants. When considering either option, it is important to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each breast implant choice.
Silicone gel-filled breast implants are generally smoother and softer than saline-filled implants. Silicone implants have semisolid gel consistency, while saline implants are frequently likened to water balloons. We often find that women prefer the softer, more natural-feel of silicone breast implants to saline implants, especially those with smaller breast tissue such as women choosing breast reconstruction following breast cancer. Because of the more solid consistency, it is important to note that silicone-gel implants are less likely to ripple than saline breast implants.
Silicone Breast Implants and the FDA
In 1992, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed silicone breast implants from the market. This decision was made following lawsuits that alleged silicone implants increase of autoimmune and connective tissue diseases in women. During this time, only saline-filled breast implants were available in the United States.
Select clinical studies were performed from 1992 to 2005 by investigators to evaluate the user of silicone implants for revision breast augmentation and breast reconstruction. After years of thorough investigation by the FDA, no link could be found between silicone breast implants and autoimmune disease and connective tissue. In 2006, silicone-gel filled breast implants were re-approved for use in the United States. Silicone breast implants are approved for breast augmentation for women age 22 and older. Additionally, silicone breast implants are approved for breast reconstruction for women of all ages.
Pros and Cons of Silicone Breast Implants
When choosing the right breast implants, you and your surgeon should work together to weigh the pros and cons of both silicone and saline breast implants.
The main advantage of saline implants is that if ruptured, the saline salt solution will be absorbed by the body. Silicone gel from silicone breast implants may either stay inside the implant or lead outside of the shell if ruptured. When a saline breast implant does rupture it is easy to notice, because the implant will deflate. With silicone implants, this is not necessarily the case. At times there are no obvious symptoms when a silicone implant ruptures. This occurance is often referred to as a "silent rupture." This was one of the concerns expressed by the FDA in their research. To prevent complications, the FDA recommends that women who have silicone-gel implants receive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) three years following their breast augmentation surgery. Following the first MRI, women should get checked every two years. If a rupture is detected, the implants must be removed.
Breast Implant Placement
Implants can be placed on top or under the chest wall muscle. Dr Aboolian almost always prefers to place the implants partially under the muscle (90% under, 10% over the muscle). There are two main reasons for placing the implants under the muscle: the first is to lower the incidence of the most common complication associated with breast augmentation, which is capsular contracture (a condition where scar tissue forms around the implant and causes hardness). The second reason is that the implant is more effectively camouflaged, thus decreasing the chance of implant visibility. Furthermore, the partially under the muscle technique produces the most natural appearance.
The procedure takes a little less than two hours to complete, and is performed in an outpatient setting where the patient is sent home within several hours following surgery and recovery. Within five to seven days most people resume the majority of their daily activities. Return to vigorous exercise requires more healing time.
Interested in Breast Augmentation in Beverly Hills?
If you’re interested in breast augmentation in Beverly Hills, we encourage you to make the trip to our Beverly Hills plastic surgery practice. Dr. Aboolian will be happy to discuss all aspects of the surgery such as the cost, risks, benefits and other questions you may have. Call our office at 310-888-8862 to get started.
