Breast Enlargement Frequently Asked Questions

The following questions cover the Breast Enlargement surgery and recovery. You can also learn more about Breast Implants. When you're ready to take the next step, request your certificate for a Free Breast Enlargement Consultation and call us at (954) 565-7575 or (800) 274-LIPO today to schedule your appointment at the South Florida Center for Cosmetic Surgery with locations in Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

Q: What are the requirements for board certification?
A: Board certification indicates that the practitioner has undergone an approved program of study by the certifying board and has taken a written and oral examination administered by the Board.

Q: What is the Royal College of Surgeons?
A: The Royal College of surgeons in Edinburgh England is one of the oldest surgical training facilities in the world. Founded in 1505 in Edinburgh England , the college promotes the highest standards of surgical practice and surgical training. The training requirements of the Royal College of surgeons is equal to the training requirements of a board certified plastic surgeon.

Q: What is the difference between silicone and saline breast implants?
A: Many women prefer the natural shape and feel of silicone breast implants to their salt water (saline) counterparts. In November of 2006, the FDA cleared these cohesive gel implants for use by patients over 22 years old who are getting breast augmentation. Miami and Ft. Lauderdale breast augmentation candidates are encouraged by the FDA’s announcement that "gummy bear" implants are as safe and effective as saline implants. At the South Florida Center for Cosmetic Surgery, your surgeon will discuss your options for breast implants and help you make your decision.

Surgeons and breast augmentation patients have found that saline implants are more prone to rippling than silicone breast implants. A breast augmentation plastic surgeon in Miami, Florida can place the saline implants under a layer of muscle so there is more tissue above the implant. This lessens the "wrinkling" that you may see or feel through the skin. Some surgeons have found that another way to dampen the rippling of saline implants is to slightly overfill them.

Q: Are implants safe?
A: Every women wonders: "What if my implant bursts?" Saline implants are filled with salt water and, if something did go wrong, the salt water solution would be absorbed by your body. Years ago, there was concern that if silicone breast implants leaked, the silicone could harm a woman’s health. This is no longer the case. Cohesive gel implants, sometimes called "gummy bear" implants, are made of a solid, flexible gel – there is no liquid to leak out. If one of them is damaged, no harmful fluids or substances will enter the women’s body. The FDA recently cleared cohesive gel implants for general use when it was determined that they were as safe and effective as saline breast implants.

Q: What causes rippling? Do you overfill the implants?
A: Rippling occurs when there is little breast tissue present and wrinkles of the implant surface "show" through the skin. This is more prevalent in saline implants than in silicone implants. Prevention and/or treatment of rippling include: placement under muscle to add tissue between implant and skin surface, overfilling a saline implant to lessen the wrinkling of the implant surface, or use of a silicone implant as rippling is much less prevalent.

Q: Do you recommend a breast massage after surgery?
A: Massage is recommended in the postoperative period for several reasons. It allows the implant to "settle" into its natural position after the procedure. More importantly, massage of the implant lessens the incidence of unnaturally firm breasts after surgery.

Q: How common is the loss of feeling in the nipples?
A: Sensory loss of the breast and/or nipple areolar complex may occur after augmentation mammoplasty. Small branches of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th intercostal nerves cannot be visualized during surgery as they are extremely small and may be damaged during the operative procedure. This is less common when implants are placed under the muscle. Transient numbness is not uncommon, occurring in up to 10-15% of patients. Permanent numbness is a rare phenomenon.

Q: How long does it take to heal after having Breast Enlargement Surgery?
A: "Healing time" is an imprecise term as it may relate to different frames of reference. It usually takes about a week before one may resume normal activities. One usually refrains from vigorous activity for a period of one month to prevent the development of postoperative bleeding. The majority of swelling has abated after a period of 8-12 weeks. It takes at least a year for the scars to fully mature.

Q: How long before I go back to work?
A: Sedentary activities can often resume within one week. Most activities can resume one week after your breast augmentation in South Florida. Vigorous activity such as exercise can resume after a period of one month.

Q: How will implants affect existing stretch marks?
A: Stretch marks are often unpredictable following augmentation mammoplasty. They may be stretched and appear flatter, they may increase in number or size, or they may not be affected at all.

Q: What is capsular contracture? How common is it?
A: Capsular contracture only occurs in 5% of patients, but is the most distressing and difficult complication to remedy. A scar or capsule develops around all breast implants. It is usually thin and filmy. If the scar becomes thicker than normal, it may shrink around the implant, creating a firm and spherical breast. The most common cause is unknown and may represent individual sensitivity to the implant. Other causes include infection or bleeding. Prevention includes submuscular implant placement and postoperative implant massage.

Once a contracture has developed, treatment includes; oral medications such as accolate which may soften capsular contracture in up to 15% of patients, closed capsulotomy (squeezing the implant into an oval shape which increases its surface area and may rupture the constricting scar) which is successful in 30-40% of patients (although there are risks of bleeding and implant rupture), open capsulotomy which involves a surgical procedure to score the scar to increase the "pocket" size, and open capsulectomy which involves removal of the scar tissue (an aggressive procedure).

Q: Is there an age limit for having breast implants?
A: You must be at least 18 years of age to have saline implants, and at least 22 for silicone implants. There is no age limit; one is as old as one feels. There are many senior citizens who take care of their bodies and minds that would potentially benefit from augmentation mammoplasty. Consultation from a family physician may be required to ascertain health status before contemplating a procedure such as this.

Q: What are the different locations of breast implant incisions?
A: Breast implants can be placed via 4 basic approaches. A nipple areolar incision (around the nipple) or inframammary incision (under the breast) provides the best exposure to the operative field and is associated with fewer complications. The nipple areolar incision yields an excellent scar. The axillary approach (armpit) may camouflage the incision but is associated with more complications. Endoscopic augmentation through the umbilicus (belly button) again camouflages the scar but again is associated with greater complications.

Q: What are the risks involved with Breast Enlargement Surgery?
A: Complications of augmentation mammoplasty include anesthesia problems, deep vein thrombosis, hematoma (bleeding) requiring evacuation, seroma (serum collection), galactocele (milk collection), asymmetry, and extrusion of an implant usually due to infection or capsular contracture. Significant complications are not common, and you can learn more about risks of breast enlargement in Fort Lauderdale at our page devoted to the topic. This procedure is safe and reliable.

Q:Why do I need to wear a sports bra? For how long?
A: A compression bra is usually worn for a period of one month after surgery to compress the breast, thus maintaining pocket size and to prevent bleeding.

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