| Dr. Joseph W. Stephens is a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Here the Doctor has answered some of the common questions Bizymoms visitors have about Breast Augmentation.
Q. What is breast augmentation?
A. That is the procedure where an implant is placed behind the breast tissue (and perhaps the chest wall muscle) to enlarge the breast appearance.
Q. How is a breast augmentation surgery performed?
A. It is usually done as an office procedure, under sedation and local anesthesia. A small incision is made beneath the breast, and a "pocket" is dissected to accept the implant. Care is taken to make this pocket symmetrically so that the breasts match well. The implant chosen must be of the appropriate size and shape to create a natural appearance to the breast.
Q. Who is a good candidate for breast augmentation?
A. Any woman who has had underdevelopment of the breast, or whose breasts have lost volume after pregnancy and/or nursing children. It is important to realize that placement of an implant in no way interferes with subsequent pregnancy or breast-feeding.
Q. What type of anesthetic is used for breast augmentation surgery?
A. A general anesthetic is not necessary, and most patients are pleasantly surprised by how easily they tolerate the surgery under IV sedation and local infiltration. I have done surgery using this approach since 1979, and have yet to have a patient complain about discomfort during surgery! The medications used do produce an amnesia as well as sedates the patient.
Q. What are the risks associated with breast augmentation?
A. There are surprisingly few, if done by a well-trained and conscientious plastic surgeon. Postoperative bleeding in my hands occurs in fewer than 0.6% of patients, and it is never serious when it does occur, although it may require a return to the operating room. A few patients experience temporary numbness of the breast skin, but this almost always disappears within a few weeks. There is a process called "capsular contracture" which is seen in 3-4 percent of patients, which occurs when the scar tissue which forms around the implant thickens and contracts down to grip the implant tightly. Usually not seen until many months or even years after the surgery, it can be completely corrected by a revision of the surgery. If saline implants are used, there is also the risk of implant failure (deflation), requiring them to be replaced. The gel implants, which are completely safe, do not deflate, as there is no contained liquid to leak out.
Q. What is the recovery time for breast augmentation?
A. Most patients are able to drive themselves back to the office for their first postoperative visit at three days, and to resume their normal job within the first week. We do suggest they restrict upper body exercise programs for about three weeks to allow full healing of the pocket.
Q. How much does breast augmentation cost?
A. The complete cost is $6,000 for silicone gel implants, and $5,400 if saline implants are used. |
