| Dr.Adam G. Tattelbaum 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 a Breast Augmentation?
A. Breast augmentation is the placement of either a silicone or saline implant to enhance the volume of the breast. Breast implants can be placed both either above or below muscle. I tend to favor an augmentation underneath the muscle as it tends to look more natural. Silicone gel breast implants, which are back on the market for the past 2 years, tend to have a more natural-looking result.
Q. How should one prepare for breast augmentation surgery?
A. I recommend that my patients eat a healthy balanced diet and take simply a regular one-a-day supplement. I ask them to avoid any aspirin, Motrin or non-FDA approved herbal supplements as some herbal supplements can be blood thinners. For patients having breast augmentation, I recommend that they do not perform any pectoral exercises for about 2 weeks before surgery as it makes the placement of the implant under the muscle more comfortable.
Q. How is breast augmentation surgery performed?
A. It is an outpatient procedure under a light general anesthesia. As I stated earlier, I generally prefer implants under the muscle because they tend to look more natural, mammography is better, risk of infection is lower and risk of capsular contracture seems to be lower when implants are under the muscle. There are various approaches to place implants under the muscle. This can be done through the belly button or the armpit but I feel that these operations are less precise. I tend to favor either an areola or an inframammary incision which is underneath the breast. For patients having tummy tuck, I will sometimes place saline implants under the muscle through the tummy tuck incision.
Q. How can one find a qualified board certified plastic surgeon?
A. First and foremost with respect to board certification, the American Society of Plastic Surgery has a listing of its board certified plastic surgeons on its website and one can easily go there to look for the board certified plastic surgeons in the area. I feel that utilizing a board certified plastic surgeon is important because board certified plastic surgeons are specifically trained in the procedures in which they do. They are not only trained to perform these procedures but to take care of the complications that can be associated with them. If you find board certified surgeons in your area, I certainly think it is a good idea to interview a few to make sure that the doctor that you are meeting with is comfortable. It is a good idea to speak with patients and look at photographs and examples of the procedures that you are considering.
Q. What are the possible immediate postoperative effects of breast augmentation surgery?
A. The initial early course is a patient who is tight, high and swollen-looking and unnatural. As the muscles relax, as the tissues stretch over time, the implants drop and settle into a more normal position. This process takes about 3 to 6 months after the surgery and the patient is involved in it by doing massage and wearing a gently compressive band. Early on the short term risk can include bleeding, infection, asymmetry, pulmonary embolus and while extraordinarily unlikely, even death.
Q. What are the possible longer term local effects?
A. The longer terms effects of breast implant could be deflation, rupture, rippling or waving which is associated with saline implants, capsular contracture or malposition.
Q. What is the recovery time for breast augmentation?
A. Each patient varies but on average most people will take about a week off from work, some slightly less, some slightly more. The ultimate healing and settling process for the entire procedure is between 6 and 12 months as it takes this long for the implants to see their full projection to drop and stretch in their pocket accordingly.
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