New Jersey Thompson Center's Blog

A “Must Read” for Women Considering Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation still ranks as the most popular surgical cosmetic procedure for women today.  As recently published by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, over 300,000 breast augmentation procedures were performed in the United States in 2009.

There are still many myths and unanswered, or improperly answered, questions that patients have regarding breast augmentation.  Patients often have questions regarding the safety of silicone gel breast implants, questions about recovery time and concerns about their desire to look natural and still be happy with their breast size.  The most important part of a patient’s breast augmentation experience is a thorough and educational consultation with her surgeon.  During this visit, many important factors are discussed.  These include the quality of the patient’s skin envelope (loose, tight or moderate/normal), the degree of skin laxity as a result of pregnancy or changes in weight, and the base diameter (width of the breast mound).  Implant choice, with regard to size, is then the result of carefully planned measurements and perception of the patient’s chest wall characteristics.  In addition, size asymmetries (differences in size between the two breasts), shape differences, and nipple-areolar position differences should be accounted for and discussed pre-operatively.

Silicone gel implants and saline implants each have advantages and disadvantages.  Generally speaking, silicone gel implants are sought after by many patients because of their softness in appearance and feel and offer a natural look.  In November, 2006, the FDA lifted the moratorium on silicone gel breast implants for all women over the age of 22.  Silicone gel breast implants are widely used today because they are safe and there is no statistically significant data to show otherwise.  Saline implants are often selected by women who desire the benefit of a smaller incision for placement.  During consultations, I thoroughly educate my patients about all the advantages and disadvantages of both types of implants and offer my recommendation based on the patient’s body type, age, and soft tissue characteristics.

A breast augmentation procedure should not be a painful procedure with excessive downtime.  By spending the appropriate time pre-operatively planning the procedure and choosing an implant that fits the patient’s soft tissue envelope and breast diameter, there are fewer decisions for the surgeon to make in the operating room.  This leads to a faster procedure with significantly less recovery time.  Some patients even feel well enough to go out to dinner, or to an event, the night after their surgery!  In addition, most patients feel well enough to be back to work in one to two days.  Careful pre-operative planning leads to short recovery time and a natural-looking result.  This is the real art and expertise of breast augmentation.