Breast Augmentation
Consultations offered at our six convenient locations in Beverly Hills, Alhambra, Irvine, Fremont, Dublin, CA and Bellevue, WA
Types of Breasts: Implants are silicone shells that can be filled with either saline or viscous silicone. Saline and silicone implants weigh approximately the same.
Saline implants are approximately half the cost of their silicone counterparts and allow a range of fill sizes for each implant. This is especially helpful when a patient has asymmetrical breasts and we’re trying to make them more symmetrical. When silicone implants leak/rupture, the fluid gets absorbed by your body without any side effects. However, saline implants run the risk of feeling like a bag of water and having visible rippling, especially in the cleavage area.
Silicone implants usually don’t have problems with rippling and feel much more natural. However, they have their own drawbacks. Silicone implants come in pre-filled sizes, so it is harder to correct breast asymmetry. When they leak, the content could get into the surrounding tissue and lymph nodes and is nearly impossible to remove completely.
Contents
Before and After Photos
Scar/Route Implant Placement
ImTrans-Axilllary (through your armpits)s leave the breast skin unscarred. Using this type of incision, placement of implants is technically more difficult and precludes the placement of excessively large silicone implants. Although traditionally a popular choice, it has fallen out of favor more recently due to concerns that these scars could potentially be visible when the arm is raised when wearing bikinis or tank tops.
Nipple incisions allow the scar to be hidden in the junction of the darker areola skin and lighter breast skin. Implant placement through this route requires the breast tissue to be divided. It also risks distorting the round shape of the nipple-areolar complex from asymmetrical nipple scarring.
Incisions in the inframammary fold are more conspicuous but can often be hidden behind a rejuvenated breast. Surgery is technically easier, larger implants can be placed, and the scar often heals quite well.
Breast Implants Can Also Be Placed Via 4 Different Routes:
- Inframmamary Fold (the fold underneath your breasts)
- Peri-areolar (through your areola)
- Trans-Axilllary (through your arm pits)
- Trans-Umbilical(through your belly button)
Implant Location
Subglandular / Subfascial Location
When implants are placed underneath your native breast tissue, results are more natural, and your recovery is much faster. Patients must have sufficient native breast tissue to be good candidates for this type of placement. Anatomically, this procedure makes more intuitive sense. However, you are at greater risk of having breast capsular contracture in Los Angeles. Routine daily massaging exercise may help decrease this risk.
Submuscular Location
Implants can also be placed underneath your pectoralis major muscle. This technique allows the breast implant to be hidden under both your native breast tissue and your muscle. It is ideally suited for patients with very small breasts who lack sufficient tissue to mask the presence of an implant and have a more natural-looking result.
Advantages
Advantages of this procedure include the recruitment of your chest muscle to enhance your breast volume, decreased likelihood of capsular contracture compared to sub-glandular breast augmentations, and less likelihood of visualizing the presence of a breast implant.
Disadvantages
Disadvantages of this procedure include longer post-operative recovery times from having to divide your chest muscle, less anatomically intuitive implant placement, potential arm weakness with certain movements, and the risk of having post-operative motion artifacts.
Motion Artifact
Motion artifact is a term used to describe situations when your breast implants jump around when you tighten your chest muscles. It is unpredictable which patients will develop this problem. However, those with strong pectoralis major muscles are at greater risk.
Results
Only you and your doctor can decide whether natural breast augmentation is right for you. Take into account your general well-being and physical condition. Also, consider your reasons for wanting the process. Will this help you feel more confident and improve your overall outlook? Many women believe the process is life-changing and have absolutely no regrets.
If you do decide to go through the procedure, be very careful to follow the steps prescribed by your doctor. Make sure you have someone at home who can help on the first day or so after the process, as you might have some pain and tenderness and want some extra TLC. Finally, be sure to follow the after-care instructions explicitly to ensure the fastest possible recovery and best overall results.
A prominent specialist in both reconstructive and cosmetic techniques, Dr. Perry Liu, has spent the last 15+ years working with world-renowned cosmetic surgeons in a wide range of disciplines, both in the United States and in Asia. He is especially renowned for Natural breast augmentation procedures. The Avant Aesthetics office is located in Beverly Hills, CA. Schedule a consultation today.
Regardless of the technique or material used to enhance your breasts (e.g., saline implants, silicone implants, autologous fat grafting, etc.), the shape of the breast should have the following:
- A flowing teardrop shape.
- Breasts should be full and round towards the bottom of the breasts due to the effects and pull of gravity.
- The top of the breasts should have a gentle slope.
- The final size of an enhanced/augmented breast should be proportional to one’s body habitus.
- Scars should be hidden in natural body creases or along natural pigmentation lines such as the border of the nipple-areolar complex.
- After augmentation, the breast should not be too full below the nipple and have a bottomed-out appearance.
- Nipple position should be located in the middle of the breast when the body is upright.