Breast

The two main types of implant fills that are used today are silicone gel or saline. Silicone implants are filled with a highly-cohesive gel or “gummy bear” filling that stays together even when the shell of the implant is ruptured. A saline implant is filled with saline or salt water at the time of surgery. The implants that I use are all smooth and round implants and do not use textured implants.

Like anything in life, there are positives and negatives to each implant style. The shell or outer part of both implant types is made of silicone, which is an inert material that the body doesn’t form a reaction to. Silicone implants tend to me used more frequently, have a more natural feel and shape, and tend to have less implant rippling when compared with saline implants. Saline implants are filled with saline fluid at the time of surgery and have the added benefit that should the implant break, the body just reabsorbs the fluid. Silicone implants are currently restricted to patients over the age of 22 for cosmetic surgery.

The breast implant can be placed in several different positions depending on certain factors specific to your breast. They can be placed directly under your breast tissue and on top of your pectoralis muscle known as the sub-glandular plane or underneath your breast tissue and pectoralis muscle known as the sub-pectoral plane. There are also many situations in which a combination of the two pockets is used known as a dual-plane pocket.

Placement of breast implants usually takes around 1hr and is done under anesthesia to maximize your comfort.

Most patients experience a soreness in the chest wall that can last for several weeks especially if the implants are placed underneath the pectoralis muscle as it stretches out. You’ll be placed in a supportive sports bra and a bandeau or strap to help ensure that the implants settle in the proper position on the chest wall and will be required to wear those continuously for the first 3-4 weeks.

Activity is usually restricted for 3-4 weeks from any heavy lifting, overhead reaching or push-up like activity while the breast has a chance to heal. We do encourage light activity such as walking or hiking.

Like any procedure or surgery, there can be complications. Bleeding, infection of the implant pocket, scarring, asymmetry between the right and left breasts, changes in sensation to the breast/nipple and inability to breast feed are all potential complications.

With the implants being a man-made product, they are not designed to last forever and may need to be replaced in the future with the average implant life span greater than 10 years with many lasting over 20 years. There is a risk of implant rupture over time which requires surveillance of the implants by your surgeon at least yearly, with the current FDA recommendation 5-6 years after placement of a silicone implant to undergo an MRI of the breast every 2-3 years. Some patients can develop excessive scarring around the implant itself called capsular contracture which can develop several years out from implant placement in which the implant feels increasingly firmer and can sometimes cause pain.

There is a small subset of patients who can develop something known as breast implant illness in which the patient can develop a wide arrange of symptoms ranging from chronic fatigue to muscle pains. Little is fully understood about who develops this and is an area of active research.

The cost of a breast augmentation ranges from $3500 - $5500 depending on your needs, not including OR, implant or anesthesia fees.