Women seeking breast augmentation can use silicone or saline implants to enhance their chest size. Depending on patient preference and surgeon expertise, these can be inserted either under the pectoral muscle or over it and under the breast tissue.
Breast lifts are a different procedure appropriate for women who want to correct nipple position and sagging breasts. These can also reduce the size of a large areola.
Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation is the most popular plastic surgery Bellevue and consistently produces one of the highest patient satisfaction rates. It increases the size of your bust, reshapes your chest and creates a more feminine silhouette.
During this procedure, your plastic surgeon surgically inserts a breast implant, either silicone gel-filled or saline, to increase the size of your breasts. Depending on your unique breast anatomy, body type, and desired results, they may place the implants underneath your breast tissue or behind it and over the muscle.
A saline implant is a good option if you want a modest increase in breast size or prefer a more natural-looking result. You can also opt for autologous fat transfer for a more customized breast augmentation. These procedures use liposuction to remove fat from another part of your body and then inject it into the breasts. This procedure does not impact your ability to breastfeed. However, you should expect to need future surgeries to replace the implant or correct rippling, hardening or other complications.
Breast Lift
Breast lift surgery (also known as mastopexy) is a cosmetic procedure that tightens the skin and tissues of the breasts to reshape and improve sagging. This treatment is ideal for women who want to reverse the harsh effects of pregnancy, weight changes, breastfeeding, and aging.
During a breast lift, a plastic surgeon will make an incision around the areola and remove excess tissue or fat. The nipples will also be lifted higher, and the areola’s size can be reduced if needed.
In some cases, patients may also choose to have a breast augmentation during a breast lift. If this is the case, an implant will be placed in a tissue pocket created through an incision in the breastfold or under the areola. The implant can be inserted with a round or teardrop-shaped shape, and the volume added is based on patient preference. The implant can also be adjusted to reduce or add sagging after the surgery.
Combination Procedures
If you have drooping breasts, your plastic surgeon may recommend a lift with implants. In this case, a tissue pocket is created through an access point underneath the breast or the areola, and then silicone or saline breast implants are placed inside the bag. Patient-specific goals, body type, and surgeon preference determine the size and shape of the implant.
A breast lift addresses sagging or drooping by re-contouring the breast mound and nipple, often removing excess skin to tighten and sculpt the chest. The result is perkier, youthful-looking breasts with a greater breast/chest wall ratio. However, a breast lift cannot address breast size issues such as volume, so many patients choose breast augmentation surgery to enhance their appearance.
Recovery
Breast augmentation is typically done in a hospital setting, an outpatient surgery center or the surgeon’s private operating room under general anesthesia or sedation.
The surgeon will mark where the nipple should go, remove excess skin and insert the implants. The surgeon will then close and bandage the area.
Patients should plan on spending a few hours in the recovery room following the procedure. While there, they should arrange for a friend or family member to drive them home since the lingering effects of anesthesia can make it difficult to operate a vehicle. They should also have food, snacks, a soft pillow and some entertainment in case they feel drowsy after their operation.
Most people can resume their daily activities within six weeks after the procedure. They should see their plastic surgeon before then to ensure the implants are healing properly and that there are no new areas of concern.