Breast Augmentation Surgery
One of the more common plastic surgery procedures performed today in San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area is breast augmentation or augmentation mammoplasty. And it’s no wonder why. Many women feel that their breasts are too small for their bodies, or they may have lost breast size after pregnancy, breastfeeding or significant weight loss. Breast augmentation may also be used to correct noticeable breast asymmetries or to reconstruct a breast following surgery for breast cancer. Breast implants may also improve the shape of breasts or reduce breast sagging.*
For San Francisco breast augmentation candidates that experience a significant amount of breast sagging, it may be necessary to perform a breast lift (mastopexy) at the same time as the breast augmentation. This combined procedure lifts the breast up to a more youthful, perkier position and adds volume. The procedure is especially effective for postpartum women or women who are experience breast sagging due to aging.
For initial or revision breast augmentation procedures, Dr. Kaplan can use an “internal bra” technique to achieve a narrower cleavage. This technique can also be used to reposition implants if they are migrating towards the armpit area after a previous breast augmentation.
Another technique he may use to narrow the cleavage and produce a softer, more natural feel to the breasts is fat grafting. For this procedure, he will harvest fat from the abdomen, flanks or inner thighs, a sort of liposuction “lite,” purify the fat and then inject it along the inner aspects of the breasts to narrow the cleavage. This is in addition to using breast implants to provide more projection and volume to the breasts. Dr. Kaplan can help you determine if you’re a candidate for this enhanced procedure.
The breast implants used for a San Francisco woman’s surgery consist of a solid silicone shell that is filled with either saline, silicone or structured. All three implant types are FDA approved and safe. These implants come in a variety of sizes, shapes, diameters, profiles and surface textures. This variety allows Dr. Kaplan to obtain the best result for different types of breast anatomy and body types.* Women who choose silicone implants are advised to have regular MRIs every 3-5 years after their breast augmentation to confirm their implants have not ruptured. This additional screening isn’t necessary for women who choose saline implants, as a rupture will immediately result in a noticeably deflated breast.
What type of incisions are there for breast augmentation?
There are different incision locations that are used to place the breast implant. The incisions may be placed either in:
- The axillary (armpit)
- Under the breast (inframammary)
- Around the nipple (periareolar)
Some San Francisco women tell Dr. Kaplan that they don’t want an incision that will result in obvious scarring on their breasts. For these cases, the axillary incision is useful in that it does not leave a scar on the breast. Dr. Kaplan and many other plastic surgeons prefer to make an incision at the breast site as doing so produces symmetrical results. The incision under the breast is called an inframammary incision. This is placed in the fold where the breast meets the chest wall. The scar is hidden by the natural crease under the breasts. Finally, the nipple or periareolar incision is placed at the border of the areola where the naturally darker nipple pigment meets the rest of the breasts skin which makes scarring virtually undetectable. The breast implant is placed beneath the breast tissue either over or under of the pectoral muscle, depending on the San Francisco breast augmentation patient’s preference.
What will happen in my breast augmentation consultation?
When you come in for a consultation with Dr. Kaplan, you’ll have the opportunity to explain to him why you want a breast augmentation and what you want your final results to look like. This is a very important conversation, and you are encouraged to be open and honest about your expectations. Bringing photographs or clippings of women who have the silhouette you desire helps Dr. Kaplan get a better idea of what your exact goals are for breast augmentation surgery. What breast implant filler, shape, size, and placement will all be determined according to your body type, current breast size and shape and your aesthetic objectives.
Your breast augmentation surgery will be performed either in Dr. Kaplan’s accredited office operating facility in San Francisco or the hospital. The surgery is performed under general anesthesia so that you can be completely asleep and unaware of the procedure, although local anesthesia with I.V. sedation may also be used if a patient desires. Breast augmentation surgery takes between two and four hours. After your surgery, you will awaken in a recovery room where you’ll be cared for by a post-op nursing team. Most patients go home soon after surgery.* For several days following surgery, there may be some swelling and discomfort which is easily controlled with oral pain medication. Some activity is allowed right after surgery, and most patients resume exercise after two weeks.*
This operation has been taking place in our in-office AAAASF accredited operating room for over thirty years, and Dr. Kaplan has found that it is essential to spend considerable time with patients before breast augmentation surgery to determine the patient’s aesthetic wishes and concerns so that the right size and type of breast implant will be used. Natural-looking and feeling breasts are the ultimate goals of breast augmentation surgery.
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Kaplan, call Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery in San Francisco today at (415) 923-3005.
Click here, to check pricing on a breast augmentation or click here for pricing on breast augmentation with fat grafting to narrow the cleavage and provide a more natural result.
And learn more about postop recovery here.
*Individual Results May Vary
