Jul 27 2008
OMG, Becky, her boobs are sooo big!
Breast implants have helped many women gain self-confidence. Whether they were flat-chested, had one noticeably larger breast, have been disfigured, or have had breast cancer, breast augmentation is an excellent way to fix any of these concerns. A breast augmentation will not necessarily make you look like Pamela Anderson. Most people do not even know that a woman has implants. There is a lot of information regarding breast augmentation that I will cover. If you are confused on anything or have questions/concerns, just let me know.In the early nineties there was a huge scare surrounding breast implants, specifically about the safety of silicone. Implants were being blamed for everything from arthritis to cancer. The problem with this is that the implant companies didn’t have any data showing that implants were safe. The scare got so bad that silicone gel implants were banned for used in general augmentation cases. Here’s the reality of the situation: both silicone gel and saline implants are perfectly safe! Also, the shell of the saline implants is made out of, you guessed it, silicone. Silicone gel implants were still being used for reconstruction cases during the legal battles. The people who sued the implant companies failed to mention that Grandma, Mom, and Sister all had arthritis and never had implants. The implant companies lost so much money in lawyer fees and silicone studies that only two companies survived: Mentor and Inamed. Although I worked primarily with Mentor, both companies provide excellent products.
Today there are two kinds of implants available: silicone gel and saline filled implants. Years ago textured implants were introduced to the market. Instead of being smooth-walled, the textured implants were made with tiny grooves around the shell of the implant. This was meant to feel more natural, but only increased the number of capsule contractions (scar tissue healing around the implant, making the breast appear misshapen, bumpy, or not symmetrical). Scar tissue would set in the tiny grooves on the shell. Another discontinued implant is the “tear drop” implant. The idea behind this implant was that an implant more anatomically correct would look more natural. After many studies it was found that the tear drop implants look and feel no different than round, smooth-walled. A huge problem with the tear drop was that they would turn inside the body. The top of the implant would be at the side or bottom of the breast pocket, giving a misshapen appearance. Today only round, smooth-walled implants should be used.
Saline filled implants generally last 10-15 years. They are guaranteed by the company for the first 10 years. They are cheaper than silicone gel implants. Saline and silicone look the same, but saline feels more like a high tech water balloon than breast tissue. When the saline implant fails the saline is absorbed by the body and urinated out. The breast will become smaller and flatter as the saline is absorbed.
Silicone gel implants last 30+ years. They are guaranteed by the company for life. While they usually cost about a thousand dollars more than saline, silicone implants feel like breast tissue. If you can afford silicone gel, I would highly recommend it. So many of my patients who switched from saline to silicone told me that they wished they had gotten silicone gel implants the first time.
Implants have been put in through many different parts of the body. DO NOT have your implants put in through your navel or nipple areola. There is a greater risk of complications when using these methods. Silicone gel implants should only be put in through an incision under the breast. The silicone gel implants come pre-filled with silicone gel and are not safe to put in through the armpit, bellybutton, or nipple areola at the risk of tearing the skin. Saline implants come unfilled and can be rolled up to the size of a cigar and put in through the armpit or under the breast. Once in, the doctor fills the implant with saline.
Unless you are morbidly obese you implants should always be put in UNDER the pectoralis major muscle. Anything above the muscle looks fake (see Demi Moore in striptease, it looks like half a grapefruit). By placing the implants under the muscle you have more padding for a more realistic look and they stay softer. Morbidly obese people have more breast padding and their implants would not look fake.
A lot of women would come up to me and say “I want 300cc implants”. A good plastic surgeon will have sizers (different sized implants) to use during surgery to see which size is right for you. If you say “I want 300cc implants” and the doctor gives them to you they might not be the right size on your body. Some women who are flat or convex have to have a staged breast augmentation. This involves putting in a spacer which is similar to a saline implant, but can be filled with saline through a port outside of the body. This port is found with a magnet and a needle is inserted to fill the spacer. Saline fluid is put in the spacer over about a month’s time to stretch out the skin brassiere. This reduces the risk of capsule contraction and allows for a larger implant to be put in safely. Spacers are also used in breast reconstruction after breast tissue is removed.
With any surgery there are risks. Please take all of these risks into careful consideration BEFORE surgery. You must be comfortable with all the risks before going ahead with surgery. Remember this is not necessary surgery and if you are not willing to accept each risk do not go ahead with it. The first risk is infection. A good plastic surgeon will have ZERO infections in cosmetic breast augmentations. Nationally the risk is 2%. I do not know why that is. If your doctor and surgical techs take the right sterile precaution there is no reason for you to get an infection. The second is the risk of permanent numbness or hypersensitivity to one or both of your nipples. Most people come out of surgery with numbness or hypersensitivity. This usually goes away within a couple of months. The third risk is bleeding. With any surgery you should not be on ANY forms of blood thinners. These include Plavix, Coumadin, aspirin, Excedrin, Advil, etc. Tylenol does not have any affect on the blood. You also need to avoid many herbal/natural products. Because they are not regulated no one knows what is in them. There have been reports of bleeding when a patient is on herbal/natural products. Make sure your doctor knows all of the medications you are on including over the counter.
When you think of having surgery do you think Cuba? Jamaica? Columbia? I hope not. DO NOT get a breast augmentation outside of the US. Many women came to me with horrible problems after having their breast augmentation done outside the country. Mostly they were infected and need to be taken out. An infection can be fatal. MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) is a staph infection that is resistant to antibiotics. There is currently no successful treatment for MRSA, and if you contract it, you will have it for the rest of your life. Another risk factor is that if you do have your implants done outside the US, no doctor will want anything to do with you. There is no way for the doctor to know what happened in the foreign country and if the patient did develop an infection during their previous surgery and dies during their surgery in the US the US doctor would be held responsible. I heard so many excuses: “Well I was visiting my family and thought I would have them done” or “It was cheaper.” No one will care and you will be bouncing back and forth trying to find a doctor. There is no excuse to have your augmentation performed anywhere but the US. I personally would not want to treat a patient who willingly had unnecessary surgery outside of the US. Diseases, staph, and many other bacteria are transported through travel. It would not be fair to the doctor or surgical technicians to treat that. You want the doctor and surgical team to be on your side right? Then do not have unnecessary surgery outside of the US!!!
If you are considering breast augmentation, please take all this to heart. Always be sure to get a second opinion with any surgery.
