Breast Augmentation

Breast implants do come with a manufacturers warranty. The risk of implant rupture is low, but this warranty will cover the cost of implant replacement if rupture does occur. The warranty may also help pay for surgery to fix capsular contracture.

Yes, you can move your arms and lift them above your head after breast augmentation. However, you should avoid heavy lifting and strenuous exercise with your chest muscles for 4 weeks after surgery.

If excessive scar tissue forms around the implant, this can cause discomfort years after breast implants. This scarring is known as capsular contracture. Thanks to modern techniques for breast augmentation, the risk of capsular contracture has now been greatly reduced.

There are many reasons why some women are not able to breastfeed, so it is difficult to ever know whether a prior surgery affects this. However, there is no conclusive evidence that breast augmentation impairs the ability to breastfeed feed and many women are able to do so after breast augmentation.

No, there is no evidence that breast implants cause autoimmune disease. Breast implants are one of the most studied medical devices in history. Numerous large studies have shown no link between breast implants and autoimmune disease.

Yes, breast implants can last 30 years, or longer. Modern breast implants are very durable devices with very low rupture rates. There is no magic number regarding how long breast implants last, but they do not need to be replaced unless they are causing issues for you.

Yes, fat can be transferred from elsewhere in the body and placed into the breasts. Fat cannot provide as much upper pole fullness and increased projection compared to breast implants but can provide a natural volume boost. Fat can also be used to maintain breast volume after implant removal.

A womans breasts can change over time as she ages, with changes in weight, or with breastfeeding. All of these factors might cause a womans breasts to sag, regardless of whether she has implants or not. Larger, heavier implants can also stretch out the skin over time, but this varies from patient to patient and there are surgical options to help prevent this from happening.

It is a common myth that breast implants need to be replaced every 10 years. Modern breast implants are very durable devices with very low rupture rates. There is no magic number regarding how long breast implants last, but they do not need to be replaced unless they are causing issues for you.

Getting breasts implants will not make you gain weight, other than the weight of the implants themselves. For silicone implants, every 100cc weighs about 0.23 pounds. Saline implants weight slightly less at 0.21 pounds per 100cc. So most women will only gain a pound or two at most after breast augmentation.

There is nothing special that needs to be done to prepare for breast implants. Patients should be at a relatively stable weight and have stopped breast feeding at least 3-6 months ago. Women who are otherwise recommended to have mammograms should make sure they have had one done in the past year.

Insurance does not cover breast implants done for cosmetic reasons. Insurance will only cover breast implants if they are required for breast reconstruction after breast cancer.

Capsular contracture is a thickening or hardening of scar tissue around a breast implant. This can make the implant feel hard and tight. It can also cause the breast to change in shape and the implant might look higher and rounder.

Breast augmentation is a very safe procedure that millions of women undergo each year. Make sure that your surgeon is board certified in plastic surgery and your procedure will be done in an accredited surgery center.

Modern breast implants are very durable devices with very low rupture rates. There is no magic number regarding how long breast implants last, but they do not need to be replaced unless they are causing issues for you.

Breast augmentation has one of the highest patient satisfaction rates of any plastic surgery procedure. Women generally are very happy and feel a huge boost in self confidence.

The cost of breast augmentation will vary based on the surgeon, the type of anesthesia, the type of implant being used, and the geographical region. Silicone implants also cost a bit more than saline implants. For primary augmentation, this can range from approximately $5,000 to $10,000. For an augmentation with a lift, the range can be from approximately $8,000 to $15,000.

Insurance does not cover breast implants done for cosmetic reasons. Insurance will only cover breast implants if they are required for breast reconstruction after breast cancer.

Most of the discomfort after breast augmentation is the result of placing the implants under the chest muscle. This generally lasts about 1-2 weeks for most patients. The incisions themselves do not tend to be very sore at all.

In order to increase the size of the breasts without breast implants, fat can be transferred from elsewhere in the body and placed into the breasts. However, fat cannot provide as much upper pole fullness and increased projection compared to breast implants.

Most of the discomfort after breast augmentation is the result of placing the implants under the chest muscle. This feels more like a pressure on the chest as opposed to a sharp pain. This generally lasts about 1-2 weeks, but most patients are back to their normal daily routines in a week or less.

There is no effective way to permanently enlarge the breasts without surgery. Topical creams and magic pills simply do not work, and could even be dangerous.

The cost of breast augmentation will vary based on the surgeon, the type of anesthesia, the type of implant being used, and the geographical region. Silicone implants also cost a bit more than saline implants. For primary augmentation, this can range from approximately $5,000 to $10,000. For an augmentation with a lift, the range can be from approximately $8,000 to $15,000.

There is no single breast implant that is considered the "safest." However, decades of evidence in thousands of patients have shown that all modern breast implants are very safe, with low rates of rupture and capsular contracture.

Breast implants can range in size from approximately 100cc to 800cc. The most common size varies depending on geographical location, but generally runs between 250cc and 400cc.

All silicone breast implants are cohesive - what varies is HOW cohesive the silicone is. A simple way to think of this is less cohesive means the gel is more like a soft liquid, more cohesive means it is more like a firm solid. There are many reasons why a surgeon might choose a more or less cohesive implant, but the important thing to know is that all modern silicone breast implants are relatively cohesive. Which means they tend to remain in one solid piece in the event of rupture, and do not tend to "leak" outside of their capsule like older implants could.

There is no universally accepted definition for gummy bear implants. The implant manufacturers have never used this designation, and it was originally coined by surgeons more as a marketing term. Some surgeons use it to refer to 5th generation highly cohesive shaped implants, while others use it to refer to 4th generation smooth, round implants as well. Fourth generation implants are much more cohesive than prior generations, but tend to be less cohesive than 5th generation implants.

Natrelle breast implants are a particular brand of implants manufactured by Allergan. The two other most popular implant brands in the United States are manufactured by Mentor and Sientra.

The main long-term complications that can occur after breast augmentation are implant malposition, capsular contacture, and rupture. The risks of malposition and capsular contracture are low and can be reduced by good surgical technique. The rupture rate of modern breast implants is also very low, and is also generally covered under some type of warranty by the implant manufacturer.

Breast augmentation means increasing the volume (size) of the breasts. This is most commonly done with breast implants, but can also be done with fat transferred from elsewhere in the body. Fat cannot provide as much upper pole fullness and increased projection compared to breast implants, but can provide a natural volume boost.