Beverly Hills Breast Implant Surgery
An In-Depth Look at Implants with a Beverly Hills Breast Augmentation Surgeon
Breast enhancement surgery with breast implants or breast augmentation is the most commonly performed surgical procedure in the United States. To decide if breast augmentation surgery is right for you, you have to weigh the risks to the subjective benefits of the surgery. Since breast implant surgery is elective, you will have plenty of time to research the pros and cons of the procedure and arrive at an informed decision At Simply Breasts, we can provide you with all the information you need, including your flexible options on our different breast augmentation procedures as well as the type of breast implants you prefer. As one of the leading Beverly Hills breast surgery centers*, we encourage you to take your time, ask plenty of questions and become informed.
For any question or concern about breast implants that you don't see answered on our website, feel free to call us at (310) 278-0000
Why Women Choose Breast Augmentation
With over a decade of experience, we know that there are many conditions that lead women to want larger breasts.
- The fat transfer breast augmentation procedure serves two purposes:
- Small breasts- Most women who choose to undergo our breast implant surgery feel their breasts are too small for their figure. Surprisingly, most women actually want to increase their cup size by only one size or they wish to have enlarged breast that appear natural and proportional to their figure.
- Smaller breasts after pregnancy- During pregnancy, the female breasts enlarge significantly to produce enough milk to sustain the newborn baby. After months of engorgement and nursing, the skin on the breast loses some elasticity. Soon after cessation of breastfeeding, the breast tissue generally thins out to a smaller size than prior to pregnancy. Enlarging the breasts with breast implants can return the breasts to their original size while correcting the droopiness or ptosis.
- Droopy breasts- As we age, decreased tissue elasticity and the persistent forces of gravity lead to droopy breasts. A few pregnancies can exaggerate the droopiness. Breast implant surgery is able to lift the breasts to a more youthful position. If a more substantial lift is needed, a simultaneous breast lift or mastopexy can be performed to raise the breasts.
- Uneven or asymmetrical breasts- Nearly 100 percent of women have uneven or asymmetrical breasts. When the size difference is significant enough, insertion of a breast implant in the smaller breast can dramatically improve the asymmetry. Some women may choose to place an implant in both breasts, with a larger breast implant being placed in the smaller breast.
- Congenital deformities- There are several congenital conditions that lead to uneven breast size and shape. Poland's Syndrome is a condition wherein the arm along with the breast is underdeveloped and extremely small. This condition can be improved through our breast implant surgery. Pectus Excavatum is another type of condition defined by abnormal development of the ribs and sternum leading to an “excavated” appearance to the chest. As a consequence, breasts are also retracted inward with an extremely wide cleavage. Properly selected breast implants can improve this deformity by simply filling-in the depression in the ribs.
- Breast Cancer Reconstruction- Breast implant surgery remains one of the premier options in reconstructing defects from surgery for breast cancer. Though radiation therapy after breast cancer surgery can negatively impact the softness of breast implants, some surgeons still recommend breast augmentation as the first option in reconstructing such irradiated breasts.
- Constricted or Tubular Breasts- Some women have breasts with a narrow base and breast tissue that herniates or protrudes through their nipple-areola complexes. To correct such a deformity, it is necessary to cut the connective tissue with breast tissue thereby widening the base. A breast implant is then inserted to fill the breast and maintain the now normal base width.
Our Beverly Hills breast implant surgeons can help you determine if you are a good candidate for a breast implant surgery. Schedule a free consultation at (310) 278-0000 to get started!
Choosing a Breast Implant Size
There is actually a scientific method for selecting your breast implant size based on the width of your breasts. You essentially cannot have an implant that looks like a small marble under your breast, nor can you have implants which are so wide that they are touching each other at the center of your chest and extending too much into your underarms. A full breast measurement is imperative to assuring you receive the appropriate size. Of course you can select an implant larger or smaller than your breast measurements but you would be risking looking unnatural the further away your selected implant is from your ideal size.
Silicone versus Saline Implants
With modern scientific research proving the safety of silicone breast implants, most women are choosing silicone implants over saline breast implants. Each implant type, however, has its benefits and disadvantages. If you have extremely small breasts, silicone implants will feel much softer since all you are able to feel is the breast implant. In women who have moderate sized breasts prior breast augmentation, the natural breast tissue camouflages the breast implant to a greater capacity than in those with pre-operatively small breasts.* Both saline and silicone breast implants feel soft and natural in most of our patients who start with large B-cup breasts prior to a breast implant surgery.
- Take a look at some of the benefits and disadvantages of saline and silicone:
- The benefit of saline is its safety in case of a rupture. Your body will simply absorb the salt water.
- The disadvantage of saline implants, on the other hand, is that they do not feel as natural as silicone breast implants.
- The benefit of silicone breast implants is their softness.
- The disadvantage of silicone breast implants is that, if ruptured, it is more difficult to remove the silicone material.
The last difference between saline and silicone breast implants is the size of incision necessary to insert the implants. Since saline implants are inserted deflated and rolled-up like a cigarette, they can be inserted through the smallest incisions, typically two centimeters long. Silicone breast implants are pre-filled and have to be inserted in their usual size and therefore require a larger incision or three to four centimeters long.
Textured versus Smooth Breast Implants
The typical breast implant you imagine probably has a smooth silicone shell containing silicone gel or saline inside. There are also textured silicone or saline implants. The shell of these implants has a fine sandpaper texture. These textured breast implants have a lower incidence of capsular contracture, which is the most common complication of breast augmentation surgery.
Determining which is right for you will largely depend on the placement of the implants:
- When implants are placed over the pectoralis muscle, many breast surgeons choose textured breast implants.
- When implants are placed under the pectoralis muscle, many surgeons would choose a smooth shelled breast implant.
One of the drawbacks of textured breast implants is the higher risk for developing ridges on the breast implant that can be visible and palpable. Another potential problem with textured implants is that they inherently develop tissue ingrowth within the sandpaper like shell. The breast implants subsequently do not move within their pocket. Normally if you lay down, your breasts move to each side. A textured implant does not move to the side as you lay down and therefore lacks the natural flow of a normal breast. Smooth shelled breast implants are always moving within their loose pocket and as a result do move to the side as you lie down. When under the muscle, there is no longer much of a reduction in capsular contracture in textured breast implants versus smooth shelled breast implants.
Round versus Teardrop or Anatomical Breast Implants
Another variable to consider when having breast augmentation is a round breast implant versus a teardrop or anatomical.
Take a look at the differences between the two:
- Anatomical Breast Implants: As the name indicates, anatomical breast implants are shaped like a teardrop in order to give the breast a natural flow. After receiving an anatomical implant, the breast will start with a gentle slope until it reaches its maximal projection or fullness towards the bottom of the breast. Anatomical or teardrop breast implants typically have a textured shell such that they do not accidentally rotate after breast augmentation. Rotation of a teardrop breast implant may still occur after your breast augmentation surgery leading to breast unevenness or asymmetry while distorting the shape of the breast.
- Round Breast Implants: Round breast implants appear perfectly circular when placed on a table. When held upright, however, they assume a tear drop shape as gravity pulls the majority of the gel filling downwards. As mentioned, the textured anatomic breast implants are fixed and do not change shape with changing body positions. This means that even if you are lying flat, your breasts with teardrop implants will stay in the exact position as when you are standing.
Under versus Over the Muscle
Many research studies have demonstrated that a breast implant placed under the pectoralis muscle has a lower risk of becoming hard or developing capsular contracture than one placed over the muscle. The extra layer of tissue or muscle covering the breast implant will further camouflage any rippling of the breast implants. The disadvantage is the weakness associated with the cut pectoralis muscle. Another potential problem with placing a breast implant under the muscle is termed animation deformity wherein the breast implant shape is distorted every time you tighten the pectoralis. If you have droopy breasts, a breast implant placed over the muscle is better able to lift the breasts versus one placed under the muscle.
Breast Implant Profiles
The last breast implant variable to think about prior to undergoing a breast augmentation is the projection of the implant. As you select larger and larger breast implants, at some point, the diameter of the breast implant exceeds the diameter of your natural breast. Women with average chest diameters who desire small to moderate breast implants typically receive a standard moderate profile implant. If your chest diameter is especially small or if you select a breast implant diameter that is too large, your breast implants would either touch each other at the center of the chest (synmastia) or extend too far into the underarms, or both.
In order to minimize the risk for synmastia or breast implants that extend too far into the underarms, our surgeons choose a breast implant with a narrower diameter containing the same volume.
For instance:
- A standard moderate profile, 425cc breast implant volume has a diameter of 14.2 centimeters and a forward projection of 4.2 centimeters.
- A moderate plus profile, 420cc breast implant has a narrower diameter of 12.9 centimeters and a projection of 4.8 centimeters.
- A high profile, the narrowest 420cc has a diameter of 12.0cm and a projection of 5.4cm.
You are encouraged to discuss your size preference with your Beverly Hills breast implant surgeon and allow them to measure your chest such that they can guide you through the selection process of an ideal breast implant based on your needs and your anatomy.
Breast Implant Incision Sites
- Below are the following incision site options that you can discuss with your surgeon:
- Areola- A small two to three centimeter incision at the areola border is the most common method of inserting breast implants. The transition in skin color between regular breast skin and the darker areola skin color is the perfect place to hide a scar.
- Breast crease- Another common site to insert breast implants is the fold under the breasts. As the breasts are enlarged, the breast tissue will typically fold over at the bottom, thereby covering any visible scars as you are standing. When lying down, however, the scars may be visible.
- Underarm- Using modern endoscopic equipment that involves pencil thin lenses and camera systems, a newer site to insert breast implants is through the underarms. The scar is well hidden in the natural folds of the underarm creases. The advantage of the underarm approach is the absence of any scars on the breasts. But if you experience an atypically bad scar, your underarm will likely be more visible than your breasts. Since it is currently not easily possible to revise or re-operate on the breast through the same underarm scars, the disadvantage to this approach is the possible need for another scar on the breast should another surgery be necessary in the future.
- Belly button- The least common location for inserting breast implants is the belly button or naval. This approach is only possible with saline implants. Implant manufacturers do not approve this approach and void their warranty should you have your breast implants inserted through the belly button.
Ready to call in? You can discuss your other concerns with our Beverly Hills breast implant surgeons on your free consultation. Set-up an appointment at (310) 278-0000
*Results from surgical or non-surgical procedures will vary from patient to patient and are not guaranteed.
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If you need assistance and don't see the resources you need on our site, please do not hesitate to call us at (310) 278-0000.
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