Breast Augmentation

Breast Trends Move Toward a More Natural Look

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According to a study by The Aesthetic Society, plastic surgeons experienced a 14.9% decline in breast augmentation and a 34.4% increase in implant removal or explantation in 2019. There could be various reasons for this trend in obtaining a smaller bosom, a few of which include easier movement for those who are active, new and evolving aesthetic trends, less back pain, and less chance of complication due to implants. Whatever your reason is for obtaining smaller breasts, Atlanta Plastic Surgery is supportive of you and willing to help you achieve amazing natural-looking breasts. Below, we will discuss three reasons for why breast trends are moving toward a more natural look.

Pop-culture
One of the reasons for the downward trend in breast augmentation may be pop culture and the body acceptance movement. More women are interested in natural and subtle results. Filters and photo editing apps are also a large contributor to this trend. Filters often enhance a person’s appearance ever so slightly by smoothing faces and molding bodies into the perfect curve—often causing women to look different, but still recognizable. Fewer women are feeling the desire to replicate the body of a curvaceous celebrity and more women are interested in looking like subtly improved versions of themselves.

Breast Implant Illness
Some women have begun expressing their concern over the little-researched phenomenon known as breast implant illness (BII). As of now, BII is not widely recognized as a diagnosable medical condition and much research is needed to validate it as such. Only around 1% of breast implants run the risk of complications or adverse outcomes according to the FDA. However, the spread of BII symptoms throughout web forums has caused many women to ditch their implants.

The Rise of New Procedures
There are more breast procedures available now than ever and there are many more being pioneered at this moment. Many women can now achieve larger breasts without implants. A few alternative procedures for breast augmentation include tissue expansion, fat transfer, or a combination of procedures. Tissue expansion is when a device is used to stretch breast skin and tissue. This method of breast enhancement is often use for women who have experienced tissue changes from breast cancer or mastectomy. Fat transfer, also known as fat grafting, is when fat is removed from one part of the body, purified, and transferred to a desired part of the body. Fat transfer is not just used in breast enhancement, it is also popular in plumping areas such as the face, thighs, and buttocks.

Because of COVID-19, plastic surgery will likely see a decline in all areas of plastic surgery in 2020 due to state-mandated closures throughout the US and abroad, as well as the economic impact of COVID-19. When contemplating if plastic surgery is right for you, it is important that you understand the additional risks and new protocols and procedures of plastic surgery during COVID-19.

Atlanta Plastic Surgery specializes in helping patients achieve their body goals; whether your goals are to get back into pre-pregnancy shape or to modify your breast size for a natural look. For more information about breast or any other plastic surgery procedure, please call (404) 256-1311 to schedule a consultation at one of our locations.

Top 5 Most Popular Facial Plastic Surgery Procedures

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At Atlanta Plastic Surgery, we understand how challenging it can be to decide on a plastic surgery procedure. Many patients use the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)’s yearly plastic surgery statistics to help compare their options in several areas, including (but not limited to) facial procedures. To help our readers and potential patients weigh their options for facial plastic surgery, we’re discussing the top five most popular facial plastic surgery procedures, complete with brief summaries of what they entail:

rhinoplasty, facelift, brow lift, neck lift, blepharoplastyRhinoplasty

According to the most recent statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (2018), rhinoplasty is currently the most popular single facial procedure in the United States. This shouldn’t come as a big surprise, as the “nose job” has been one of the most well-known plastic surgery procedures for a long time. Furthermore, many people who have a >rhinoplasty do so for both aesthetic and functional purposes. That is, nose surgery can improve the appearance of the nose and restore proper breathing function for many patients.

Eyelid surgery

Close behind rhinoplasty, in terms of popularity in the United States, is eyelid surgery. Also known as blepharoplasty, eyelid surgery can treat loose or sagging folds in the upper eyelids, drooping eyelids, fatty deposits that can make the eyes appear puffy, bags under the eyes, excess skin, and fine wrinkles. Like rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty can improve both appearance and functionality. This is because the issues that eyelid surgery aims to treat can interfere with one’s vision in some cases, in addition to affecting one’s appearance.

Facelift

The facelift may be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about facial plastic surgery. A variety of factors can make a facelift a desirable procedure, including loss of facial fat, thinning of the skin, loss of skin elasticity in the face, and fat concentrating toward the bottom of the face. These issues can lead to extra skin and fat in the face’s lower region, loose skin hanging around the jawline, and/or an unhealthy, gaunt look in the cheeks. By creating incisions near the ears and gently pulling back the facial skin, as well as repositioning and tightening underlying facial tissue, your plastic surgeon can resolve many of these aesthetic problems as expressed in the lower third of the face. He or she may also use fat transfer techniques to inject your natural fat into the cheeks, restoring a youthful, healthy-looking plumpness to your look.

Neck lift

While a facelift can correct some minor aesthetic issues in the jawline, a neck lift may be more appropriate for patients whose main issue is loose, sagging skin in the jaw and neck area. Combined with gravity, aging, genetics, and/or weight loss in the face, loss of skin elasticity can lead to loose skin that sags just below the chin or banding of the neck muscles. This is sometimes referred to as jowls or a “turkey neck.” A neck lift is ideal for patients who still like the appearance of their face but have issues with their look below the chin.

Brow lift

The fifth most popular facial plastic surgery procedure is currently the brow lift. Like the neck lift, this procedure is sometimes thought of as an extension of a traditional facelift. This procedure can correct wrinkles and fine lines in the forehead and between the eyes, in addition to subtly providing lift to the eyelids by repositioning the brow. One of the main things that people love about this procedure is its ability to make the patient appear more alert, and thus, more youthful and energetic.

If you’re interested in a facial procedure or any of the many plastic surgery procedures we perform, please >contact one of our Atlanta Plastic Surgery offices to schedule a consultation today. In addition to discussing your prospective procedure, we can go over our available financing options for plastic surgery with you. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest plastic surgery news and updates.

Getting the Most out of Your Breast Augmentation

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Breast augmentation is consistently the most commonly performed cosmetic plastic surgery procedure in the United States, and it only gets more popular every year. This is partially why the techniques and technology involved in breast augmentation are so incredibly advanced and effective. However, your surgeon’s skills and resources aren’t the only things that contribute to a successful breast augmentation. To complement your surgeon’s work and make your breast augmentation look as stunning as possible, here are a couple of major steps you can take:

plastic surgery, breast augmentation, recovery, breast enhancement, adviceFinding the right surgical plan

Breast augmentation isn’t necessarily right for everyone, so first of all, it’s important to make sure you’re a good candidate. Generally, this means being in good health, having the right anatomy for the type of breastsurgery you want, and having specific, realistic expectations for what a surgeon can achieve. Then, you can work with your plastic surgeon to decide on the right breast implant type, size, material, and texture for you, as well as the proper overall approach for your body type and lifestyle.

The only way to definitively decide what’s right for you is to have a detailed consultation with an experienced, credentialed plastic surgeon, but independent research can help you narrow down your options and figure out the right questions to ask. For some patients, a breast augmentation procedure might be sufficient to achieve their desired look, but others may find that a breast lift is more appropriate for what they want to achieve. Others still may benefit from a combination breast augmentation and lift.

Taking the right precautions

Again, it’s best to be in good health before any type of surgery, and with cosmetic procedures, patients can plan out their road to surgery and recovery more than they typically can with other types of surgical procedures. Don’t be afraid to be picky about the plastic surgeon and facility you decide to go with—after all, it’s your body and your money. Speaking of money, don’t let that be the primary factor in where/with whom you have your procedure done. A qualified, experienced plastic surgeon and a clean, state-of-the-art surgical facility will help minimize any risk of complications, and discount cosmetic procedures may skimp on one or more of those elements. You may be able to find a breast-augmentation bargain in a foreign country, but “plastic surgery tourism” can be dangerous.

Before committing to breast augmentation, or any surgical procedure for that matter, make sure you have the time and resources necessary for a full, healthy recovery. Along with adhering to your surgeon’s postsurgical plan and advice as closely as possible, this may be the most important thing you can do to achieve the best-possible long-term results. Your plastic surgeon will give you detailed care and recovery instructions, strongly recommend you quit using nicotine (if you do), and provide fitness and nutrition advice (if needed) for better long and short-term results. If you’re interested in breast augmentation or any of the many plastic surgery procedures we perform, please contact one of our Atlanta Plastic Surgery offices to schedule a consultation today. In addition to discussing your prospective procedure, we can go over our available financing options for plastic surgery with you. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest plastic surgery news and updates.

What’s in Store at the 2020 Annual Breast Surgery Symposium

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Since Atlanta Plastic Surgery was first founded in 1968, we’ve prided ourselves on achieving consistently excellent plastic surgery results. We’ve been privileged to form meaningful relationships with countless patients over the years, all while pushing the larger field of plastic surgery into the future. Whether we’re performing cosmetic or reconstructive procedures, our number one concern will always be the people who walk through our door. However, we also strive to improve plastic surgery overall by educating the public and having our surgeons contribute to and learn from various forms of professional development. That’s why, as always, some of our world-renowned plastic surgeons will play key roles in this year’s 36th annual Atlanta Breast Surgery Symposium. It’s always an honor to work with so many distinguished peers from all over the world, which is why we’re so excited about this weekend’s events.

fat transfer, breast, plastic surgery, diep flap, newsAtlanta Plastic Surgery cofounder and breast reconstruction pioneer Dr. Carl Hartrampf established the Atlanta Breast Symposium 36 years ago. Since then, this event has become known worldwide for hosting some of the world’s most renowned and innovative surgeons, as well as showcasing the most cutting-edge breast surgery techniques. Atlanta Plastic Surgery’s own Dr. L. Franklyn Elliott (symposium emeritus chair), Dr. James Namnoum (symposium co-chair), and Dr. Michael Mirzabeigi will be playing key roles in the three-day event, including moderating panels and/or presenting on important topics in breast surgery.

This year’s Atlanta Breast Symposium will be held from January 24-26 and promises to cover a wide variety of topics. On Friday, January 24, Dr. Mirzabeigi will kick off the symposium with a 7:30AM demonstration of a bilateral DIEP flap breast reconstruction procedure with Suhail Kanchwala, an associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania. This is especially exciting, as this will be Dr. Mirzabeigi’s first time participating in the Atlanta Breast Symposium. Dr. Elliott will then moderate a 1:00PM panel on autologous breast reconstruction. Later that day, Dr. Namnoum will moderate a 4:30PM panel on breast reconstruction in general. As part of this panel, Dr. Namnoum will also give a presentation entitled “Role of Fat Grafting in Breast Reconstruction: Where, When, Why, and How.” Fat grafting is a specialty of both Dr. Elliott and Dr. Namnoum, so these panel discussions and this presentation will be of great interest and usefulness to the other plastic surgery experts at the event.

On Saturday, Dr. Namnoum will moderate an 8:00AM panel called “Role of Textured Implants in the Era of BIA – ALCL.” Dr. Elliott will follow up later that morning by moderating a “Breast Augmentation and Mastopexy” panel at 10:15AM. After lunch, Dr. Namnoum will present on “Mastopexy with Chest Wall Based Flap and Fat Grafting” at 2:30PM. Dr. Elliott will then moderate a panel on surgeon-patient communication at 3:45PM. Sunday’s events will begin with an 8:00AM panel on oncoplastic breast surgery, which Dr. Namnoum will moderate. At 9:15AM, Dr. Elliott will moderate a panel on dealing with problem cases in breast surgery.

At Atlanta Plastic Surgery, we’re devoted to ensuring that our surgeons are always operating from an up-to-date knowledgebase and using the safest, most effective techniques. We take great pride in the fact that our plastic surgeons consistently make meaningful contributions to the plastic surgery field as a whole. If you’re interested in any of the plastic surgery procedures we offer, please contact one of our Atlanta Plastic Surgery locations to schedule a consultation today. There, in addition to discussing your prospective procedure, we can go over our available financing options with you, and in some cases, even offer simulations on what you may look like after your procedure. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest plastic surgery news and updates and to check back soon for a new blog.

Patient Update: What Does the Recent Breast Implant Device Withdrawal Mean?

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Last month, many people with breast implants awoke to headlines that made them understandably concerned. Allergan, a prominent manufacturer of several types of breast implants, announced that they were voluntarily withdrawing (or recalling) their textured devices worldwide. What does this mean for women who have or were planning to get textured breast implants? To help our patients (as well as anyone else out there who might be concerned) understand the situation, we’re discussing the facts of this product withdrawal for this week’s blog.

Women have several choices when it comes to breast implants, and one of those choices is between smooth or textured devices. There are advantages and potential disadvantages to each type of implant, and which one is right for any given patient depends on a number of factors specific to that patient. Of the approximately 300,000 breast augmentations and 150,000 breast reconstructions performed annually in the United States, less than 12% involve textured implants. If you’re part of the other 88%, Allergan’s withdrawal of textured implants doesn’t affect you. But even if you’ve received textured implants as part of a breast surgery procedure, you most likely have nothing to worry about.

The first and perhaps most important thing to understand about this voluntary withdrawal is that it’s largely a precaution. In a tiny number of cases, textured implants have been linked to a very rare type of immune-system cancer called breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). Of the millions of women worldwide who currently have breast implants, only a few hundred have developed symptoms of BIA-ALCL. While any amount of increased cancer risk tied to breast implants is potentially cause for concern, the link identified here is not likely to affect you. To hear more, watch this video that one of our plastic surgeons, Dr. James Namnoum, made when the news broke:

Another extremely important thing to remember is that the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) does not recommend removing textured implants in patients without symptoms of BIA-ALCL. Symptoms of BIA-ALCL include noticeable swelling of the breast from fluid around the implant, pain, and a chest wall mass or lump. However, fluid around implants is often normal and can occur in large amounts without being associated with BIA-ALCL. Because the risk of developing BIA-ALCL is so small, removal or replacement surgery may not be worth it for the vast majority of patients. However, women with pain or swelling around their implant site, or anything else abnormal, should be examined by their doctors.

If you have any concern at all about your implants after hearing about this product withdrawal, we urge you to see your plastic surgeon or doctor for an evaluation. Even if you have no symptoms, it may still provide some valuable peace of mind. Studies such as an MRI or high-resolution ultrasound may be useful to gain additional information. You always have the choice to have your textured implants surgically swapped out for smooth implants, or to have them removed altogether, but just know that this is not recommended, and that additional surgery always carries some additional risk, however small. We do not believe that there’s any reason to be alarmed about this news, but monitoring your breast health and overall wellbeing is always a good idea.

 

If you have any questions about this device withdrawal, or about any of the procedures we perform, contact Atlanta Plastic Surgery at one of our Atlanta-area offices today to schedule an appointment today. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook & Twitter for the latest plastic surgery news, and to check back often for new blogs.

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