Breast Augmentation

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.

Frequently Asked Questions About Breast Enhancement

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During the 50 years we’ve been in business, we at Atlanta Plastic Surgery have received countless questions about the work we do. Patients of all kinds have walked through our doors (perhaps most commonly being women seeking breast enhancement) to learn what plastic surgery could do for them. We often hear similar questions among different prospective patients, so every now and then, we like to use our blog to address some of those questions. Today, we’re covering three of the ones most frequently asked about breast enhancement:

Important Things to Consider before Breast AugmentationHow long does it take to recuperate from breast reconstruction?

Recuperation time can vary based on what type of reconstructive surgery is being performed, along with many other factors. Most women return to normal activities in six to eight weeks, though it may take longer to be ready for strenuous exercise. Some bruising, swelling, and soreness may persist for two to three weeks following your surgery. Your surgeon will be able to provide more specific timeline estimates, as well as instructions for care, once he or she is more familiar with your individual needs.

Can men have breast reduction surgery?

It might be reassuring to learn that this is a common question. Men with a condition called gynecomastia develop unusual amounts of tissue in the chest area. 70% of boys get gynecomastia during puberty due to hormonal changes involving estrogen.

Hormonal changes, however, aren’t exclusive to younger men—many men experience gynecomastia due to aging and/or certain behaviors and/or medications. Among certain prescription treatments, antibiotics, heart medicines, anti-anxiety drugs, and antidepressants might sometimes be culprits. Moreover, the abuse of marijuana, heroin, amphetamines, steroids, and alcohol can also contribute to gynecomastia. We frequently use breast-reduction surgery to help men living with this issue get back their confidence, and we strongly believe in taking the shame and stigma out of this condition.

How many options do I have for breast augmentation?

As one of the most popular plastic-surgery procedures, breast-augmentation surgery has many different options available. Over the years, surgeons and researchers have developed various approaches, techniques, materials, etc. to satisfy the public’s demand for better and better breast augmentation. Saline vs. silicone is probably the most commonly known distinction, but other choices and subcategories for breast augmentation include:

  • Conventional or gummy bear (form-stable) implants
  • Round or shaped implants
  • Smooth or textured implants

Those are just the main categories of implant types. If you’re looking for a modest size increase, you might also consider fat transfer as a choice for your breast augmentation. You can learn more about the different types of implants, as well as other approaches and techniques of breast surgery, by searching our other blog articles.

If you have questions of your own, or if you’d like to learn more about what plastic surgery can do for you, contact Atlanta Plastic Surgery to schedule a consultation today. You can learn about the cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery procedures we offer by exploring our website. Finally, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest plastic surgery news and updates.

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