At Northstate Plastic Surgery Associates in Chico, CA, we are passionate about helping our clients enhance their natural beauty by improving contours that they feel self-conscious about. Today, we’re answering some of the most frequently asked questions about one of our most popular procedures, breast augmentation. Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about this cosmetic procedure.
How Does a Breast Augmentation Work?
Breast augmentation, also known as augmentation mammoplasty, enhances the shape and size of your breasts in just a few simple steps. First, we will administer general anesthesia or local anesthesia and intravenous sedation to ensure that you remain pain-free throughout your procedure. Then, we will make incisions through which the implants will be inserted. Usually, inframammary incisions will be made beneath the crease of the breast.
However, there are other incision locations that may be ideal for you. For example, we can also make transaxillary incisions in the underarms or periareolar incisions around the areolae. Once the incisions are made, we will place saline or silicone implants. These implants may be placed above or below the chest muscle depending on your lifestyle and aesthetic goals. If saline implants are used, they may be filled after insertion. Finally, your incisions will be closed.
Other Frequently Asked Questions Answered
Am I a Good Candidate for This Procedure?
You need to meet with a board-certified plastic surgeon to discuss your health and goals to find out if this procedure is a good fit for you. We will evaluate your overall health and discuss your current health to ensure that this procedure will be safe for you. We will also ensure that this procedure will be effective for you by evaluating your bone structure and discussing your goals. There is a limit to the volume increase you can get from surgery.
If we determine that you are a good fit for surgery, we will discuss your lifestyle and advise you on whether you would benefit more from having the implants placed above or below your chest muscle. We will also determine what incision locations are right for you and identify what implant type will best help you achieve your aesthetic vision.
What Type of Augmentation Is Right for Me?
One of the most compelling benefits of silicone implants is that they look and feel natural. Furthermore, they are particularly beneficial for women with little natural breast tissue due to the incredible durability of their shape retention properties.
One significant advantage of saline implants is the ability to adjust the implant size during your procedure. Moreover, if you opt for saline implants, your recovery may be a bit shorter because we can insert the implants through smaller incisions. Furthermore, saline implants are less expensive than silicone implants. Additionally, saline implants are safe for 18-year-old women. According to the FDA, women must be at least 22 years of age to get silicone implants.
Which Implant Placement Is Right for Me?
If you opt for implants, a subglandular implant placement may be the best fit for you if you have a significant amount of natural breast tissue and want very large silicone implants. Furthermore, placing the implant over the chest muscle tends to require a shorter recovery time. Additionally, if you opt for your implant to be placed between your chest muscle and breast tissue, you don’t have to worry about any distortion when the pecs are being flexed.
A submuscular implant placement is usually recommended for women who are interested in implants that look and feel more natural. Moreover, this implant placement location may be a better fit for you if you are only looking for a modest amount of volume increase.
How Does Fat Grafting Work?
If you don’t feel that silicone or saline implants are the best fit for you, fat grafting may be the ideal augmentation solution for you. If you opt for fat grafting, we will use liposuction to remove excess subcutaneous fat from one or more donor areas of your body. Then, the harvested tissue will be purified, put into a syringe, and injected into the breasts.
How Long Can I Expect My Recovery to Take?
Breast augmentation recovery timelines vary based on several factors, including where the implant was placed and what type of implant was inserted. To reiterate, you can generally expect a shorter recovery period if you opt for saline implants or implants placed between your muscle and breast tissue.
As a general rule of thumb, you can expect your recovery to take four to six weeks to complete. To recover as quickly as possible, it is crucial that you follow all aftercare guidelines.
Schedule Your Initial Consultation Today
Breast augmentation can enhance the appearance of the breasts with silicone implants, saline implants, or fat grafting. Before your procedure, you will be anesthetized and sedated to keep you calm and comfortable. Then, fat will be harvested from donor areas and injected into the breasts or implants will be inserted through incisions. To find out if this procedure is right for you, schedule an appointment with us now at Northstate Plastic Surgery Associates in Chico, CA.