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Enhance your appearance and improve your self-confidence and body contour with a breast augmentation procedure! Breast augmentation surgery uses safe, synthetic implants or even your own fat to fulfill your desire for fuller, youthful breasts or to restore your breast volume lost after weight reduction or pregnancy.
A breast augmentation can help women who wish to have fuller, larger, or more evenly proportional breasts. Serving the Atlanta area, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Lisa DiFrancesco chooses from a variety of breast implant sizes, materials, and surgical techniques to customize the surgery based on patients’ unique needs.
WHAT IS BREAST AUGMENTATION?
Breast augmentation, otherwise known as a “boob job,” is one of the most common plastic surgery procedures performed in the U.S. each year, and has been growing in popularity consistently over the past five decades.
Although the traditional procedure involves using artificial implants, filled with either silicone or saline, more recently, breast augmentation has been performed with fat transfer, giving patients a more natural option for breast enhancements such as adding a small amount of volume, adding cleavage between the breasts or correcting asymmetries.
CANDIDATES FOR BREAST AUGMENTATION
Breast enlargement surgery is a long-term solution for enhancing breast shape and appearance. This cosmetic surgery procedure has a proven track record of providing satisfying results for people who wish to increase their breast size, contour breast shape, and improve their body contour.
If you are in good medical health and are a non-smoker, and have realistic expectations, then you are likely a good candidate for Atlanta breast augmentation. Breast augmentation may improve congenital breast deformities or deformities from illness or injury to improve breast appearance. If you feel your breasts are too small for your body or feel self-conscious wearing low tops, swimsuits, or form-fitting clothes, breast surgery can help.
Breast augmentation patients who have lost their youthful breast shape after pregnancy or weight loss commonly select implants to restore breast volume. These patients may also benefit from a breast lift in combination with implants to combat sagging breasts or drooping nipples.
During your breast surgery consultation, Atlanta plastic surgeon Dr. Lisa DiFrancesco will discuss your treatment plan options for implant shape and size, incision placement, and whether additional procedures, such as a breast lift, may help you obtain better results. You can also address any issues or concerns such as breast augmentation cost, recovery time needed, and Dr. DiFrancesco’s qualifications and experience.
IMPLANT TYPES
Breast implants are among the FDA’s most studied medical devices, and manufacturers have developed safe implants in many different shapes, styles, and sizes to fit your individual needs. Which type of implant works best for you depends on a variety of factors, including your goals, body type, and lifestyle.
SALINE IMPLANTS
Breast augmentation can be performed with saline or silicone implants during plastic surgery. Saline implants are filled with a sterile saltwater solution and are often filled following their implantation to allow for minor adjustments in size to help correct for asymmetry.
Saline implants can cost less than a comparable silicone implant, but may not exactly match the appearance and feel of natural breast tissue. Another disadvantage of saline implants is that, in the subglandular position, they can result in more visible rippling over time. In addition, saline breast implants generally have a higher risk of capsular contracture.
When a saline implant ruptures, the implant deflates and the saline is safely absorbed by your body. This makes it easy to identify—and therefore correct—a ruptured implant, as the breast will look noticeably different.
SILICONE GEL IMPLANTS
Silicone gel breast implants are pre-filled with a soft elastic gel that looks and feels more like natural breast tissue compared to saline implants. Silicone implants are less visible in the subglandular position with less rippling. However, if a silicone implant ruptures, the implant and the gel will need to be removed by Dr. DiFrancesco as soon as possible.
FORM-STABLE COHESIVE GEL IMPLANTS
These so-called “gummy bear” silicone breast implants hold their shape much better than traditional silicone gel because this gel is made from more cross-linked silicone molecules, which makes it more cohesive and gives them a gummy bear-like texture.
Form-stable gel implants are thicker and firmer than traditional silicone implants. This means they can be both round and teardrop-shaped. Shaped implants can give the breast a more natural appearance with less upper fullness than round implants.
AUTOLOGOUS FAT TRANSFER
Implants are not the only option for people looking for cosmetic breast surgery to enhance the volume of the breasts. During a fat transfer breast augmentation procedure, also called natural breast augmentation, liposuction is used to remove excess fat from an area of your body such as the abdomen, thighs, or hips. The fat is then processed and sterilized in preparation for injection into the breasts. Fat transfer is best for small volume augmentation, correcting asymmetry, or can be used in conjunction with implants to add more medial fullness.
SMOOTH VS. TEXTURED IMPLANTS
In addition to implant material, another option in choosing a breast implant is whether to use smooth or textured implants. Smooth implants have a smooth surface on the implant shell and are found on round implants. Textured implants have a rough surface to help prevent the implant from rotating in the pocket. Textured implants have a low capsular contracture rate when placed in the subglandular pocket. Shaped implants are usually textured to help prevent the implant from rotating upside down.
Implant Position
Board-certified plastic surgeons like Dr. DiFrancesco utilize various surgical techniques to fully customize a breast augmentation procedure, whether using autologous fat or silicone or saline implants. Implants may be placed above the pectoralis muscle, called a subglandular placement, or beneath the pectoralis muscle, called a submuscular placement. A third option, called subpectoral placement, is a compromise between submuscular and subglandular in that the implant is positioned only partially underneath the pectoralis muscle, with as much as 50% of the implant in the subglandular position, depending on the patient’s anatomy.
A subglandular position can make the implant more visible, and the overall effect to be more artificial, especially in small-breasted women. In addition, subglandular implants carry a higher risk of capsular contracture.
On the other hand, submuscular implants may be associated with a condition called animation deformity, which occurs when the implant moves along with the contraction of the pectoralis muscle.
Incision Options
The most common incision used for breast augmentation is an inframammary incision, which is positioned underneath the breasts. In addition to concealing scars easily, an inframammary incision allows Dr. DiFrancesco to have the greatest visualization and ability to control the breast implant pocket during the procedure. This helps prevent long-term complications such as breast implant malposition.
The inframammary fold can be adjusted in cases of breast asymmetry and congenital breast disorders and reinforced to prevent the “double bubble” complication. However, one risk is that when performed by inexperienced surgeons, an inframammary incision can result in a larger scar that is visible on the breast itself.
Periareolar Incision
Periareolar breast augmentation uses an incision at the junction of the areola and the breast skin. This incision allows the scar to blend into this natural area of demarcation. With this technique, Dr. DiFrancesco will have good visualization of the breast pocket for submuscular and subglandular breast augmentation.
The disadvantage is the breast implant is exposed to the normal bacteria found in breast tissue, increasing the risk of infection and capsular contracture. Another disadvantage to periareolar breast augmentation is the incision may be too small for a pre-filled silicone implant.
Transaxillary Incision
In some cases, Dr. DiFrancesco may choose to use a transaxillary incision, in which an implant can be inserted through the underarm. While avoiding creating visible scars on or around the breast, a transaxillary incision may be noticeable when a patient raises their arm. Studies have demonstrated breast augmentation through an axillary incision has a higher rate of breast implant malposition.
Testimonials
Kind words from our patients
Professionalism at it's best. From the staff to Dr. Difrancesco, service is impeccable. All things that matter as it pertains to customer service will impress anyone who walks through that door. Dr. D is very knowledgeable of every service offered and leaves no question unanswered. She has a very pleasant bedside manner which is much needed in her field and the procedure results live up to EVERY expectation. I've had minimally invasive procedures on both my face, thighs, and legs and I am thoroughly pleased. She's 6 star in my books.
Read MoreThe Breast Augmentation Procedure
A breast augmentation is an outpatient procedure performed under general anesthesia. Dr. DiFrancesco will work with you during your breast augmentation consultation to determine which implants and surgical techniques will best achieve your goals as a result of your plastic surgery.
Breast augmentation takes approximately one to two hours and is commonly combined with other procedures such as a breast lift, fat transfer to the breast, or an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) as part of a mommy makeover.
Dr. DiFrancesco uses the long-acting local anesthetic Exparel to help minimize post-procedure discomfort. Most patients experience bruising and swelling for several days after breast augmentation. Your final results will become visible over the next several months as your implants continue to settle in the breast pocket.
SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION
Get your ideal look with the help of Dr. Lisa DiFrancesco’s proven experience in achieving excellent breast surgery results. To start the conversation about breast augmentation, contact our Atlanta office by calling (404) 531-2478 or filling out our online consultation form. Dr. DiFrancesco can begin planning your customized breast augmentation surgery, implant exchange, or breast revision during your private consultation.
Contact DiFrancesco Plastic Surgery to see which procedure is right for you!
