As a plastic surgeon who has performed thousands of cosmetic procedures, I’ve formed some definite opinions about how to create natural-looking surgical results. I always strive for the most aesthetically pleasing outcome for any procedure, and for my breast augmentation patients in particular, I have some strong preferences about how to best achieve a pleasing, long-lasting result. During my career I’ve used a variety of implant types and tried many different procedures. Following is the formula I favor for successful breast augmentation.
- Type of Implant. I feel that silicone implants offer many advantages over saline implants, but the advantages can be boiled down to this: Silicone implants look and feel more like real breasts. The newest generation of silicone implants have extremely low shell failure rates and are filled with a firm gel that does not leak into the body in the unlikely event of implant failure.
- Choice of Placement. I prefer the submuscular technique, in which the implants are placed under the muscle of the chest wall. Because the implant is covered by the muscle, it appears more natural and leads to better size, shape, and overall position. This placement also helps your long-term breast care, as it interferes less with mammography and also decreases the incidence of scar tissue around the implant.
- Area of Incision. There are four main options for incision sites, but my choice is the inframammary location, in the crease under the breast itself. I feel that this site allows me more control during the operation, and the small, 2-inch incision leaves an unobtrusive scar at the natural fold under your breast. In addition, no actual breast tissue is affected by the incision. It’s also been shown that the areola approach has higher rates of capsular contracture and the armpit incision leads to higher revision rates, so I feel the crease location is better for the overall health of my patients.
- Plan for Success. 3D imaging is a fantastic tool to help you choose implant sizes, and I’m delighted to offer this in my practice. The simulation allows you to “try on” different implant types and sizes, and I feel this helps you make a more informed decision about your desired outcome. The use of 3D imaging has been a dramatic advancement in pre-surgery planning and analysis.
Natural-looking breast enhancement results are always my goal. (In fact, natural-appearing results are the goal for every cosmetic surgery I perform.) Although these are my favored procedures, each patient is different, and we will thoroughly examine all your options during our consultation. I strongly believe that an informed patient is a better patient, so I welcome the opportunity to listen to your goals and answer all your questions.
Tags: scottsdale breast augmentation, breast augmentation scottsdale, breast implants scottsdale, Dr. Patti FlintCategorized in: Breast Augmentation, Surgical Procedures