Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation is one of the most sought-after cosmetic surgery procedures in the US. In 2015, nearly 300,000 breast augmentation procedures were performed in the country. This signifies a growth of 35 percent from the year 2000.
During the initial consultation, the surgeon will discuss various factors to consider for this procedure. Accomplished board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Eugene Kim provides breast augmentation to patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, CA, and surrounding locations.
Key Factors to Consider
The five primary factors of consideration in breast augmentation surgery are as follows:
Size
The size of the breast implants is a key characteristic that will impact the outcomes of the enhancement procedure. The measurement unit for breast implant size is cc and usually ranges between 200cc and 600cc. The choice of implant size is usually a combination of the patient’s anatomical structure and the level of naturalness of the desired outcome.
It is vital that an expert cosmetic surgeon informs the patient on how various implant sizes can change their unique anatomy in order to attain optimal results. An excellent way to achieve this is for the patient to try on various implant sizers to get an idea of how each size will appear.
Silicone vs. Saline
Another significant decision in breast augmentation cosmetic surgery is about choosing between saline and silicone implants. Saline implants contain salt water (sterile saline) which is filled by the surgeon after they place the implant in position.
Silicone implants comprise a silicone gel which is developed to mimic the feel of human fat closely. It is believed that silicone has a more natural look and feel although there is no reliable scientific data to back this up.
In recent times, a newer alternative for implants has become available in the US. This is known as the “gummy bear” implant. Gummy bear implants are also called form stable or cohesive-gel implants, and these implants are filled with silicone that is thicker in comparison to the silicone in traditional silicone implants.
Surgical Incision
Breast augmentation involves four different incision types:
- Transaxillary
- Inframmary
- Areolar
- Trans-umbilical breast augmentation (TUBA)
The most commonly used incisions are inframammary and periareolar. Periareolar incision involves placing the incision near the areola’s lower half which makes the scar more discreet.
When a surgeon places an inframammary incision under the breast crease, it allows them maximum access for implant placement.
Surface
The patient can choose breast implants with a smooth or textured surface:
- Smooth implants have an increased probability of shifting in the implant pocket (displacement) in comparison to textured implants.
- Smooth implants usually have a marginally lower rate of rupturing and sustain longer.
- Textured implants comprise a thicker shell in comparison to smooth implants which enables textured implants to feel tauter.
Shape
Women can choose from two types of shape options for breast implants:
- Round
- Anatomical
Round Breast Implants
Round breast implants are symmetrical with a round shape. The round shape has the advantage of not causing malformation of the breast shape if the implant shifts within the pocket.
Anatomical Breast Implants / Contoured Breast Implants
These implants appear oval when seen from the front. They seem to have more volume at the bottom when viewed from the side offering the implant a “bottom heavy” look.
Board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Eugene Kim receives patients from Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, CA, and other suburbs and towns in this part of California for breast augmentation.
Click here see more plastic surgery procedures and treatments performed by Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Eugene Kim on patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Santa Monica and surrounding areas or call 310-271-6996 to schedule a consultation.
