Breast Augmentation

Breast Augmentation Fort Worth Breast augmentation is one of the most frequently performed cosmetic surgery procedures in the U.S. and is also one of our most popular services. Breast augmentation can give women with modest or unevenly sized breasts a fuller, firmer, more balanced look.

Our patients choose to undergo breast augmentation for many different reasons. Some women lose volume and fullness after pregnancy, breast feeding, and weight loss. Others have breasts that did not develop proportionally with their hips, shoulders, and overall look. Some women have congenital breast issues including significant asymmetries. Breast augmentation creates breasts that are more shapely and full and we have found that this promotes a sense of well-being and increased self-confidence.

Fully Customized Breast Enhancement

Each woman is unique in her physical attributes as well as the goals and desires she has regarding breast augmentation surgery. With that in mind we take the time to ask questions and listen to what it is our patients hope to achieve. By doing this we help our patients choose which implants, which incision sites, and which surgical techniques may help them meet, and hopefully exceed, the expectations they have from breast augmentation. In this way all of our patients enjoy completely customized treatment plans into which they have significant input. We don’t decide for our patients, we decide with them.

Additional Enhancements

Some women who come to see us about breast augmentation also have other concerns. Women with sagging breasts and low nipples, for instance, may also benefit from a breast lift (mastopexy). Other women may have additional areas of their bodies that are of some concern to them and these may often be addressed at the time of breast augmentation surgery. The initial consultation is a great time to talk and learn about these issues.

Saline and Silicone Gel Breast Implants

Breast implants are silicone rubber shells filled with either saline (salt water) or silicone gel. Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated the safety of both types of implants. The different types of implants have specific advantages compared to the others, and these are addressed with our patients during the initial (and any subsequent) consultations. We offer both saline and silicone implants to our patients and thoroughly explain the differences to help them decide which type may be best for their individual needs.

Breast Augmentation Surgery - Incision Techniques

The breast augmentation procedure typically lasts one to two hours and is performed under general anesthesia. Incisions are made in inconspicuous areas to help minimize scar visibility. These may be located:

in the crease beneath the breast (inframammary)
in the armpit (transaxillary)
along the lower edge of the areola, the darker skin around the nipple (periareolar)

The breast is then elevated off of the underlying chest tissue, creating a pocket into which the implant is inserted.

Saline implants may also be placed endoscopically through an incision in the navel. This minimally invasive breast enhancement technique is known as a transumbilical breast augmentation or TUBA approach.

Breast Augmentation Surgery - Placement Options

After making the incision, a pocket is created into which the implant is inserted. This pocket is either immediately behind the breast tissue or under the pectoralis major muscle. The muscle adds a layer of tissue over the implant compared to when an implant is placed immediately behind the breast tissue. This extra layer is particularly beneficial in thinner patients who have minimal breast tissue. Other advantages of placing implants behind the muscle include a reduced risk of capsular contracture (tightening of the tissues around the implant) and less interference with mammograms. A possible disadvantage to placing implants behind the muscle is the potential for movement of the implant when the muscle is contracted. This probably is more important for women who compete in body-building competitions than most women in general.

Recovery

Most patients feel tired and sore after breast augmentation surgery, but this usually passes in a day or two. Many patients return to work within the week.

Stitches are removed in a week to 10 days after breast augmentation. Any post-operative pain, swelling and sensitivity will diminish over the first few weeks.

Scars from breast augmentation incisions will begin to fade in a few months and will continue to fade for months or years.

Complications

Complications following breast augmentation surgery are uncommon and usually minimal. They may include capsular contracture, swelling and pain, infection around the implant, a change in nipple sensation, milk production if you nursed a baby within a year before the procedure, and breakage or leakage of the implant (implant rupture) as a result of injury or the normal compression and movement of your breast.

When a saline implant leaks, the body will absorb the salt water, dispose of it, and the breast will lose its volume. This may happen over a matter of hours but it may take several days or even weeks. The end result is that one breast is substantially smaller than the other and a woman in this situation will probably want to have that implant replaced.

With silicone implants, leakage is different. Chances are pretty good that a woman with a leaking silicone implant will not notice much of a change. Often leaking is suggested or noticed on a routine mammogram. Some women may notice a small lump that they had not noticed before and some women may develop firmness around the implant. Ruptured silicone implants should be removed, and most women choose to replace them.

Regular monitoring of breast implants is recommended after breast augmentation to ensure breast and implant health.

Contact us today to schedule a breast augmentation consultation! (817) 335-5200

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