Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation is one of the most popular procedures Dr. Shuster
performs from his office in South Florida. In fact, it is one of the
most popular procedures in plastic surgery with over 390,000 performed
in the United States last year. Breast enlargement can improve the size
and shape of the breasts, improving the silhouette of women with small
breasts or restoring volume for women who have had a decrease in size
following pregnancy or weight loss.
Dr. Shuster specializes in breast surgery, which includes breast augmentation. He combines his experience with the most recent techniques to offer his patients the very best, individualized care possible. Just as every woman's breasts are unique, their breast augmentation surgery needs to be individualized specifically for them. Dr. Shuster spends an extensive amount of time with each patient planning their surgery.
Dr. Shuster will go over the following areas to help you set goals and expectations for your breast augmentation procedure:
- Type of Breast Implants: During your breast augmentation consultation, you can select from saline or silicone.
- Size of Breast Implants: Dr. Shuster believes the size of implants should depend on your body's proportions. That is why he spends the time to help you select the correct size.
- Incision Location: While it depends on several factors, the incision choices include transaxillary, (through the armpit), under the areolas, or under the breasts.
- Shape of Implant: There are a variety of implant shapes used for breast augmentation, but the most popular are round to tear drop shaped.
- Location of Implant: The implants can be placed under the breast tissue, over the pectoralis muscle, or under both the tissue and muscle. The most popular choice is under the muscle so that more tissue covers the implant.
Dr. Shuster has a long history of commitment and dedication to breast augmentation. He is fluent with the use of a variety of breast implant types and shapes. In addition to saline filled implants, Dr. Shuster also served as a principal investigator with the FDA study for the use of silicone gel implants, and when appropriate offers these for his patients. It is during a thorough consultation that he discusses the options with his patients and determines an approach which will offer them the best results. Dr. Shuster's philosophy is to learn what his patients wish to achieve, educate them about breast implants and what is possible, and then use the varied techniques in his repertoire to accomplish this.
Next Steps
Your individual needs can be assessed and discussed further with Dr. Shuster through a breast augmentation consultation. A careful analysis of each patient's unique needs is an important step in breast augmentation.
Learn more by reading our what to expect at your breast augmentation consultation and FAQs pages.
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Shuster, call 954.961.5500 or visit our consultation page.
Types of Implants
- Saline: Saline implants are more commonly used in breast augmentation procedures. They consist of a silicone shell which is filled with saline, the body's natural fluid.
- Silicone: Silicone breast implants were reintroduced to the market by the FDA after extensive testing in 2006. These consist of a silicone shell which is filled with a silicone gel. "Gummy bear" breast implants are also becoming a popular choice for breast augmentation.
- Implant Shape: Breast implants come in several shapes. The two main categories are round and tear dropped shaped and are both popular choices for breast augmentation procedures.
Selection of Implant Size
Determining the appropriate implant size is one of the critically important steps in breast augmentation. An implant that is too small or too large produces an unsatisfactory result. Dr. Shuster believes that the best and most natural results are achieved by selecting an implant that is proportional to a woman's anatomic features. During each breast augmentation consultation, Dr. Shuster devotes much time to this process and together with his patients finds an appropriately sized implant to help them achieve their desired results.
Location of Incision
There are several places where an incision can be placed for breast augmentation: in the axilla (armpit), under the areolas, or under the breasts. While Dr. Shuster is fluent in the use of all of these approaches his preference is to insert implants through the axillary approach. His reason for this is that he would rather avoid a scar on the breast. Not all patients are candidates for the axillary approach and for these patients, as well as those who prefer, he utilizes the areolar approach. Dr. Shuster reserves using an incision under the breast for patients who have a preexisting scar in this location.
Location of Implant Placement
Breast implants can be placed either under the breast tissue and over the pectoralis muscle or under both the breast tissue and the pectoralis muscle. The vast majority of patients who undergo breast augmentation today have implants placed under the muscle. The reasons for this include a more natural result by having more tissue cover the implant and a lower rate of complications.
If you would like more information about breast implants and how a personal breast augmentation consultation from our South Florida office can help determine the right type for you, view our breast implants page.
Recovery
Recovering from breast augmentation, as with any surgery, is a gradual process. Some patients recover more quickly while others may be a bit slower. In general, the recovery following these procedures is not difficult. The typical patient will experience some pain and discomfort and use pain medication for 2 to 3 days following surgery. Depending upon the patient's occupation, most patients will return to work 4 to 5 days after surgery. After 1 to 2 weeks, patients can resume non-impact lower body exercise. Four weeks after surgery, they can resume impact exercises and 6 weeks following surgery they can resume upper body exercise.
Results
While patients will of course see results immediately after their breast augmentation surgery, swelling always develops. During the first week after surgery, the breasts and surrounding area are swollen and the implants appear high. Over the course of several weeks the swelling subsides and the tissues stretch to accommodate the implant creating a more natural appearance.
Complications
As with any surgery, complications can develop following breast augmentation. Fortunately, complications are unusual. Some of the complications include: bleeding, infection, capsular contracture, and deflation. Dr. Shuster will discuss these with you in detail.
Follow Up
In order to ensure each patients' care and well being, Dr. Shuster sees his patients frequently in the postoperative period and continues to follow their progress for an extended period following a breast augmentation procedure. Should a question or concern arise, please call our South Florida office at 954.961.5500.
For directions to our office, which is easily accessible from both Miami and Fort Lauderdale, please see our location page.