Breast Augmentation & Breast Implants in Orange County & Newport Beach

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Procedure: Enlargement of the female breasts using breast implants made of saline and/or silicone in order to enhance the breast size and improve breast to body proportions.

Length: 1 to 2 hours of operative time.

Anesthesia: General anesthesia (if implant is placed under the muscle) or conscious sedation (if implant is placed over the muscle).

Place of Treatment: Outpatient surgical suite or hospital operating room.

Recovery: The recovery period for breast augmentation with a return to daily activities is usually 1 week. Patients are asked to forego physical activities and exercise for approximately 4 weeks.

Duration of Results: Patients who have undergone breast augmentation surgery can expect aesthetically pleasing results for several decades. Late revisions are needed if a breast becomes distorted (due to thickening of the capsule surrounding the implant, termed capsular contracture) or sagging of breast tissue off of the implant due to the normal aging process.

Side Effects: Side effects are events that may be experienced by patients as a result of your surgery and should not be considered adverse events. Our patients are counseled regarding these effects and if experienced they are tolerable and often temporary in duration.

1. High riding implants: Patient’s frequently notice high riding implants in the early postoperative period. The implants will drop into their desired, aesthetically pleasing position within 2 to 4 weeks. The tendency for the implants to sit high is countered by wearing of a breast band, which will be provided by your plastic surgeon. The breast band will be worn for approximately 2 to 4 weeks until the implants fall into their desired space.
2. Numbness: Numbness can occur when sensory nerves are inadvertently traumatized during surgery, which involves creation of a pocket for the implants to sit in. Since these nerves are extremely small, they are not apparent to the naked eye and so unavoidable. Clinically, the peri-areolar incision has been associated with increased incidence of numbness since the dissection is closer to the nerves. Fortunately, numbness is an infrequent event and when present resolves itself over 2 to 3 months.
3. Capsule formation: Capsule formation refers to the normal formation of a scar around an implant. This scar should remain thin; but when thickened, it is termed capsular contracture and can result in distortion of the overlying breast. Capsular contracture is rarely observed with saline implants and has been minimally observed with the use of new generation silicone implants.
4. Hypertrophic scar: Hypertrophic scar refers to the development of a thickened scar in the skin. Since, most plastic surgeons use a similar technique for closure of their skin incisions, whether or not you are at risk for this depends on the healing capacity of your body. Contrary to common knowledge, the better healer you are the more likely that you may develop a thickened scar.
5. Mild asymmetry of breast size: Asymmetry of the breasts is considered only a side effect because most women have some degree of asymmetry. The surgeon must do his/her best to improve on any asymmetry. Any preoperative asymmetry should be improved upon to within a 5% difference in size between the two breasts.
6. Deflation: Deflation of the implants occurs at a rate of 1% per implant per year. So in 10 years there is a 10% chance of having an implant deflate.

Risks: Risks are unwanted events that may occur during or following surgery. These events are recognized as “complications” but their occurrence is minimized by appropriate patient selection, proper surgical decision making, effective surgical technique, and thorough preoperative and postoperative patient management.

1. Hematoma: Hematoma refers to the accumulation of blood in the early postoperative period, which pools into a surgical pocket. When the volume of accumulated blood is less than 10 % of the breast volume, the hematoma is left to resolve on its own. If larger than 10 % most surgeons will recommend a trip back to the operating room so that this hematoma can be removed.
2. Infection: An infection is one of the worse complications that can occur following breast augmentation surgery. An infection may require removal of your implant.
3. Assymetry of breast shape: Assymetry in shape is very different than asymmetry of size (described above) and occurs when the implant pockets have not been dissected accurately. If the breast pockets are dissected too medially, this can lead to the breast pockets connecting together resulting in a condition called symmastia.
4. Pneumothorax: A pneumothorax refers to the inadvertent puncturing of the lining that covers your lungs. This is a rare event but can occur since implants are placed under the pectoralis muscle. When dissecting under the muscle, only a few millimeters of tissue separate the breast pocket from the lung lining. If the lung lining is punctured, the surgeon will have to place a catheter into the lung cavity and seal the lung lining at the end of surgery. You will require overnight hospitalization and removal of the catheter the following day prior to going home.

1. What is the history of breast augmentation surgery?
2. Are silicone implants allowed in the United States?
3. If I have breast implants, can I receive silicone implants breast implants?
4. Am I a good candidate for breast augmentation surgery?
5. What does breast augmentation surgery involve?
6. How do I plan my breast augmentation surgery?
7. How do I prepare for breast augmentation surgery?
8. What results can I expect after breast augmentation surgery?
9. Where will my breast augmentation surgery be performed?
10. What type of anesthesia will be used for my breast augmentation surgery?
11. What should I expect after breast augmentation surgery?
12. When will I be able to return to work following breast augmentation surgery?
13. Are there any side effects associated with breast augmentation surgery?
14. Are there any risks associated with breast augmentation surgery?

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