Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery » Procedures & Products

Breast

Breast Augmentation

Breast enlargement, or augmentation mammoplasty, enhances the body contour of a woman who is unhappy with her breast size. This procedure can also correct a reduction in breast volume after pregnancy or balance a difference in breast size. In certain cases where the breasts have sagging or droopiness, a simultaneous breast lift may be necessary.

During the procedure, an implant is inserted through an incision made under the crease under the breast, around the areola (dark tissue around the nipple), or through the armpit. The implant may be placed under the breast tissue or beneath the chest wall muscle. Women may choose to have saline or silicone implants. Breast augmentation is an outpatient procedure which usually takes 1-1.5 hours under general anesthesia. Stitches absorb on their own but the incisions are usually covered with tape for 1-2 weeks. Most patients return to routine activity within the first week but aerobic activity and strenuous upper body activity are limited for 3-4 weeks.

Revision Breast Augmentation

If you have had a previous breast implant surgery and desire a size change, a revision augmentation is necessary. Additionally a revision is the only means of correcting problems associated with rippling, implant rupture or excess scar formation termed capsular contracture. Revisional breast surgery attempts to restore breasts that are soft and symmetrical.

Revisional surgery usually consists of either removing the scar tissue that inevitably forms around an implant, called a capsulectomy, or releasing the scar tissue called a capsulotomy. These two procedures attempt to recreate the pocket or space where the implant sits, and thereby restore a more natural feel and appearance. In some cases a revision can be performed through your previous scars, but often times additional incisions are necessary particularly if excess skin is to be removed at the same time. Depending on how long your implants have been in place, it may be advisable to replace them with a new set of implants.

Breast Lift

A mastopexy or breast lift will raise and reshape a woman’s breasts. Over the years breasts can lose their shape and firmness due to pregnancy, nursing, weight fluctuations and gravity. A breast lift, often done in conjunction with a breast augmentation, can eliminate this inevitable sagging. If the nipple areolar complex has become enlarged, it can be restored to a smaller size at a preferred height on the breast.

A mastopexy or breast lift will raise and reshape a woman’s breasts. Over the years breasts can lose their shape and firmness due to pregnancy, nursing, weight fluctuations and gravity. A breast lift, often done in conjunction with a breast augmentation, can eliminate this inevitable sagging. If the nipple areolar complex has become enlarged, it can be restored to a smaller size at a preferred height on the breast.

Breast Reduction

Breast reduction, or reduction mammoplasty, is for a woman experiencing health problems and/or extreme self-consciousness associated with very large, heavy breasts. Medical problems associated with large breasts include back and neck pain caused by the excessive weight, skin irritation, bra strap indentations, poor posture, and interference with normal daily activities such as exercise. The surgery removes fat, glandular tissue, and skin from the breasts, making them smaller, lighter, and firmer. It can also reduce the size of the areola, the darker skin surrounding the nipple. This can alleviate the health problems associated with large breasts and improve a woman’s confidence in her appearance. Reduction mammaplasty is often covered by insurance.

Breast reduction surgery is an outpatient procedure. It is done under general anesthesia and typically takes 3-4 hours. Patients will need to limit strenuous upper body activity and wear a sports bra for several weeks after surgery. The scars go around the areola, straight down as a vertical line to the inframammary crease, and then horizontally in the crease under the breasts. Through these incisions, excess skin and tissue are removed and the nipple-areola complex is repositioned higher.

Male Breast Reduction

Male breast reduction is done for men with gynecomastia, a condition of male breast overdevelopment. The procedure removes fat and/or glandular tissue from the breasts, and in extreme cases removes excess skin, resulting in a chest that is flatter, firmer, and better contoured. The surgery often involves liposuction as well as some component of direct breast excision done through a semicircular incision around the areola. In cases of skin excess, additional incisions will need to be made for skin removal.

The procedure is done under general anesthesia and takes about 3 hours. Patients are placed in a compression vest following surgery to minimize fluid accumulation and facilitate skin retraction. This must be worn for several weeks. There will be some bruising which will disappear over 1-2 weeks.

Breast Reconstruction

Breast reconstruction attempts to recreate a breast mound in women who have had their breasts altered or removed by breast cancer surgery. The goal is to rebuild a natural looking breast with symmetry to the other breast. Depending on the circumstances, breast reconstruction can be performed immediately after mastectomy or as a delayed procedure, anywhere from several weeks to years following mastectomy. Breast reconstruction typically requires more than one operative procedure, with additional surgeries to optimize symmetry or rebuild a nipple areolar complex.

There are several different methods of breast reconstruction, although the three most commonly employed techniques include expander/implant reconstruction, latissimus flap reconstruction and TRAM flap reconstruction. Consultation with your plastic surgeon is necessary to determine which method best meets individual patient needs. Depending on the technique used, breast reconstruction will require anywhere between one to several days of inpatient hospital care. Breast reconstruction, including any surgery done to the opposite breast for symmetry, is covered by insurance.