Discover Your Options for Breast Augmentation Surgery Near You

Everything You Need to Know About Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation is a surgical procedure that increases breast size, improves shape, and enhances overall body proportion. There are two primary approaches we offer at Will Surgical Arts, and your physician will help you determine which one, or which combination, is the right fit for your goals.

Implant-Based Augmentation

Implant-based breast augmentation uses a silicone shell filled with either saline or silicone gel to add volume and shape. The most commonly used implants in our practice are round, smooth, silicone gel-filled implants, which tend to produce natural-looking, predictable results. Anatomical or "teardrop" implants are rarely used because of the risk of rotation within the breast pocket, which can cause asymmetry.

Your physician will discuss several decisions with you before surgery, including:

• Implant size: Size is guided by your existing breast tissue, chest wall anatomy, and the look you're hoping to achieve. It's important to have realistic expectations, particularly regarding cup size changes, since the amount of existing tissue plays a role in what's safely achievable.
• Implant placement: Implants can be placed either above the chest muscle (under the breast tissue) or below it. Submuscular placement, which is below the muscle, tends to lower the risk of capsular contracture and makes mammograms more reliable. Placement above the muscle can sometimes produce a more natural appearance, depending on the patient's anatomy. Your surgeon will help you weigh the options.
• Incision location: Incisions can be made under the breast, around the nipple, or under the arm. Each approach has its own advantages, and your physician will recommend the one that makes the most sense for your anatomy and goals.

Fat Grafting

Fat grafting  is an alternative or complementary approach to breast augmentation that uses your own body fat rather than implants. Fat is removed from a donor area, such as the abdomen or thighs, through liposuction, then purified and carefully injected into the breasts to add volume and improve shape. Fat grafting tends to produce very natural results and is a good option for patients who want a modest increase in size without implants, or who want to refine the results of a previous augmentation.

Recovery

Breast augmentation is performed on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia, meaning you'll go home the same day. You'll need someone to drive you home and stay with you for the first 24 hours. Here's a general sense of what to expect during recovery:

• Some pain and tightness in the first day or two, which is manageable with prescribed medication
• Wearing a bra at all times except when showering for the first two weeks
• Avoiding heavy lifting for two to three weeks
• Light activity, like walking, is typically fine after the first week
• More vigorous exercise can usually be resumed around three to four weeks
• Most patients return to work within a few days, depending on their job

Some swelling is normal in the weeks after surgery, and the final shape and size will become clearer as it subsides. Mild asymmetry is also normal during healing, as most breasts have some natural variation.