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How Long Is Breast Augmentation Surgery?
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Breast augmentation can be done in a surgical center or hospital outpatient facility. Surgery usually takes one to two hours, and is performed under general anesthesia. You will most likely go home the same day of your surgery
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What results can breast augmentation achieve?
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With aging, a woman’s breasts naturally flatten somewhat. More of the mass tends to descend to the bottom of the breasts. If this sagging is extreme, a breast lift with augmentation will be necessary to remove the excess sagging skin. In mild flattening, augmentation with breast implants can return the volume to the upper area of the breasts, without looking unnatural. That is the main goal of augmentation — to add volume and shape to the breasts. At Northwestern Specialists in Plastic Surgery, our sole focus is to satisfy our patients’ goals for their augmentation. We strive for a natural increase in breast size that fits proportionally with your figure but adds shape and volume. Of course, if you would like to add extra volume, we’ll make that happen and help you with decisions such as projection and the like. If you’re concerned about the asymmetry between your breasts, we can address that, although this is best done with a breast lift with augmentation. Finally, if you’ve always wanted a curvier, shapelier figure, augmentation can surely provide that and Dr. Schierle and Dr. Fine will put their board-certified surgical expertise to use helping you realize the figure you’ve always dreamed of.
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What the difference between a breast lift and breast augmentation?
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A breast lift addresses flattening and sagging in the breasts that is a result of pregnancy and breastfeeding, the gain and subsequent loss of a good deal of weight, or simply the passage of time. The goal of these procedures is to return the breasts to a higher position on the chest, removing excess sagging skin and possibly some breast tissue.Breast lifts do not return the volume to the breasts, however. By bringing the breast mass back up from the settling and sagging that has created pendulous breasts with most of the volume in the lower part of the breast, the patient may actually decrease a bra cup size, although the breasts now look much younger and perkier. Augmentation involves the insertion of breast implants to return volume, shape, and sometimes projection to the breasts. Augmentation returns the volume to the upper area of the breasts that have flattened somewhat with age. Some women assume that augmentation can rejuvenate flattened, sagging breasts, but this is not the case. Because lifts don’t add volume, many women come to us for a breast lift with augmentation. This not only removes the sagging skin and reshapes some of the breast tissue, but implants return or add volume. A nice side benefit of adding implants during your breast lift procedure is that it is simple for Dr. Schierle or Dr. Fine to place the implants using the incisions already made for your breast lift. Plus, you’re basically having two procedures with just a single recovery.
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Can breast augmentation be combined with other procedures?
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For women who have had children and wonder who stole their pre-baby figure, mommy makeovers are our most popular combination of procedures. Our mommy makeovers usually combine a breast lift with augmentation, a tummy tuck, and liposuction. They target all the areas most affected by pregnancy and childbirth. If you’d like to combine augmentation with other procedures such as liposuction that may also be possible. During your consultation, we’ll discuss your goals and possibilities.
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When can I return to my normal activities after breast augmentation?
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Recovery from augmentation surgery is not as difficult as you might assume. For the first few days, you will have some discomfort, but it doesn’t usually require serious pain medication. Many of our augmentation patients say the feeling equates to the feeling a day or two after a very hard upper body workout at the gym. Your chest will likely feel tight, but this is perfectly normal as the tissue needs to stretch and the implants need to settle into place. When you first look at your new breasts, they may appear too high on the chest. But this is also normal, as settling will bring the implants down somewhat. Most patients can return to work in just four or five days. You can begin the non-impact activity in a week or so, but impact exercise needs to wait for at least one month. A good guideline for return to activities is pain. If you have some pain when you do something such as lifting an object, then you need to stop and come back to it in a few days or a week.
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Is There An Alternative To Breast Implants?
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Breast implants, whether saline or silicone, provide the most predictable results for augmentation. We know the size and characteristics of all FDA-approved implants.The breasts can be augmented with the patient’s own fat, as well. Fat is harvested from an unwanted area such as the lower abdomen, purified, and is then injected into the breasts. Fat cells that acquire a blood supply will permanently “take.” Other fat doesn’t take, however, and is absorbed by the body. That makes the results of fat grafting for augmentation somewhat inconsistent.
“Dr. Schierle is the best! I had such an amazing experience from start to finish. The professionalism and knowledge from him and all the staff is amazing and really made the process for my 2 surgeries flawless. I would 100% go back to Dr Schierle for future surgeries or procedures. He is someone I would highly recommend. The results were AMAZING as well!”
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