What Are the Latest Options For Breast Enhancement?

By C. Coleman Brown, MD, FACS

Bruno Brown Plastic Surgery

. https://www.brunobrownplasticsurgery.com/

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What Are the Latest Options For Breast Enhancement?

Today, we have many choices when it comes to breast enhancement. Not only are there more choices in implant styles, but we are now using your own fat to augment the breast as well.

Since the mid 2000's, silicone implants have once again become the implant of choice for most patients. With a proven safety profile, more women are choosing this option over saline.

In addition, during the last few years, the anatomically shaped gummy-bear style implants have become available. These offer a more natural look and give patients an alternative to traditional round implants. This procedure was one of the top two procedures performed in 2014 according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. The recovery is minimal but does require a cessation of serious exercise for a few weeks.

Using fat for augmentation is becoming very popular as well. The idea behind this is to use one's own fat and “repurpose” it in another location. Historically it could be used for facial enhancement but using it in the breast is not a new idea. Fatty deposits are liposuctioned using special instruments and the fat is then prepared for re-injection.

Fat grafting is essentially a two-fer. You get to contour down areas of concern and then use it to enhance the breast.

The downtime associated with this procedure is minimal compared to traditional methods and most patients can get back to exercise and daily activities within a couple of days. Anyone interested in breast enhancement as a patient should discuss with their plastic surgeon the best choice for them.

What's Involved With Breast Lifting?

Many women see changes in the breast with time, pregnancy or even weight change. Often the breast may drop and lack the perkiness it once had. Many use the dreaded pencil-test to determine the position of the breast. Breast lifting is popular and is often combined with other procedures such as liposuction or abdominoplasty.

Lifting the breast is not a difficult undertaking and patients' recovery is short-lived. Most patients can be back at work within a few days and exercising in a couple of weeks.

Using carefully designed incisions, the breast and nipple-areolar complex is repositioned in a more level, central location. This enhances not only the position, but also the shape and tightness of the breast. Restoring the youthfulness of the breast can be a very exciting option for many women.

Do I Need Implants With A Lift?

Ask yourself this question, “Do I like the size of my breasts?” If so, then you do not need implants. If you feel that your size has diminished or are looking for more volume overall, then adding implants to a lift could be beneficial. This is a popular option for many women as well. While it adds slightly to the recovery, with the myriad choices of implants today, many women can benefit from volume and position enhancement.

Using the same incisions designed for lifting, there are no additional scars to add an implant. Sometimes the implant alone will position the breast higher and no formal lifting is necessary.