Breast augmentation is quite common in the world – over 400,000 women and teens undergo the procedure every year. Simply put, it is a procedure that strives to increase the shape, size, and volume of the breast.
There are several reasons why women opt for breast augmentation, although the most common tend to be to increase volume, be able to project more upper pole fullness, improve cleavage and to restore shape and volume after weight changes and/or pregnancy. If you or someone close to you is planning to get a breast augmentation surgery, then you may want to read this handy guide on the subject prepared by Dr. Garrett Wirth – a renowned plastic surgeon specializing in breast augmentation.
Practicing in Newport Beach, Dr. Garrett Wirth has performed over 20,000 procedures over the course of his career. He is well known as a leader in breast reconstruction and breast augmentation. Dr. Wirth also served as a full-time professor there before starting his own practice. Further, he co-authored and co-edited a book, “Personalized Breast Care, a Guide for Cometic Surgery, Breast Cancer, and Reconstruction” to educate and empower women choosing all types of breast surgery, including breast augmentation.
When it comes to breast augmentation, Dr. Wirth states that there may be a few reasons to go for the procedure:
- Increasing the size of the breasts that are naturally small
- Restoring symmetry for asymmetrical breasts
- Restoring the breast shape and fullness following weight loss, pregnancy, or breastfeeding
- Replacing previous breast implants
- It may be performed as a part of the treatment for breast cancer
Breast augmentation procedure may be right for you if you are unhappy with your breast size, fullness, or shape. Whether they are small, asymmetrical, or don’t match in size, you can opt for the surgery and improve these features.
Choosing the Type of Implants
One of the most important aspects of the breast augmentation procedure, according to Dr. Wirth, is choosing the type of implant. Patients will have two options from which to choose:
- Silicone Implants: These implants are pre-filled with silicone and come in many preset sizes and different shapes. There is a silicone “shell” as well. There is a great deal of research surrounding these implants due to some bad reporting many years ago, and many argue that these are the most researched devices that are placed into the human body. Rupture rates remain very low and seem to be, in fact, lower than previously reported due to the newer production and technology. If silicone implants rupture, it may be hard to detect as the gel will generally trapped inside the capsule or even hold its predesigned shape. Silicone implants ruptures can be fully identified only through studies such as ultrasound, MRI or others. Only silicone implants currently come in the teardrop (or shaped or anatomic) implants.
- Saline Implants: With saline implants, empty silicone shells are first inserted into the breast implant pocket and then filled with sterile saline. The amount of saline filled varies from woman to woman and depends on the size of the implant, the amount of native breast tissue, as well and goals and objectives. Saline implants also demonstrate a low rupture rate. If they do leak, the saline solution will be absorbed naturally by the body. The downside is that after a rupture, the breast volume on that side will be lost and the breast will flatten. Saline implants are generally less expensive than the silicone implants. There is a “baffled” saline implant that is available as well with the thought that it can offer a patient a saline breast implant option that fells similar to a silicone implant.
There are many more areas to discuss regarding breast augmentation. This includes the location of the incisions (around the areola, armpit, under the breast), as well as the location of the implants. These can be placed completely under the muscle, only under the breast tissue or even “dual plane” which is partially under the muscle and partially under the breast tissue. There are different risks and benefits with each of the different combinations of implants, incision sites and implant locations and these should be discussed with your surgeon.
What to Expect from the Procedure?
Having helped countless women with breast augmentation, Dr. Wirth recommends a full consultation with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon such as himself. At Wirth Plastic Surgery and the concierge service provided by his team, each woman will get education as to the implants, the limitations, the opportunities, the procedure, recovery and more. You should expect that all of your questions and concerns are addressed. With Dr. Wirth, breast measurements are done to help refine the decision making process and to help achieve the expected outcomes. Breast imaging and implant sizing is often done even at the first visit. The goal is to ensure that the patient’s anatomy, the surgical plans and expected outcomes all align within acceptable safety parameters.
Once the procedure is over, you will see a stark difference in the shape and size of your breasts. The immediate recovery times often demonstrate some edema (swelling), possible bruising, some feelings of “tightness” in the chest, changes in sensation to the nipples and more. With Dr. Wirth’s “24 hour breast augmentation recovery program”, however, these typically problematic issues have been minimized and sometimes are not even present.
The recovery period was traditionally reported as five days to one week and elevated breast implants that may take weeks to months before they “drop and fluff” into the final positions. This is not the case with Dr. Wirth. You should reduce physical activities during this recovery period to avoid putting extra strain on the implants. Lastly, you should also make it a point to follow up with your consultant and ensure that everything is healing properly.
Breast augmentation is an elective cosmetic procedure that can be life-changing for those women who struggle with their physical appearance and those that just want to enhance their breast volumes and shapes. Dr. Wirth takes great pride in educating women and empowering them to make high quality decisions for their own bodies. Often, the women who chose to get breast augmentation surgery with Dr. Wirth state that they wish they had done the surgery sooner. Even more often, the team at Wirth Plastic Surgery hear that the friends of the women who got Dr. Wirth’s “24 hour breast augmentation recovery program” are jealous of how quick the recovery period is for these women including being instructed to go out to dinner the night of surgery and the very low need or lack of need for narcotics after surgery. Breast augmentation surgery is very common, but Dr. Wirth suggests that there are many different surgeon approaches to the procedure and patient care. Many women find that after doing their homework and meeting with Dr. Wirth, their best choice is to move forward with breast augmentation at Wirth Plastic Surgery in Newport Beach, California.