Breast Augmentation and Lifts Explained. Breast Augmentation and Lifts explained

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1 Breast Augmentation and Lifts explained 1

2 Your breasts, your choices Whether you are a mother whose breasts have lost their fullness and perkiness due to breastfeeding, or a woman who simply wants to feel more confident about her body, you have choices. Regardless of your circumstances, Dr. Quinn has options to help you recover or construct more youthful, shapely breasts. Whether you need a breast augmentation, breast lift, silicone implants, or saline implants, Dr. Quinn will help you make the decision that s right for you. Call Quinn Plastic Surgery at to schedule a consultation and discuss your personal needs with Dr. Quinn, a breast lift and augmentation expert in Kansas City. Our consultations are always personal, private, and obligation-free. Dr. Quinn and his staff have options to fit your individual needs. Read on or visit for more information about lifts and implants, and the various choices and considerations available for you. 2

3 Lift or augmentation? When choosing to improve the shape and appearance of your breasts, an important step is deciding if you need a lift, an augmentation, or both. The decision is a personal one, dependent on your goals and your desired look. Breast lifts and augmentation may be performed separately or may be combined, depending on the patient s individual needs. While augmentation alone may be suitable for some patients, others may require augmentation with a lift to get the results they want. With more than 20 years experience as a plastic surgeon, Dr. Quinn is committed to assuring the best possible outcome for each patient. During your consultation, he will provide you with a custom treatment plan that meets your goals while addressing your unique needs. A breast lift, also called mastopexy, focuses on reshaping the breast by removing excess skin and repositioning the breast to a more normal position. Breast augmentation involves the insertion of either a silicone or saline implant to increase the volume of the breast. Augmentation not only increases the size of the breasts, but also will reshape the contour providing a fuller, shapelier look. The lift test you can do yourself It can be disappointing if you come to our office seeking a breast augmentation and Dr. Quinn explains that to achieve a pleasing shape and perkiness, you ll need a breast lift as well. 3 Here s a test you can do yourself to determine if you need an augmentation, or an augmentation with a lift. Standing in front of a mirror, look at your nipples in relation to the natural crease beneath your breasts. If your nipples are lower than your breast crease before surgery, adding implants without removing excess skin will only make them more saggy, and will only get worse with gravity over time. In this case, you will probably need a lift.

4 Am i a candidate for breast surgery? When deciding if you are a good candidate for breast surgery, many factors need to be considered. First, consider your goals and reasons for surgery. Do you have a desire for larger breasts? Perhaps you have begun to notice sagging. Or, maybe one breast is noticeably smaller than the other. These and any number of other issues may prompt a woman to seek surgical options. Next, are you in good overall health? While some health problems won t preclude you from breast lift or augmentation surgery, it is important to go over any health conditions with Dr. Quinn and his staff when deciding if surgery is right for you. Be sure to bring a list of your health concerns, previous health issues, and medications to your consultation. Your family health history will also be discussed. Finally, the financial reality of surgery should be considered. Dr. Quinn and his staff will review the financial aspects related to your particular situation and surgery choices during your consultation. 4

5 Taking the next step consultation The next step in breast augmentation or lift surgery is a complimentary consultation with Dr. Quinn, where he will listen to your goals and expectations, and explain how he can best meet those expectations. If you are seeking augmentation, you will have the opportunity to try on different sizes of implants to see how they look and feel. Your comfort with your fit and overall experience is the top priority for Dr. Quinn and his team. During your consultation, Dr. Quinn will discuss your goals for a lift, augmentation, or both. Should you choose augmentation, Dr. Quinn will discuss options such as silicone or saline implants, the size and shape for your desired look, and his recommendations for implant placement. Dr. Quinn will also discuss your overall health, your desired goals, and possible risks. Be sure to bring a list of questions or concerns to your consultation. For the best possible results, let Dr. Quinn know if you smoke, what medications you currently take, and if you have any pre-existing health conditions such as asthma or medication allergies. At Quinn Plastic Surgery, your satisfaction is our main concern. We want every patient to feel comfortable with the decision to undergo breast surgery. Dr. Quinn s many years of experience enable him to provide each patient with a treatment approach that will lead to a positive surgical experience and natural-looking results. 5

6 Breast lift A breast lift is primarily beneficial for women who simply want to reshape their breasts without increasing the overall size. Many women choose a lift because they are happy with their current size, but not the current shape and position of their breasts. Over time, breast tissue and the skin over the breasts can become loose, causing the breasts to sag and appear poorly shaped and poorly positioned. These problems can be corrected through a one- to three-hour breast lift procedure in which Dr. Quinn will remove extra skin tissue and reshape the breasts. This procedure will provide a younger, perkier, fuller bust without dramatically increasing the size. Breast augmentation While breast lift surgery is primarily focused on repositioning and reshaping the breast, augmentation surgery involves inserting silicone or saline implants to increase the volume of the breasts. Augmentation surgery takes about one hour. The procedure begins with a small incision and the creation of a small pocket to hold each implant. After the implants have been placed and adjusted for ideal fit, the incisions are then closed. 6

7 Saline vs. silicone implants Silicone and saline implants are both safe and provide a natural look. The type of implant that fits your needs will depend on your goals for size, shape, and feel. During your consultation, you will have the opportunity to try on and feel both types of implants. Both silicone and saline implants are FDA approved and safe. Saline Saline implants do not come prefilled. The implants will be filled and adjusted after they have been inserted and placed. Saline implants are ideal for women wishing to improve symmetry. Saline implants are filled with a saltwater solution, similar to the body s natural fluids. Saline has a slightly firmer feel than silicone. Silicone Silicone implants come prefilled. Silicone implants are designed to provide a natural feel. Silicone implants are filled with silicone gel, which retains uniformity throughout the implant to give a feel that most resembles natural breast tissue. SAline Silicone 7

8 Transaxillary vs. inframammary incision If you ve started to do your research on breast augmentation and implants, you will already be familiar with some of the terminology involved in this procedure. One of the most common questions from our patients is whether Dr. Quinn uses transaxillary (armpit) incisions or inframmary (breast fold) incisions. Transaxillary (armpit) incision Transaxillary incisions are made in the armpit, and are about 1-2 inches long. Because of their position, these incisions are discreet. With a transaxillary incision, Dr. Quinn uses small instruments in order to make a pocket under the muscle tissue in the breast. Then, the implant is inserted, and if a saline implant is being used, it will be filled to the desired size. Inframammary (breast Fold) incision Inframammary incisions are placed just in the fold on the underside of the breast. Both of these incisions allow breast-feeding mothers to continue nursing. Although both types of incisions are safe, Dr. Quinn performs transaxillary incisions in order to avoid scarring on or near the breasts. 8

9 Implant placement Another frequently asked question is whether Dr. Quinn places implants above or below the muscle. Dr. Quinn always performs sub-muscular (under the muscle) implant placement for several reasons. Below-muscle placement means that your implants will be less palpable. You will be less likely to feel them, and the final look will be more natural. The risk of capsular contracture, a possible complication, is reduced. An additional benefit of below-muscle placement is easier breast imaging with mammography, an important health screening for women as they get older. Placement of implants above the muscle, called sub-glandular, may result in implants that are less natural looking and easily felt through the skin. There is also increased risk of capsular contracture and difficulties with mammography. For these reasons, Dr. Quinn does not feel that placement of implants above the muscle is a viable option. 9

10 Procedure day On the day of your procedure, be sure to follow any pre-operative instructions that Dr. Quinn has provided, including dietary and medication requirements, such as not eating prior to surgery and either stopping or starting medications as indicated. Be sure to have someone available to drive you to and from your procedure, as you will receive general anesthesia, which will leave you groggy and unable to drive after surgery. Your surgery will last anywhere from one to several hours depending on the choices you and Dr. Quinn have made regarding your procedure. Before beginning, Dr. Quinn will review key factors regarding your specific choices. He will also mark your breasts before surgery in order to provide guidelines for incisions and also to confirm your choices. During surgery, Dr. Quinn will use the decisions you made during your consultation and pre-surgery appointments as a guide for the procedure. Whether you have chosen a lift, augmentation, or combination, Dr. Quinn will make the appropriate incisions and adjustments, including placing implants if they are part of your surgery. Once Dr. Quinn has completed your surgery, your recovery will begin. Be sure to understand your recovery routine and instructions prior to the day of your procedure. 10

11 Recovery Our procedures are done on an outpatient basis, and you will go home the same day as your procedure. How long your recovery takes will depend on your individual situation, but recovery typically takes two to four weeks. Most women find that they need four days off from work in order to recuperate. It is ideal to arrange your schedule so that you won t need to do any strenuous activity in the first few weeks after surgery, including lifting children or heavy groceries, going to the gym, or doing extensive yard or housework. Regardless of which procedure you choose a lift, augmentation, or both expect to refrain from lifting any more than 10 pounds during the first week after surgery, and no more than 25 pounds in the second week of recovery. During your consultation and after your procedure, Dr. Quinn will discuss your specific recovery needs with you. 11

12 Risks, replacement, re-operation As with any procedure, breast augmentations and lifts do have some risks. During your consultation with Dr. Quinn, you will receive information about risks in general, but also about risks specific to you. Although complications are rare, they include infection, bleeding, scarring, loss of sensation, hardness of the breast, and leakage or rupture of an implant. Your level of risk will depend on your overall health, whether or not you smoke, follow-up care, and other factors. Most women find that they never need to have their implants replaced. However, although rare, there is the possibility of need for replacement or re-operation. Dr. Quinn will discuss these possibilities during your consultation. Complications that could result in the need for replacement or re-operation include leakage of fluid from an implant. During your consultation, be sure to ask Dr. Quinn about any specific concerns regarding the risks of your augmentation. Mentor Corporation, the manufacturer of the implants used by Dr. Quinn, offers a lifetime guarantee on all implants, and both saline and silicone implants come with an option for additional warranties. 12

13 For more information about breast lifts or augmentations, or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Quinn, contact Quinn Plastic Surgery today at