Breast Augmentation

Breast implants are a common choice for the women of the Gulf Coast. Living in the land of sun and water, where clothing tends to be more revealing, creates an environment that lends itself to the desire for fuller breasts.

Women who choose breast implants are often those who never developed the size of breast they desire. Other women may have lost their fullness after pregnancy or weight loss. They are often self-conscious about their size and choose to wear push-up or padded bras to fill out their clothes.

Many women comment that they feel a new sense of self confidence after breast augmentation!

The Procedure:

Incisions may be made under the breast or around the nipple. A pocket is created under the breast gland (sub-glandular) or under the chest muscle (sub-muscular) to place the implant.

The placement of the implant either on top or underneath the muscle depends on the type of implant and the shape of the breasts. Most frequently, the choice is to place the implant under the muscle but for women with more droop to the breasts, the location above the muscle may be a better choice. Dr. Frost will work with you to decide what will best achieve your goals.

The procedure is performed as an outpatient under general anesthesia (or sedation if you prefer). It takes about an hour to perform. When the procedure is complete you will be placed in a supportive bra to support the surgical site.

Breast Implant Choice:

The implant size and type will be determined not only by the patient’s desired increase in size, but just as important by the breast anatomy, skin elasticity and body type.

There are two types for breast implants:

Saline breast implants – FDA approved for women 18 years and older
Silicone breast implants – FDA approved for women 22 years and older

Saline breast implants are filled with sterile salt water. Should the implant ever leak, a saline implant will collapse and the saline will be absorbed and naturally removed by the body. Saline implants tend to show some rippling, especially in thin women with little breast tissue. They are generally best for women who have more breast tissue for padding over the implants and best under the muscle.

Silicone breast implants are filled with silicone gel. The gel feels more like natural breast tissue and it is less likely you will be able to see rippling through the skin. Should the implant ever leak, the gel usually remains within the implant shell or the scar tissue that forms around the implant pocket. Silicone gel implants are more expensive than saline but are still the most frequent choice of women.

Expected Side Effects:

Pain – more if the implant is under the muscle
Bruising
Swelling
Scar at implant insertion site

Risks:

We do everything we can to decrease the risks of surgery. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees of any surgery. Some of the risks specific to breast augmentation are:

Asymmetry
Infection – requiring removal of the implants
Bleeding – requiring additional surgery
Development of scar causing the implants to feel hard
Rupture of the implants – this will likely happen during your lifetime and will require additional surgery
Blood clots in the legs leading to clots in the lungs
Death related to anesthesia

Learn More About the Procedure

Click below to learn what to do before and after the procedure.

Before Your Procedure

Prior to surgery, you will have a pre-operative office visit.

At this visit, we will: Take your payment and answer any questions you may have regarding the procedure. At this time, Dr. Frost may not be available, but if you would like to speak with him again, please let us know and we will schedule this visit when he is available. Provide you with any prescriptions that you may need for after surgery. We encourage you to have these prescriptions filled prior to your surgery to avoid having to stop at the pharmacy after your procedure. Please let us know if you have any specific pain medication requests, and we will try to prescribe the medication that works best for you. Make arrangements for any necessary pre-operative evaluations that need to be performed, such as blood tests, pregnancy testing, EKG, etc.

Diet and Medications:
Please, DO NOT eat or drink ANYTHING after midnight prior to your surgery. This is VERY important. Your surgery will be CANCELLED if you eat or drink anything after midnight. The only exception is a sip of water with any medications that you must take. Generally, you should take high blood pressure and heart medications. Do NOT take arthritis medications and do NOT take diabetic medications (including insulin), unless specifically instructed to do so.

Bathing and Clothing Prior to Surgery:
Please take a shower and use antibacterial soap the night before and the morning of your surgery. Wear loose fitting, comfortable clothing such as a front button shirt and loose pants since these items are easier to put on and take off after surgery.

After Your Procedure

Diet:
Take it slow and easy with your diet. Start with clear liquids and simply advance as tolerated. It is normal to have some nausea from the anesthetic and pain medication, but by taking it easy, this should quickly resolve.

Activity:
Take it easy, Walking is good, bouncing is bad. A good rule of thumb is: “If it hurts, don’t do it.” It is important that the incisions are not subjected to excessive force, abrasion, or motion during the healing period following surgery. Dr. Frost will give you specific instructions on post-operative care.

Pain:
There is discomfort after any surgery. The goal of pain medication is to prevent pain, so do not wait until you are really hurting to take your medication. Follow the directions on your prescription to stay ahead of the pain and experience the highest level of pain relief possible. Narcotics can cause constipation, so drink plenty of water, eat fruit and use an over-the-counter laxative, if needed.

Post-Operative Dressings and Bathing:
Leave your compression bandages on day and night. There will be plenty of time to examine your results later, but no peeking right now. Sponge-bathe. There will be tape across the incision that will stay on while showering, so simply shower over the tapes that cover the incision and pat them dry. There will be changes over the months following your surgery, so do not judge the results too early.

Before And After Examples

Photo	Information
	BEFORE Age: 40 Concern: Mature breast profile with decreased size and mild sagging Treatment: High profile implants above the muscle Implants: Allergan High Profile Round Silicone - 375 cc Placement: Subglandular
	AFTER
	BEFORE Age: 42 Concern: B cup requesting C cup Treatment: Saline implants beneath the muscle Implants: Allergan High Profile Round Saline - 220 cc Placement: Submuscular
	AFTER
	BEFORE Age: 44 Concern: Aging breasts with loss of fullness and mild sagging Treatment: Silicone implants above the muscle Implants: Allergan High Profile Round Silicone - 325 cc Placement: Subglandular
	AFTER