Most Common Myths: Breast Implants

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Breast Augmentation with breast implants is the most popular procedure performed by Board Certified Plastic Surgeons. There were over 325,000 breast augmentations performed in the United States last year, making it the number one procedure. The number of breast augmentation procedures has been increasing about 4% each year. The advancing implant technology, combined with improved surgical techniques that offer a more rapid recovery, are some of the reasons why this procedure continues to become more popular year after year.

Breast Augmentation surgery is a procedure to increase the size of the breasts by inserting breast implants. These implants can be made out of either silicone gel or salt water (saline). The implants make the breast larger, rounder, and fuller. Breast Augmentation surgery is often combine with other plastic surgery procedures such as tummy tucks, liposuction, and Brazilian butt lifts.

While this procedure is extremely popular, there are many myths about the surgery. Let’s take a look at the most common myths one at a time.

Breast Augmentation is Only For Young People:

It is true that the majority of women who undergo breast augmentation surgery are between the ages of 25 and 35 years old. These are usually women who have always had small breasts and have always wanted them to be bigger. Many of these women have been wanting the procedure since they were in their teens. This is why this procedure is so popular among young women.

However, this procedure is still very popular among women over 35 years old. Many women experience changes in their breasts over time. This may be from aging, weight changes, pregnancies, and breast feeding. This is why even women in their 50s, 60s, and beyond desire breast augmentation surgery. Many moms undergo a Mommy Makeover procedure, to help reverse the changes associated with pregnancies. Breast augmentation is usually a major component of these Mommy Makeovers. So, breast augmentation is a procedure for women of all ages.

You Can’t Breast Feed if You Have Breast Implants:

Many women fear that if they get breast implants, it will interfere with their ability to breast feed a child. This is not true. When breast augmentation surgery is properly performed, there is virtually no disruption of the normal anatomy of the breasts. This means that the breast feeding mechanisms are completely unaffected. The implants are either placed under the breast tissue or under the chest muscle. This means that the breast producing gland is untouched, and the milk ducts that bring milk to the nipple, are not cut.

This means that if you were able to breast feed, then you still will be able to breast feed. What is important to acknowledge is that not every woman is normally able to breast feed. Some are unable to produce enough milk to sustain a baby. Studies have shown that as many as 5% of all women (without implants) are physically unable to breast feed. So, it is follows that at least 5% of women who undergo breast implant surgery, will be unable to breast feed. However, this has nothing to do with the breast augmentation surgery. The presence of a breast implant will also not harm a breast feeding baby.

Procedures like breast lifts and breast reductions do carry a risk of interfering with your ability to breast feed, since these procedures involve directly cutting the breast tissue and even removing some tissue.

Breast Always Look Fake After Breast Augmentation Surgery:

Many women fear having breast augmentation surgery because they fear looking fake. They think that breast implants always look tight, round, and hard. It is true that some breast implants look incredibly fake, but this is usually the look the woman requested. However, it is possible to have this surgery done and still maintain a natural appearance. The key to this natural look, is selecting a breast implant that best fits your body. If an implant is too large for you body, then it will look round and tight. A properly selected breast implant will fit nicely into the normal dimension of your native breast tissue. Generally, the smaller the implant, the more natural it will look. Modern silicone gel tends to look and feel most natural as well. Implants placed under the chest muscles have more tissue covering them, and tend to look more natural.

So, if you are looking for a natural appearance after your breast augmentation surgery, you may want to consider smaller implants, silicone gel material, placed under the muscle, and performed by a skilled Board Certified Plastic Surgeon.

There Will Be a Lot of Pain:

Breast Augmentation surgery is not incredibly painful. Of course, any surgical procedure will be associated with some post-operative pain. If the implant is placed under your chest muscle, then there will be pain associated with the elevation of the muscle. There will also be some pressure in the chest from the presence of the implant. If a large implant in placed within small, tight breasts, you will experience some more pressure than if a small implant was placed. The incision itself is very small and is usually not painful at all. Overall, most breast augmentation patients are fairly comfortable within just a few days. A Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, skilled at breast augmentation, should be able to utilize modern techniques to reduce your post-operative pain.

Activities will be Restricted For a Long Time:

There will be some activity restrictions during the recovery period, but these are not major. You will be able to perform normal activities within about 48-72 hours. This means that you will be able to shower, go out to dinner, walk around, visit friends, etc. You will be advised to avoid heavy lifting and heavy exercise for about 2 weeks. This will allow the surgical area to heal. If the implants are placed under the muscle, you will need to be extra careful to allow the chest muscle to heal and reduce the risk of bleeding. So, breast augmentation surgery is very well tolerated with most patients returning to work and school after a long weekend.

Implants will Interfere with Mammograms:

Breast cancer is unfortunately very common. In fact, women have 1 in 8 lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. This makes breast cancer screening with mammograms very important. In the United States, the current recommendation is for women to undergo screening mammograms every year, beginning at age 40. If there is a personal or family history of breast cancer, or other risk factors, they may be advised to start mammograms even before age 40.

Some think that if you have breast implants, it will make the detection of breast cancer on a mammogram more difficult. This is a valid concern, but luckily, it is not the case. There are modifications that are made during your mammogram if you have breast implants. So, make sure to tell your mammogram technician if you have had a previous breast augmentation surgery, so they can make the necessary adjustments to your test. There are also other methods such as MRI and ultrasound that can help detect any suspicious breast lesions.

Breast Implants Need to be Changed Every 10 Years:

Many people think that if they get breast augmentation surgery, they need to change the breast implants every ten years. This is not an absolute. Breast implants only need to be changed if there is a problem with them (such as a leak) or if you desire to change them (for a new size, shape, or style). If you have no problem with your implants and are happy with the size, then you do not need to change them routinely. They are not like car tires – they do not wear out and need to be changed.

However, you should be aware that breast implants are not designed to be lifetime devices. This means that if you decide to have breast augmentation surgery, you should be aware that there is a likelihood that you will need or want to have another breast surgery procedure at some point in your life. This is particularly true if you have your surgery at a young age.

To learn more about breast augmentation surgery, be sure to set up an appointment with a Dr. Schulman a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, experienced in breast implant surgery.

How to Choose the Right Implant Size for Your Breast Augmentation?

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It’s often the case that making the decision to have breast augmentation surgery in New York City in the first place is “the easy part.” Deciding on the size of the augmentation, on the other hand, can be a bit more of a challenge.

Of course, this decision doesn’t have to be stressful. Undoubtedly, you want to spend time thinking about it and investigate your options. But there’s no reason to let yourself be consumed with anxiety. Breasts implants are available in a variety or sizes, from very small to very large, so with the help of a skilled board certified plastic surgeon, you can get exactly what you want.

The guide ahead will help you make a well-informed decision that you’ll surely be happy with when you see your results.

Tips for Choosing the Right Size for Your Breast Augmentation

1.      Start with your own measurements.

It’s important to get exactly what you want out of your new breast implants, but you also must work with the body you have. In other words, you need to choose an implant size that matches your body size and shape.

This means starting with your own measurements. What is your current cup size? Band size? Bra size? Are you small framed? What is the width of your chest frame? Do you have large hips? Ideally, you’ll choose a breast implant size that is complementary to your overall frame.   During your consultation, your board certified New York City plastic surgeon will take measurements of your breast width. This will help you in your decision.

2.      Understand the “Look” you are going for.

You should be aware of the ultimate “look” you want to achieve. Are you going for “curvy” or “voluptuous”? Or are you hoping for an “athletic” appearance?  This will also help guide you to the appropriate breast implant size. Smaller implants tend to look more “natural” and “athletic”, while larger volume breasts implants will give more curves.  Again, this is a very broad generalization and you must consider your body measurements as discussed in #1.  This means that if you have a board build to begin with, you will likely be able to still achieve a natural appearance with a large implant. Very narrow body types or very thin women, may still look overly curvy with even a small implant.

3. Understand the limitations of your own breast tissue

If you’d like your new breasts to be much bigger than your current size, remember that you still must consider the limitations of your breast tissue. After all, your breast and skin still have to accommodate the implant. There’s no way to stretch the breast tissue beyond its limits, nor would you want to try. Implants that are too large for your own breast tissue can cause long-term damage to the tissues and place you at increased risk for implant-related complications or the need for future surgeries.

At your consultation appointment, your surgeon will address this issue by assessing the amount of breast tissue you have available to possibly accommodate larger implants. Your surgeon will perform a “pinch test” by pinching your breast tissue and skin, in order to determine how large an implant you can hold. In some cases, you can “work your way up” to a larger cup size by starting with one surgery that takes your cup size from an A to a C, for example, and then waiting a few more years before moving on from a C to a D or DD, for instance.

4.      Look in Magazines and Online to see what type of results you want…or don’t want.

Just as you might take a picture of a celebrity’s hair style and take it to your salon, you can find pictures of celebrities’ overall shapes and take them to your plastic surgeon for reference when it comes to the breast implant size you want to try.

Go online or flip through magazines to find someone who has a similar overall body shape to you. If you like the way their breasts look, this may be a good model to shape your new implants on. The pictures should also greatly help your surgeon determine the best course of surgery to undergo. For example, in some cases, a breast lift New York City  may also be warranted while it won’t be necessary for other women. Keep in mind though, that everyone is different and it is often impossible to totally replicate a look you see in a photo. But again, surgeons will find this helpful since it is easier for patients to show what they want with photos then explain what they want in words. You should also include photos of results that you do NOT want. These photos are equally helpful to your surgeon.

5.      Remember that bigger implants can be heavy.

If you’re thinking about getting implants on the bigger side, don’t forget that they’re going to be heavier, and sometimes the weight can be significant. Some women who get very large implants end up complaining of back, neck, and shoulder pain. After all, the heavier your breasts are, the more weight your spine needs to support. Indeed, back, neck, and shoulder pain, are a primary reason for breast reduction surgery. Furthermore, breasts that are heavy tend to cause problems with ptosis (drooping caused by aging) or sagging later on because the weight of a large implant will stretch the breast tissue.

To rule out any potential problems with excessively heavy implants, Dr. Schulman routinely tells his patients to try out some differently sized implants before taking the plunge on a chosen pair.

You may be able to take a sample pair of implants home with you. You can then try them out by wearing them for a few days.  You can wear them in your bra to work or out to dinner at night with your favorite outfit and set of heels. If it’s uncomfortable to wear the larger pairs or if you don’t end up liking the size you’re wearing when you look in the mirror, this is a good way to find this out before getting the actual surgery.

6.      Forget about the volume number.

A lot of women are obsessed with the volume or number of “CCs” of their future implants, but this number is rather irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

To clarify, all breast implants are measured by their volume in CCs or cubic centimeters. When an implant has a higher number of CCs, it’s going to be bigger and make your breasts appear larger as a result. The truth is, however, the exact number of CCs doesn’t really matter as much as you may think. Once you start talking volume changes of at least 50 CCs, then yes, someone will be able to tell the difference. But if you’re trying to decide between a set of implants that are 350 CCs vs. a set of implants that are 330 CCs, this is really not an important difference that will be noticeable by anyone except your actual plastic surgeon and yourself.  The difference is only 1-2 millimeters and virtually undetectable to all but a trained surgeon.

Also, modern breast implants come in a variety of shapes and profiles. This means that there are important characteristics besides just volume. Some implants are wider and flatter, while others are more narrow and project more……even if they are the exact same volume.  These nuances are part of what your surgeon will discuss with you.

7.      Meet with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon for breast augmentation in New York City.

All of the above tips are great places to start when it comes to choosing the ideal implant size for your breast augmentation surgery. But the very best way to find an optimal implant size is to meet with your plastic surgeon for an in-office consultation. The best New York City breast augmentation surgeon will spend a significant amount of time with you, helping you to determine an optimal implant size for your desired results.

At your consultation appointment, be sure to speak up and be vocal about what you want. Your surgeon will not only assess your body to determine the optimal size range of implants that will be available to you, but they’ll also speak with you about your specific needs and desires. Tell them what you want in your new breasts, and show them any pictures that help exemplify what you hope to look like when your surgery has healed.

Your surgeon will be able to tell you what your options will be and can guide you through what to expect before, during, and after your surgery as well. Dr. Matthew Schulman of Schulman Plastic Surgery is available to consult with you about your upcoming breast augmentation surgery any time you’re ready. Dr. Schulman is one of the leading plastic surgeons in New York City and is board certified, specializing in breast augmentation.

Are You Considering Breast Augmentation Surgery in New York City?

Dr. Schulman has extensive experience providing amazing breast augmentation surgery outcomes for his patients. He’ll give you exactly the breasts you’ve always dreamed of having.

The ideal breast augmentation New York City women want needs to be efficient and to meet all the goals of the patient. Recovery time should be as short as possible, and the process itself should be safe, efficient, and effective. These are all things that Dr. Schulman offers at his New York City practice.

Are you ready to take your body to the next level and get the brand-new breasts of your dreams? Call Schulman Plastic Surgery at (212) 289-1851 today, or contact us online to schedule your breast augmentation surgery!

How to avoid the “I wish I went bigger” after breast augmentation

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According to national data, the most common reason for reoperation after breast augmentation is not implant rupture, infection, or scarring….it is size change! It is all too common for women to undergo breast augmentation yet still feel like they want to be bigger. As a board certified plastic surgeon specializes in cosmetic breast surgery, this makes me crazy because it is preventable.

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Rapid-Recovery Breast Augmentation

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Breast Augmentation is one of the most popular cosmetic surgical procedures and not just in New York City. I am constantly striving to improve my technique for this procedure. Over the years I have altered my technique to create a “Rapid-Recovery Breast Augmentation” that requires half the recovery, half the bruising and swelling, and half the pain as other breast augmentation methods.

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Adjustable Breast Implants?

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There is a new weapon in the war against small breasts – a breast implant that has adjustable volume. Adjustable breast implants have a port through which saline can be added or removed. This allows the volume to be adjusted for various reasons. Before you get too excited, these are not intended to allow women to increase their breast size for a night on the town, or decrease the size for that important business meeting. The adjustment process involves a plastic surgeon placing a sterile needle through the skin into the fill port that is under the skin and meticulously adding or removing sterile saline solution. So it is a far cry from the Reebok Pump sneaker technology of the Eighties.

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Why your breasts change – observations from the beach

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As I lounged on the beach this weekend (with my SPF 50), my eyes wandered to all the breasts around me. It’s ok, because as I tell my wife, it’s all “research” and I assured her it was for my latest blog entry. Breasts can be found in a variety of shapes and sizes. But the point is that the breasts that I observed are likely not the same size and shape that they were five years earlier. Breasts are extremely susceptible to changes – they change with age, weight, pregnancy, and breast feeding. To understand why, we have to examine the physiology of the female breast.

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How To Choose Your Breast Implant Size

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Selecting the size for your new breast implants can be a difficult task.  Many women allow this decision to “stress them out” because they fear making the wrong decision.  I will start out by saying that while the decision is important, it should not be a major source of anxiety.  Many women are too focused on the volume number (or “cc’s”) when the truth is that there is very little noticeable difference between close volumes – only your plastic surgeon (maybe) will be able to tell the difference between a 330 cc implant and a 350 cc implant after it is implanted.  In general, people only notice volume differences of at least 50 cc’s.

Here are a few guidelines to help you choose your implant size.

  1. Determine your personal preference of size – This is done by looking at magazines and photographs in order to determine “how big” you want to be.  You should find 3 photographs: “just right”, “too big”, and “too small.”  You should bring these photographs with you so that your surgeon will have a sense of what you are looking for.
  2. As implants get larger, they also get wider – This concept is important in choosing a size implant that fits your body. If you are very small framed, then large implants may be too close to each other in the center or may protrude off the side of your chest.  Your doctor will measure the width of your chest to determine you “base diameter.” This will help him guide you towards a size that fits your body shape and size.  Breast implants are now available in several different shapes such as low projection and high projection. This gives you added ability to have an implant that fits your body.
  3. You may not be able to be as large as want – It is not possible to make a big jump in breast size in all women. This is because there may not be enough tissue (breast and skin) to allow for a very large increase in size. Your doctor will examine you to be sure, but size increases of more than 2 full cup sizes may not be safe.  If you are an A cup, and desire to be a DD, this may not be possible in a single operation. You may have to increase to a full C, than a few years later (after your tissue has stretched out) have the implants increased in size to a DD.
  4. Small volume differences may not be noticeable – Most people only notice volume changes of at least 50 cc’s, so if you cannot decide between a 330 cc implant and a 350 cc implant, so not stress because the difference will be difficult to tell once they are placed. When trying different sizes, you should increase and decrease by 50 cc volumes
  5. Larger implants are heavier – As an implant gets larger, it also gets heavier. This means that very large implants may result in shoulder and back pain, similar to the complaints of women requesting breast reduction surgery.  Also, heavier implants may increase the likelihood of future breast sagging, or ptosis.
  6. Take your time – You should not feel rushed or pressured into choosing your implant size. Your surgeon should allow you time to “try on” the implants and examine yourself in clothing.  It is best to try them with a simple, non-padded, non-push-up bra, and a tight t-shirt.  This will give you the best idea about your post-operative result.  Many surgeons will also allow you to borrow the sample implants so that you can see how you feel about the size of the implants over a few days. I routinely tell my patients to wear the implants for a few days, go out to dinner, visit friends, or wear them to work – this is the best way to determine how you feel about the size.

Implant size is a combination of personal preference and your body’s shape and size.

You should have an idea of what size breasts you ultimately want to have, and your doctor should be able to tell you if that size is safe for you.  Many Plastic Surgeons now have the ability to use computer simulations to show you what you will look like with different size implants.  This may be helpful, but there is nothing better than wearing the implants for a few days.

Interested in Breast Augmentation in New York City

If you are interested in breast augmentation by a New York City Board Certified Plastic Surgeon please contact Schulman Plastic Surgery to book your consultation and get the results you have been wanting. Dr. Schulman is the top Plastic Surgeon specializing in plastic surgery of the breast body and face. With over 10 years of experience helping patients look and feel their best you can feel confident you will that Dr. Schulman is the doctor for the job.