Answers to Our 3 Most Common Breast Augmentation Questions
Thinking of improving or enhancing your breasts this year? If so, chances are you have some questions about breast augmentation—we are here to help! Breast augmentation is one of the most popular procedures at our Asheville plastic surgery practice, and Dr. Conway and our staff have helped hundreds of women like you navigate the surgery process and get the beautiful breasts they always wanted.
To help you move forward in your own decision-making process, we’ve shared a few of the top questions our breast augmentation patients ask before making the leap. Take a look and see if we’ve answered any of your own questions.
Everyone is different, and you may need a little more or less time to heal. What’s most important is to follow your plastic surgeon’s instructions and get his or her okay before resuming any activity.
How long does breast augmentation recovery take?
Many of our patients are pleasantly surprised by just how quickly they bounce back after surgery. Several things factor into how comfortable and quick recovery is after breast augmentation, not the least of which is your surgeon’s skill and technique.
Our patients are up and moving around the house the same day as surgery, and find that taking pain medication for the first 1 to 2 days keeps them reasonably comfortable. In general, patients with desk jobs return to work within 4 to 7 days; more active work can be resumed within 2 to 3 weeks. Exercise is typically safe to gradually resume after 3 to 4 weeks, although contact sports and chest exercises like push-ups should be avoided for a few months.
Of course, everyone is different, and you may need a little more or less time to heal. What’s most important is to follow your plastic surgeon’s instructions and get his or her okay before resuming any activity.
Should I get silicone or saline breast implants?
Choosing breast implants can be a fun part of the breast augmentation process, but with so many choices, it can become overwhelming. The important thing to remember is that an experienced breast augmentation surgeon will help you choose the best implants for your body and lifestyle that will give you the look and feel you want.
Both saline and silicone (including the form-stable silicone “gummy bear” implants) can achieve a beautiful, natural-looking breast shape, but there are some key differences:
- Incision size. Because saline implants can be filled after insertion, they can often be placed using a smaller incision. Silicone implants come pre-filled, and may require a slightly longer incision.
- Look and feel. Many patients say silicone gel feels the most like natural breast tissue, and today’s 5th-generation silicone implants are designed to minimize rippling. Saline implants tend to feel a bit firmer and heavier than silicone, and visible rippling is more likely, particularly if there is little natural tissue to cover the implant. That said, women who have saline implants are by and large happy with them. Surgeon skill is key to great results either way—visually, an expertly performed saline breast augmentation is virtually indistinguishable from an expertly performed silicone breast augmentation.
- Cost. Generally speaking, saline implants tend to cost a little less than silicone. However, if silicone implants are the best match for your needs, the results will be well worth any extra up-front cost.
Will I be able to breastfeed if I have breast implants?
If breastfeeding is a concern, you may wish to discuss the benefits of the inframammary (below the breast fold) incision when you consult with plastic surgeons.
If you are concerned that getting breast implants may interfere with breastfeeding ability, we have good news—studies show that about 10 to 17% of women with implants have problems breastfeeding, which is the same percentage range seen in women without implants. Moreover, breast implants have not been shown to impact the safety of breast milk.
What can make a difference is incision placement. There is a somewhat higher risk of milk ducts being compromised with a peri-areolar incision, which is located around the outer edge of the areola—so if breastfeeding is a concern, you may wish to discuss the benefits of the inframammary (below the breast fold) incision when you consult with plastic surgeons. That said, surgeon skill plays just as big a role in minimizing impact to milk ducts and surrounding tissues during breast augmentation, so choose a board certified plastic surgeon who is very experienced in breast augmentation.
Get answers to your own questions at a personal consultation
Ready to learn more about what’s involved in breast augmentation? Contact us for a personal consultation with Dr. Conway. With over 20 years of experience performing breast augmentation, he will be happy to answer your questions and discuss the procedure specifics to help you make an informed, confident decision about surgery.