Many women considering breast augmentation at our Fort Worth, TX, practice spend time on the RealSelf website. There, plastic surgery patients share their experiences and board-certified specialists answer questions from people considering various procedures and treatments.
Even though there are some limitations to answering those questions without physically examining the patient, I support RealSelf’s mission by answering as many questions as possible and providing accurate information. With that in mind, I thought it would be useful for readers of this blog to see the answers I’ve provided to some of the most common questions.
Real Questions—Real Answers
The questions I’ve answered range from the fairly specific (“I’m on Spring Break at college and need to know if a week is long enough to recover from breast augmentation.”) to the general (“Am I too old to get breast implants?”). Here are my answers:
How long does it take to recover after breast augmentation?
If you’re worried about not being able to resume classes after Spring Break, you can relax. With the rapid recovery breast augmentation techniques I use, patients are usually up and about the day after the procedure. There are some limitations to what you can do after a week. Heavy lifting and strenuous exercising—especially anything that engages the upper body—needs to be avoided for several more weeks after breast augmentation surgery. But going back to classes or work after a couple of days is fine.
Can I get breast augmentation without a lift?
It’s understandable that this is a question asked by many women, especially those who have had children and want to restore the shape and size of their pre-pregnancy breasts. A breast lift usually involves additional incisions that they want to avoid, if possible. The answer is that it depends on the quality of the breast skin and if the degree of sagging is minimal. Implants alone add volume, but that extra volume can actually exacerbate sagging.
What breast implants provide the most natural-looking results?
Most of the patients I see say they want to enhance their breast size in a way that looks natural. This usually means they want some combination of cleavage (having the breasts touch in the middle) with a sloping shape so the breasts appear fuller at the bottom. To determine the profile and size of the implants that best accomplish that goal requires a detailed exam and evaluation of the patient’s anatomy and tissue type, along with 3D imaging. Based on those factors, I can create a unique surgical plan.
How long do I have to sleep on my back after getting breast implants?
I recommend that my patients sleep on their backs for 4 to 6 weeks after the breast augmentation procedure, which provides enough time for the pocket to fully heal around the implants, ensuring the implants don’t droop or shift to the side during the healing process.
Am I too old to get breast implants?
Age isn’t really a factor when considering whether a patient is a good candidate for breast augmentation (other than you need to be at least 18 for saline implants and at least 22 for silicone implants.) For older patients, health is the primary concern. Patients should discuss their plans with a primary care physician if they’re concerned they may be too old for cosmetic surgery. If someone’s in good health, it’s never too late to pursue a change in her breasts’ appearance.
Can I breastfeed after getting breast implants?
The short answer is yes. The longer answer is that a patient should communicate her plans for getting pregnant to her plastic surgeon because that can affect the surgical plan—specifically, you’ll probably want to avoid a periareolar incision (on the underside of the areolae) to avoid the risk of damaging the milk ducts.
Can breast augmentation fix asymmetrical breasts?
In most cases, uneven breasts can be helped by breast augmentation surgery. This may include using implants in one or both breasts, lifting one or both breasts, or even a breast reduction. I use 3D imaging to illustrate the potential results of various techniques.
If you’re considering breast augmentation, viewing the before-and-after photos on plastic surgeons’ websites or at their practices can help you decide on the type of results you want. Women considering breast augmentation from Abilene to Mansfield travel to our Fort Worth practice for their procedures. You can contact us using the online form to request a consultation or call (817) 228-4315 to schedule an appointment.
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