What is breast augmentation?

Breast augmentation means augmenting (enhancing) the breast. In simple terms, the goal of breast augmentation is to enlarge the size of the breast.

How should one prepare for breast augmentation surgery?

The most important preparation is to make sure the patient is doing the surgery for the right reason! She should have realistic expectations and should be doing the surgery for herself and herself only (not to please the husband, significant other, etc.). The patient should be in good physical health and for best result, avoid smoking for at least 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after surgery.

How is breast augmentation surgery performed?

There are multiple approaches for breast augmentation. The two most popular ones are making an incision around the lower portion of the areola (the areola is the pink or dark brown circle around the nipple) or underneath the breast fold. Other, less popular approaches are to make an incision in the arm pit and place the implant under the muscle, or make an incision abover the belly button, making a tunnel under the skin and then placing the implant through the tunnel (TUBA technique). Having done hundreds of breast augmentation procedures over the past ten years, my favorite approach is to place the incision under the breast fold. In my opinion, this has the best chance of consistent results and the scar is hidden under the breast tissue fold.

How can I find a qualified board certified plastic surgeon?

The best approach is to visit the American Society of Plastic Surgeon web-site (www.plasticsurgery.org) and look for a board certified plastic surgeon near your area. I also recommend visiting the medical board of your state web-site and do a research on the doctor to see if there are any disciplinary actions against that physician.

What are the possible immediate post-operative effects of breast augmentation surgery?

The immediate post-operative effects of breast augmentation surgery are that your breasts may look weird and smaller than you expected. With massage and time, majority of patients will achieve their desired shape. This, however, may take 3-6 months.