Breast Augmentation with Implants
If you would like to improve the size or shape of your breasts, you’ve found the right plastic surgeon with Dr. Zachary Farris. Many women want to maintain or improve the look of their breasts, which is one of the reasons why breast augmentation with implants ranks among the top two or three most popular plastic surgery procedures performed each year.
Double Board-Certified Breast Augmentation Surgeon
At Farris Plastic Surgery, we offer a variety of breast implant techniques in order to address your unique needs and goals. Dr. Zachary Farris is a double board-certified plastic surgeon with over 15 years of experience. He will customize your procedure based on your body type and desired outcome. Many women find breast enhancement surgery to be a life-changing procedure, giving them renewed self-confidence that often comes with looking and feeling your best.
If you are considering a breast augmentation in Dallas, you can learn about your options and receive individualized breast augmentation recommendations by speaking with Dr. Farris in a private consultation at our Dallas location. Please call 214-363-1073 today to schedule a consultation at our Dallas plastic surgery office.
- Benefits of Breast Augmentation
- Am I a Candidate for Breast Augmentation?
- Your Customized Breast Augmentation Procedure
- Breast Implant Options
- Breast Augmentation Incision Options
- Breast Implant Placement Options
- Recovery & Healing after Breast Augmentation
- Breast Augmentation with Fat Transfer
- Breast Augmentation with a Lift
- Breast Implant Revision
- Tuberous Breast Correction
- Contact our Dallas Breast Surgeon
What are the benefits of a breast augmentation?
The greatest benefit of breast enlargement surgery is the ability to achieve an improved breast appearance. Dr. Farris can help you obtain a more balanced and proportionate figure, providing an improvement to your overall body shape.
You can also achieve many other aesthetic benefits from breast enlargement, including:
- Correction of breast asymmetry
- Restoration of lost breast volume caused by weight loss, pregnancy or aging
- Improved breast projection
- More attractive cleavage
- Improved appearance in clothing, lingerie and swimsuits
Am I a candidate for breast augmentation with implants?
If you are in good overall health and would like to improve the appearance of your breasts, you are most likely a good breast augmentation candidate. In addition, you should:
- Have realistic expectations for the outcome of your procedure
- Have enough natural breast tissue to cover the implant
- Be at a stable weight for at least one year
- Not smoke or be willing to quit smoking prior to surgery and throughout the recovery (smoking can adversely impact healing and results)
- Be over the age of 18 (for saline breast implants) or over the age of 22 (for silicone breast implants)
- Not currently be pregnant or breastfeeding
Breast augmentation won’t impact your ability to breastfeed in the future, and it is quite common for women to undergo the procedure prior to having children. That being said, future pregnancies can potentially impact your results. If you are planning on having children in the near future, you may want to rethink the timing of your procedure.
It’s also important to understand that breast augmentation isn’t intended to address moderate to severe sagging issues. If this is your primary goal, then a breast lift may be the right option for you.
Your Customized Breast Augmentation Procedure
Dr. Farris will tailor your procedure to your unique body type and aesthetic goals. When designing your customized breast augmentation, he will consider the following factors:
- Size expectations – Farris will recommend the right implant size and style to achieve your desired increase in breast size. Keep in mind that often, a moderately sized breast implant will deliver a better outcome than a very large implant.
- Desired breast shape – Achieving beautiful breast augmentation results involves more than making your breasts larger. Dr. Farris will recommend the ideal options to achieve a breast shape that looks natural, symmetrical and enhances your overall figure.
- Your tissue dimensions – Your body’s natural dimensions will play a major role in how your procedure is performed. Dr. Farris will consider your natural breast size, body type and the amount of natural breast tissue present when developing your customized treatment plan.
- Your lifestyle – It’s important to consider the ways in which breast implants may impact your lifestyle. If you are very active, you may want to consider an implant size that won’t interfere with your ability to participate in your favorite athletic activities.
During your consultation, Dr. Farris will discuss all of these factors with you in detail before recommending an individualized treatment plan to address your goals.
What are my breast implant options?
View our slideshare to learn about the different breast implant options available to you, including implant type, shape, size, profile and surface.
Breast Augmentation Incision Options
Depending on your body type and aesthetic goals, Dr. Farris will recommend one of the following incision options:
- Inframammary incision
- Periareolar incision
- Transaxillary incision
The inframammary incision is made along the lower breast crease and offers the following benefits:
- Allows for the greatest amount of control when placing the breast implant
- Better preservation of nipple sensation
- Minimizes interference with breastfeeding
- Results in a scar that is discreetly hidden underneath the breast fold
The periareolar incision is made around the border of the nipple and offers the following benefits:
- Achieves a precise formation of the breast implant pocket
- Effectively corrects nipple inversion
- Results in a scar that discreetly blends in with the areola (pigmented skin around the nipple)
The transaxillary incision is made in the natural fold of the armpit. Dr. Farris rarely uses this incision, and it is only recommended for select patients who choose saline breast implants.
Breast Implant Placement Options
There are two different breast implant placement options:
- Subglandular placement – Breast implant is placed over the chest muscle
- Submuscular placement – Breast implant is placed underneath the chest muscle in a dual plane
Subglandular placement allows for a faster recovery, avoids the risk of visible muscle contracture around the implant and is an excellent option for women with ample natural breast tissue. It is also a good option if you experience mild sagging issues, but don’t want to undergo a breast lift in conjunction with breast augmentation.
In general, Dr. Farris prefers submuscular placement for the following reasons:
- Allows for more tissue coverage of the breast implant (ideal for thin patients with minimal natural breast tissue)
- Decreases risk of rippling
- Reduces risk of capsular contracture, a rare complication that occurs when scar tissue around the implant becomes thick and tight
- Conceals the borders of the implant better
- Provides a more gradual slope at the upper chest
- Allows for easier breast cancer screening
What is recovery & healing like after breast augmentation?
Dr. Farris and his staff will provide detailed instructions regarding your aftercare. It’s important to diligently follow these directions in order to ensure proper healing and the best outcome.
You will be able to go home the day of your surgery. Make sure you arrange for someone to drive you home since you will still be under the lingering effects of anesthesia. Get plenty of rest that afternoon, and make sure someone is around to assist you during the first day of your recovery.
Postoperative pain is minimal, and Dr. Farris will prescribe medication to manage any discomfort you experience. Swelling and bruising is common and will gradually subside over the first week of your recovery.
While you should take it easy for the first few days after surgery, Dr. Farris recommends light walking as soon as you feel up to it. You should be able to return to work after the first week of recovery, but Dr. Farris will provide you with an exact timeframe based on how rapidly you’re healing. Strenuous activity and heavy lifting should be avoided for 3-4 weeks.
Breast implant massage should begin after surgery and will be described to you in the office. This massage will reduce the risk of capsular contracture.
It will take a month or two before results become noticeable, and your final results may not be apparent for three to six months. In most instances, breast augmentation results can last for 15 years or longer.
Breast Augmentation with Fat Transfer
For women who wish to have a modest increase in breast size and prefer to avoid using breast implants, breast augmentation via fat transfer can be considered as an option. With this procedure, fat is obtained from other parts of the body such as the abdomen, hips or thighs and then injected to the breasts to achieve a natural breast enhancement. Breast augmentation with fat transfer can also address focal areas with diminished breast volume.
Good candidates for this procedure are in good overall health and have ample fat reserves in other parts of the body to harvest for the fat transfer. Breast augmentation via fat transfer is also ideal for women who wish to avoid the scars associated with breast implant placement.
Liposuction is performed to suction fat out from the donor areas. The fat is then purified and processed before it is inserted into the breast via small needles. This avoids having scars on the breasts.
The fat cells are essentially free grafts of tissue. They’re injected in small portions, evenly distributed throughout the breast. The fat cells go through a process where the blood supply at the recipient site nourishes them and allows for “take.” Despite this process, some of the fat atrophies, leading to shrinkage later on.
The procedure may have to be performed more than once to achieve the desired result. The amount of fat transferred depends on multiple factors but typically contributes to an increase in about one to two cup sizes. For patients with saggy breasts, a breast lift may be performed in conjunction with the fat transfer procedure.
Dr. Farris and his staff will provide specific instructions regarding your surgery. You will be able to go home the same day after surgery and will have a follow up appointment within one week. Postoperative pain is limited. A compression garment is usually applied to the donor site. It is advised that you avoid strenuous activity or heavy lifting for 3-4 weeks. An underwire bra may be used beginning at 4 weeks after surgery.
Breast Augmentation with a Lift
For women who have small breasts that are saggy, a breast lift with implants can be a great option to consider. The implants increase the size of the breasts, improving upper pole fullness and cleavage. The breast lift portion of the procedure can:
- Raise the breasts and nipple position
- Make the breasts rounder and perkier
- Adjust the size and shape of the areolas
- Improve symmetry
This is commonly performed as a single operation, but it can be staged in some situations. It’s a powerful procedure that goes a long way to enhance the breast appearance.
After implant selection is determined by chest measurements and trying on different sizers, the appropriate breast lift technique will be decided based on the extent of loose, saggy, breast skin:
- For severe sagging, an “anchor” shaped incision is made. This incision goes around the perimeter of the areola, extending down to the breast crease and continuing horizontally along the breast crease.
- For moderate sagging, a “lollipop” shaped incision is made around the perimeter of the areola and extending down to the breast crease only.
- For mild sagging, a “donut” incision is made around the perimeter of the areola only.
Dr. Farris makes every attempt to minimize scarring. For this reason, the procedure typically starts with implant placement through a small incision. This fills the loose breast skin and reduces the amount of excess skin left to remove as part of the breast lift. By doing this, the extent of your scar is minimized. Implants are usually placed in a submuscular dual plane.
Breast Implant Revision
While breast implants are very durable and can last for many years, they aren’t expected to last a lifetime. As with all medical devices, breast implants will eventually wear out and need to be replaced.
This doesn’t mean you will need to undergo breast surgery every few years. If you’re happy with the appearance of your breast implants and there is no evidence that a rupture has occurred, you may be able to go 15 years or longer before requiring a revision procedure. That being said, it is likely that at some point you will need to replace your breast implants with a new set.
Common reasons why women undergo breast augmentation revision include:
- To remove and replace a ruptured implant
- To improve the appearance of an unsatisfactory breast augmentation outcome
- To correct complications such as capsular contracture, rippling or symmastia (uniboob)
- To change the size of your breasts (either with a larger or smaller implant)
- To correct implants that are falling off laterally to the side
- To upgrade to newer and more advanced breast implant technology
Depending on your specific issue, breast implant revision can include a variety of different techniques:
- For capsular contracture, the capsule around the implant can be removed and the implant can be placed in a different tissue plane, either below or above the muscle.
- An implant pocket revision can be done for symmastia and asymmetries of the implant position.
- Occasionally, the lower breast crease needs to be adjusted with a reconstruction of the inframammary fold.
- For those wishing to have larger implants, replacement can be performed, but implants must fit within your breast/chest dimensions.
- For those who want smaller implants, a breast lift is sometimes performed concurrently with the implant exchange to prevent sagging breast tissue.
Dr. Farris has a great deal of experience performing breast implant revision procedures, and he will recommend a customized treatment plan to deliver the beautiful, natural looking results you desire.
Tuberous Breast Correction
Tuberous breast correction is a procedure performed to correct the tuberous breast deformity. This is a congenital anomaly that affects breast development and results in tubular, conical-looking breasts. This condition becomes apparent after puberty and can have devastating psychological and emotional effects on young women.
Patients with mild forms of the deformity are often able to undergo a one-stage repair involving a donut breast lift with implants. Breast implants are placed to increase the size and improve the contour of the breasts. Additionally, the breast constriction is released by scoring the breast tissue, allowing expansion of the lower pole. The areolas are reduced and the breast crease is lowered. The scar for this procedure is well-concealed around the border of the areola and tends to heal very well.
For those with the more severe form of the condition, a two-stage repair is required. Tissue expanders are placed to expand the skin, and they will eventually be replaced by breast implants. The other steps listed above are then followed to complete the procedure.
It is advised that patients be at least 18 years of age to undergo this procedure. However, surgery may also be a good strategy for younger girls at age 14 or 15 if they are experiencing serious psychological effects from their tuberous breast condition.
Contact Our Breast Surgeon
Please contact Farris Plastic Surgery using the form on this page or call 214-363-1073 today to schedule a breast augmentation consultation. We serve patients in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area.
