Breast Augmentation

Prior to your breast augmentation, it is essential to be in good physical and mental health. While each breast rejuvenation procedure will be unique, here is some general information to help you prepare.

• Before surgery is not a good time to diet. You should be at a stable weight and avoid crash dieting or weight fluctuations. Stick to a consistent exercise regimen and well-rounded diet.
• Proper nutrition supports a successful recovery. Eat healthy, balanced meals with plenty of proteins to optimize results and recovery.
• Stay well-hydrated before and after your procedure.
• See your primary physician for a full examination and appropriate testing, such as bloodwork or a mammogram, to ensure you are medically fit for surgery.
• For two weeks prior to and after surgery, refrain from medications, vitamins, and supplements that increase bleeding or bruising risks.

• If you currently smoke, vape, or use nicotine products, you should quit. As smoking is detrimental to your health, especially during recovery from surgery, patients should stop smoking at least six weeks before and after surgery. Dr. Szpalski orders a nicotine test for all patients who smoke to help avoid complications caused by smoking or the use of nicotine products. 
• Prepare your home and schedule for recovery. Take time off work, purchase necessary supplies, fill pain medication prescriptions, freeze meals for easy preparation, and arrange a clean, comfortable place to rest.
• Arrange for a trusted friend or family member to drive you home from your procedure and assist you with household management or childcare.

When considering breast implant surgery, you have options. These include choosing a plastic surgeon, an implant type, and an implant size. Dr. Szpalski helps women achieve optimal results for their breast surgery by creating a more shapely and fuller bustline that both looks natural and feels right. While you may have a cup size in mind, it’s not uncommon for a woman’s initial choice to be unfavorable for her body type.

Choosing implants proportional to your body is critical to achieving natural-looking results. A patient’s frame—including her weight and height—and breast anatomy are crucial when selecting breast implant size. In addition, the volume of existing breast tissue, your skin quality, and your breasts’ current shape and position are paramount when identifying the appropriate range of implant sizes.

When reviewing your implant options, Dr. Szpalski will examine the width of your chest wall or base width and compare it to that of potential implants. For a narrow chest base, you may consider smaller implants with a matching base width for a more natural-looking result. In addition, base width is crucial to determine the cleavage you will have after surgery.
While sizing may be the primary concern during breast augmentation discussions, you need to consider other factors when selecting your implants, and projection is one of them. Projection refers to how far the implant extends forward from your chest wall. Breast fullness covers overall volume. Projection is important because it determines the breast fullness and perkiness you will display. Higher-profile implants create a perkier, upward-turn appearance many patients desire.

Dr. Szpalski encourages his patients to bring photos of women with breasts they would like for themselves. But you must realize this is a starting point and should not be considered your surgical goals. Often, the desired breasts are unattainable because of body type and frame. But these photos can be a valuable tool to determine your ultimate sizing goal.

Breast augmentation in Glen Ridge, NJ costs vary by patient, depending on implant choice, surgical technique, each patient’s anatomical needs, and aesthetic goals. During your consultation, Dr. Szpalski will determine the scope of your procedure and estimate your breast augmentation in New Jersey cost.

When considering implant size, it is not a matter of what breast size you want but what size your body can support without discomfort. Three primary considerations are your current breast size, the width of your chest and shoulders, and the condition of your breast tissue and skin.

In addition, your chest and shoulder sizes are critical to determining breast implant shape and size. An implant too large will look disproportionate on your frame, whereas one too small may not give you your desired results. Dr. Szpalski can assess your existing frame, take measurements, make calculations, and plan with you to determine the implant size that will deliver natural-looking, proportionate, and safe results. Again, While you may have a cup size in mind, it’s not uncommon for a woman’s initial choice to be unfavorable for her body type. Placement above the existing breast tissue can result in bigger breasts than inserting implants below the chest muscles. However, this technique is not available to all patients. Dr. Szpalski will advise which placements are optimal for your particular body type and existing tissue.

All breast implants have a shell made from inert polymer silicone. The outer surface can be smooth or textured. Smooth-walled implants roll around subtly in their breast pocket, mimicking the movement of a natural breast. In contrast, textured implants encourage soft tissue ingrowth into their small surface interstices, keeping the implant more stiffly in place. Dr Szpalski does not use textured implants due to the risk of BI ALCL.
She uses silicone round smooth gummy bear implants, which yield the most natural and beautiful results. Gummy bear implants are softer than saline implants, resembling the texture and feel of natural breasts. They have a higher cohesive gel density. Gummy bear implants are slightly safer than traditional silicone implants because there’s no risk of leakage if the shell is ruptured.

Breast implants can be placed either behind the breast tissue (known as the Subglandular Position) or behind the breast tissue and the pectoralis major muscle (the Submuscular Position). In the medical literature, sometimes a partial submuscular position is described (the “subpectoral” or “dual plane”). There are proponents for each technique, based on opinion, surgical training and professional experience. The Subglandular Position is recommended in most instances for breast augmentation in our practice if there is enough glandular tissue to cover the implant otherwise we will use the dual plane technique which raises the pectoralis muscle to cover most of the implant while the lower pole of the breast tissue covers the bottom of the implant.

Breast lifts are a procedure that moves the nipple, and areola lifts the breast, eliminating excess skin. The end result is a perkier look and is particularly appreciated among those with sagging breasts.

Combining a breast lift with implants is a good way to get the most from your surgery. You don’t need to add as much volume to the implant when you also have a breast lift, which will position the breasts correctly and give them shape. When these two procedures are combined, your breasts will increase in cup size but also look better than with just one procedure.

More and more people are realizing that it’s not necessary to put up with breasts that they don’t enjoy. Whether they sag, are uneven in shape, or are too small, having a breast lift with implant augmentation can give you the look and feel you want. You’ll feel and look younger, and it’s a great boost in confidence.

If your ideal breast enhancement involves both lifting the breasts and restoring (or adding) volume, a breast lift with implants may be the ideal solution. This combination procedure can provide a fuller and lifted breast appearance, particularly in the upper pole of the breast

Breast implants can be inserted through different incisions: the Inframammary Fold (IMF) Incision (in the natural fold beneath the breast) is used in most instances of breast augmentation, for a number of reasons: Inframammary fold (IMF) incisions best preserve the two major functions of the breast:

(1) Breastfeeding and (2) Pleasure! When an incision is made in the fold under the breast, the scar lies in a natural crease and does not tend to stretch or become raised, as can happen in other areas. All vital anatomic structures of the breast that lead to the nipple and areola (milk ducts, nerves and blood vessels) remain intact, preserving breast function. No breast tissue is transected during surgery. Therefore this incision also has the least theoretical interference with future breast feeding and/or mammogram readings.

Furthermore, once an implant is inserted into the breast, there is the potential that another surgery may be required at some point during your lifetime. The inframammary incision is most commonly used for future breast surgeries such as implant exchange, breast revision or breast lift. The IMF incision is the easiest to reuse and minimizes potential breast deformity without creating any additional incisions if the implants are ever removed.

Inframammary scars are hidden when viewing the breasts from above or from the front, are concealed in bras and even triangle-top string bikinis, and are generally only visible on careful inspection up close when the breasts are lifted. Most other incisions used for breast augmentation are a “one-time option” only, with an IMF incision required in the future.

Yes, Dr. Szpalski will perform the surgery under general anesthesia in an accredited surgical center or hospital facility.

So long as breast tissue and ducts are not divided during surgery, all structures that lead to the nipple including milk ducts, sensory nerves and vital blood vessels will remain intact. Preservation of these critical structures is a major reason why the inframammary incision is usually recommended for breast augmentation in our practice.

After breast augmentation surgery, your nipple sensation should gradually recover over time (allow many weeks to months for full recovery). You should maintain the ability to breast feed, assuming you would have been able to nurse before having surgery.

In most cases, patients should refrain from strenuous exercise, lifting, and other activities for about 6 – 8 weeks or until cleared by their surgeon. Light walking is recommended as soon as you are discharged home. Low-impact activities are recommended as early as four weeks or sooner if cleared by Dr Szpalski.

Although returning to work after breast augmentation depends on each patient’s unique ability to heal, there is a benchmark you can refer to when making your decision. We suggest you plan to be away from work for at least one week. This timeframe will allow your incisions to heal so you can move around with minimal discomfort. If your job involves strenuous lifting and moving around, plan to stay away longer, at least another week. If you have an active job, you will need two weeks, if not more, before returning to work. All patients are prohibited from lifting anything over five pounds for at least one month after breast augmentation surgery.

Regardless of the location of implant placement (under the muscle or not), the fill material (silicone or saline) and the implant size, having a breast augmentation does not interfere with breast self-examination, physician breast exams, mammograms, ultrasound, MRI or any other cancer detection techniques.

Breast augmentation will not change your personal risk of breast cancer, nor will implants interfere with cancer screening. If you are over the age of 40 years, you should have a baseline preoperative mammogram before breast augmentation (or any surgery of the breast).

If you are under 40 years, routine mammography screening is not recommended as long as there is no history of breast or ovarian cancer in your immediate family. Your surgeon will take a complete history at your consultation and will make recommendations for breast imaging or other referrals, if necessary.

When you have implants in place, please notify the mammogram technician and they will perform additional images (known as “Eklund displacement views”) to ensure that all breast tissue is fully visualized around the implant.

If you have silicone implants, the FDA recommends getting an MRI three years after your initial breast augmentation and then every two years following. The reason is to make sure there is no “silent” rupture or leak. If your breasts suffer trauma and you’re not sure if there is damage to the implant, you should seek an MRI to make sure.