Breast Augmentation
in Orange County, CA
Looking one’s best has long included getting some help doing so. For many people, “plastic surgery” is synonymous with “breast augmentation.” This is probably because breast augmentation is one of the most popular procedures worldwide–and it also holds some of the highest satisfaction rates of any other procedure. Countless women have found personal gratification, boosted confidence, and beautiful, symmetrical breasts through breast augmentation.
Dr. Bivens is a board-certified plastic surgeon with over 25 years of experience. Compassionate care, customized procedures, and natural-looking results are the hallmarks of Optimal Plastic Surgery and Dr. Bivens’ expert breast augmentation results.
What Is
Breast Augmentation?
Breast augmentation, or augmentation mammoplasty, is a plastic surgery procedure to increase the size of the breasts, usually through silicone or saline breast implants. However, this procedure is more than simply increasing the size of the breasts; Breast augmentation patients can also see an enhanced shape, projection, and overall aesthetic of their breasts following surgery.
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What Are the Benefits of
Breast Augmentation?
Breast augmentation provides both aesthetic and emotional benefits for patients, including:
- Increased size of the breasts
- Improved aesthetics such as symmetry, shape, and projection of the breasts
- Increased confidence and self-empowerment
- A balanced and curvy figure
- Restored youthfulness after changes due to pregnancy
Am I a Candidate for
Breast Augmentation?
Patients choose to undergo breast augmentation for a variety of reasons, most of them personal and unique to the patient’s view of themselves and their aesthetic goals. If you want to increase the size of your breasts, restore a youthful appearance after pregnancy or hormonal changes, or you’d like to create a rounder, more perky result, you may be a candidate for breast augmentation.
Additionally, candidates for breast augmentation:
- Have naturally small breasts they would like to increase in size
- Want to restore lost volume after life changes
- Desire symmetry between breasts
- Feel that enhanced breasts can improve their femininity and self-empowerment
- Are generally in good health
- Are nonsmokers, or are willing to quit
- Have realistic expectations for results
While breast augmentation can greatly improve a woman’s self-confidence and personal views of her body, it’s important that prospective breast augmentation patients desire this change for their betterment and satisfaction and not for the benefit of someone else’s beauty standards.
What Are
My Breast Augmentation Options?
Breast Implant Types
Saline breast implants consist of a silicone outer shell that is filled with a sterile saltwater solution. The benefits of saline breast implants include:
- They can be filled after they are inserted in the breast pocket, allowing for smaller incisions
- If a leak or rupture occurs, the body will naturally absorb saline without issue
- They are FDA-approved for patients over 18 years of age, so younger patients are eligible for the procedure
Silicone breast implants are generally preferred over saline because they can more closely resemble natural breast tissue. Other benefits include:
- They look, feel, and move most like real breasts
- They are available in round or anatomical shapes, depending on the desired aesthetic of the patient
- They have less of a chance of visible rippling when in the breast pocket
- They are FDA-approved for patients over the age of 22
Breast Augmentation
Incision Locations
Inframammary incisions are placed horizontally and run along the bottom of the breast, where the breast meets the chest wall. Inframammary incisions allow for larger breast implants, including silicone, with very little visible scarring. If scarring does occur, it is easily hidden by the bottom of the breasts.
Crescent or periareolar incisions are small half-moon lines that run on the underside of both areolas (the darker skin around the nipple). Periareolar incisions are popular with patients who want no visible scarring, as the darker pigment of the areola camouflages scars. Due to the incision’s small size, saline implants are the only implant option applicable.
Transaxillary incisions are hidden in the crease of the underarms, resulting in no visible scarring whatsoever on the breasts themselves. This procedure is ideal for women who absolutely do not want any scarring and who want a smaller breast augmentation using saline implants.
Breast Augmentation
Placement Options
Submuscular placement involves inserting the breast implant under the chest (pectoralis) muscle. This option provides better coverage of the breast implant, but it may result in more discomfort during recovery.
Subglandular placement involves inserting the breast implant over the muscle and behind the breast tissue. Subglandular placement is better for patients with breast ptosis (breast sagging) and who do not want a breast lift. This placement is associated with a shorter recovery period, but it may result in breast implant rippling.
If you would like to learn which breast augmentation option is best for you, call Optimal Plastic Surgery today at (657) 444-9291 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Bivens.
Before & After Photos
How Is
Breast Augmentation Performed?
Your Consultation
Your consultation with Dr. Bivens is an important step in your breast augmentation process. You don’t have to make every decision on your own–we understand all these choices can be overwhelming. During your meeting, he will walk you through the myriad breast augmentation options to help you understand how each option will affect your outcome.
Dr. Bivens will also review your medical history, examine the treatment area, and listen to your goals and concerns about your breast augmentation. You should prepare for your meeting by gathering any questions you may have, including information about what you can realistically expect from your results.
If you decide to proceed with the procedure and Dr. Bivens agrees it is a good fit for you, he will create a surgical plan that details where the incisions will be, the type, size, and placement of the implants, and any other details that are unique to your needs. He will then provide you with instructions on how to prepare for your breast augmentation, which may include pausing any medications that can interfere with surgery, cessation of smoking, and setting up transportation for the day of surgery.
The Breast Augmentation Procedure
On the day of surgery, Dr. Bivens will mark the incision locations with a pen prior to the procedure. These will reflect the surgical plan you have agreed to. Then, you will be put under general anesthesia for your optimum comfort.
Dr. Bivens will begin by making careful incisions in the pre-determined spot. He will prepare the breast implants and carefully create a breast pocket in the tissues. This will depend on whether you have subglandular or submuscular placements. He will then carefully insert the breast implants–silicone as one unit, saline unfilled, and then filled once placed in the breast pocket–before assuring they are resting in a pleasing location. Once Dr. Bivens is happy with the result, he will carefully close the incisions, and you will be monitored as you come out of the anesthesia.
What Is Breast Augmentation
Recovery Like?
Right after your procedure, you will most likely feel fatigued and groggy due to the anesthesia. Your breasts will be bandaged, and you may feel some discomfort, tightness, and swelling. Dr. Bivens can write you a prescription for pain medication as needed, but most patients are fine with over-the-counter medications.
It may be difficult for you to lift your arms and bend over for quite some time, so be sure to listen to your body and get plenty of rest. You may be given a surgical bra to wear as directed by Dr. Bivens. Usually, patients are asked to wear their surgical bra day and night for a few weeks to support their healing breasts.
As soon as you feel up to it, be sure to get some movement in every day, such as brief walking. This will greatly help your healing process by circulating blood flow, and it will reduce the risk of blood clots. Most breast augmentation patients can return to work after one week, depending on the nature of their jobs.
Dr. Bivens will provide you with extensive recovery instructions–be sure to follow these closely! And call our office if you have any questions or concerns throughout your recovery process.
When Will I
See My Breast Augmentation Results
Immediately following your breast augmentation, you will notice that your breasts have increased in size, but you won’t be able to see the more subtle details of your results for quite some time.
Once the swelling and bruising begin to subside, you will start to notice your final results. Your breasts may look more symmetrical; they may be rounder with a more perky placement. A few weeks after your breast augmentation, you will be able to notice these changes.
However, the final results of breast augmentations take longer than many people realize, as some time must pass for the body to adjust around the implants fully. Your breasts may feel a little high on the chest and slightly harder to the touch for a while, as the muscles around your breasts need time to relax. Your breast augmentation results can continue to improve for six months to a year following your procedure.
How Much Does
Breast Augmentation Cost?
At Optimal Plastic Surgery, each breast augmentation is entirely unique to the patient and her needs. Therefore, no two breast augmentations are alike. The total cost of breast augmentation in Orange County depends on the surgical plan, if you have combined your breast augmentation with any other procedures, and anesthesia fees. Once Dr. Bivens creates a surgical plan for you, he will be happy to provide you with an accurate estimate.
Interested in
Breast Augmentation in Orange County, CA?
If you want to increase your feminine aesthetic, restore lost volume, or create a more harmonious figure with a breast augmentation, call Optimal Plastic Surgery today at (657) 444-9291 or fill out our online contact form. Our team members are ready to answer any questions you may have and schedule your consultation with Dr. Bivens.
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