Breasts are important features of a woman’s sense of self, but many are dissatisfied with the size and/or the shape of their breasts. Our Fort Worth office provides breast augmentation surgery as a long-term solution to the issue, which can affect your self-confidence, your comfort of being seen in public, and your ability to wear the clothes you want.
At North Texas Plastic Surgery, our patients seek out cosmetic breast surgery for reasons of aesthetics, self-esteem, and mental health. A proper augmentation can improve a woman’s entire appearance and our experienced plastic surgeons will guide you towards becoming your most confident self.
Breast augmentation procedures fall into two primary categories. The most common is to use artificial breast implants that are carefully chosen to give you the size and shape you desire. However, some women in Fort Worth prefer a breast augmentation with fat transfer. This means that the surgeon takes fat from another part of your body – an area where you would like to reduce some of the fat tissue – and transfers it to the breasts. This can be less risky than implants and does not have to be redone at some point in the future. However, only some women are candidates for this method and the size increase is limited by the existing fat in the breast.
We also use three different kinds of breast implants:
We can also provide round or teardrop shaped implants, depending on your preference for where the “fullness” of the breast is allocated. Round implants (which tends to be the more popular choice) make the top of the breast appear fuller, while the teardrop implants add fullness to the bottom.
You may not have heard about an aspect known as “breast cohesivity.” This describes the level that the molecules in a silicone implant are cross-linked. The implant can hold its shape better against drooping if the molecules are held tightly together. You can feel what high-cohesivity and low-cohesivity is like beforehand so you can make an informed decision.
Regarding placement of the breast implant, we can insert either below or above the pectoralis muscle. For most patients it is best to put it underneath, since that will make it softer to the touch and look more natural. The muscle can also reduce the risk of rippling or capsular contracture.
During your initial consultation you should bring “wish pictures” to show the surgeon what you want your breasts to look like. There are all kinds of implants and not everyone is looking for the same thing. We will provide you with implant sizers which you can wear in order to see how a certain size will look and feel in your body. We can also determine if a breast lift is also necessary.
We will ask questions to establish that you are a good candidate for surgery and also offer the 3-Dimensional Crisalix imaging system, which takes a scan of your body and uses VR to show what you would look like with various implants. This makes it much easier to choose the size and shape of implants that are right for you. Our office will provide you with copies of the pictures so you can show your loved ones what the final result could look like, and you can adjust the dimensions on a follow-up visit. We will not schedule the breast augmentation until you are fully confident in the plan.
You will need to stop smoking (including marijuana and vaping) and avoid recreational drugs for four weeks before your surgery. This also includes nicotine patches and similar smoking cessation tools. We will review all of your medicines and supplements, which you might need to stop taking for a short time.
Breast augmentation surgery is performed in our Fort Worth surgical facility under general anesthesia. When you wake up, your breasts will be in a special support bra, which you will have to wear for a period of time. You will need somebody to take you home, and you should not drive, operate heavy machinery, cook with knives, or make major decisions for 24 hours. However, most of our patients feel back to normal within a day or so.
You can return to work within two days unless your job involves a lot of physical activity, in which case we will give you advice. You can return to cardiovascular exercise after three weeks, and powerlifting and similar activities after six (note we recommend women who do powerlifting have their implants placed above the pectoral muscle so there is no risk of weakening it).
It is possible that a breast augmentation in Fort Worth may lead to wrinkled skin, infection, or an abnormal sensitivity, as well as capsular contracture, which involves scarring around the implant. More seriously, a type of lymphoma – known as BIA-ALCL – has occasionally been known to occur with textured implants. In general, however, breast implants are extremely safe.
Breast implants are not permanent (which is another reason some women prefer a fat transfer). Typically, breast implants are warrantied for 10 to 20 years, and, at some point, you will need to change them.
Most women replace them sooner due to some life alteration which has caused changes to the breasts and reduced the aesthetic appeal of the implants. This most often occurs due to pregnancy or aging in general.
Although it is not especially common, breast implants that rupture need to be removed and replaced. However, modern breast implants seldom rupture and, in most cases, our plastic surgeons put the implants under the pectoral muscle, to give them more protection.
The popularity of breast implants continues to rise. At North Texas Plastic Surgery, we can help you look your best and get the breasts you have always wanted. We are one of the few surgery centers that can provide you with a VR experience to show you what you will look like once all is said and done. If you are considering breast augmentation in Fort Worth, contact us today to schedule a consultation.
