Elective plastic surgery procedures share a number of common features, even if they’re being done for different areas of the face and body. For example, someone coming in for breast augmentation at my Nashville, TN practice usually wants to feel more confident and comfortable with her appearance, a motivation often matched by tummy tuck and facelift patients.
But not all aesthetic plastic surgery is created equal, and breast augmentation has some unique differences — including some advantages over other procedures.
- Shorter recovery time: The recovery following an elective cosmetic surgery varies from patient to patient. Some people tend to bounce back faster than others and experience little discomfort. It’s a safe bet, though, that a breast augmentation recovery will be quicker than that of most other procedures, such as a tummy tuck or a facelift. When a patient prepares for recovery before undergoing breast augmentation, the recovery usually goes quite smoothly.
- More options: Breast augmentation is truly a collaborative procedure with my patients. I offer my expertise to explain the various options available to them, but ultimately it is the patients who need to decide many aspects of the procedure. Other procedures involve choices, of course, but none includes as many as breast augmentation. Patients choose the type of implant (silicone gel or saline), whether to place them under or over the pectoral muscle, the incision location and, of course, the size of implants. They may also choose to combine the augmentation procedure with a breast lift, which can address sagging in the breast tissue.
- Final results take time: Patients who get liposuction, eyelid surgery, or even a tummy tuck will see the final results as soon as the initial swelling and bruising resolve — usually after a few weeks at most. But breast augmentation is different. Sure, the breasts will be bigger right away because of the implants, but the final shape and appearance of the breasts can take several months. Patients may be initially concerned that the implants sit too high on their chest, but that’s because they take time to settle.
- Not a “one-and-done” procedure: If a woman gets breast implants when she’s in her 20s or 30s, it’s very likely that she’ll need to either replace the implants or remove them at some point in the future. For most other plastic surgery patients, the procedures rarely need to be repeated. There are exceptions, of course: Someone who gets a mini facelift or neck lift at an early age may choose to get comprehensive facial plastic surgery in the future, for example. It’s important that breast augmentation patients understand that implants are not designed to last a lifetime.
Breast augmentation is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures performed worldwide for a reason. The vast majority of patients who get implants are happy with the results, especially when they understand what to expect and know the unique nature of the procedure.