At Plastic Surgery Specialists of South Florida in Hollywood, FL, we firmly believe that everyone should be confident in his or her skin. Unfortunately, many women look at their breasts and feel they are somewhat lacking. Thankfully, there’s a way to address this issue for most women with breast augmentation.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Breast Augmentation?
Non-Smokers
The best candidates for breast augmentation do not smoke. Cigarettes and other tobacco products, including smoking cessation products, contain nicotine. Nicotine elevates blood pressure by constricting blood vessels. If you undergo this procedure with general anesthesia, it is crucial that your blood pressure is within a healthy range.
Non-Drinkers
Alcohol is another common consumable that elevates blood pressure. However, it is much worse than nicotine consumption because it doubles as a diuretic. This means water and essential nutrients are flushed out of your body by excessive urination before they can be used. Unfortunately, during your recovery process, your body needs all the water and nutrients it can get.
If you usually drink, you must be able and willing to not drink in the six weeks preceding and proceeding your procedure. Other things that elevate your blood pressure that you must be willing and able to avoid including vigorous exercise, more than one to three grams of sodium daily, spicy foods, and over 200 milligrams of caffeine per day.
Healthy Individuals
When determining who is a good candidate for breast augmentation, we consider overall health, not just blood pressure. We are looking for individuals with healthy cardiovascular and pulmonary systems. We also ask that you advise us if you have an active infection within two weeks of your scheduled procedure.
This includes internal bacterial and viral infections and skin infections on the breasts. It is important to allow your body the time and energy to fight off an infection before requiring it to spend time and energy recovering from this procedure.
Women Who Feel One or Both Breasts Are Too Small
If you believe one or both of your breasts are too small, you are the perfect candidate for this procedure. Many women are born with asymmetrical breasts. Other women develop asymmetrical breasts later in life due to scoliosis or another medical condition. Others still experience asymmetry due to breastfeeding or weight loss.
If you feel one of your breasts is too small, we can increase the volume of one of your breasts so your breasts become symmetrical. Moreover, we can add a little volume to one breast and more volume to the other breast to augment both breasts while creating symmetry.
Women With Breasts That Are Elongated or Otherwise Misshapen
Even if your breasts are symmetrical in size and shape, you may still be dissatisfied with the shape of your breasts. If one or both of your breasts are elongated, you are also the perfect candidate for this procedure.
Moreover, you are the ideal candidate for this procedure if the upper part of your breast looks and feels empty. During your initial consultation, we will review your aesthetic goals to determine the best technique and location for implant placement to help you achieve your ideal aesthetic.
Women With Fully Developed Breasts
The FDA has approved most augmentation procedures for women who are at least 18 years of age. However, all women develop their breasts at a different rate. Some women’s breasts do not settle into their “final” size and shape until they are 21 or even 25. We strongly urge our clients to wait until at least the age of 21 to ask if they are a good candidate for this procedure.
Women With Realistic Expectations About the Results
To be a good candidate for this procedure, you must have realistic expectations about the results. During your initial consultation, we will advise you regarding how realistic your desired aesthetic is. For instance, sometimes a client wants fairly large implants when, given their smaller lower half, they would look disproportionate.
We consider several things when helping you determine the ideal size increase for you. For instance, we look at your hip and waist measurements as well as the size of your buttocks and the diameter of your chest wall.
Women With Realistic Expectations About Recovery
While augmentation of the breasts is perfectly safe, you will require a brief recovery period following the procedure. For instance, you must wear your support garment exactly as instructed. You may also need to apply ointment to the incision sites. You must rest for a few days post-op and avoid lifting anything over five pounds.
During your initial consultation, we will give you a comprehensive list of post-op instructions for you to consider. If you have any questions, we are more than happy to answer them. Before you leave after your procedure, we will verify that you understand and will comply with all post-op instructions, including avoidance of vigorous exercise, alcohol, and nicotine.
Women With Realistic Expectations About the Procedure
To be a good candidate for this procedure, you must also have realistic expectations about the procedure itself. This procedure is usually performed under general anesthesia. However, at your request, it may be performed under regional or local anesthesia and intravenous sedation. Your anesthesiologist will work with you to determine the best method for you.
You will be asleep during the procedure, and you will feel no pain. The incision locations depend on several factors, including how much of a volume increase you need, where you want the implants placed and other factors. After the tiny, discretely placed incisions are made, the implants will be placed and the incisions will be closed.
Women Willing to Follow All Preparation Steps
The best candidate for this procedure is willing and able to follow all preparation steps. For instance, you must take a blood test to ensure you are healthy enough to undergo this procedure. You must stop smoking and drinking. You must stop taking any medications and supplements that can thin the blood, like NSAIDs, MAOIs, garlic supplements, and vitamin E supplements.
You must also find someone to drive you to and from your procedure. You may not drive within 24 hours of being put under general anesthesia or intravenous sedation. You should also have someone stay with you for the first 24 hours following your procedure so you can focus on hydration and rest.
7 FAQs
1. What Types of Breast Implants Are Available?
At Plastic Surgery Specialists of South Florida in Hollywood, FL, we offer several types of breast implants to meet all of our clients’ needs. Our most popular options are saline implants and silicone implants. Round saline implants feature silicone shells filled with sterile saltwater. A deflated implant is first implanted and then filled with saline once it is positioned properly.
Round silicone implants feature hard silicone cells that are pre-filled with a silicone gel. Our clients love this option because the implant so closely resembles the shape and feel of natural breast fat and glandular tissue. However, teardrop-shaped “gummy bear” implants are rapidly increasing in popularity. These are ideal for women who lack fullness at the bottom of the breast.
2. What Type of Incision Will Be Made?
There are several factors to consider regarding the ideal incision placement. However, your personal preference is a major consideration. Most of our clients love the trans-axillary incision technique. This discrete incision is made in the armpit where nobody will ever see it.
The periareolar incision is another incredibly popular incision location because it is made in the dark ridges of the areola where it cannot be seen. We also proudly offer inframammary incisions made discretely beneath the folds of the breasts. As your safety is our primary concern, we do not offer the belly-button incision method.
3. Can This Procedure Be Performed Along With Breast Reconstruction?
Whether you were born with a congenital defect or you had one breast removed during mastectomy, this procedure can be performed in conjunction with breast reconstruction. It can also safely and effectively be performed after breast reconstruction as you see how your breast skin and shape settle after the procedure.
4. Can This Procedure Be Combined With Any Other Procedures?
We commonly perform this procedure at the same time as a breast lift. For instance, many of our clients lose breast volume and experience sagging or excess skin after childbirth, nursing, or drastic weight loss. Women also seek an augmentation and lift of the breasts when they lose fat and experience sagging skin due to the natural aging process.
5. Am I a Good Candidate for a Breast Lift?
To determine if you are a good candidate for a breast lift, call us at Plastic Surgery Specialists of South Florida in Hollywood, FL to book an appointment. Many of the requirements to be a good candidate for this procedure correlate with those required to be a good candidate for augmentation of the breasts.
However, there are other qualifying characteristics, too. For instance, the best candidate for a breast lift has sagging, drooping breasts and excess breast skin. She is also usually concerned by the size or position of her nipple and areola on her chest wall. Whatever your ideal aesthetic, we will help you achieve it.
6. What Is a Mommy Makeover?
A mommy makeover is several procedures performed on the same day to help a mother achieve her ideal aesthetic after childbirth and nursing. We recommend this procedure to women who have several trouble spots, including their buttocks, arms, thighs, abdomen, hips, and breasts.
At Plastic Surgery Specialists of South Florida in Hollywood, FL, we offer several body contouring procedures. For women who have lost significant weight from their upper arms, inner and outer thighs, abdomen and breasts, we offer body lifts to remove excess skin and tighten the remaining skin. We also offer abdominoplasty and liposuction.
7. What Does Abdominoplasty Entail?
There are three types of abdominoplasty, and the right one for you depends on your personal preferences. Mini-abdominoplasty is ideal for women with loose skin and excess fat beneath the navel. Traditional (full) abdominoplasty is ideal for women who have excess fat and loose or excess skin above and below the navel.
Traditional abdominoplasty also involves sewing the abdominal walls together. Extended abdominoplasty involves removing fat via liposuction, removing excess skin, and tightening remaining skin around the lower back, hips, sides, and upper and lower abdomen.
Discover How to Perfect Your Aesthetic Today
Are you ready to enhance your cleavage and boost your self-esteem with breast augmentation? If you are, we can help. To determine if you are a good candidate for this procedure, or to learn more about our other aesthetic services, contact us today at Plastic Surgery Specialists of South Florida in Hollywood, FL to schedule your initial consultation.
