Chattanooga Tennessee Breast Augmentation at The Plastic Surgery Group, P.C.

Chattanooga, Tennessee Breast Augmentation Surgery
The Plastic Surgery Group, P.C., in Chattanooga, Tennessee offers the latest plastic surgery procedures, including breast augmentation surgery. For more information on the body contouring procedures we offer, visit our plastic surgery procedures page or call our plastic surgery staff at (423) 756-7134 or (800) 634-3334. You can also e-mail us your questions and we will be in touch with you shortly.

5. Am I a candidate for silicone breast implants?
Silicone breast implants have been utilized in breast augmentation and reconstructive surgery since the early years and have been a valuable aid in achieving a very natural result. However, the FDA took silicone breast implants for use in augmentation off the market in the early 1990s. They have been continuously used in breast reconstruction where a patient usually has limited soft tissue available to hide the implants as a result of mastectomy surgery. All reconstruction patients are candidates for silicone breast implants, as are patients who currently have silicone implants and have certain pre-existing conditions. Previous augmentation patients who have developed local complications such as significant capsular contracture (tightening of natural scar tissue around the implant causing breast firmness) are also candidates. Some patients who require a breast lift (mastopexy) in addition to breast augmentation are candidates, as are patients who have shown severe wrinkling of an existing saline implant over time. Studies have shown no correlation between systemic illnesses and the use of silicone for breast augmentation. For this reason, sometime in the future, silicone breast implants may once again be widely distributed for all breast surgery.

6. Can I breast feed after breast augmentation surgery?
Breast feeding after breast augmentation isn't any more challenging than it would be otherwise. There is no danger of breast implant material, saline or silicone, being passed into the breast milk and affecting your child in any way.

7. How will I know if I have a problem with my breast implants?
Breast implant surgery, like all surgery, carries risks. Your plastic surgeon will provide you with comprehensive patient education materials, show you a film about breast augmentation and ask you to read and sign an informed consent. The immediate concerns after surgery relate to healing and bleeding.

Bleeding occurs with any surgical incision and rarely is a problem; however, on occasion a hematoma (collection of blood) will cause one breast to be significantly larger. If this should occur, your surgeon will address the situation immediately by removing the blood. Capsular contracture (tightening of natural scar tissue around the implant causing breast firmness) is unpredictable but may require corrective surgery if severe. A capsulectomy or capsulotomy would be performed to alleviate the problem. As mentioned above, deflation can occur and is generally harmless but will require another surgical procedure to replace the implant. Infection associated with breast implantation is rare due to the use of a closed filling system to fill the implant with saline at the time of surgery. If infection does occur and healing problems result, you will be treated with antibiotics in an effort to avoid further surgery. Ultimately, it may be necessary to remove the implant until the infection is resolved. The breast implant can then be reinserted.

8. When can I return to normal activities after breast implant surgery?
Within a day or two after surgery, you will be up and about and any discomfort can be controlled with prescribed pain medication. You will be able to shower almost immediately and you will return to the office for follow up and for stitch removal (unless dissolvable suture was used) within a week. You can resume sexual relations although breasts must be treated gently.

Patients usually return to work within a week. Work activities requiring significant lifting, pushing or arm
stretching may be uncomfortable at this time and the work may need to be modified accordingly. Implants in the
submuscular position (which are the majority) take longer to be pain free. Returning to exercise is a personal decision. After the first two weeks few exercises would injure the incision or breast implant placement; however, strenuous activity that stresses the pectoralis muscle - bench presses or push - ups should be avoided. Most patients wait a month or so before a full return to their vigorous workout schedules.

9. Will I have a dressing on after breast augmentation surgery or a bra and when can I wear an underwire?
Usually, steri-strips are applied over the small incision and a bra with minimal dressings is worn. Your chest will feel very tight. Some bras used following surgery will put pressure on the upper edge of the breast or implant to hold it in a lower position as the implants initially tend to sit somewhat high. This high position is due to the fact that the fold under the breast must stretch into the new relaxed shape to accommodate the larger implant. This process may take several weeks or even several months. Usually this surgical bra is worn for a week or more. Some surgeons may advise you not to wear a bra depending on the placement of your breast implants.

Once the breast implants are in good position, a bra of your choosing is advisable. A bra is recommended when exercising or even for normal activity if you have a very large breast augmentation. You may also wear an underwire bra after the implant has settled into the desired position. Your surgeon will advise you when that has happened.

10. When can I get in the tanning bed after breast augmentation surgery?
The tanning bed should not be used for approximately two weeks after breast augmentation surgery. Tanning rays should not be allowed to tan the incision site for 2-3 months. Sun on the incision will cause the scar to be dark and less likely to fade with time. The darkness may be permanent. Protect the incision with sunscreen.

For more information on breast augmentation surgery, contact our breast augmentation surgeons at The Plastic Surgery Group, P.C. in Chattanooga, Tennessee. We will be happy to schedule a confidential consultation to discuss your questions and concerns regarding breast augmentation surgery.