Breast Augmentation in Houston, TX

A Better Fit with Augmentation Mammoplasty

If there is one procedure that is nearly synonymous with cosmetic surgery, it’s breast augmentation. In fact, breast augmentation is one of the most commonly performed procedures by our Clear Lake Area practice. A breast augmentation is performed to change the shape or size of a breast. In most cases, candidates seek to enlarge the size and even out the shape, but sometimes it’s more about one than the other. Any breast augmentation procedure will be customized specifically for your needs and desires, whether that’s a better fit for your clothing or for your body. Dr. Polsen is discrete, confidential, and ready to consult with you on any personal transformation you are considering, including breast augmentation.

Because it has been closely associated with cosmetic surgery—and often as little more than a stereotype—for so long, there are some long standing myths about the procedure that are worth dispelling. In most cases, for example, breast feeding function and nipple sensitivity is preserved. This will depend heavily on the extent of your procedure, however. Breast augmentation also does not increase your chances of breast cancer (and mammograms and self-exams can still be performed). Additionally, modern saline and silicone implants go a long way towards maintaining a smooth and natural feel to the breast.

See breast augmentation before and after images here.

If you are interested in breast augmentation in Clear Lake, contact us online or call our Houston Clear Lake Area office line at (281) 538-6600 to schedule an appointment.

A quick review from one of our Houston patients:

Breast Augmentation Overview:

Change the shape and size of the breast
Have realistic expectations of their final result
Recovery: Pain and tightness for first 2-5 days

Am I a Good Candidate for Breast Augmentation?

Perhaps due to the warm summer months, mild winter, and plentiful beaches, breast augmentation is quite popular around the Houston area. Breast augmentations are a somewhat uncommon procedure in that they appeal to a broad range of ages and patients. As such, it can be difficult to narrow down “good candidates” without a consultation.

However, the best breast augmentation candidates are those who have realistic expectations of their final results. If you are healthy and able to withstand major surgery, you could be a good candidate for breast augmentation. There is no age limit for those who can undergo breast augmentation in Houston, TX, but it is essential that the breasts be fully developed before any cosmetic procedures are performed.

In general, you might be a good candidate for a breast augmentation if:

You want to see the overall size of your breasts increase
You have lopsided or asymmetrical breasts
You have noticed that your breasts have undergone a change in size or shape
You have considered the additional weight and volume that accompany a breast augmentation
You are generally healthy enough for surgery
You have realistic expectations about what changes from a breast augmentation will look like

During your consultation with Dr. Polsen, you will discuss your desired final outcome and the best way to achieve your results. In some cases, patients may want to combine their breast augmentation with a breast lift, in order to achieve optimal results.

The Breast Augmentation Procedure

When it comes to your breast augmentation, there are many factors to consider. The size, the incision location, the position of the implant can be discussed with Dr. Polsen to fit your unique needs. Dr. Polsen is available to discuss all of your options during a one-on-one consultation. Breast augmentation procedures are performed under general anesthesia, and while it is a common enough procedure, it is also major surgery that should not be undertaken without proper thought planning for recovery.

Breast augmentation incisions are performed in a way that is designed to minimize visible scarring. There are three basic, common techniques used by surgeons who are performing this procedure:

Inframammary: This incision is made around the bottom fold of the breast. The incision is actually placed beneath the fold—meaning the fold will effectively hide the marks from the incision.
Transaxillary: In some cases, it’s possible to achieve your desired results with an incision in the armpit area. Through this incision, a relatively small breast implant can be placed in the proper area.
Periareolar: The change in color between the areola (the outer tissue of the nipple) and the skin of the breast can often be a great area to camouflage any scarring or incision marks. A periareolar incision, in which a small incision is made around the bottom of the areola, can sometimes be used to take advantage of that change in color.

There are advantages for each approach. Inframmary is a kind of “all-purpose” incision technique, but that does not preclude the possibility that one of the other incisions techniques will be best suited to generating your desired results.

You will discuss the best possible incision techniques to achieve your desired final look during your consultation with Dr. Polsen.

Placement of Your Breast Implant

Once Dr. Polsen has made the appropriate incision, the breast implant will be inserted into the appropriate place. Generally, breast implants are placed either above the muscle tissue (directly beneath the breast tissue) or in a pocket of muscle tissue.

As with all options during your breast augmentation procedure, there are benefits to each approach. Placing the implant above any muscle tissue, for example, will usually lead to a faster (and more comfortable) recovery period. However, placing the implant in a pocket of muscle will usually mean results that look and feel more natural.

The implant type you select will also have significant bearing on the placement of that implant—and how you might see the best results from that.

Options for Houston Breast Implant Procedures

There are three basic types of implants used in a breast augmentation procedure. They each have their strengths and weaknesses.

Silicone: This is perhaps the most well known form of breast implant, though not entirely for the right reasons. There were complications with older models of implants that have since been corrected. In fact, in patients over 22, silicone is perfectly safe, and because of their molecular cohesion, will never deflate. Silicone implants also tend to feel and look more natural overall. Indeed, these implants are preferred by Dr. Polsen and his staff.

Saline: Saline implants are also incredibly safe. By filling the implants with saline—essentially, salt water, we can ensure that if the implant does deflate or leak, whatever liquids escape into the body are entirely harmless. Saline is, in fact, what they will often give to a patient via an IV who has just donated blood or has low blood pressure.

Fat Graft: This type of implant is relatively uncommon, as it takes fat from a donor area of your body and grafts it into the breast. By its nature, it is somewhat more invasive than either the saline or silicone implants, because the fat needs to be harvested from, for example, the abdomen, requiring additional incisions. Fat graft implants are also somewhat less predictable, as a certain, unpredictable percentage of the fat is absorbed back into the body.

Recovering From Breast Augmentation

Most of Dr. Polsen’s Clear Lake, TX, breast augmentation patients experience some pain and tightness for the first 2-5 days after surgery. Following Dr. Polsen’s clear post-operative instructions will help reduce any unnecessary discomfort at this time. Strenuous activity should be avoided for several weeks, until bruising and swelling has subsided.

Everyone’s recovery will be different—if only because everyone’s bodies heal at different rates. However, you can generally expect a full recovery to take several weeks while swelling and bruising subsides. If you encounter any unexpected challenges during your recovery, you should contact the offices of Dr. Polsen immediately.

Most recovery instructions are designed to maximize both your overall comfort and the posterity of your end results. In other words, the more closely you follow your recovery instructions, the more likely your results will look just the way you want them to!

Results from Breast Augmentation

It’s not uncommon for patients to see significant benefits from their breast augmentation procedures. Once your recovery is complete, those benefits will become much more apparent. Breast augmentation procedures will usually bring increased size and volume to the breasts. And while there is no such thing as 100% symmetrical breasts, this procedure can often improve that symmetry.

Benefits of Breast Augmentation

Many patients see the following benefits of breast augmentation surgery:

Improved confidence and self-esteem
Improved body image
Increased size and volume of the breasts
Improved symmetry of the breasts
Improved proportions of the body overall
Improved wardrobe options

Your personal benefits from a breast augmentation procedure will be unique to you—and the problems you’re trying to solve. The benefits will also change depending on the implant type you’ve decided to employ. For example, a saline implant will look slightly different than a silicone implant.

Most patients will enjoy the aesthetic changes from a breast augmentation in a profound and significant way. For many, this is a procedure that finally enables them to be their “real selves.” In that way, breast augmentation can be a life-changing transformation!

Changing Your Implant Down the Line

A breast augmentation is an effectively permanent plastic surgery procedure. However, it is possible (and sometimes even necessary) to revise the implants over the years. This can happen for several reasons. As a medical device, breast implants are given an appropriate shelf life. Most implants are guaranteed only for fifteen years or so (though many last much longer).

Once the implant reaches the end of its shelf-life, many patients will elect to have the implants replaced. Likewise, patients whose aesthetic tastes change over time may also decide to have their implants replaced or removed. There are many patients who wanted a larger size when they were younger but, when older, will opt for smaller implants.

Custom Choices for Custom Breast Augmentation Results

In many ways, the fact that breast augmentation procedures require so many decision and choices is indicative of a focus on the patient. As a board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Polsen works hard to ensure that patients receive customized, individualized results that work in harmony with their bodies.

If you want to find out more about how a breast augmentation can transform the way you look at your body—and the way you feel about yourself—contact Dr. Charles Polsen and South Shore Plastic Surgery today. For those Houston breast augmentation candidates who have always wanted a larger bust, Dr. Polsen is a wonderful choice!