What’s Trending in Breast Augmentation?

Today, everyone wants to talk about butt lifts, injectables, implants, and of course, dermal fillers and Botox. There’s also a lot of talk around non-surgical treatments to melt away or freeze off fat. But in an age where posting personal cosmetic treatments has become the norm, why isn’t anyone talking about breast surgery? Though doctors are witnessing a rise in patients’ requests for non-invasive aesthetic procedures, breast augmentations are still among the most popular surgical procedures, with over a quarter million surgeries performed last year as cited by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. That number is up by almost 30% since 2000, so it’s clear women are still seeking bigger breasts. But we have also noticed an increase in women wanting smaller implant sizes for more natural results, meaning more C-cups than double Ds. In much of the country, we’re seeing that medium to full-size B cups are starting to trend as well. At Aristocrat Plastic Surgery and MedAesthetics, Dr. Tehrani has always seen women who wanted a more natural look; even younger patients are telling Dr. Tehrani that they want their new breasts to look as natural as possible. Additionally, the newest technology in breast augmentation is ensuring women achieve better results than ever before. The latest implants are reducing the need for implant replacement, have a more natural look, feel more comfortable inside the breasts, and are easier to insert. Modern techniques and implants are making the world of breast augmentation hotter than ever at Aristocrat Plastic Surgery.

The Gummy Bear Revolution

“Gummy bear” implants are a cool advancement in silicone implant technology. To give you an idea of what “gummy bear” implants are, visualize an implant full of a cohesive silicone gel that would retain its form if cut in half. While the technology has been around for approximately three decades, this type of implant is a recent revolution in the United States within the last five years. The silicone inside the implant has a higher amount of crosslinking. It holds its shape better, and it won’t wrinkle or ripple as much, increasing volume near the cleavage. If the implant were to rupture or leak, the gel won’t seep into the body. That last bit is critical since ruptured or leaking implants can cause complications that need additional surgery. It’s why doctors once recommended replacing your implants every decade. The new cohesive gel implants have a rupture rate of 2.6 percent over nine years, significantly decreasing the need for replacement. The gel is soft and natural to the touch, but some implant manufacturers make them stiffer than others. Schedule a complementary consultation appointment with us and see them for yourself.

Quick Recovery

While breast augmentation is considered to be a major surgery, under-the-muscle breast augmentation is minimally invasive and allows for an easier and shorter recovery. Dr. Tehrani can precisely create a breast pocket with little bruising or bleeding. Pain and inflammation are minimal, and he can perform the surgery in less time. The procedure will ensure less pain, decrease the need for opioids, and result in a shorter amount of downtime. Dr. Tehrani feels that breast augmentation is becoming less invasive and restrictive regarding time and pain. A reduced amount of scarring, inflammation, and revision surgery rates are some other pleasant results.

To Lift or Not to Lift, that is the Question

The logistics of planning and executing breast implant surgery is important. Many patients who come to see Dr. Tehrani know they need a breast lift along with implant augmentation. Some patients, however, have no idea they need a lift (mastopexy) along with implants. If a patient has minimal sag and minimal excess (but good quality) skin, then implants alone can provide the lift needed without additional surgical lifting. Dr. Tehrani believes in always inserting implants under the muscle. If the patient has minimal sagging, then placing the implant under the breast will ensure perky, natural, and firm results. If the patient has poor skin quality, stretch marks, too much sagging skin, or the nipple position is low when there appears to be a disengagement between skin, gland, and chest wall, then a lift is mandatory to give the best cosmetic outcome. Most women over forty fall into this category and some younger women do as well. If you have had multiple pregnancies, for example, chances are high that the repeated expansion and contraction of the breast tissue has resulted in loose skin, stretch marks, and the loss of breast volume (especially in the upper portion of the breast). Women under 40 who have lost a significant amount of weight also frequently struggle with flat, drooping breasts. If you have battled obesity in the past, you will almost certainly need a breast lift along with implants. Mastopexy incisions vary based on certain variables. It is important to have a detailed discussion concerning incisions during your consultation so that you can have the best breast augmentation outcome. Understanding the relationship between the skin, the breast glands, the muscles, implants, and chest wall is critical. Some surgeons are fearful and shy away from the combination of the breast lift and breast augmentation, Dr. Tehrani does not. He believes that in the long run, mastopexy augmentation is less stressful and more cost effective. Combining breast lift and breast augmentation procedures into just one surgical event is best for the patient and more likely to result in a successful outcome. It’s important to understand that combined lift and augmentation surgery must be performed by a skilled, experienced surgeon like Dr. Tehrani. While combined lift and augmentation surgery has many benefits for the patient, it’s more challenging for the cosmetic surgeon. Lift and augmentation surgery requires extensive knowledge to complete correctly, otherwise complications may arise during healing.

Combination of Lift and Augmentation is Just as Safe as Single Surgery

No surgery is without risk. The approach of combining breast augmentation with a breast lift can be as safe as a single-procedure surgery as cited by the journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). This combination procedure can address various aesthetic breast issues, like age-related sagging, childbearing, genetics, stretch marks, and weight loss. There are many reasons, whether cosmetic or reconstructive, to combine the breast surgeries:

• There is less scarring,
• There is less removal of skin,
• The implant helps fill out the breast and improves its overall appearance,
• Less expensive than having the surgeries separately,
• If both procedures were done alone the recovery time would be similar.

That same study showed that risk levels were similar whether procedures are done alone or combined. It also reveals that most patients would prefer a combination procedure because they only want one surgical procedure. After all, each individual surgery carries with it a certain amount of inconvenience: Patients must book time off work, secure a caregiver to help them in the initial stages of recovery, and (if they have children) find someone to help out with childcare duties. Doing all of these things twice rather than once not only represents additional hassle, it also typically results in a number of additional expenses.

Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation

If you have ever heard someone jokingly say they wish they could take the excess fat around their waist and send it to their breasts, we have some good news for you: This is actually possible thanks to a procedure called “fat transfer augmentation.” This surgery includes harvesting fat through liposuction from one part of the body (the thighs, arms, love handles, or back) and injecting the fat into the breasts. This process is ideal for patients that desire minimal increase in breast size. It can help smooth irregularities, improve breast contour, and increase the size of your breasts using your own natural fat cells. Additionally, instead of having a revision surgery that replaces implants, a fat transfer allows patients with already existing implants to further increase their breast size. You might say it’s “augmentation light,” but it’s augmentation nonetheless. However, it’s important to note that although a surgeon may only use local anesthesia to perform fat transfer to the breasts, it is still a surgical procedure. While the recovery from fat grafting usually takes only three to five days and involves minimal soreness and swelling, it’s still very important to follow your surgeon’s instructions for safe healing. The procedure essentially kills two birds with one stone; taking the fat from an area with excess fat ultimately contours and shapes the body, so the patient can define their figure. A fat transfer also gives women peace of mind because it only uses their own tissues—thus reducing the possibility of rejection or allergic reaction. There are some drawbacks to fat transfer, however. One con is that thirty to fifty percent of the fat grafted doesn’t become integrated into the breast, making the procedure’s outcome somewhat unpredictable. Fat cells are surprisingly delicate and easily damaged, and once they become damaged, the body excretes them—this is why non-surgical interventions like CoolSculpting work to get rid of abdominal fat.

Less is More

In the United States, 38,000 women had their breast implants removed in 2015. Plastic surgeons see this trend continuing as hundreds of thousands of women are visiting breast implant removal forums on the RealSelf online community. In fact, the website is seeing a 20% annual increase on the subject. It seems that nowadays, women are either downsizing their implants or removing them altogether. Of course, many of these women had their implants at a time when the culture seemed to demand bigger breasts or implant technology was inferior. Additionally, many patients do not listen to their cosmetic surgeon’s advice and opt for larger implants even when their frames or existing breast tissue simply won’t accommodate them. This results in stretched skin and unnatural-looking implants that patients end up disliking and having removed. To save time, hassle, and expense, we recommend that you adhere to your surgeon’s recommendations. Remember that you can always choose to upgrade to larger implants during a later revision, without stretching your skin or enduring unnatural-looking implants in the interim.

Explant Patients Cite Implants Wear Out

Implant removals or implant exchanges were highest among women 35-50 years of age. One factor for this high exchange rate is that inferior, older implants tend to wear out more than modern day implants. Another, more societal factor is that these women are no longer out at the local nightclubs or rushing to happy hour after work, but rather taking their kids to soccer practice. Decades ago, breast implant manufacturers recommended implant replacement every ten years. Because of the propensity for larger breasts and the inferior implants of the day, and that women today are looking for smaller, more comfortable options, this means many of the women that do opt for implant explantation are merely looking for a change in look or feel.

Natural Look and Active Lifestyle

The love for big breasts is still strong, just not as large as before. While women are still undergoing breast augmentation in droves, the modern woman also has a focus on keeping healthy and active. Many women choose more modest implants because larger-sized implants can impair their ability to exercise. Women are participating in higher levels of physical activity, and larger-sized implants impair their capacity to be as active as they want to be. Breast augmentation has always been popular, and it will certainly always be a top trend in the plastic surgery industry; even as technology evolves and our society’s perspective shifts. Women will always want to increase their self-confidence, improve their figure proportion/fit of clothing, and boost their body image. And Dr. Tehrani will be there to help! Come in for a personalized consultation and help us to define your goals for your breasts. No matter what type of procedure you are hoping to have done, Dr. Tehrani will help you achieve your most beautiful self at any age.