What You Need to Know about Breast Augmentation
| Overview | A breast augmentation is a procedure done to enlarge your breasts by one or more cup sizes and enhance their shape. |
| Also Known As | This type of procedure is sometimes referred to as breast enhancement, breast implants, mammoplasty, or boob job. |
| The Ideal Candidate | Women who want to increase the size of their breasts, make them appear fuller, or address asymmetries. |
| Target Areas | Breasts |
| Average Cost | $7,700 – $15,500 + HST |
| Recovery |
|
| Overview |
| A breast augmentation is a procedure done to enlarge your breasts by one or more cup sizes and enhance their shape. |
| The Ideal Candidate |
| Women who want to increase the size of their breasts, make them appear fuller, or address asymmetries. |
| Target Areas |
| Breasts |
| Average Cost |
| $9,000-$13,000 |
| Recovery |
|
Find Out If a Breast Augmentation Will Be Right for You
What Is a Breast Augmentation?
A breast augmentation is a procedure that is done to enlarge a woman’s breasts and enhance their shape. This is done by placing implants underneath the chest wall muscle or behind existing breast tissue. In either situation, the implants are centred beneath the nipples.
The ultimate goal is to produce beautiful, natural-looking results. A patient can expect her breasts to be lifted and become firmer, fuller, and shapelier for many years to come.
Why Do People Undergo Breast Augmentations?
- Increasing the size of naturally small breasts.
- Improving asymmetry of varying degrees.
- Restoring fullness to breasts after pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- Adding balance to complement a curvaceous figure or after experiencing weight loss.
Whatever the specific motivation, undergoing a breast augmentation can help women boost the confidence they have in themselves and their self-image.
Dr. Sleightholm’s Approach to Breast Augmentations
Dr. Sleightholm specializes in body shaping procedures, including breast augmentations, and takes great pride in working with patients to understand their needs and help them achieve their desired result.
During a consultation with Dr. Sleightholm and a surgical consultant, you can expect to discuss your goals and desired results. It is important to be open and honest about your expectations during your initial meeting, as that will allow Dr. Sleightholm to make relevant, appropriate recommendations and enhance your overall satisfaction.
Be prepared to talk about:
Saline Implants
Saline breast implants are constructed with a silicone exterior shell and filled with sterile salt water to give them their shape. They can be either round or teardrop-shaped, round implants helping to fill the upper part of the breasts while teardrop implants create a more moderate or natural profile.
Saline implants are typically less expensive than cohesive gel ones, and they offer enhanced flexibility. They are ideal for correcting minor breast asymmetry, as your cosmetic surgeon can inject a little bit more salt water into one implant over the other, and for people who have a very small insertion point. If a petite person wants a larger implant, for example, your cosmetic surgeon can carefully and precisely fold the shell before inserting it, and then fill and expand it once it’s in place.
There are some risks associated with saline implants (rippling, deflation, feeling the movement of the saline, and scar tissue hardening), though they are rare.
Cohesive Gel Implants
These types of implants are made completely of silicone, both the outside shell and the gel inside. They can also be round or teardrop-shaped.
Cohesive gel implants do typically come with a higher price tag, but many patients say that they feel more natural than saline and risks are less likely.
Click here to learn more about saline and silicone breast implants.
At Brampton Cosmetic, we use smooth, round implants to give women a full and proportioned appearance. The primary reason we recommend round implants over tear-drop shaped ones is due to their symmetrical shape, they can move and rotate without issue and are as a result more resilient over the long term.
The projection is an indication of how far the implant projects outwards. Low profile implants tend to have wider bases and more leveled tops, while higher profile implants have narrower bases and raised tops.
Your cosmetic surgeon will work with you to ensure the type of implant and procedure you choose is consistent with both your natural proportions and personal goals.
Breast implants range from 150cc to 800cc and above. Some patients will require a different sized implant for each breast to achieve optimal symmetry, shape, and fullness.
When choosing the best size implants, you’ll need to consider:
- Breast Width: In the majority of cases, an implant that is about the same or slightly narrower than the width of your breast will be the best fit.
- Tissue Thickness and Skin Laxity: Women who have thicker and more resilient skin will typically be better able to accommodate wider implants, as their skin will better conform to its new shape and will be less prone to stretching or rippling over time.
- Lifestyle: If you’re an athletic woman, you will want to find breast implants that interfere minimally with how you move.
Ultimately, the best results create harmony and give you natural-looking breasts that suit your body’s frame. Try not to get hung up on precise sizes and measurements. Remember—300cc implants in a patient with small breasts will look very different than they will in a patient with large breasts.
Click here to learn more about choosing the right size implants.
Breast implants can either be sub-glandular (placed over the chest muscle) or sub-muscular (placed under the chest muscle). Sub-glandular implants typically have a more rounded appearance and come with shorter, less painful recovery times. Sub-muscular implants can provide a more natural look, especially for thinner patients.
Your cosmetic surgeon will work with you to assess your needs, explain the options available, and determine the approach that will be best suited for you.
One of the most important and fun sessions you will have will be the one where you get to try out different implant types and sizes. By wearing a bra designed to fit a range of styles and shapes, you will be able to get a sense of how each implant can transform your silhouette.
To get the most out of this appointment, make sure you:
- Wear a light-coloured, low-cut shirt to accentuate your curves and cleavage.
- Experiment with different options. Even if you think it might be too big or too small, try it on. Understanding the profiles you don’t want can make it easier to decide how you do want to look.
- Ask your consultant and cosmetic surgeon for their feedback. They will have a wealth of experience helping women find the right implants, which they can use to help you inform your decision.
Keep in mind that how your breasts look with the implants sitting on the outside won’t be exactly how they look once the implants are inserted, but trying them on will help you get a much better idea of the final results you can expect.
Find out If a Breast Augmentation Will Be Right for You
What You Need to Know Before, During, and After Your Procedure
Surgical Procedures That Can Complement a Breast Augmentation
Breast Lift |
Liposuction |
Tummy Tuck |
|---|---|---|
| A breast lift is a procedure to lift or elevate sagging breasts, resulting in a more youthful breast contour.
Before the procedure, patients typically have large breasts that sag due to age or weight. After the breast lift procedure, patients typically look forward to a fuller contour that is elevated. Your breasts will have a more youthful shape to meet your desired appearance. |
Liposuction permanently removes excess fat in cosmetically important areas to sculpt an improved body contour. Some of the areas commonly targeted include the hips, abdomen, arms, thighs, love handles, spots around the chest, buttocks, neckline, and areas around the chin.
Liposuction is popular for both men and women, especially those who want to eliminate unwanted fat in one or a few key spots. |
A tummy tuck is a cosmetic surgical procedure that removes excess stomach fat and skin while also tightening the mid and lower abdominal muscles to reduce stomach protrusion. This helps patients achieve flatter, firmer midsections and healthier, more youthful appearances. |
Liposuction |
|---|
| Liposuction permanently removes excess fat in cosmetically important areas to sculpt an improved body contour. Some of the areas commonly targeted include the hips, abdomen, arms, thighs, love handles, spots around the chest, buttocks, neckline, and areas around the chin.
Liposuction is popular for both men and women, especially those who want to eliminate unwanted fat in one or a few key spots. |
Breast Augmentation |
| A breast augmentation is a procedure to enlarge breasts by one or more cup sizes and enhance their shape. This is done by placing implants underneath the chest wall muscle or behind existing breast tissue. In either situation, the implants are centred beneath the nipples.
The ultimate goal is to produce beautiful, natural-looking results that give patients confidence in their figures for many years to come. |
Breast Lift |
| A breast lift is a procedure to lift or elevate sagging breasts, resulting in a more youthful breast contour.
Before the procedure, patients typically have large breasts that sag due to age or weight. After the breast lift procedure, patients typically look forward to a fuller contour that is elevated. Your breasts will have a more youthful shape to meet your desired appearance. |
Find out If a Breast Augmentation Will Be Right for You
Frequently Asked Questions about Breast Augmentation Surgery
You may shower day 4 post surgery. Take off your garment/binder and take down all dressings or gauze (should there be a steri-strip/white tape over the incision leave that on). You do not need to reapply any gauze or dressing unless you are oozing or otherwise instructed by Dr. Sleightholm. Should you have a drain, once the dressings come off in preparation of your shower, feel free to either tape, or use a belt to hold the drain in place while you bathe.
Should you be prescribed antibiotics prior to surgery. You should start taking it the day before surgery 4 times a day. Day of surgery take it in the morning with as little water as possible, then continue day two post surgery until you are done.
If you are having a breast augmentation or breast lift you are not to be in a bra for one week (unless otherwise instructed by Dr. Sleightholm). When you come in for your one week post operative appointment with the Surgical Nurse a bra will be given to you. If you are having a breast reduction please bring a full support bra with no underwire with you the day of surgery. When having a breast augmentation, a bandeau may be placed on you right after surgery.
In most cases a surgical garment will be placed on you right after surgery. Should you awake without one it was determined by Dr. Sleightholm that you did not need it. Surgical garments are not required in all cases.
Should a drain be put in during surgery it will not be removed until you are draining 30cc or less in a 24-hour period unless otherwise instructed by Dr. Sleightholm.
The hospital will not allow any patient to leave via taxi or Uber. A friend or relative must accompany the patient home after surgery.
All you need to bring with you is your health card and the consent forms that were specified by the office at the time of your pre-operative appointment. Please do not bring any valuables with you day of surgery. Make sure to have the contact information of the person picking you up.
You must refrain from all physical activity for 6 weeks post surgery unless otherwise instructed to you by Dr. Sleightholm. This includes staying out of all hot tubs, pools etc.
You must wear your surgical garment for 6 weeks unless other instructed by Dr. Sleightholm. You may take your surgical garment off to launder and airdry.
Instructions will be given to you at your one-week appointment.
Initial swelling will take 6 to 8 weeks to go down. Generally, it can take up to one year to see your final result.
For the first week you are to leave them alone. At your one-week appointment the Surgical Nurse will discuss with various options for scar therapy post operatively. Incisions should be kept clean and dry for the first week.
No, all one-week appointments are done with the Surgical Nurse. You will see Dr. Sleightholm six weeks post operatively.
You will be contacted by our team the day after surgery. 1-2 week post-op appointments will be in office.
All questions and concerns should be directed to our office during regular business hours. Dr. Sleightholm’s emergency number should only be used in case of an emergency.
All follow up appointments are written on the envelope given to you at your pre-operative appointment. Follow up appointment will be written on your envelope.
Yes, while taking pain medication you may experience constipation. Start taking a stool softener 1-2 weeks before surgery i.e. Cenokot, Ducolax etc.
Yes, be prepared to experience leakage and or drainage from the incision site after liposuction. Drainage after liposuction is often mistaken for excessive bleeding. Drainage looks orange/reddish in color and is caused by the fluid used during the procedure and finds its way out of the incision site. Most often, you will experience drainage for the first 24-48 hours. Make sure to use an old towel or a plastic mattress protector to avoid permanently soiling your linens.
Lymphatic massage should be started 1 week after surgery (if you can tolerate it). Your lymphatic massage therapist will determine frequency of visits at your first appointment.
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