Breast Surgery in Boca Raton
Breast plastic surgery is all about proportion and symmetry. Just because it’s one of the most popular procedures, doesn’t mean one-size-fits-all. Your final result will fit you, the individual and reflect your inner sense of beauty and confidence.
Breast Procedures Glossary
Breast augmentation
Breast Augmentation refers to surgical procedures for enhancing breast size, shape and projection (how the breast stands out from the chest wall), using 1 of 3 types of incisions:
Periareolar incision. An incision is made at the lower edge of the areola (darkly pigmented skin surrounding the nipple. A pocket is formed for an implant, and the implant inserted. A scar is visible at the border of the areola, but it fades and is unobtrusive.
Inframammary incision. An incision is made at the base of the breast where it meets the torso. A pocket is created and the implant inserted. There is a scar but it may not be visible in the fold between the breast and torso.
Transaxillary incision. This is the most technologically advanced approach to placing an implant and leaves no scar on the breast. The pocket is made using tiny high definition cameras and the surgery is performed on large high definition TV screens. This allows the implant to be placed very precisely through a small incision in the underarm that is nearly invisible within several months.
Breast Implants
Breast implants are saline or silicone filled devices used to enhance breast size, shape, and projection (how far away from the chest wall the breast protrudes). They consist of an outer shell made from silicone, filled with either saline (water with sodium chloride at the same concentration as natural body fluid), or or the cohesive gel silicone, for volume and density. Both saline and silicone implants have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Common breast implant terms:
- Gummy-bear breast implant. Also called form-stable, refers to the use of a thicker silicone gel than a traditional silicone implant. The gummy-bear implant retains its manufactured tear drop shape.
- Saline breast implant. Before insertion the silicone shell is filled with air. After insertion the air is expelled and replaced with saline, or salt water, similar to natural body fluid. If it ruptures the fluid is absorbed by the body. Saline implants have a higher leak rate than silicone implants and can often be felt or seen through the skin which is known as rippling.
- Silicone breast implant. The implant shell is filled with a cohesive silicone gel, which feels significantly softer and more natural than saline-filled breast implants. Although these are not the true “gummy bear” implants, they are often referred to as the gummy bear implants by many people as they are a cohesive gel that can be cut in half and will not leak like the old liquid silicone gel implants.
- Smooth breast implant. The outer surface of the implant shell is not textured; it feels softer and more natural than a textured shell.
- Textured breast implant. The outer surface of the implant shell is textured, causing the natural tissue lining of the pocket into which the implant is inserted to adhere to the shell, in theory preventing displacement of the implant and may decrease the risk of capsular contracture in subglandular implants.
- Breast implant profile. The implant profile is used to match the base width of the implant to a woman’s chest. Depending on how large a woman wants to be, the base width is matched to achieve the optimal width and cleavage. Ask your surgeon which profile would best fit your chest and achieve your goals.
- Breast implant shape. The implant shape is either round, which becomes more teardrop shaped when behind the muscle, or tear-drop shaped, also called anatomic. It appears more natural, but if the implant rotates within the pocket it will distort breast shape and for this reason is made of a textured material to minimize the movement of the implant. A smooth implant will move with you like a breast should.
- Breast implant sizing. Sizing refers to pre-operative, technology-assisted imaging to guide the choice of implant size. the Vectra 3D Cameras can show you what the different implant sizes will look like on you so you can see yourself with your new breast in 3D prior to the surgery.
Breast implant exchange
Breast Implant Exchange is a surgical procedure refers to removing a previous implant, and replacing it with a new implant.
Indications for breast implant exchange include:
- Ruptured implant
- “Bottoming out,” or implant malposition in which the implant has dropped to the bottom of the pocket into which it was inserted, distorting breast shape and displacing the nipple
- Capsular contracture, in which scar tissue around the implant makes the implant feel hard and uncomfortable, as well as distorting breast shape
- Sometime women just want to change size and go bigger or smaller.
Breast Implant Rupture / Failure
Ruptured Breast Implant. The implant shell ruptures (breaks), leaking the implant contents into the pocket in which the implant was inserted.
Breast Lift (mastopexy)
Breast lift is the surgical procedure for altering the breast shape and position on the chest wall (profile) to create a more youthful configuration and appearance by tightening the skin envelope of the breast.
Indications for the procedure include:
- Sagging breasts
- Enlarged areola
- Excess breast skin or tissue
With a small breast volume, a mastopexy may be combined with breast augmentation = augmentation with breast lift.
Types of Breast Lifts:
The type of lift a patient needs is based on how much extra skin they have. the more skin that is present, the larger and more scars a patient needs to achieve an optimal result.
1. Peri-areolar (Benelle) breast lift
This breast lift is the surgical procedure for women with enlarged areolas (darkly pigmented skin surrounding the nipple). An incision is made around the areola to reduce its size to a diameter of 38-40 millimeters and the excess skin is removed.
2. Vertical breast lift
Also called a lollipop lift, consists of an incision made around the areola, then downward to the breast crease (where the breast meets the torso). Excess skin is removed and deep layers of breast tissue are sutured together to reshape the breast. The areola is repositioned for the desired youthful appearance.This technique works well for a patient that has a small to moderate amount of excess skin.
3. Inverted T breast lift
An inverted T shaped incision around the nipple and down the middle of the breast and horizontally along the base. THis procedure is for a patient that has a significant amount of droop and extra skin. Deep layers of breast tissue are sutured together, excess skin is removed, and the areola repositioned higher appropriately.
Breast reduction (reduction mammoplasty)
Breast Reduction is performed to alleviate the chronic strain and pain on the back and shoulders caused by very large, heavy breasts. An anchor-shaped incision is made around the nipple, down to and along the crease where the breast meets the torso. Glandular tissue, fat and skin are removed. The nipple and areola are repositioned to a higher position. this is essentially the same procedure as a breast lift but breast tissue isremoved to reduce the excessive weight of the breast.
Transaxillary breast augmentation
Transaxillary Breast Augmentation uses an incision 1-2 centimeters in length and is made in a natural crease of the armpit (axilla). Breast implants (saline or silicone) of the appropriate size are inserted, positioned correctly, and anchored, all through the small incision in the underarm. The muscle and breast remain intact without a breast scar, and preserving nipple sensation better than augmentation performed with an incision on the breast which can leave an unsightly scar on the breast.