Tag Archives: breast augmentation consultation

​How Long Do Silicone Breast Implants Last?

How Long Do Breast Implants Last? When Should They Be Replaced?

Chest Questions, , , , , ,

As one of the most common cosmetic surgeries within the United States, breast implants are continuously growing in popularity.

As they continue to grow in popularity there are more and more misconceptions to be found when it comes to breast implants. For instance, did you know that breast implants do not last forever?

While breast implants can last for long periods of time without causing problems or needing to be removed/replaced, they are not permanent and will require some maintenance at some point in your life.

The technology used in breast implants today is much better than that of breast implants in the past, which leads to them being more stable and having a longer lifespan. This means that regardless of the type of implant you choose, you should get more life out of them today than you would have even 20 years ago.

What are the Different Types of Breast Implants?

There are two main types of breast implants these days, saline and silicone. Each different type of breast implant comes with its pros and cons, but, you’ll be safe no matter which option you choose, but you should definitely talk with your doctor to figure out which implant type is right for you.

While both saline and silicone breast implants have silicone shells, the big difference between the two lies in how the actual implant is formed. Saline breast implants are filled with sterile salt water, whereas silicone breast implants are pre-filled with silicone. This thick gel closely mimics the consistency of natural fatty tissue.

Choosing an implant type should be based on the look and feel that you’re looking to achieve, while also taking into consideration the different methods that are required to implant them in your chest. Saline implants tend to have a smaller incision due to the fact that they are inserted into the body while flat and then filled up with saline, whereas the silicone implants come pre-filled before being inserted.

This can lead to differences in healing as well as the way the implants may sit in your chest, which is why it’s very important to discuss all options with your surgeon before you make a decision.

How Long Do Breast Implants Last? Do They Need to be Replaced?

This is probably one of the most common questions people inquire about when it comes to breast augmentation surgery – how long will the results last? The answer is, while it is possible for silicone breast implants to last for a lifetime, they may need to be replaced at some point. The older 2nd generation implants typically were all ruptured or leaking by 10 years post-surgery, but the current 5th generation gel implants remain mostly intact at 10 or even 20 years.

According to the FDA, it’s important that women continuously monitor their implants throughout their lifetime. Silicone implant ruptures are difficult to detect; they cannot be detected simply by looking at or feeling the augmented breast. The gel material is inert, so if a rupture does occur, the gel will not be absorbed by the body, so the appearance will not change.

For this reason, some patients will schedule MRIs or ultrasounds to look for any changes or ruptures in the outer shell, which are two determining factors in implant replacement.

Implants must be replaced if a rupture does occur, however. Without replacement, a ruptured silicone breast implant can cause breast pain, tenderness, or changes in the shape of the breast.

While breast implants are not permanent, as in they will not last you a lifetime, they will last you quite a long time and shouldn’t give you any major issues during that time. Of course, there is always the possibility of rupture or tearing due to your lifestyle or an accident, but from regular normal levels of stress, your breast implants should last you 10-20 years.

Why Would a Breast Implant Need to be Replaced or Removed?

There are a number of reasons why you may have to get your breast implant removed or replaced as you begin to age. If the implant has not ruptured there still may be other complications that can arise from having breast implants that may be a reason to have the removed or replaced.

Rupture

As we mentioned above, if a breast implant ruptures then it must be removed or replaced. If a saline breast implant ruptures, the saline solution will harmlessly be absorbed into the body, however you may notice your breast tissue deflate fairly quickly.

If a silicone implant ruptures it may not be immediately noticeable, in terms of your breast deflating, but the silicone can start to cause a burning sensation in your chest.

Capsular Contracture

Capsular contracture is when the tissue around the breast implant begins to scar and harden. This can cause pain, misshapen breasts, breasts to be too firm, or other problems. If this happens, the breast augmentation will have to be revised.

Rippling

If you’ve experienced significant weight loss after having your implants, you may notice that your breasts appear to have slight ripples in them. Rippling is not harmful, but it may cause your breasts to look a bit off, which could be a reason you would want them removed or replaced.

Shift in Position

While the breast implants are typically implanted in an area where they cannot move around a lot, there are times when the implants do shift in the chest cavity. This can be from trauma, hard impact, or even just the way your tissue is as you get older. In many cases women opt to remove or correct the implants through a revision augmentation to ensure that the breasts are positioned exactly where they would like them on their chest.

Desire to Change Size

One of the most common reasons we see people having their breast implants removed or replaced is that they no longer like the size that they originally chose.

Deciding to go bigger or go smaller, or change the type of implant you have, will require you to have your implants removed and replaced in order to change the size.

Breast Implant Replacement or Removal

Whether you’re considering breast augmentation or simply curious about the process, understanding the basics of silicone breast implants, including how long they last, is important.

If you’d like to know more about breast augmentation surgery, contact Dr. Adams today to schedule a consultation or to ask any questions you may have.

7 Things to Know Before Getting a Breast Augmentation

7 Things You Should Know Before Getting a Breast Augmentation

Breast Augmentation, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

1. Manage Your Expectations

Before you book a consultation with a plastic surgeon, it’s important to manage your expectations. Don’t go into the consultation with a set idea of what you want. Your plastic surgeon will take measurements of your body and recommend an appropriate implant size and incision location based on your unique needs.

Tissue-based planning involves measuring parts of your body, including your breast width, skin stretch, etc. Based on your measurements, Dr. Adams will be able to give you a range of recommended implants for your breast. He will also recommend the ideal incision location, which is in the inframammary fold.

The reason that the other incisions, like the areola or the armpit, are inferior to the inframammary incision is because there is a higher risk of infection or capsular contracture with other incision locations. Dr. Adams’ will also show you his high-quality scar therapy program to give your scars their best appearance.

Not everyone is built the same, so basing your expectations off of what you’ve seen work with someone else, may not be the best option for you. This is why it’s always important to talk with your doctor and get their expert opinions.

2. Be Prepared for Future Breast Revisions

While breast implants today are designed to last longer than previous generations, they are not meant to last a lifetime. There is still a chance that you may need to replace or revise your implants in the future.

The FDA recommends getting an MRI every other year to check the status of your implants. If you start to feel uncomfortable, or notice something that’s just not quite right, you should setup an appointment with your doctor to get things checked out.

Breast implants are designed to put up with normal everyday activities, but sometimes over exerting yourself, exercising too much (or the wrong way), or participating in extraneous physical activities can sometimes cause breast implants to leak or become dislodged from their normal state.

3. Knowing What to Expect from a Breast Augmentation

A common question that many women interested in breast augmentation want answered is: what will I look like after my procedure? Many offices will have women place implants in their bras or put rice in a bag and then place it in their bras to try to show them what their breasts are going to look like after their augmentation.

Instead of using rice bags or trying on different sizes of implants in a bra, opt for the Vectra 3D imaging system. It’s a more accurate way to predict what you will look like after the procedure. With 98% accuracy, you can see a 3D image of your body with different implant sizes and shapes.

After having a scan made of your chest, Dr. Adams can decide which implants will be the best fit for your body based on tissue-based planning. And since the Vectra 3D imaging system uses 3D scans of your actual body, you’ll be able to see 3D renderings of what you would actually look like with your breast implants.

4. Take a Break from Exercising

Recovery from Dr. Adams’ breast augmentation is very rapid and allows you to go back to work, pick up children under 3 years old, and even go shopping the day of your procedure. But you do need to be prepared for some restrictions, such as exercise limitations.

It’s important to take some time off from your exercise regimen for the recommended period of time after your procedure. For the first two weeks after surgery, avoid exercise that raises your heart rate above 100 beats per minute. After two weeks, you may begin cardio and after six weeks, you may begin chest-focused weightlifting.

You will have a follow-up appointment with your surgeon where he will make sure things are healing as they should and they can give you a better estimate of how long you need to limit your exercise based on your healing.

5. Your Breasts Will Sit High in Your Chest Immediately After Surgery

When implants are first placed in surgery, they are put inside the chest. This causes the tissues to move to the upper part of the breast. Because of this, women may feel like their breast implants are very high up on their chest for the first couple of weeks after the procedure. It is completely normal to feel this way, as it takes about 6-8 weeks for the bottom part of the breast to fill out and the nipple to naturally tilt up.

6. Expect Changes in Nipple Sensitivity After Breast Surgery

It is very common to not feel any sensation in your nipples after your procedure. It is also completely normal for your nipples to be more sensitive after your procedure. When your breasts are augmented, the nerves that lead to the nipple are stretched around the implant, which in turn can cause hypo- or hypersensitive nipples.

This change in sensitivity of your nipples can be temporary but can also be long-lasting. If you have concerns about the sensitivity of your nipples before or after your surgery, be sure to discuss them with your doctor.

7. Avoid Underwire Bras and Push-up Padding

After surgery, it’s important to avoid bras with underwire or push-up padding for the first 6 weeks. These types of bras can cause improper healing and may lead to other complications.

Breast augmentation surgery can be a life-changing procedure, but it’s important to understand the risks and limitations before going under the knife. Knowing these 7 things about breast augmentation will help you to ensure a successful and safe procedure. Remember to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon and discuss any concerns or questions you may have.

If you ever have any questions in regard to a breast augmentation with Dr. Adams, please call our office at 214-965-9885 or contact us online.

5 Telling Signs That You May Need a Breast Reduction​

5 Telling Signs That You May Need a Breast Reduction​

Chest Questions, , ,

While many women dream of having bigger breasts, some are born with ones that are much too big for their body. Heavy breasts can lead to a life of both emotional and physical pain. There’s a reason why over 100,000 breast reduction surgeries were performed in 2014.

If you have very large breasts, a breast reduction surgery, technically known as a reduction mammaplasty, can transform your life. Researchers have noted that breast reduction surgery has completely resolved patients’ complaints of neck strain, headache, aching shoulders, heavy anterior chest and strange sensations in the little fingers.

If you have any of the following five telling signs that you’re breasts are too big, you should consider breast reduction surgery.

1. You Experience Upper Back Pain

After carrying heavy breasts around every day of your life, you can develop pretty bad back pain. Researchers in Turkey found that big breasts affect the curvature of your spine, which causes upper back pain. If you always feel like your breasts are a physical burden, even when you’re doing nothing, breast reduction surgery can definitely help you. In fact, it may be the key to resolving most of your upper back pain.

2. Your Shoulder and Neck Hurt.

Your back isn’t the only part of your body that suffers with the weight of your large breasts. During a study conducted in 2012, researchers found that the weight of a woman’s breast is an important cause of shoulder and neck pain. If you have large breasts, you should speak to your doctor about the relationship between your breasts and your shoulder and neck pain.

3. You Notice Other Physical Problems That Are Related to Large Breasts.

Along with back, neck and shoulder pain, your large breasts may be causing a number of other physical problems. If you experience breathing problems (especially when you are lying down), headaches, a heavy chest, strange sensations in your little fingers or rashes underneath your breasts, breast reduction surgery might be able to help.

4. Your Breasts Cause You Emotional Pain.

Have you ever been embarrassed by your breasts? Many women who have unusually large breasts struggle with finding clothes that fit them or are afraid to wear a swimsuit. They also suffer with feeling uncomfortable everyday because people stare at them. You shouldn’t have to be unhappy with your body for the rest of your life because of something you can’t control. A breast reduction can erase all of that emotional trouble, making you feel more comfortable in your own skin.

5. You Have Problems Exercising.

If you experience pain in your breasts during moderate or vigorous workouts, your breasts may be too big for your body. This pain can prevent you from exercising as much as you’d like, and can even discourage you from working out at all. Breast reduction surgery may help you to live a healthier life.

How Breast Reduction Surgery Works

Now that you may be considering breast reduction surgery, you probably want to know how it works. During a breast reduction, your plastic surgeon removes fat, glandular tissue, and skin from your breasts.

The technique used to do this varies from surgeon to surgeon. Usually, an incision is made around your areola, and continues downward along the natural curve of the crease beneath your breast. Then, the nipples are moved to their new position. Your breast is reshaped by moving the skin, and liposuction may be used to remove fat. Finally, your surgeon will stitch it all back up.

After surgery, you’ll find that your breasts are smaller, lighter and firmer. Depending on the technique used, you may or may not have a scar. But either way, a scar is definitely worth the improvement in quality of life most people get after they’ve been struggling with heavy breasts all of their lives.

If you suffer with any of the signs above, we suggest that you speak to your doctor about breast reduction surgery. After reduction mammaplasty, your life will never be the same again. Many of our patients experience dramatic improvements in their lives, both emotionally and physically.

If you’re interested in learning more about breast reduction surgery and if it’s right for you, feel free to contact us today. Dr. Adams is an international authority on breast contouring, developing innovative techniques that make surgery safer for patients.

31 Ways a Breast Implant Can Change Your Life

​31 Ways Breast Implants Can Change Your Life – New Year, New You

Breast Augmentation, , , , , ,

The start of a new year is always a time for taking stock of your life. What were the highlights of last year? What do you want to change moving forward? If you’ve spent the last year – or longer – unsatisfied with your appearance and considering making a change by finally investing in breast augmentation surgery, now might be the time.

We’ve compiled a list of ways that breast augmentation surgery can have a lasting impact on your daily life. Physically and mentally, the changes that you go through in life shape the person that you are. If you are unhappy with the way you feel, or the way you project yourself onto others, it might be time to make a change. The first step in that process is to realize that you must make that change in order to be truly happy. A physical change, whether in appearance, clothing, or surgical enhancements, can do wonders for your self esteem and help boost your confidence to the levels you desire.

How can breast implants really change your life?

  1. You’ll project more confidence in everyday life.

  2. You’ll be happier with your appearance. When you look good, you feel good about yourself!

  3. Wear what you’ve always wanted to wear, and look amazing!

  4. There will be a better selection when bra shopping. All the styles you coveted will now look fantastic!

  5. You’ll fill out a V-neck top, a bikini top, or a low-cut dress like never before.

  6. Strapless dresses and tops that might not have been an option previously, now can be worn with confidence.

  7. Time to go shopping! A new body deserves a stylish new wardrobe to highlight your best assets.

  8. No more padded bras.

  9. No stuffing your bra or using “chicken cutlets.” That lift will be all you!

  10. No more hurtful jokes.

  11. Breasts that sag or are stretched from pregnancy, breastfeeding, and age will appear young and full again.

  12. You’ll feel more feminine and desirable.

  13. Spice up your love life! More body confidence leads to more bedroom confidence.

  14. More intimacy can reignite or deepen your romantic relationships.

  15. Single? Attract more attention…

  16. …and feel more outgoing and confident in social situations.

  17. Be bold! Go for the promotion, ask for the raise, take the solo vacation. Body confidence can translate to self-confidence in all areas of life!

  18. Foster deeper social connections. When you’re no longer self-conscious about your body, you can focus on people and conversations!

  19. Say goodbye to bra and swimsuit shopping anxiety!

  20. Stop smoking for good. You have to quit prior to having the surgery, so you might as well make it a permanent, positive change!

  21. Get into a consistent workout routine. You want the rest of your body to look as good as your implants.

  22. Eat healthy. Stave off stretch marks and awkward changes by maintaining a healthy weight.

  23. Enjoy getting UN-dressed.

  24. Foster deeper connection with your body for a more positive self-image.

  25. More general body awareness can lead to early detection of potential health issues.

  26. Boost self-esteem.

  27. Fight gravity as you age.

  28. Breast size won’t decrease if you lose weight.

  29. Become more proportionate head to toe.

  30. Love the way you look in the mirror.

  31. It’s a positive and permanent action to make YOU happier with your body.

Making the decision to get breast implants can change your life by making you look and feel better, and those positive effects can influence other aspects of your life. When considering implants, it’s important to maintain realistic expectations of what your implants will look like and what kind of impact they’ll have on your life.

Implants won’t automatically boost your self-esteem, improve your love life, kickstart your career, or fix depression or social anxiety. More serious underlying issues should be addressed with a professional before proceeding with breast augmentation. If you’re unhappy in many areas of your life, implants aren’t a magic cure-all, but if you’re simply unsatisfied with the size or shape of your natural breasts, implants may help create the change you seek. Talk to your plastic surgeon about your reasons for getting implants and your expectations post-surgery to make the best decision for you.

If you’re thinking about breast augmentation surgery, contact Dr. Adams today to set up a consultation, or reach out to us with any questions you may have.

​Can Breast Implants Freeze in Cold Weather?

​Can Breast Implants Freeze in Cold Weather?

Chest Questions, , ,

One of the most common questions among women seeking information on breast augmentation is whether or not their implants can freeze in the cold weather.

Since breast implants are filled with liquid or gel, and since liquids have a freezing point, it’s actually a smart question to ask.

Saline vs. Silicone Implants

Breast implants on the market today are filled with either a saline solution or a silicone gel. The silicone gel is filled with a semi-solid silicone gel, which allows the implant to be soft and pliable for breasts that look and feel natural. Saline breast implants are filled with a sterile salt-water solution, which has led to the myth that it may be possible for breast implants to freeze, because water itself can freeze if it’s too cold.

So what actually happens to breast implants when the temperatures outside get sub-Arctic?

Will Implants Freeze?

Regardless of the type of breast implant you choose to use, whether silicone based or saline based, you will never have to worry about your breast implants freezing within your chest. It is physically impossible.

The myth of the freezing breast implant seems to stem from the fact that saline based implants are comprised mainly of water and since water has a freezing point, then this could possibly lead to your breast implants freezing within your body if the temperature dips below 28.4 degrees Fahrenheit (the freezing point of salt water).

But you don’t have to worry – once they’re implanted in the body, breast implants will not freeze, no matter how cold it gets!

Breast implants cannot freeze because the core temperature of the human body hovers right around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, regardless of indoor or outdoor temperatures. When placed within the body, breast implants are insulated under the pectoral muscles, and the skin, and your natural internal body temperatures regulates the temperature of the implants.

For saline implants to freeze inside the body, the internal body temperature would have to drop to below 28.4 degrees, which is well below the temperature necessary to sustain life. And silicone gel implants would have to drop to 170 degrees below zero.

The lowest ever-recorded survived body temperature of human being was 56.7 degrees Fahrenheit, well above the freezing point of salt water.

In 20 years of practice, Dr. Adams has never seen a patient with any issue or complaint from cold weather and breast implants. He states, the “implant freeze stories are urban legends…”

Regardless of the type of filler, implants can experience slight variation in temperature based on the ambient temperature outside and how long a person was exposed. Most of the time this goes un-noticed by the patient.

Tips for Staying Comfortable in Cold Weather

To keep warm when spending time outdoors in the cold, be sure to bundle up! Wearing a camisole or lightweight undershirt as a base layer underneath normal clothing is a smart idea for anyone who’ll be out in the cold for long period of time. A vest can help keep the core body temperature warm underneath a jacket or coat without adding too much extra heat to the rest of the body.

Keeping the extra layers on once back inside, taking a hot shower, or spending a few minutes in a hot tub or sauna can help the breasts warm up more quickly to match the rest of the body’s temperature, just as you would do if your hands were cold after coming inside.

The myth of breast implants freezing is just that, a myth. If you live in an area of the world that sees temperature drops below freezing, your body will naturally regulate the temperature of the implants the same way it does with the other organs within your body.

You can schedule a consultation with Dr. Adams, or contact us with any questions.