Breasts, much like everything, can come in a broad variety of shapes and sizes. Body and image confidence aside, embracing what you are naturally gifted isn’t always easy. Whether you happen to feel insecure about your breasts, not liking the way clothing fits you, or breasts getting in the way of your daily activities, there’s a chance that there may be some aspects that you may not like about your chest.
Knowing which breast procedure to choose for a specific situation can be the tricky part, especially for people who are new to the idea of plastic surgery.
Breast Augmentation With Implants
Statistics provided by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons have shown that breast augmentation remains the most popular plastic surgery procedure throughout North America. More than 300,000 women chose this surgery in 2018.
Breast augmentation sometimes referred to as a “breast aug” or “boob job” by patients, involves using breast implants to increase the size of your breasts. Breast augmentation is a common surgical procedure, suitable for women who want to enhance the size of small or asymmetrical breasts, want to restore volume in breasts after weight loss, pregnancy or breastfeeding, or want fuller breasts. Smaller breasts or breasts that have lost their previous volume are enlarged using the sub-glandular or sub-pectoral placement of silicone (gummy bear) breast implants.
Additionally, there are many options to consider, including the size, type and shape of the implants, their position in the chest area (in front of the pectoral muscle, partially in front of the muscle or behind the muscle) and where the incision will be made. Dr. Laliberte can help you make these decisions by assessing your body shape, lifestyle, and your overall cosmetic and aesthetic goals.
Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation
Traditional breast implants may not always be the best solution for every person. Fat transfer breast augmentation (occasionally referred to as fat grafting, lipo-filling or living fat transfer) could be an ideal choice for you if you are desiring a more subtle increase to your breast size of half a cup to one full cup.
Fat transfers make use of a common form of fat reduction surgery known as tumescent liposuction to remove small amounts of fat from stubborn pockets on the body. This can be taken from the thighs, abdomen or flanks. The fat is then purified and carefully re-injected into the breasts in layers to sculpt the patient’s requested shape.
Breast Lift
Breast augmentations and fat transfers are primarily chosen for making the breasts larger, but what they can’t solely achieve is to correct issues related to drooping or sagging. A breast lift or Mastopexy can rejuvenate your figure with a breast profile that is more youthful and uplifted. A woman’s breasts often change over time, losing their youthful shape and firmness. These changes and loss of skin elasticity can result from pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight fluctuations, aging, gravity, or be an underlying hereditary factor.
If you have noticed that the skin of your breasts has a significant degree of laxity or maybe that your nipples are pointing toward the floor, you may be a good patient for a breast lift. Breast Lift surgery comprises of making an incision on the breast, shifting the position of fat and other tissues, cutting away excess skin, and repositioning the nipple where necessary. While this is a reliable and effective plastic surgery procedure, results are visible primarily as soon as the surgery is over, however, it does not prevent breasts from becoming saggy in the future if there are future weight fluctuations or further changes to the skin’s elasticity.
Many women will choose to increase the volume of their breasts using either breast implants or their own fat via fat transfer in conjunction with a breast lift procedure.
Breast Reduction
Chronic back, shoulder or neck pain caused by larger, pendulous breasts is a problem faced by many women throughout Canada. You may wish to make your breasts smaller to relieve physical discomfort or to get them to look more proportional when compared to the rest of your body. A breast reduction, or reduction mammoplasty, comprises extracting excess fat, tissue and skin from the breasts through incisions, liposuction, and the removal of other tissue.
Although breast reduction is often performed to address medical issues, patients who do not have the symptoms of macromastia but are unhappy with the size of their breasts can still pursue breast reduction as an aesthetic procedure. Patients choosing to undergo breast reduction surgery for cosmetic reasons may cite any number of factors, including social stigmas and wardrobe concerns.
The results of breast reduction surgery will be long-lasting. Your new breast size should help relieve you from the pain and physical limitations experienced prior to breast reduction.
Areola Reduction
Areolas are the pigmented areas surrounding your nipples. Similar to many body features, areolas can vary widely in size, color and shape. It’s relatively normal to have large or differently sized areolas. If you are uncomfortable with the size of your areolas, an areola reduction procedure is possible.
Areola reduction surgery is a simple procedure that can reduce the diameter of one or both of your areolas. It can be performed independently or in conjunction with a breast lift, a breast reduction, or breast augmentation.
An Areola reduction is a good option for any man or woman who is dissatisfied with the size of their areolas. This procedure works particularly well if you have lost a significant amount of weight and, as a result, have stretched areolas. It also works well if your areolas have changed following pregnancy or breastfeeding. Other ideal candidates can include people with puffy or protruding areolas. Some people with asymmetrical areolas choose to get one reduced to match the other.
For women, areola reduction surgery shouldn’t be performed until breasts have finished growing, on average, around late teens or early 20s. Adolescent males may be able to have this procedure at an earlier age.
Next steps on your breast surgery journey
Women considering any of these breast surgery options are encouraged to get answers to their questions and find out more about their procedure of choice by consulting with a board-certified plastic surgeon.
Choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon is absolutely key to your decision process. A board-certified plastic surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), which is the only board the American Board of Medical Specialties recognizes to certify doctors in the full range of plastic and reconstructive procedures. Dr. Laliberte at Radiance Plastic Surgery is a board-certified plastic surgeon and additionally, a Harvard-trained specialist in surgical breast procedures. His artistic and highly technical approach produces natural results tailored to enhance and complement your specific frame, goals and circumstances. Whether you are looking to regain breast fullness, lift or shape or desiring breast enhancement, reduction or reshaping, you are in excellent hands with Dr. Laliberte.
If you are interested in learning more about breast procedures, or to book a consultation, please complete our online form, call us, or email us at office@radianceplasticsurgery.ca.
