Breast augmentation is one of the most popular procedures performed by Scottsdale plastic surgeon Dr. John Corey. See our image gallery for examples. Customized to meet your specific needs and enhance your unique curves and features, breast augmentation can have a life-changing impact, boosting your self-confidence and helping you look and feel your very best.
If you would like to improve the size and shape of your breasts or restore the perkiness they had prior to pregnancy, breast augmentation with implants may be an excellent way to achieve your aesthetic goals.
To schedule your Scottsdale breast augmentation consultation, please contact John J. Corey, MD online or by calling 480-767-7700 today. Our plastic surgeon welcomes breast augmentation patients from Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, and all other areas of Arizona.
- Benefits of Breast Augmentation
- Am I a Candidate?
- Health and Breast Augmentation
- Affordability of Breast Augmentation
- Breast Augmentation Recovery
- Questions about Breast Augmentation
- Contact Dr. Corey
What is breast augmentation?
Breast augmentation is a surgical procedure to improve the appearance of breasts by increasing their size, correcting breast asymmetry, and/or improving their shape. As funny as it may sound, the most reliable way to get good, predictable results with breast augmentation is by using breast implants! There are techniques using fat transfer, but these are used far less and with very mild to moderate success.
What can breast augmentation accomplish?
Breast augmentation can be used to improve the appearance of breasts that:
- Never developed or under developed, leading to less body proportion.
- Lost volume after pregnancy or weight loss<
- Sag slightly due to lost volume or firmness
- Are uneven
- Lack fullness in the upper part of the breast
You can look at our breast enhancement before & after gallery to get an idea about the results breast augmentation can achieve.
What are the Benefits of Breast Augmentation Surgery?
Breast augmentation can help you attain greater balance among your body proportions and achieve the body shape you have always wanted. However, these improvements extend beyond an increase in breast size to include common aesthetic imperfections such as:
- Breast asymmetry
- Inadequate or uneven cleavage
- Breast projection and profile
- Lost volume caused by pregnancy, aging, or weight loss
Many women find that they are able to look better in clothing and bathing suits, and they enjoy an increase in wardrobe options. In addition, breast augmentation can boost your self-esteem and help you look and feel more youthful.
Am I a Candidate for Breast Augmentation?
The ideal candidate for breast augmentation in Scottsdale:
- Has aesthetic goals that breast augmentation can meet
- Is 18 or older (22 or older for silicone gel breast implants)
- Is in good general health
- Is prepared to make an informed decision
- Is not pregnant or nursing
- Has maintained a stable weight for at least 12 months
During your Scottsdale breast augmentation consultation, Dr. Corey will discuss these issues with you in greater detail to make sure the procedure will be safe and effective for your needs.
Additional Breast Augmentation Considerations
In addition to general health qualifications, considerations that need to be made prior to undergoing breast augmentation include:
Aesthetic Goals
It is important to make sure breast augmentation is designed to give you the results you desire. Results that can be achieved through this procedure include:
- Larger breasts
- Firmer breasts
- More even breasts
- Breasts with a more attractive shape
- Breasts with less sagging caused by lost volume
- Better overall body proportion
- Better fitting clothing
Although breast augmentation can correct sagging due to volume lost in the breasts, it is not a good procedure for correcting significant sagging of the breast tissue. If your breasts have significant sagging, a breast lift may be recommended.
What Are the Different Types of Breast Implants?
There are two main types of breast implants: saline filled and silicone filled. The outer shell is the same in both....silicone rubber. Saline implants have been around longer, are more affordable, and can typically be placed using smaller incisions. If they rupture, you will know it right away because the saline will leave the implant, and your breast will look smaller. Meanwhile, silicone implants tend to look and feel more natural than saline. However, silicone ruptures can only be detected using special breast imaging techniques.
Almost all modern breast implants used today are some version of a round, smooth implant, in different widths, projections and volumes. In years past, a tear-drop or anatomic shaped implant was commonly used. However in order to get the implant to stay in place and not rotate (with the bigger bottom part flipping accidentally to the top!) it was created with a textured or "fuzzy" surface that gripped like velcro. While the more aggressively Macro-textured implants have been removed from the market, some micro-textured tear-drop shaped implants are still available. The silicone gel used today is also very different than in the past. When silicone implants first came on the market, the gel was more like a syrup, and when the rubber shell became damaged, the gel would leak out from the implant like an egg yolk! This type of silicone is no longer used in breast implants. The modern silicone breast implants for the last 20 years or so have been made using a highly cohesive silicone gel that retains its shape — even when cut in half! It was given the nickname "gummy bear" and all silicone gel implants today are this type. Now there are even multiple types of the "gummy" silicone, from super soft to more firm.
How Do I Choose a Size for Breast Augmentation?
Breast augmentation can add as much — or as little — volume to your breasts as you want. Your only real limitation is your anatomy. If you have a petite frame, very large implants may be uncomfortable and look disproportionate. And if you have a narrow chest, implants with a wide base might not be the best match. Our board-certified plastic surgeon can help you navigate these considerations to choose the implant size (measured in cc) that will work best for you.
How Long Do Breast Implants Last?
Breast implants aren’t lifetime devices. You should expect to replace them at least once. In general, breast implants can last more than a decade without rupturing or causing other issues.
Common reasons to replace breast implants include changes in cosmetic preferences, implant rupture, visible implant rippling, and changes in breast position. Breast implant revision surgery — sometimes paired with a breast lift —can safely and effectively address these complaints.
Can Breast Augmentation Be Combined With a Breast Lift?
Breast augmentation can be combined with a breast lift procedure. In fact, pairing these two breast surgeries is very popular. That’s because of the comprehensive results that are possible, correcting droop, size and shape.
Breast augmentation targets the size portion of the equation, while a breast lift can address concerns such as sagging skin and low nipple position.
When Can I Resume Normal Activities After Breast Augmentation?
Most breast augmentation patients must wait roughly six weeks before they can resume their normal activities, including participating in strenuous activities and swimming in the ocean.
Here’s a timeline of the average breast augmentation recovery:
- Right after surgery: It’s okay to walk and climb stairs. Arrange a ride home, and don’t drive while on pain medication. Don’t shower during the first 48 hours.
- One to three weeks: Depending on your job, you should be able to return to work during this time period, some as soon as 4-5 days. You can do moderate physical activities like brisk walking and even staionary bike in this time as well. You should refrain from any forceful arm movement or stretching, such as slamming a hatchback car door, reaching into the back seat of the car or walking a large dog. No bouncing. Don’t lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk (eight pounds).
- Three to six weeks: Swelling will continue to subside during this time. Keep avoiding strenuous activities. The implants will begin to settle into position.
- Six weeks and beyond: You can resume strenuous physical activity however, no direct chest exercises such as Bench Press, Pec Flys or push-ups for 3 months. You can also submerge your breasts in bathtubs, pools, and hot tubs. Continue to monitor your healing progress and start enjoying your results.
It’s important to remember that everyone heals at different speeds. So clear your schedule and take your recovery at your own pace. Don’t rush into any activities before you feel ready.
Is Breast Augmentation Painful?
You won’t feel any pain during your actual procedure due to the use of general anesthesia. Discomfort during the recovery phase can be managed with prescription and over-the-counter medications. Excessive pain after breast augmentation isn’t normal and should be reported to your surgeon.
Health for Breast Augmentation
Being healthy before having breast augmentation is crucial to reducing your risks from the procedure. Being in good general health means that you do not have any untreated infections or breast cancer. If you are close to 40 years old, it's often recommended that you have a mammogram before your breast augmentation surgery to eliminate the possibility of undetected breast tumors.
You should not be pregnant or nursing, and it should be at least six months after the birth of your child or when you stopped nursing before you consider breast augmentation. This will ensure your breasts have stabilized after the effects of pregnancy and nursing.
You should also be at or near your ideal weight, eating a balanced, healthy diet, and have a relatively active lifestyle to reduce risks from the procedure. If you are not close to your goal weight, Dr. Corey would be happy to discuss our unique surgical boot camp program – a program complete with personalized planning and assistance in reaching and maintaining your body weight goals.
Non-smokers have fewer complications after breast augmentation, and if you are a smoker you will be expected to quit smoking for several weeks before and after the procedure to reduce risks of complications. Some medications, supplements, and herbs will also need to be stopped prior to your breast enhancement procedure. Dr. Corey will work with you directly to help you determine which, if any, of your daily pills need to be modified.
Informed Decisions about Breast Augmentation
Making an informed decision about breast augmentation means being prepared to understand the benefits and risks of the procedure. During your breast augmentation consultation in Scottsdale, you will be given documents that will help you understand the procedure in detail--if you're not prepared to read and fully understand these documents, then you're not a good candidate for the procedure.
You should also consider your motivation and recent track-record in making decisions. Do you tend to be happy with your decisions, or are you more likely to regret them? Do you desire this for you or are other people or recent events having an impact. Breast augmentation is a big decision, and you want to be sure you're prepared to make it.
How Much Does Breast Augmentation Surgery Cost?
The cost of breast augmentation in Scottsdale is an important consideration in determining whether you are a candidate but cost should not be the number one factor in your decision. We can give you an exact cost for your procedure, and there are many ways to find an average cost for breast augmentation in the Phoenix area, but you don't have to be able to afford the entire cost up-front. Financing for breast augmentation is available, but you should have a reliable income that would enable you to make regular payments.
Dr. Corey always strives to help you achieve beautiful, natural looking results. There are many considerations which go into planning your procedure and obtaining your desired outcome. All of these things will be discussed during your initial Scottsdale breast augmentation consultation to help ensure you are making the decision that will be most beneficial for your specific needs.
What is the Recovery from Breast Augmentation Surgery?
Recovery from breast augmentation is dependent on a number of factors including breast incision location and implant placement. Your body’s natural healing ability will play a role as well, as will how closely you follow Dr. Corey’s pre and postoperative instructions.
Following your Scottsdale breast augmentation procedure, it is best to plan on one to five days for rest. Allowing time for your body to begin the healing process is one of the best way to prevent unnecessary breast augmentation risks. Most women are able to resume work and other activities within five to seven days, but this is not something that should be rushed. Dr. Corey will help you determine when it is best for you to resume these less strenuous activities.
While some light exercise can often be resumed within one week (no "bouncing" for two weeks,) more demanding physical activities will need to wait for up to four weeks. Dr. Corey also feels that while the capsule around your implant is forming, focused chest exercises should be avoided. It is often best to wait for three months following surgery to resume or begin these types of exercises.
Final results from breast augmentation can take up to six months to be fully realized, though some women see results in a shorter period of time. As with all aspects of your recovery, this will be based on factors unique to your body. During the planning phase of your breast enlargement procedure, our board-certified Scottsdale breast augmentation surgeon will discuss all of these things with you in more detail to help you better understand what you can expect following your procedure.
Walk through a breast augmentation surgery from start to finish with Dr. Corey:
"The following video provides a quick pre and post op look at Transaxillary Breast Augmentation Surgery and what takes place in the Operating Room. While I know you can find and see almost ANYTHING on the web nowadays, I personally have always had mixed feelings about posting a surgery. It seems like many people out there find it extremely fascinating and helpful at the same time, others may feel like it doesn't belong....and so we are including this video to inform and educate and not glamorzie or trivialize and actual surgical procedure." -Dr. John J. Corey
Warning: Images are graphic in nature.
Breast Augmentation Questions
Will breast implants interfere with mammograms?
Breast implants may partly obscure mammograms, but special techniques can be used to improve the visibility of breast tissue after breast augmentation. It's important to work with a screening center that is familiar with breast implants. Studies show that there is no clinically significant impact of breast augmentation on breast cancer detection or breast cancer treatment.
Contact Scottsdale Breast Augmentation Surgeon Dr. John Corey
To schedule your Scottsdale breast augmentation consultation with our board-certified Scottsdale plastic surgeon and learn more about how this procedure can help you reach your goals, please call us at 480-767-7700 today. Or, you can reach us by filling out the Contact Us Form on this page.
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