Breast Augmentations | Find Breast Augmentation Surgeons or Doctors

Breast augmentation surgery is most commonly performed on women who are born with the genetic make-up leading to the development of small breasts. There is another group of women who have average sized breasts to start out with, but after child birth and/or breast feeding, develop atrophy, or a reduction in their breast size, and thus desire a return to their original size. There is a third, smaller, group of women, who are average to large in breast size to start out with, but desire very large breasts.

Breast augmentation surgery can be done in an outpatient surgical facility or in a hospital. General anesthesia is often used, although local anesthesia may be used to numb the area around the breasts.

For a breast reduction, some of the breast tissue is removed and the nipples may be relocated higher on the breasts for cosmetic reasons. The operation can take up to 6 hours and is done under general anesthesia.

During a breast lift, incisions are made along the natural creases in the breast and around the dark skin surrounding the nipple (areola). A keyhole-shaped incision above the areola is also made to define the new location for the nipple. Skin is removed from the lower section of the breast. The areola, nipple, and underlying breast tissue are moved up to a higher position. The nipple is moved and incisions are closed with sutures. The procedure usually lasts about two hours, depending on the extent of the surgery.

Currently saline filled implants are the only implants available for breast augmentation. Silicone gel filled implants are only available for breast reconstruction under experimental protocols. Although it is felt that silicone gel filled implants will eventually become available for cosmetic breast augmentation this will be after long term studies are completed on their efficacy and safety. The studies are currently being conducted and are encouraging. There are a number of other filler materials being tested but are not available for breast augmentation in the United States.

The outer shell of saline filled implants is made of a hard elastomer of silicone. Saline, the same substance used in intravenous or IV solutions, is made up of salt water that is easily absorbed by the body and has absolutely no deleterious effects. There are a variety of shapes and sizes utilized for breast augmentation surgery depending on the particular needs of the patient and the preferences of the breast augmentation surgeon.

You will want to know that your surgeon is experienced and qualified to perform the breast augmentations. Many surgeons have taken special training and passed exams given by a national board of surgeons. Ask if your surgeon is "board certified" in surgery. Some breast augmentation surgeons also have the letters F.A.C.S. after their name. This means they are Fellows of the American College of Surgeons and have passed another review by surgeons of their surgical practices.

Most of us have some criteria for making important decisions in life. But suppose that your breast augmentation doctor recommends that you consider having an operation. How do you go about finding a qualified surgeon? If you or someone you know is considering elective surgery, you should be aware that there are some ways to objectively evaluate your surgeon. The American College of Surgeons—the largest international organization of surgeons in the world—recommends that you look for the following qualifications:

A good indication of a breast augmentation surgeons competence is certification by a surgical board that is approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). In order for a physician to become board certified in breast augmentations, he or she must complete the designated years of residency training in that specialty, and then demonstrate his or her knowledge by successfully completing a rigorous examination. When you choose a surgeon who is certified by an ABMS-approved board, you select a physician whose specialty is in surgery.

Before having breast augmentations, ask your physician these questions:

What operation are you recommending?
Why do I need breast augmentations?
Are there alternatives to surgery?
What are the benefits of having the operation?
What are the risks of having breast augmentations?
What will happen if I don't have this operation?
Where can I get a second opinion?
What has been your experience in doing the operation? How many have you performed?
Where will the operation be done?
What kind of anesthesia will I need?
How long will it take me to recover from breast augmentations?
How much will the operation cost?

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