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Recovery After a Breast Augmentation: Pain, Scars, Bras, and Exercise

Tag Archives: breast augmentation

Breast augmentation is a major cosmetic surgery procedure involving a considerable recovery component. Patients should be committed to following the surgeon’s instructions for the post-operative recovery to achieve safe and desirable results.

Successful and board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Eugene Kim provides breast augmentation to patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, CA, and surrounding communities in this section of the state.

The Day after the Surgery

The surgeon or their staff members will check in on the patient by phone, email, or text.
The patient can expect mild inflammation, itching, and bruising in the incision sites. She may also experience some numbness and tingling if the procedure was performed in combination with a breast lift.
If the surgery involves more substantial implants, the skin around the breasts and chest area will feel taut for some time.

Week One to Week Three

A few weeks after the breast augmentation cosmetic surgery procedure, the new implants will adjust into their final position. The sensation of numbness, bruising, and inflammation will slowly start to subside.

The patient should follow wound care guidelines given to her on a post-op instruction sheet.
The patient should not take a shower until the surgeon says that it is alright to do so, and she should definitely avoid it on the first day after the procedure.
The in-person follow-up schedule differs a bit based on the individual case. However, it will contain the following elements in most cases. Post-operative Day 1, Day 7, Day 21 (sutures are commonly removed at this juncture, three weeks following the procedure). The next follow-up appointment may be scheduled at three months, then six months and maybe a one-year consultation, if the surgeon believes that it is necessary.
The visit at three weeks is the “visit of smiles” as the most remarkable time in the recovery phase is at around three weeks (or when the surgeon removes the sutures as well as sterile-adhesive strips from nipples). This is the point where some inflammation has subsided, and the new breast shape is apparent.
The surgeon will assess the patient’s scars and may offer alternatives to mitigate the appearance of the scars even more during the later appointments.
The patient or surgeon can choose to schedule additional appointments as necessary.
The surgeon will remain in touch with the patient between appointments, and the patient should immediately contact them in case of an emergency.

Overall Recovery Period

How long does it take to recover from breast augmentation surgery?

It is important not to try to expedite things during the recovery period. The patient should take sufficient rest and take it easy to ensure optimal outcomes.

In certain cases, the recovery period may be less extensive depending on the surgical technique employed, the implant size, and the placement of implants beneath or above the pectoral muscles.
If the patient requires internal sutures, it may limit their movements for an additional time.

Resuming Normal Work

Resuming work can differ significantly between patients. Most patients can return to work between one and three weeks. But if the surgery is more extensive or the work requires more physical rigor, then the patient may have to wait longer to return to work.
The patient should wear the post-op bra at all times (except for when taking a shower) for a minimum of four weeks. The patient should not take a shower until the day that is denoted on their post-op instructions. They will definitely not be allowed to shower on the first day after the procedure.

Compassionate plastic surgeon Dr. Eugene Kim receives patients from Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, CA, and nearby areas for breast augmentation.

Click here see more plastic surgery procedures and treatments performed by Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Eugene Kim on patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Santa Monica and surrounding areas or call 310-271-6996 to schedule a consultation.

Breast Augmentation Procedures

body 12 In recent times, silicone is not the only substance used for breast augmentation cosmetic surgery. Doctors are pioneering new techniques in breast augmentation through the use of elements ranging from stem cells to Botox.

Prudent board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Eugene Kim provides breast augmentation to patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, CA, and other towns and neighborhoods in this part of SoCal.

Innovations in Breast Augmentation

Following are five new procedures for breast augmentation that are highly innovative and do not involve traditional cosmetic surgery:

Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation Using Stem Cells

Recently, actress and breast cancer survivor Suzanne Somers received extensive media coverage when she chose to undergo breast reconstruction using a relatively new method. The actress underwent a lumpectomy and woke up to find ‘half her breast gone.’

Somers chose an innovative method involving fat and stem cells harvested from her abdomen to have her breast restored to its natural size.

This method has only been in use for around two years. However, experts believe that with advances in this technique, they are now witnessing excellent and sustainable outcomes from this procedure. The surgeon initially removes fat from areas such as the abdomen or hips using liposuction. Then they filter and concentrate it before injecting it into the breasts.

Weight-Loss Assisted Breast Reconstruction

Certain surgeons are carrying out a comparatively new breast procedure that is an important breakthrough for obese breast cancer survivors. Earlier obese women who received a mastectomy were not considered suitable candidates for breast reconstruction.

Therefore, some surgeons have initiated a program that enables these women to lose weight and achieve a healthy BMI. Subsequently, these surgeons use the extra tissue from to abdomen to reconstruct new breasts that appear natural.

This is a medical trifecta where a woman defeats breast cancer, loses excess weight and evolves into a new, and healthier person with a reconstructed breast as well as a tummy tuck.

The Pastry Bag Breast Augmentation

Dr. Kevin Keller, a breast implant innovator, was introduced to silicone gel implants in the year 2006. He felt right away that there had to be a better way to place more substantial, pre-filled implants rather than attempting to push them through tiny incisions using only a finger, which was the routine procedure.

To find a solution for this issue, Dr. Keller found the perfect inspiration in a funnel-shaped pastry bag. In the year 2009, the Keller Funnel was introduced to cosmetic surgeons in the US. Today almost 20 percent of all silicone gel breast implant surgeries are done using the specially coated nylon instrument.

Botox-Assisted Breast Augmentation

While it does sound strange that Botox is being used in breast augmentation, some experts are effectively introducing this new technique of breast augmentation using Botulinum Toxin’s injectable form.

Experts indicate that breast augmentation using Botox has two significant benefits, namely less post-surgical pain, and a quicker cosmetic outcome. The procedure is performed as a standard breast augmentation in which the implant is inserted beneath the muscle.

After raising the muscle, the surgeon injects Botox into it before placing the implant. This paralyzes the chest muscle partially causing fewer muscle spasms that occur naturally during the recovery period. Consequently, the patient experiences remarkably less discomfort during the healing process.

Injectable Fillers to Plump the Breast

Macrolane is an injectable filler which is similar to Restylane. This filler is now being used across Europe and Mexico to add fullness to the breast as well as buttocks. Macrolane is yet to be approved in the US, but when it does, it is likely to create a transformative breast augmentation option for many patients.

Board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Eugene Kim receives patients from Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, CA, and nearby areas for breast augmentation.

Breast Augmentation

body 13 Breast augmentation is one of the most sought-after cosmetic surgery procedures in the US. In 2015, nearly 300,000 breast augmentation procedures were performed in the country. This signifies a growth of 35 percent from the year 2000.

During the initial consultation, the surgeon will discuss various factors to consider for this procedure. Accomplished board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Eugene Kim provides breast augmentation to patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, CA, and surrounding locations.

Key Factors to Consider

The five primary factors of consideration in breast augmentation surgery are as follows:

Size

The size of the breast implants is a key characteristic that will impact the outcomes of the enhancement procedure. The measurement unit for breast implant size is cc and usually ranges between 200cc and 600cc. The choice of implant size is usually a combination of the patient’s anatomical structure and the level of naturalness of the desired outcome.

It is vital that an expert cosmetic surgeon informs the patient on how various implant sizes can change their unique anatomy in order to attain optimal results. An excellent way to achieve this is for the patient to try on various implant sizers to get an idea of how each size will appear.

Silicone vs. Saline

Another significant decision in breast augmentation cosmetic surgery is about choosing between saline and silicone implants. Saline implants contain salt water (sterile saline) which is filled by the surgeon after they place the implant in position.

Silicone implants comprise a silicone gel which is developed to mimic the feel of human fat closely. It is believed that silicone has a more natural look and feel although there is no reliable scientific data to back this up.

In recent times, a newer alternative for implants has become available in the US. This is known as the “gummy bear” implant. Gummy bear implants are also called form stable or cohesive-gel implants, and these implants are filled with silicone that is thicker in comparison to the silicone in traditional silicone implants.

Surgical Incision

Breast augmentation involves four different incision types:

Transaxillary
Inframmary
Areolar
Trans-umbilical breast augmentation (TUBA)

The most commonly used incisions are inframammary and periareolar. Periareolar incision involves placing the incision near the areola’s lower half which makes the scar more discreet.

When a surgeon places an inframammary incision under the breast crease, it allows them maximum access for implant placement.

Surface

The patient can choose breast implants with a smooth or textured surface:

Smooth implants have an increased probability of shifting in the implant pocket (displacement) in comparison to textured implants.
Smooth implants usually have a marginally lower rate of rupturing and sustain longer.
Textured implants comprise a thicker shell in comparison to smooth implants which enables textured implants to feel tauter.

Shape

Women can choose from two types of shape options for breast implants:

Round
Anatomical

Round Breast Implants

Round breast implants are symmetrical with a round shape. The round shape has the advantage of not causing malformation of the breast shape if the implant shifts within the pocket.

Anatomical Breast Implants / Contoured Breast Implants

These implants appear oval when seen from the front. They seem to have more volume at the bottom when viewed from the side offering the implant a “bottom heavy” look.

Board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Eugene Kim receives patients from Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, CA, and other suburbs and towns in this part of California for breast augmentation.

Breast Lift and Breast Augmentation Surgery

no legs or face Breast lift cosmetic surgery is a procedure that involves moving the nipple and areola, lifting the breasts, and removing excess skin. The outcome is breasts that look perkier and is especially appreciated by women with sagging breasts.

A breast lift surgery performed with breast implants offers more complete results. The patient does not require as much implant volume when they receive implant placement in combination with a breast lift which will position the breasts appropriately and provide them shape.

When both these procedures are carried out together, the breasts increase in cup size. They also appear more natural, perkier, and youthful than they would have with just a single procedure.

Reliable board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Eugene Kim provides breast augmentation with lift to patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, CA, and surrounding locations.

Candidates for a Combined Procedure

Breast augmentation with lift enables the surgeon to provide the patient with a more significant breast size along with a tauter, more youthful contour through the breast lift.

This is a popular cosmetic surgery procedure among women who have experienced weight loss and now find that their breasts are sagging, those with breast size and shape changes due to pregnancy and breastfeeding, and those who are displeased with the impact of gravity on their breasts due to aging.

Understanding a Breast Augmentation

For women who want larger breasts, breast augmentation is an ideal procedure. This procedure usually involves the use of gel implants or saline to create cup size changes in the breasts that can range from small to substantial. These FDA-approved implants and surgery is generally considered safe and is performed on thousands of women annually.

Understanding a Breast Lift

The goal of a breast lift is not to increase the breast size. Rather, it involves the restructuring of muscle, skin, and breast tissue to give the breasts more structure and lift. Women commonly find that their breasts start to sag either due to aging, gravity, or pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Recovery Process after a Breast Augmentation with Lift

The patient can expect some discomfort and inflammation in the initial few days after the procedure. However, the pain should not be severe. Many patients experience stiffness in the first week which is normal. They may experience some bruising too.

The patient should immediately reach out to the surgeon’s office if she feels severe pain and bruising. The recovery duration is determined by many factors including the breast implant size.

Scarring after Breast Augmentation with Lift

A breast lift always involves some type of scarring. The surgeon will discuss with the patient which incisions are most suitable for them depending on their anatomy, implant size, and objectives. Some amount of scarring is unavoidable with this procedure.

However, the surgeon will try to minimize the appearance of the scar as much as possible. The scars will also fade away over time. These scars are typically not visible even when wearing clothes with a low neckline or a bikini top.

Devoted board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Eugene Kim receives patients from Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, CA, and other suburbs and towns in this part of The Golden State for breast augmentation with lift.

Breast Augmentation Plastic Surgeon

Breast augmentation is the second most popular plastic surgery procedure in the US today after liposuction. When performed by a skilled and experienced cosmetic surgeon, breast augmentation can produce highly desirable and sustainable aesthetic outcomes. The procedure involves surgical insertion of breast implants to increase the size and fullness of breasts in proportion to the rest of the body.

Dr. Eugene Kim is a double board certified plastic surgeon providing procedures such as breast augmentation at his state of the art plastic surgery practice. Along with his talent team of professionals, Dr. Kim provides procedures that combine the science of plastic surgery with a sense of art and aesthetics. He receives patients from Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, CA, and surrounding areas.

Personalized Treatment Approach

Dr. Kim is committed to providing personalized care and attention to every patient seeking a plastic or reconstructive procedure. Particularly in a procedure such as breast augmentation, it is important for the cosmetic surgeon to customize the treatment in accordance with the unique aesthetic needs and goals of the patient.

Dr. Kim will help the patient make informed decisions with regard to the type and size of breast implants, the type and location of incisions, and the placement position of implants in the breast tissue. With close involvement of the patient, Dr. Kim is able to ensure that the procedure is tailored to meet the specific needs of the patient.

Education and Training

Double board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Kim received his medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ. He received six years of training in general surgery at the University Hospital in New Jersey.

Dr. Kim earned several honors during his residency in general surgery, and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society. Following his private practice in plastic surgery, Dr. Kim has been providing a range of procedures related to the breast, body and face to patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, CA, and nearby locations.

Honors and Awards

Dr. Kim has been widely recognized throughout his career for his various accomplishments in the field of cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. Some of the key awards won by him include the following:

Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society, 2007
General Surgery Chairman’s Award for Leadership, 2007
Arnold P. Gold Foundation, Resident Award for Teaching and
Humanism in Medicine, 2007
Golden Apple Award, Resident Award for Teaching in Medicine 2007
Golden Apple Award, Resident Award for Teaching in Medicine 2003
Dean’s Letter of Commendation, UMD – New Jersey Medical School 1998
Cum Laude, Dartmouth College 1997
Citation in Physics, Dartmouth College 1995

Additional Pursuits

In addition to pursuing his private practice, Dr. Kim currently serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor in Plastic Surgery at the University of California, Irvine, where he actively participates in resident education. He also attends Korean-American Graduate Medical Association (KAGMA) and Korean Medical Association (KMA) meetings in Los Angeles.

Staring for hours at our favorite actors, actresses, and models on television or the silver screen have almost all of the women population and half of the men population running to the nearest well-known, reputed plastic surgeon, trying to convince them to chisel, sculpt or reshape their faces and bodies to look as close as possible to their favorite celebs.

What is a mastoplexy?

Amongst the different array of cosmetic surgical procedures available today, breast augmentation seems to be one of the more popular procedures and amongst breast surgical procedures, the breast lift or mastoplexy is very popular. A breast lift or a mastoplexy is a type of cosmetic surgery wherein any excess skin surrounding the breast area is removed to uplift the position of the breasts, and restore, recondition and revitalize the once youthful appearance and firmness of a woman’s breasts. It is nothing but giving a face lift to the breasts.
A breast lift can even help lift the nipple and areola to a slightly higher position on the breast to give the breasts a more natural look.

Mastoplexy cost

In America, the average cost of a breast lift surgery or a mastoplexy can range anywhere between $4,000 to $4,500 dollars. This estimate is according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. However, the cost can vary depending on the following factors, namely:

The fame and reputation of the plastic surgeon, including the number of years of experience.
Geographical location of the clinic of the surgeon.
The type of breast lift or mastoplexy surgery being performed.
The anesthesia fees, which may or may not be included in the cost of the surgery.
Hospitalization fees and use of the clinic facility.
Pre and post-surgery treatments, medications, garments, apparatus.
Medical prescriptions and surgeon’s fee.

Most health insurance plans usually do not cover the cost of breast lift surgery. Similarly, any surgeries to be performed subsequent to the main or original breast lift surgery, due to complications that could have arisen, will also not be covered under health insurance. Revisional breast lift surgeries aren’t covered either, however, many plastic surgeons offer attractive and helpful financing plans.

Last but not the least, it is most important to do an extensive research and find a cosmetic surgeon who is well-known, accomplished, reputed, board-certified, and who has years of experience to make the patient at ease, as breast surgery can be a little invasive and a delicate subject.

Why have your breast lift surgery performed by Dr. Kim?

Dr Eugene Kim is a double board-certified plastic surgeon and has his clinic E.Kim located at 436 North Bedford Dr., Ste. 305, Beverly Hills, CA, 90210. Dr Kim understands the sensitivity of breast surgery, and he and his extremely qualified team of experts will cater to the patients’ individualistic needs and bodily requirements. He also operates in other regions of California like Beverly Hills, LosAngeles, Santa Monica and West Hollywood.
Dr Eugene Kim is a member of the Korean Medical Association and believes in providing nothing but the highest degree of quality and care to all his patients. Using the clinic’s digital imaging system, Dr. Kim will explain every step of the procedure in detail, including before and after photos, and the final outcome.

Click here see more plastic surgery procedures and treatments performed by Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Eugene Kim on patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Hollywood, Santa Monica and surrounding areas or call 310-271-6996 to schedule a consultation.

Breast Augmentation Lift Surgery Beverly Hills | Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon Breast augmentation and breast lift are two popular breast procedures performed by a cosmetic surgeon to enhance the appearance of breasts. In some cases, the two procedures may be combined to achieve more effective results. However, many new patients may not have a clear idea of how different the two procedures are, and which of the two may be more suited to meet their aesthetic needs.

A typical question that a patient may ask is whether the sagging breast condition can be corrected with breast implants, or whether it requires a lift. Dr. Eugene Kim is a well-known plastic surgeon providing both these surgeries to patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, CA, and nearby locations. During the initial consultation, he will explain various aspects of the procedure to help the patient make an informed decision.

Correction of Sagging Breasts

Breast implant procedure is designed to increase the size of breasts, but not to raise their position or make them tighter and firmer. However, if the sagging is very minor, the cosmetic surgeon may recommend breast augmentation alone, and not breast lift. This can serve both the goals of enhancing the size and raising the breasts to a better position. In such case, the pre-requisites are that the position of nipples should be still close to the breast center, and not pointing downwards. Some amount of skin should be visible below the nipple when looking straight on at the breasts.

Breast lift will become necessary in the following conditions:

Sagging of breasts is moderate or severe.
Nipples point downwards or at the bottom of the breast.
When looking straight on at the breasts, no skin is visible under the nipple.
The patient is not keen to increase the breast size any further.
Areola size is large, and the patient is keen to have it reduced.

As an experienced plastic surgeon, Dr. Kim will also perform certain measurements to corroborate the observational findings. Patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, CA, and surrounding communities seeking breast lift or breast augmentation have an opportunity to receive these procedures from Dr. Kim.

Combination of Implants and Lift

The surgeon may recommend breast lift in conjunction with breast augmentation in the following circumstances:

The sagging of breasts is moderate or severe.
The patient seeks to raise breast position while also desiring to increase their size.
The patient is keen to maintain roundness and projection of the breast mound.

One of the limitations when breast lift is performed alone is that significant fullness in the upper aspect of the breasts above the nipple area cannot be achieved. If it is important for the patient to gain fullness of breasts in the upper part, the surgeon may recommend breast augmentation and lift as a combined procedure.

Sometimes the patient is keen to increase breast size, but suffers from significant skin laxity in the breasts, which can make the appearance of breast implants unappealing. Such patients may also benefit most from a combination of breast augmentation and breast lift.

Breast augmentation is a procedure performed by a cosmetic surgeon to enhance the size and volume of the breasts. The procedure has an excellent track record of success, and with advanced qualities of silicone breast implants, FDA approvals, and innovative surgical techniques, the procedure has emerged as one of the most sought-after cosmetic surgeries in the US.

Dr. Eugene Kim is an experienced plastic surgeon providing breast augmentation and other procedures to his patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, CA, and other areas. During the initial consultation, Dr. Kim will discuss various aspects of breast augmentation and how it compares with newer treatments such as fat transfer.

Safety Aspects

Safety is the prime concern in any plastic surgery procedure such as breast augmentation through implants or fat transfer. The patient should ask information about potential risks and address all their doubts and concerns with the cosmetic surgeon during the initial consultation process. Both fat transfer and breast implant procedures are considered very safe.

Over the years, the technology of silicone implants has improved dramatically, and produces highly aesthetically superior and safe outcomes in breast augmentation. FDA has approved silicone implants for several years now for women above the age of 21. Fat transfer technique has been used for several years for various body parts to improve the contours, and the safety quotient is very high in this case too.

While the research in the area of safety has been extensive in case of breast augmentation through implants over the years, but far less amount of research has gone into studying the results of fat transfer for breast enhancement. Dr. Kim is a dedicated plastic surgeon will address all these aspects for his patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, CA, and surrounding areas.

Effectiveness

The primary goal of a cosmetic surgery procedure such as breast enlargement is to achieve optimal size and shape of breasts as desired by the patient. In case of breast augmentation, patients have a choice of implant sizes ranging from 120cc to 960cc. Shapes may be round or tear-shaped, and breast profile options are also available. Following the FDA approvals for both saline and silicone implants breast augmentation with implants has been the dominant procedure with significantly effective and desirable results for most patients.

Fat transfer, on the other, can only produce limited breast enhancement, depending on the availability of excess removable fat in other areas of the body. While fat transfer procedure has been used with great results for the gluteal area, cheeks and lips, but re-using the fat to enhance breasts may have limitations because of the substantial amount of enlargement required in both breasts.

Implants allow for highly precise determination of dimensions and size of breasts as desired in a single operation. However, with fat grafting, the surgeon is likely to perform several treatment sessions. Fat grafting may also be more cumbersome for some patients, particularly if it requires a period of skin expansion using special devices.

Women seek out breast augmentation for a number of reasons. Some are naturally small-chested and have always wanted a more proportionate, shapely figure. Others have lost breast volume due to significant weight loss, pregnancy, or the effects of aging.

Whatever your reasons are for considering breast augmentation, it is important that you meet a few basic qualifications in order to be a candidate, including:

Age – You must be at least 18 years old to receive saline breast implants, and 22 years old to receive silicone breast implants.
Already at target weight – Breast volume can be affected by weight loss and gain. For the best aesthetic results, it is best to avoid breast augmentation until you have reached a weight you are comfortable with.
In strong metabolic health – Good healing and strong health are key factors in a breast augmentation’s success. Make sure you are free of any major medical concerns before committing to breast surgery.
Reasonable expectations – Discuss your expectations about breast augmentation with Dr. Kim during a personal consultation. Understanding the limitations and potential risks of plastic surgery will help you make a more informed decision.

Infection is a potential complication of any type of surgery. If it does occur, infection will usually make itself known within the first few days after breast augmentation surgery – however, it is possible for it to occur much later if steps are not taken to keep your incision sites clean.

Symptoms of infection include:

Swelling
Fever
Tenderness
Redness

Dr. Kim will provide you with a course of antibiotics immediately after your surgery to help minimize the chances of infection. If you do experience any of the above symptoms, contact Dr. Kim as soon as possible to make sure the infection is quickly addressed and brought under control.

Serious infections are very rare after breast augmentation surgery, but to help protect yourself, avoid touching your incisions and do not submerge them in water until they are completely closed. It is usually best to wait at least two weeks before going swimming. Close follow-up with Dr. Kim is the best way to ensure a smooth recovery process.

If you have further questions about breast augmentation, please contact us today to schedule a consultation with experienced Los Angeles breast surgeon Dr. Eugene Kim.