SURGICAL

DEFINING BREAST AUGMENTATION

Breast augmentation surgery involves using implants, to increase the size of your breasts or restore breast volume that has been lost after weight loss or pregnancy.

CLINICALLY REFERRED TO AS AUGMENTATION MAMMOPLASTY, BREAST AUGMENTATION CAN:

• Increase fullness and projection of your breasts
• Improve the balance of your figure
• Enhance your self-image and self-confidence

WHAT BREAST AUGMENTATION SURGERY CAN’T DO

Breast augmentation does not correct severely drooping breasts. If you want your breasts to look fuller and to be lifted due to sagging, you’ll want to consider a breast lift in conjunction with breast augmentation. The breast lift can be done at the same time as augmentation, but in some cases may require a separate operation. Once you’ve completed your plastic surgery consultation, Dr. Garza will be able to offer you the guidance needed for making this decision.

TYPES OF BREAST IMPLANTS

Gummy bear breast implants

Certainly the most sought after these days, form-stable implants are sometimes referred to as gummy bear breast implants for their ability to maintain their shape even when the implant shell is broken. The consistency of the silicone gel inside the implant is thicker than traditional silicone gel implants. Gummy bear breast implants are shaped rather than round. They have more projection at the bottom and are tapered towards the top. If a shaped implant rotates, it may lead to an unusual appearance of the breast. Placement of gummy bear implants requires a longer incision in the skin.

Saline breast implants

Saline breast implants are filled with sterile salt water. Should the implant shell leak, a saline implant will collapse and the saline will be absorbed and naturally expelled by the body. Saline breast implants provide a uniform shape, firmness and feel, and are FDA-approved for augmentation in women age 18 or older.

Silicone breast implants

Silicone breast implants are filled with silicone gel. The gel feels a bit more like natural breast tissue. If the implant leaks, the gel may remain within the implant shell, or may escape into the breast implant pocket. A leaking implant filled with silicone gel will not collapse. If you choose silicone implants, you may need to visit your plastic surgeon regularly to make sure the implants are functioning properly. An ultrasound or MRI screening can assess the condition of breast implants. Silicone breast implants are FDA-approved for augmentation in women age 22 or older.

Smooth breast implants

Smooth breast implants are the softest feeling. These implants can move with the breast implant pocket, which may give more natural movement. Smooth implants may have some palpable or visible rippling.

BREAST AUGMENTATION RECOVERY

After your procedure, you will be taken into a recovery area to be closely monitored. We call this, breast augmentation recovery.

Your breasts will be wrapped in gauze dressings and an elastic bandage or support bra will minimize swelling and support the breasts as they heal.
After a few hours in recovery, you may be permitted to go home.

Prior to leaving, you’ll be given specific instructions that may include how to care for your breasts following surgery, medications to apply or take orally to aid healing and reduce the risk of infection, and when to follow up with Dr. Garza.

You may be instructed to wear a support bra around the clock for the first week or two. It will be important to cleanse the incision sites and apply ointment as directed. Be sure to follow all instructions carefully.

After a post-surgical breast augmentation recovery period of 24 to 48 hours and an additional reduced-activity period of a few days, you will likely experience soreness and swelling for a few weeks. Exercise and normal activity can resume at the direction of your plastic surgeon.

Questions to ask during your consultation with Dr. Garza

• Am I a good candidate for breast enhancement or breast enlargement?
• What will be expected of me to get the best results?
• Where and how will you perform my breast augmentation surgery?
• What shape, size, surface texturing, incision site and placement site are recommended for me?
• How long of a recovery period can I expect, and what kind of help will I need during my recovery?
• What are the risks and complications associated with my procedure?
• How are complications handled?
• How many additional implant-related operations can I expect over my lifetime?
• How will my ability to breastfeed be affected?
• How can I expect my implanted breasts to look over time? After pregnancy? After breastfeeding?
• What are my options if I am dissatisfied with the cosmetic outcome of my implanted breasts?
• How will my breasts look if I choose to have the implants removed in the future without replacement?
• Do you have breast augmentation before-and-after photos I can look at for this procedure and what results are reasonable for me?

TUMMY TUCK

Tummy tuck surgery, also known as abdominoplasty, removes excess fat and skin and, in most cases, restores weakened or separated muscles creating a smoother and firmer abdominal area.

Because not everyone can achieve a flat and well-toned abdomen through diet and exercise, tummy tuck surgery may be a positive solution.

Even individuals of otherwise normal body weight and proportion can develop an abdomen that protrudes or is loose and sagging. Post-child birth, many women struggle with the appearance of their abdominal region. Even individuals with normal proportion and body weight can experience a loose, sagging or protruding abdominal area. The most common causes of this include:

• Aging
• Heredity
• Pregnancy
• Prior surgery
• Significant fluctuations in weight

WHAT A TUMMY TUCK WON’T DO

A tummy tuck is not a substitute for weight loss or an appropriate exercise program.

Although the results of a tummy tuck are technically permanent, the positive outcome can be greatly diminished by significant fluctuations in your weight. For this reason, individuals who are planning substantial weight loss or women who may be considering future pregnancies would be advised to postpone a tummy tuck.

A tummy tuck cannot correct stretch marks, although these may be removed or somewhat improved if they are located on the areas of excess skin that will be excised.

PREPARING FOR YOUR TUMMY TUCK

Here are some of the tasks you can expect as you prepare for your tummy tuck surgery:

• Get lab testing or a medical evaluation
• Take certain medications or adjust your current medications
• Stop smoking
• Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements as they can increase bleeding

If your tummy tuck is performed on an outpatient basis, be sure to arrange for someone to drive you to and from surgery and to stay with you for at least the first night following surgery.

TUMMY TUCK RECOVERY

During your tummy tuck recovery, dressings or bandages may be applied to your incisions, and you may be wrapped in an elastic bandage or a compression garment to minimize swelling and support your abdomen as it heals following surgery. Small, thin tubes may be temporarily placed under the skin to drain any excess blood or fluid that may collect.

Dr. Garza will give you specific instructions post-surgery:

• How to care for the surgical site and drains
• Medications to apply or take orally to aid healing and reduce the potential for infection
• Specific concerns to look for at the surgical site or in your general health
• When to follow up
• Will I have dressings/bandages after surgery? When will they be removed?
• When will the stitches be removed?
• How will I bathe?
• How long will I wear the pressure garment?
• When can I resume normal activity and exercise?
• When do I return for follow-up care?

TUMMY TUCK TERMS

• Abdominoplasty: A surgical procedure to correct the apron of excess skin hanging over your abdomen.
• Diastasis: Condition in which abdominal muscles have separated.
• General anesthesia: Drugs and/or gases used during an operation to relieve pain and alter consciousness.
• Hematoma: Blood pooling beneath the skin.
• Intravenous sedation: Sedatives administered by injection into a vein to help you relax.
• Liposuction: Also called lipoplasty or suction lipectomy, this procedure vacuums out fat from beneath the skin’s surface to reduce fullness.
• Local anesthesia: A drug is injected directly to the site of an incision during an operation to relieve pain.
• Sutures: Stitches used by surgeons to hold skin and tissue together.
• Tummy tuck: A surgical procedure to correct the apron of excess skin hanging over your abdomen.

NOSE SURGERY (RHINOPLASTY)

Rhinoplasty enhances facial harmony and the proportions of your nose. It can also correct impaired breathing caused by structural defects in the nose.
Rhinoplasty surgery can change:

• Nose size in relation to facial balance
• Nose width at the bridge or in the size and position of the nostrils
• Nose profile with visible humps or depressions on the bridge
• Nasal tip that is enlarged or bulbous, drooping, upturned or hooked
• Nostrils that are large, wide, or upturned
• Nasal asymmetry

During your rhinoplasty recovery, a splint and/or packing will likely be placed inside your nose and a splint or bandages placed on the outside to support and protect the new structures during initial healing. While initial swelling subsides within a few weeks, it may take up to a year for your new nasal contour to fully refine. You may notice gradual changes during this time in the appearance of your nose as it refines to a more permanent outcome. Swelling may come and go and worsen in the morning during the first year following your rhinoplasty surgery.

Dr. Garza will give you specific instructions that may include:

• How to care for the surgical site
• Medications to apply or take orally to aid healing and reduce the potential for infection
• Specific concerns to look for at the surgical site or in your general health
• When to follow up.