Many women don’t realize that they have more choices to make besides choosing the material of the implants they will receive. Besides the size, the shape of the implant is also an important decision. There are rounder shapes that create a fuller, deeper, and more pronounced cleavage, and teardrop shapes that are closer to the breast’s natural shape. There are two types of silicone gel implants—a round cohesive gel and a highly cohesive gel, which features the teardrop shape. There are also IDEAL IMPLANT Structured Saline Breast Implants, which are advanced implants that offer the peace of mind of saline but still look and feel as natural as silicone.

Your surgeon will discuss these with you and make a recommendation based on your anatomy and desired outcome. Your lifestyle also plays a role and will be taken into consideration in guiding you in the selection of which implant is best for you. During your breast augmentation operation, the implants may be placed either in front of the pectoral muscle or under it. This decision will depend on your preferences, your anatomy, and your surgeon’s recommendation for your case. Another factor to consider before choosing to receive a breast augmentation is whether you would like to be able to breastfeed in the future after surgery.

They will address the current appearance of your breasts and how you would like them to look after your surgery. Feel free to bring images of looks you both like and don’t like, which will help your surgeon better understand your aesthetic tastes and how exactly you would like to appear after surgery. A consultation at The Waldorf Center will also include a Vectra 3D imaging model that enables you to view simulations of different breast sizes and shapes with your own 3D picture. This technology allows you to envision how you will look after a breast augmentation and to further guide you in the decision-making process.

Your surgeon will discuss the simulation pictures with you and offer their opinion as to how to achieve your goals through a breast augmentation based on your lifestyle and desired outcome. If you feel that your breasts have also begun to sag, your surgeon may also recommend receiving a breast lift, which can be performed along with your breast augmentation surgery to maximize your results, as well as minimize overall healing time.

Our surgeons always do everything they can to keep scars as inconspicuous as possible, such as placing them under the crease of the breasts. This is what’s known as an inframammary incision. An incision is made along the inframammary fold which is at the crease between the breast and chest wall at the lower part of the breast, to allow easy access to the breast pocket. The implant is carefully placed through the small incision, which is then sutured with safe, absorbable stitches that do not have to be removed. The scar is easily hidden beneath the natural crease of the breast.

You can return home the same day, but you will be drowsy and need a responsible adult to take you home and stay with you for 24 hours following surgery.*

You may be asked to wear a compression bandage or post-surgical support bra for a period of time, and you can expect some swelling, bruising, and mild pain. Some women are surprised with the size of their breasts immediately following a breast augmentation and become concerned that they appear larger than they had wanted. But the immediate results come from both the implantation as well as the post-surgical swelling. Once the swelling subsides and the breast implants are properly seated in their position, the results should much more closely resemble what you were looking to achieve.

You may take pain medication and use cold compresses to ease any pain, discomfort, and swelling. You may also be advised by your surgeon to sleep on your back for a period of time. Your surgeon and our clinical staff will give you full post-op instructions and follow you closely after your surgery to make sure you are healing properly. It is very important to follow all recommended breast augmentation aftercare instructions to ensure you achieve the best possible results from your operation at our Portland, OR, clinic.