Breast Procedures
Christopher J. Davidson, MD
Fraser Medical Building
332 Washington Street, Suite 100
Wellesley, MA 02481
Phone: (781) 237-7700
Monday–Friday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Breast ptosis, or sagging, is unpleasant for many women, but very normal. Often it occurs after pregnancy or later in life as the skin naturally loses elasticity and gravity takes over. At this time, many women also realize that they’ve always wanted larger, fuller breasts. Fortunately, Dr. Davidson can fix both problems at the same time by combining a breast lift with implants. His patients from Boston and its western suburbs such as Wellesley, Natick, and Framingham, MA; as well as Providence, RI; southern New Hampshire; and southern Vermont gain both fullness and perkiness for a younger and shapelier figure.
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Breast lift and breast augmentation procedures are popular on their own but taken individually they will not be enough to correct all problems. A breast lift raises and reshapes breasts but cannot make them fuller or larger; augmentation with implants adds volume but cannot significantly lift the breasts. Together, a breast lift with augmentation reshapes and fills out the breasts for a more complete enhancement than with either procedure on its own.
All cosmetic surgeries should begin with a consultation. You’ll meet with Dr. Davidson to discuss your problems and talk about what you’d like to achieve with the procedure. He’ll assess your situation and explain what is achievable through a breast lift with augmentation.
During the consultation, you’ll need to make a few decisions. Dr. Davidson will talk to you about the types of implants available. Silicone implants are filled with gel, so they will require a larger incision, but they feel more natural, which makes them a good choice for very slim women. Saline implants are put in empty and then filled with a syringe, allowing them to use a smaller incision and then be adjusted as needed. On the downside, saline implants do not feel quite as natural as silicone, but this is not an issue for women with sufficient breast tissue to mask the implant. In addition to deciding on the type of implant, you’ll also want to discuss the size you’d like and the amount of lift and projection desired from your breast lift with augmentation.
After you are anesthetized, the augmentation will be performed first using either an inframammary or periareolar approach. After the implants have been placed, Dr. Davidson will perform the lift using an incision around the areola. Depending on the degree of sagging, he may also need to use another incision from the areola to the crease under the breasts and one in the crease itself. Excess skin will be removed, and a few sutures will be placed deep in the breast tissue to keep things neatly supported. Then the incisions will be closed to finish the breast lift with augmentation.
Dr. Christopher Davidson's patient first approach to aesthetic medicine means that every decision he makes is aimed at achieving the optimal outcome for the patient. This is apparent, not just in the beautiful, natural-looking results he creates, but also in the compassionate care he delivers through every step of the process.
You should expect swelling and bruising immediately after breast lift with augmentation surgery. The bruising will fade in about a week, but the swelling may continue for up to a month. For the first week, you will be sore, but you are encouraged to move around to keep up your blood flow. You will need to sleep on your back to avoid putting pressure on your breasts, and you should avoid bending or lifting as much as possible. Your incisions will be red or pink for some time. You can expect them to fade significantly in the first year.
Like any surgery, a breast lift with augmentation carries the risks of bleeding, infection, hematoma, and reactions to anesthesia. There are also several specific risks. Some patients experience changes in breast and nipple sensation such as numbness or tingling. This typically fades in the first few months, but it can continue for up to a year. In a few patients, there is a small amount of numbness that never fades.
More rarely, there is a chance of capsular contracture, or excessive hardening of the scar tissue around the implants. At its worst, this can cause hard, painful breasts and will require revisional surgery to correct. There is also a chance of ruptured implants, which is not dangerous but will also require surgery to remove and replace the afflicted implant.
A. While combining a breast lift with augmentation has a lot of benefits, there are a few situations in which it would be better to do one procedure first and wait to do the other. In some cases, women with very poor skin elasticity or women who would like very large augmentations might be advised to do the procedures separately to avoid complications. This is something that Dr. Davidson will be happy to advise you on during your consultation.
A. Modern breast lifts usually give very long-lasting results. Most procedures will incorporate several internal sutures to give interior support, making them more stable than the older method that uses only skin support. Precautions like avoiding unprotected sun exposure or excessive weight gain can also help to extend your results.
A. Absolutely. Dr. Davidson will assess your specific situation during your consultation, but there are a number of ways that asymmetrical breasts can be corrected during a breast lift and augmentation. The most common way is just to use implants of differing sizes to even things up, but it’s also possible to use an implant on one side but just a lift on the larger side or even to augment one side and reduce the other.
A. Due to the amount of tissue manipulation that must be done to get good results, the incisions have to be fairly extensive. Fortunately, most patients who have a breast lift with augmentation experience significant fading, so, while the scars will be visible, they will blend in with your skin to some extent. Additionally, the scars will be easily hidden in a normal bikini, so it won’t normally be an issue.
A. Probably not. It mostly depends on what size of implant you go for. Larger implants can certainly look fake, particularly on very slim women, but if you are careful to select a size that is in balance with your frame, you should get very natural results.
Find more answers to your questions about breast lift with augmentation in Boston. Call Dr. Christopher J. Davidson at (781) 237-7700 or request a consultation.
