Breast Augmentation

With Dr. Padovan's advanced breast augmentation methods, patients routinely resume normal activities within 24 hours after surgery - without narcotic pain medication or pain pumps. Dr. Padovan performs breast augmentation using direct electrocautery techniques to create the pocket for your breast implant. All blood vessels are cauterized before they are cut. This method results in virtually no bleeding and only minimal swelling after breast enlargement surgery. In stark contrast to the methods used by many breast surgeons who perform breast augmentation, there is no tearing of your tissue or blunt dissection involved in the creation of the pocket. The benefit is that there is significantly reduced pain after enlargement surgery.

Ultimately, Dr. Padovan's expertise benefits you both in your final result and in your recovery from breast augmentation surgery. Most patients require minimal pain medication for several days (not weeks) after their breast augmentation surgeries. You may resume normal activities immediately after breast augmentation. Only strenuous activities and heavy lifting should be restricted for two weeks after surgery. There will be no special wraps, bandages, bras, or dressings. You may wear a bra immediately after surgery if you wish, and you may shower the day after your surgery.

Many people may not realize that breast size and position can present a number of challenges for the plastic surgeon performing breast enlargement surgery. Generally speaking, small-breasted women develop tight "skin envelopes" (the skin that envelops the breast), reducing the amount of room available for placing the breast implants. Women whose breast volume has diminished as a result of pregnancy may also have excess tissue that must be addressed before undergoing breast augmentation surgery with Dr. Padovan. In addition to these surgical considerations, the patient's comfort is another main concern; Dr. Padovan performs all breast augmentation surgeries with techniques designed to minimize discomfort and down time.

Breast augmentation with breast implants is not a one-size-fits-all procedure. A good cosmetic/breast surgeon will carefully customize breast enlargement surgery by making the right surgical choices to meet each patient's individual needs and provide the most natural-looking results possible. As a skilled and talented breast augmentation surgeon, Dr. Padovan helps patients obtain the bodies and bust lines that they have always desired by customizing the breast augmentation procedure to their individual needs. Dr. Padovan's breast augmentation patients are always offered a choice with regard to the location of the incision (inframammary or transaxillary), the location of the breast implant itself (behind or in front of the muscle), and the type of breast implants used (smooth or textured, round or anatomic, with different levels of silicon firmness). Dr. Padovan and his patients make these decisions together to ensure that the surgery has the best possible end result.

Taking into account the breast augmentation patient's preference, Dr. Padovan will choose one of three approaches for the incision required for the insertion of breast implants: inframammary (in the fold beneath the breast) or transaxillary (at the highest point in the "axillary hollow," or the armpit).

The inframammary approach provides the cosmetic surgeon with the most direct route for inserting breast implants during breast enlargement surgery, thereby dramatically reducing the potential for complications. Because the incision is made in the breast fold, visible scarring is minimal after the breast augmentation is performed.

A periareolar incision is made on the border of the patient's areola. Placing the incision here helps diminish the likelihood of visible scarring. However, doing so forces the cosmetic surgeon to cut across a larger amount of breast tissue, potentially exposing the tissue and the breast implant to outside bacteria. Moreover, since breast tissue contains a large amount of blood vessels, a periareolar incision can cause a greater deal of bruising and swelling. It can also cause a loss of sensation in the nipple.

Transaxillary incisions are usually made at the highest point of the axillary hollow (the armpit), and they thus eliminate scars on the breast. The use of an endoscopic camera in this breast enlargement procedure allows for only a small amount of change to be made to the breast envelope via cutting, which means that this breast augmentation procedure is not suitable for every woman. The transaxillary approach is best for breast augmentation patients who are concerned about minimizing scars on the breast.

There is a fourth incisional approach to breast augmentation that some cosmetic surgeons use: transumbilical. As part of this approach, an incision is made in the bellybutton during the breast enlargement surgery. The hole in the navel becomes an entryway for the breast implant, which is then moved up into the breast area. The distance between the breast and the incision makes it virtually impossible to create a correctly shaped pocket for the breast implants. For this reason, Dr. Padovan refuses to employ this type of incision during breast augmentation.

To learn more about the incisional approaches for breast enlargement surgery, it is important to have an experienced breast cosmetic surgeon advise you on which approach should be taken for the insertion of the breast implants. Schedule a breast augmentation consultation to learn which incision is best for your needs.

Breast implants can be placed either in front of or partially behind the pectoralis major muscle. In most cases, the implant is placed behind the muscle, but it is best to speak with Dr. Padovan before making this decision.

Placing breast implants behind the muscle during the breast augmentation procedure provides a number of aesthetic and health-related benefits. First, the chest muscle will cover the breast implant, making its outline less visible through the skin. Second, there is a reduced risk of capsular contracture, an abnormal hardening of the capsule that sometimes forms around breast implants. Third, patients have more accurate mammograms because the implant does not obstruct the view of the breast tissue.

For patients with sagging breasts, placing the breast implant in front of the muscle generally produces better results. However, these patients may also want to consider the fact that an implant placed over the muscle is often conspicuous and may produce an unnatural look because of inadequate tissue coverage.

Cosmetic surgery patients who have questions about breast augmentation and the different locations for breast implants should not hesitate to schedule a breast augmentation consultation at our Perth and Waikiki offices. Dr. Padovan is an experienced breast cosmetic surgeon who can help advice patients about what implant location best suits them.