Below are a few of the commonly asked questions regarding breast implant / breast augmentation surgery. We understand that patients often have many other questions, and we strongly encourage you to write them down and bring them with you to your consultation. Dr. Tyrone is happy to answer any question you may have, and believes the most informed patients are the most satisfied patients.
Breast augmentation, also known as augmentation mammoplasty, is a procedure that enhances the size and shape of a woman's breast. In 2005, more than 350,000 breast augmentation surgeries were performed in the United States. It is one of the more common procedures performed by Board Certified plastic surgeon Dr. John W. Tyrone.
Generally, most healthy women are candidates for breast augmentation surgery. Age is not a contraindication to breast implant surgery, and it is not uncommon for women in their 50's or later to undergo the procedure. Breast augmentation can enhance your appearance and your self-confidence, but it won't necessarily change your looks to match your ideal, or cause other people to treat you differently. Before you decide to have surgery, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them with Dr. Tyrone. If you're physically healthy and realistic in your expectations, you may be a good candidate.
A breast implant is a medical device with a silicone shell filled with either silicone gel or a salt-water solution known as saline. Most cosmetic breast augmentation involves the placement of implants behind the breast or chest muscle. For the majority of women, saline implants are safe and reliable, and make and excellent choice. For a select group of patients, Dr. Tyrone may recommend silicone gel breast implants. These include patients with very thin soft tissues coverage of the chest, those who require a breast lift in conjunction with an augmentation and those patients who require implants following breast cancer surgery. Silicone gel implants are available to women who meet inclusion criteria determined by the FDA. This includes most women over the age of 22 years old.
Dr. Tyrone will discuss with you the advantages and disadvantages of each type of breast implant, and help you make a decision that is best for you.
During your initial breast augmentation consultation, Dr. Tyrone will inquire about your medical and surgical history including current medications and allergies. It is important to be thorough when discussing your medical history as safety is Dr. Tyrone's top priority. Your full disclosure of all pertinent medical information prior to surgery will reduce the incidence of unwanted surgical complications. You will discuss your concerns and motivations for seeking breast augmentation. Details of the breast augmentation will be discussed including incision placement, implant type and size as well what is expected of you preoperatively and postoperatively. The risks of surgery will also be discussed in detail. Numerous before and after photographs of actual patients will be reviewed during your consultation. Dr. Tyrone will be able to tell you where the incisions in the photographs are located as well as the size of the implants. Frequently, during this part of the breast augmentation consultation, the patient sees a photograph that she feels is most similar to the before and after result she would like to obtain.
Following your consultation, you will meet with our patient coordinator, to discuss scheduling your surgery and answer any other questions you may have.
Once you have scheduled your breast augmentation surgery with Dr. Tyrone, you will be given preoperative instructions that discuss everything from finances to follow-up visits after your surgery. Prior to your breast augmentation, you will receive prescriptions form Dr. Tyrone's patient coordinator. It is important to have the medication prescriptions filled in the days prior to your surgery so they are waiting for you when you return home from surgery.
You will receive a list of medications (i.e. aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) to avoid for 14 days prior to your breast augmentation surgery. Additionally, though there is no scientific proof that certain medications reduce bruising, swelling and pain after breast augmentation surgery, you will be asked to obtain Arnica Montana, Brome lain and Vitamin A pills to take prior to and after your procedure. Finally, the night before surgery, shower and wash as you would normally and do not eat or drink after midnight.
Dr. Tyrone performs breast augmentation surgery in a new, state of the art operating facility located in Gainesville, Florida. The Laser and Outpatient Surgery Center, located in Gainesville, Florida is certified at the highest level by American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities. Our entire staff is dedicated to your comfort and satisfaction. A beautifully decorated reception area, comfortable exam rooms and attentive care from our staff through all phases of your recovery help to make your entire surgical experience a pleasant one. Every measure has been taken to ensure your safety and comfort.
When you arrive at the surgery center for your breast implant surgery with Dr. Tyrone, you will check in and be escorted to the surgery suite. Dr. Tyrone and his nurses will meet with you prior to your surgery.
If Dr. Tyrone feels a hospital is a more appropriate setting for your surgery, he has full privileges at several local hospitals including North Florida Regional Medical Center.
Provided you are a good candidate for breast augmentation surgery, breast implants will provide you with the increased size and fullness you are seeking. The results will be long lasting. It is important to remember that your breast will continue to age on top of the implant. Breast shape may also subsequently change secondary to pregnancy and fluctuations in weight. Problems with the implants themselves are rare; however, implant rupture may occur and require the placement of a new silicone or saline breast implant. Maintaining a relationship with Dr. Tyrone after your breast augmentation surgery is important to help you address these changes and other concerns which may arise. Regular examination by Dr. Tyrone and routine mammograms for those in the appropriate age groups at prescribed intervals will help assure that any complications, if they occur, can be detected early and treated.
Breast augmentation is relatively straightforward procedure, and most patients have very low risks of complications. But as with any operation, there are risks associated with surgery and specific complications associated with this procedure.
The most common problem, capsular contracture, occurs if the scar or capsule around the implant begins to tighten. This squeezing of the soft implant can cause the breast to feel hard. Capsular contracture can be treated in several ways, and sometimes requires either removal or "scoring" of the scar tissue, or perhaps removal or replacement of the implant. Massage of the breast implants after surgery has been demonstrated to decrease the incidence of capsular contracture. Dr. Tyrone will instruct you on the proper massage technique following surgery, and it is important to follow his recommended regimen.
As with any surgical procedure, excessive bleeding following the operation may cause some swelling and pain. If excessive bleeding continues, another operation may be needed to control the bleeding and remove the accumulated blood.
A small percentage of women develop an infection around an implant. This may occur at any time, but is most often seen within a week after surgery. In some cases, the implant may need to be removed for several months until the infection clears. A new implant can then be inserted.
Some women report that their nipples become oversensitive, under sensitive, or even numb. You may also notice small patches of numbness near your incisions. These symptoms usually disappear within time, but may be permanent in some patients.
There is no evidence that breast implants will affect fertility, pregnancy, or your ability to nurse. If, however, you have nursed a baby within the year before augmentation, you may produce milk for a few days after surgery. This may cause some discomfort, but can be treated with medication prescribed by your doctor.
Occasionally, breast implants may break or leak. Rupture can occur as a result of injury or even from the normal compression and movement of your breast and implant, causing the man-made shell to leak. If a saline-filled implant breaks, the implant will deflate in a few hours and the salt water will be harmlessly absorbed by the body.
If a break occurs in a gel-filled implant, however, one of two things may occur. If the shell breaks but the scar capsule around the implant does not, you may not detect any change. If the scar also breaks or tears, especially following extreme pressure, silicone gel may move into surrounding tissue. The gel may collect in the breast and cause a new scar to form around it, or it may migrate to another area of the body. There may be a change in the shape or firmness of the breast. Both types of breaks may require a second operation and replacement of the leaking implant. In some cases, it may not be possible to remove all of the silicone gel in the breast tissue if a rupture should occur.
While there is no evidence that breast implants cause breast cancer, they may change the way mammography is done to detect cancer. When you request a routine mammogram, be sure to go to a radiology center where technicians are experienced in the special techniques required to get a reliable x-ray of a breast with an implant. Additional views will be required. Ultrasound examinations may be of benefit in some women with implants to detect breast lumps or to evaluate the implant.
While the majority of women do not experience these complications, Dr. Tyrone will discuss each with you to make sure you understand the risks and consequences of breast augmentation.
Both saline and silicone breast implants have their advantages and disadvantages. Most women with good breast skin quality and adequate breast tissue are good candidates for saline breast implants. Saline implants are less expensive than silicone breast implants, but some patients may have rippling or wrinkling of the implant that is palpable through the skin Generally, silicone implants are for women with thin soft tissue coverage, poor skin quality, or for those where price is less of a factor. Silicone implants have a much more natural feel to them and have less rippling or wrinkling. The main disadvantages of silicone implants are the added cost and the fact the long term safety of the current generation of implants is being studied. It is also more difficult to tell if a silicone implant has ruptured, and studies, such as an MRI, may be needed to check.
Yes, Dr. Tyrone is Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, the only certifying board for Plastic Surgery recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties.