Limited time special: Breast Augmentation $7000. Includes anesthesia and OR fees. Restrictions apply. Book a consultation today and save!
Available in Pittsburgh, PA and Columbus, OH
Why breast augmentation?
Breast augmentation, for many women, is not about simply increasing the size of the breast. It’s about improving self-confidence; it’s about creating a more feminine silhouette; correcting an unsymmetrical breast or restoring volume and fullness that was lost after having and nursing children.
No matter what the reason is for wanting breast augmentation, Pittsburgh residents can rest assured that our board-certified cosmetic surgeon and plastic surgeon understand your motivation and will provide you with an array of options — from size, shape, profile, and even type of implant — to help you decide on the best breast implant for you.
What is breast augmentation?
Breast Augmentation is a surgical procedure that alters the size and shape of the breast for cosmetic or aesthetic reasons. Breast augmentation may include enlarging the breast with breast implants or fat transfer to the breasts. Or it may be changing the shape of the breast through a breast lift with or without breast implants.
Breast augmentation In Pittsburgh
When you are ready to learn more about breast augmentation, Pittsburgh clients will meet with a surgical consultant to discuss the many breast augmentation options available — from size, shape to the different types of surgery for breast augmentation. Pittsburgh-based, board-certified cosmetic surgeon Dr. Jason Tomsic performs surgery in our state-licensed surgical center.
Types of breast implants
Breast implants come in a variety of shapes and sizes. During your private surgical consultation, our consultant will help you determine the best breast implants for your needs. The implant types include silicone, saline or cohesive gel silicone, commonly referred to as the “gummy bear” implants.
Silicone breast implants
Silicone implants are pre-filled with a soft silicone gel that is considered biocompatible to the body and has been used for many years in medical devices. This type of silicone gel allows the silicone to remain intact in case of a rupture and reduces the risk of the gel migrating from the breast area.
Most women favor silicone implants because they offer a more natural look and feel and provide a more natural, more rounded and fuller shape.
Gummy bear breast implants
Gummy bear breast implants, or cohesive gel silicone implants, are becoming a popular option for women wanting the natural feel of silicone breast implants with the natural shape of saline implants. Gummy bear implants marry the shape of saline with the feel of silicone to achieve the soft, sloping, teardrop shape of a natural-looking breast.
FDA-approved in 2013, the gummy bear implant is made from a highly cohesive form of silicone gel. Since the gel holds its shape when cut in half (just like the gummy bear candy), the popular nickname “gummy bear” implant was coined.
Saline breast implants
Saline breast implants offer a natural breast shape with a gentle slope in the upper area and fullness in the lower portion of the breast. Saline implants are filled with sterilized saline solution. The saline solution used in breast implants has the same salt concentration as the cells within the body, presenting no health risk to the patient even in the unlikely event that the implant ruptures.
Breast augmentation with fat transfer
A breast augmentation with fat transfer is a two-step surgical procedure that first removes fat from one area of the body, typically the abdomen, through liposuction surgery. Then, the fat is purified and transferred to the breasts through a very methodical injection technique which restores volume and fullness without the use of breast implants. For women interested in fat transfer breast augmentation, Pittsburgh is your surgical destination.
Cost of breast implants
The cost of breast implants will vary depending on the type of implant selected, whether it is a silicone, gummy bear or saline. It also depends if the implant is placed over or under the muscle during the surgery. The cost of your breast implant surgery will be outlined during your surgical consultation. Once the type of breast implant is selected and it is determined if it is going to be placed under or over the muscle, an accurate cost for breast augmentation can be determined. Breast augmentation financing options are available to clients in Pittsburgh, PA.
Recovery from breast augmentation surgery
Each person will experience a different recovery from breast implant surgery as everyone heals at a different rate. However, most women experience some degree of discomfort after surgery which can be effectively managed with the proper pain medication.
Following breast surgery, you will wear a compression garment for one month to help reduce post-operative swelling. In addition, you will be asked to refrain from overhead lifting during that same time. It is normal for breast tissue to swell following surgery, so the new breasts may look too large immediately after. This swelling gradually subsides in two to three weeks, resulting in a more natural look. In some cases, it may take up to 12 weeks or longer. Depending on your occupation, you may find that you are able to return to work within a week of having surgery.
Does nipple sensation return after breast augmentation?
Many women do experience a temporary loss of sensation in the nipple and surrounding breast tissue. The loss of sensation occurs from nerve damage during the surgery. As the body heals itself, the nerves also heal and sensation is restored. However, in a few cases, the loss of sensation may improve but not reach the same level as before the surgery or it may become permanent.
Effects of breast implants on lactation & pregnancy
Women with silicone implants do not risk exposing their breastfed children to excessive amounts of silicone. The Institute of Medicine concluded “No evidence of elevated silicone in breast milk or any other substance that would be harmful to infants (was found in women with silicone gel-filled breast implants).” They also determined “…that evidence for health effects in children related to maternal breast implants is insufficient or flawed.” However, breastfeeding difficulties have been reported following breast surgery and breast reduction surgery.
How will breast implants affect having a mammogram?
Mammography can pose a problem for women with breast implants. Mammograms produce an image of the inside of a woman’s breast by compressing the breast. This can present a risk of rupture to the scar around the implant or a rupture of the implant itself. However, the current recommendations for getting screening/preoperative mammograms are no different for women with breast implants than for those without implants.
How Safe Are Breast Implants?
Breast augmentation is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures throughout the United States. It has been rigorously researched and clinically improved over time to minimize the risk to patients while improving outcomes. As long as you have been cleared for surgery, there are no long-term risks for having breast implants.
However, there are shared risks among all surgical procedures such as risk of infection, excessive bleeding, scarring, undesired aesthetic effect, and anesthesia complication.
Rest assured that we take every precaution possible to minimize the risks associated with breast augmentation surgery and to avoid any complications.
It is also important to note that the Food and Drug Administration has noted a connection between breast implants and breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). This is a type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that can develop due to scar tissue developing around the surgical site.
Are There Any Downsides to Receiving Breast Implants?
In addition to potential complications with mammograms and a risk of breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), breast implants can present some complications. Some patients can develop breast tissue atrophy, which causes the breast tissue to break down and lose substance.
Other patients may experience breast asymmetry, which could require future surgical procedures to correct.
However, it’s important to note the risk of side effects is low, and the majority of patients who undergo breast augmentation do not experience enduring negative effects.
Is Breast Augmentation Worthwhile?
For patients who are not happy with their current breast size, shape, or contour, a breast augmentation could lead to improved self-image. Many patients report enhanced feelings of self-esteem and positive body image after undergoing breast augmentation.
Schedule a consultation
For more information on breast augmentation, implants, and techniques, please contact The Skin Center. Call us at 1-800-429-1151 to schedule a consultation at our Mt. Lebanon, PA state-of-the-art surgery center.
Alternative treatments
Breast lift offers women the option of lifting and reshaping the breast without the use of breast implants, and may be a more natural option for women wanting to change the shape of their breast but are not comfortable with the idea of implants.