Breast Augmentation Surgery

Specialist in breast augmentation using breast implants for the Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, & Washington DC area

Breast enlargement surgery typically requires breast implants for the breast augmentation. While there are some ways to achieve breast enlargement without breast implants, they are not used unless a breast reconstruction is required. Moving abdominal tissues or back muscles are excellent options for breast reconstruction but are not encouraged as options for breast enlargement alone. Injecting fat into the breast is in its early stages and will only improve the size of the breast a minimal to moderate amount. Asymmetry and long surgical times are concerns with fat injections. In general it is not a recommended way to achieve significant breast enlargement.

Breast augmentation using breast implants is the most common technique used throughout the World for breast enlargement. The techniques do have many similarities but also many differences. The plastic surgeon is the most important criteria other than the woman's natural pre-existing tissues in determining the outcome from a breast augmentation. Dr. Michael J. Brown is an excellent choice.

In the following sequence of 3-D illustrations, a simplified overview of a breast augmentation surgery are presented in a step wise fashion. These are illustrations and do not necessarily reflect the complete complexity of the breast implant surgery. The surgical approach for the breast augmentation is typically performed through one of three incisional approaches. By far the most common and the gold standard of choices is the under the breast incision. These illustrations reflect this approach. To learn more about the incisional approaches, please visit another of Dr. Brown's web sites that are dedicated to breast surgeries. You may also click on the link to 'More Info'.

This first 3-D illustration depicts a woman lying on the operating table with a pre-operative mark around her breast crease or inframammary fold. This mark serves as a reference and aides precision during her breast augmentation.

This 3-D illustration depicts the breast augmentation incision along the breast crease or inframammary fold. This exact placement of this incision depends on the woman's breast tissue characteristics and how large of a breast implant she desires. The incsion is placed in such a fashion so that after the breast augmentation surgery is complete, it is hidden the crease of the breast. It is measured and is only 3 centimeters in length. This is slightly longer than one inch. A small retractor is holding up the skin to expose the breast fat and breast gland.

For illustration purposes the incision in this 3-D illustration has been extended to show more of what the breast augmentation surgery involves. In real surgery, this is more difficult to see than these next few illustrations. A larger retractor is placed and the subcutaneous fat and breast fat have been divided to expose the underlying pectoral muscle. It is this muscle that will be raised or lifted to allow the breast implant to be placed 'under the muscle'.

At this point, the pectoral muscle has been divided to a required amount and a pocket or space has been created 'under the muscle'. The pectoral muscle is in the upper aspect of this wound, below the retractor. The muscle that is along the bottom part is the muscle that is in between the ribs.

This image is showing that the breast implant has been prepared and is rolled up and is being placed 'under the muscle' for her breast augmentation.

The breast implant is now under the muscle and is ready to be filled with saline. The tube connects to the breast implant and fills the saline. If this was a silicone breast implant, there would be no tube and the breast implant is prefilled.

The breast implant has been filled and the fill tube has been removed. At this point, the breast implant position is confirmed by feeling the edge of the implant and then the other side is augmented in the same fashion. Then both breast implants are checked for breast symmetry and the wounds are closed with dissolvable stitches in three different tissue layers.

This final illustration depicts the wound closed. The stitch that is seen will be pulled out on the first post operative visit. This type of wound closure leaves no dots around the thin line scar this has been positioned in the breast crease.

When searching for breast augmentation surgery in Northern Virginia, Maryland or Washington,DC, plastic surgeon, Dr. Michael J. Brown is an excellent choice to have this procedure from. His patients come from Loudoun, Fairfax, Reston, Herndon, Leesburg, Dulles, Ashburn, Middleburg, Great Falls, Potomac Falls, Alexandria, Vienna, Falls Church, Chevy Chase, Bethesda, Potomac, Richmond,Washington, DC to name a few areas. He also has patients travel from all over the US for his expertise and dramatic results.

To learn more about breast augmentation surgery, click to review more of an overview of breast augmentation. To learn about breast anatomy and breast implant positioning you may want to start here. To learn more about silicone-gel breast implant, click the link.

For more information click on the icon above or to see the actual breast augmentation surgery video be performed on a live person, visit one of Dr. Brown's breast specific web sites.

Prior to any surgical procedure, it is imperative that you have read and understand the consent forms required for a plastic surgical procedure.