Breast Augmentation in Manhattan

by Dr. Steven Wallach

Can I have silicone gel implants instead of saline filled implants?

As of November 17, 2006, the FDA has approved the use of silicone gel implants for patients that desire a breast augmentation. Patients have to be at least 22 years old to receive the gel implants for primary breast augmentation. So now along with the saline-filled implants, there are even more implant choices for patients desiring a breast augmentation.

What incision can be used to place the breast implants?

There are many different ways to perform breast augmentation. The incision can be placed in the armpit (transaxillary), under the breast (inframammary), at the border of the areola and breast skin (periareolar), through the umbilicus (transumbilical), and even through an abdominoplasty incision when performing an abdominoplasty (transabdominal). Each location has its pros and cons.

Will I have normal nipple sensation after the surgery?

Many patients will have some change in sensation after the surgery; this is often due to swelling that usually resolves after 4-6 weeks. However, about 15% of patients will have a change in sensation that persists after 1 year.

Does the choice of incision location affect nipple sensation?

There have been no scientific studies to prove that incision location affects sensation. However, many plastic surgeons postulate that sensory changes may be related to the size of the implant used. That is, the larger the implant the more likely sensation will change. This may be due to the stretching of the tissues in the pocket that needs to accommodate the larger implants, and therefore stretching the sensory nerves may affect the function of these nerves.

Will I be able to breast feed?

It is difficult to predict whether or not an individual will be able to breast feed after augmentation. Some women who are very small breasted to begin with can produce a lot of milk, while some very large breasted women cannot. Inevitably during surgery some of the parenchyma is divided to create the pocket for implant placement. However, there are many patients who can breast feed. Again, this depends upon the individual patient.