If you want to enhance the size of your breasts, breast augmentation can help you get there. Our team at Murphy Plastic Surgery in Englewood and Denver, CO, is here with some answers to your frequently asked questions about this surgery.

Breast Augmentation FAQs: How Long Do Implants Last?

1. How Long Will My Implant Last Me?

One reason we like to recommend the Gummy Bear Implant is the fact that it represents the best technology currently available for silicone gel implants. This implant is made of cross-linked silicone gel, which helps to make it the most stable and long-lasting implant on the market. These implants have proven to be effective and safe and have gained FDA approval. That makes them a perfect breast augmentation option.

Our office does offer multiple implant types to fit your needs, so how long your implant will last partly depends on the type of implant you decide on. In general, you can expect your implant to last you upwards of a decade, with some patients choosing to either replace or revise them sooner, while others are able to go longer and still be perfectly happy with their results.

Quality Is Key

At Murphy Plastic Surgery, we will strive to find the best fit for your needs and can make recommendations to you based on the longevity of the treatment, your budget, and your goals. We want you to be happy with your results, which is why we take pride in our high-quality care.

When you come in for a consultation, we will be happy to answer your questions and will be able to give you a more personalized timeline.

2. How Long Will the Surgery Take?

You can expect it to take right around an hour of your time, and you’ll be able to go right back to the comfort of your home afterward.

If you have questions about when you can get back to your regular activities, we would be happy to answer that during a consultation. You can let us know the activities you’ll want to get back to, and we can lay out a timeline of when you can expect to resume each one.

3. What Exactly Is Breast Augmentation?

The goal of augmentation is to make your breasts larger. If you’re hoping for fuller breasts, to replace breasts that have been lost to cancer, or even to make one breast match the size of the other, an augmentation may be what you’re looking for.

If you’re looking to lift your breasts, our office also offers breast lifts. We can combine a lift with augmentation to lift and increase the size of your breasts at the same time.

4. What Are the Different Implant Options?

Gummy Bear Silicone

This implant tends to be our go-to. Its highly cohesive nature, ability to hold its shape, and natural-looking structure make it a wonderful choice for many of our patients. These implants tend to hold their shape even better than your average silicone implants.

They actually got their name due to the fact that when they’re cut in half, the gel still retains its shape, just like cutting a gummy bear.

Traditional Silicone

Silicone breast implants are well known and respected for their ability to look and feel very natural. Silicone can be an especially good choice for patients who don’t have a lot of breast tissue, as even large silicone implants should retain that “natural” look.

Saline

Our team doesn’t usually recommend saline breast implants, simply for the reason that they don’t feel or look as natural as either traditional or gummy bear silicone implants. Patients who decide to go with saline implants are usually either looking to reduce the cost of implants or wanting to achieve a certain size or appearance that silicone can’t produce for them.

One benefit of saline implants is that if the saline does happen to leak, the leak is simple to resolve and harmless to the body.

5. What Is the Safest Option?

All of these options have been put under intense testing by the FDA, so they all are considered very safe. Being so popular, the technology behind silicone implants continues to improve. The silicone gel of today has great improvements on the implants of yesterday since cross-linking silicone has produced a thicker, studier gel.

The silicone implants available now are the best and safest they’ve ever been. There has been no evidence of any systemic illness increase in women who have received these implants, which is excellent news for health-conscious patients who want to seek out implants but are nervous about it. Saline options are also considered very safe, so there isn’t really a “right” or “wrong” option, but we may make recommendations based on your goals.

6. Where Will the Incision Be?

The incision will usually either be inframammary or areolar. Both locations tend to “hide” the incision well and heal excellently. The anatomy of our patients and the kind of implant you want will help us decide where the incision should go, but we can also make the decision based on your personal preference.

7. What About Placement?

Our team will often place the implant under the muscle, as the overlying tissue can help make the implant look and feel even more natural. It can also reduce the chance of any rippling or visibility of the implant. In some cases, we may have to use a dual-plane technique in which part of the implant is placed under the muscle. Most of the time, however, having the implant completely under the muscle is the best option.

8. Am I the Right Age for This Surgery?

Many patients who seek out this surgery are in their 30s and have either noticed changes in their breasts after having kids, or have been wanting the surgery for a long time and are finally taking the leap.

That said, 30 is hardly the age limit. Many women who are older can still enjoy all the benefits this surgery has to offer. If you have any concerns about your age or eligibility, we would be happy to go over them with you during a consultation.

9. How Do I Choose the Right Size?

Picking the right size can be challenging, but we’re here to help you decide the size that will fit your expectations. If you want, you can even bring in a bra that matches the size you’d like to have. As we discuss your goals, we can let you know what to expect.

We want to give you results that look natural, meet your expectations, and last for the long haul. In addition to helping you define your goals, if you want we can also offer input on the size we think would work well for you.

10. What Other Surgical Options Are There Besides Breast Augmentation?

If breast augmentation isn’t the right fit for you, we offer several different options that may fit your needs.

Breast Lift

It’s common for patients to want to lift their breasts as well as enhance their size. Others may be content with the size of their breasts but still want them to be lifted for a more youthful appearance. For both of these patient types, a breast lift can be helpful in giving them the results they want.

Oftentimes patients will find that with age, the tissue and skin of their breasts will develop laxity. This can also happen due to hormonal fluctuations, pregnancy, or major weight changes. No matter the cause, if you want to improve the height and structure of your breasts, our team is ready to help.

What to Expect From a Breast Lift

When you come in to meet us, you can let us know the desired shape. Our team has extensive knowledge and experience to help us achieve your desires; our goal is that you are thrilled with your results, and we take that seriously.

Breast Reduction

A breast reduction is unique in its ability to not only improve a patient’s confidence but often improve their physical comfort as well. If the weight or size of your breasts is causing you back pain, or discomfort during exercise or other activities, a reduction may be able to help. Our team will carefully go over your desires so that we will know exactly how much reduction you’re looking for and the shape you’d like to achieve.

During a reduction we’re not just removing extra tissue, we are also able to sculpt the breast at the same time. That way our patients won’t just have the benefit of achieving the size they wanted but can also achieve an appearance they’re happy with.

What to Expect From a Breast Reduction

During this sculpting process, as we reduce the size of your breasts we can also reposition the nipple to the apex point of the breast, which can help create a lifted appearance. We strive to balance the shape of the breasts with the build of our patients, so the result looks pleasing and natural.

We tend to employ a vertical incision technique for this surgery, as it can help the breast achieve a natural contour. There are other techniques we can use as well, which we can go over with you. The goal is always to use the right technique to match your body type and the profile you want.

Gynecomastia Surgery

When it comes to surgeries that alter breast tissue, many assume they are limited to women. That assumption isn’t accurate, since male patients can often be self-conscious about the prominence of their breast tissue. This can lead to them not wanting to take their shirts off in the summer or during sports. It can affect their confidence and even the kind of clothes they wear as they attempt to hide prominent breast tissue.

Enlarged breast tissue is known as gynecomastia, and it’s a common condition. While diet and exercise can often help, it doesn’t always resolve the issue. In these cases, gynecomastia surgery can help improve a patient’s quality of life by helping them to feel more confident in their skin.

What to Expect From Gynecomastia Surgery

If the problem is caused by excess fat in the area, liposuction can be used to resolve it. However, it’s more likely that gynecomastia is caused by both excess tissue and fat in the area. In that case, we will make a very small incision along the areola’s border so we can take out some of that extra tissue. Liposuction is often used afterward to smooth the area even further.

One potential non-surgical alternative to gynecomastia surgery is Coolsculpting. Like liposuction, this treatment will only resolve fat, but if you are hesitant to try surgery you may be able to get some very good results with coolsculpting instead.

Gynecomastia Consultation

As for a consultation, we understand that some patients with gynecomastia are hesitant to come in for a consultation as they don’t want to be seen shirtless. Our team is dedicated to making you as comfortable as possible. If you’d like, you are free to request being seen by the doctor in a private office without nurses present.

If You Have More Questions, We Have the Answers

If you’re ready to learn more about the services we provide, contact us at Murphy Plastic Surgery of Englewood and Denver, CO, today to set up your consultation.