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Are You Considering…?
Breast Augmentation
Breast Reduction
Mastopexy (Breast Uplift)
Gynecomastia
If You’re Considering Breast Surgery…
When contemplating plastic surgery in Scottsdale, entrust your health and beauty to Dr. Beals – an experienced plastic surgeon. By inserting an implant behind each breast, surgeons are able to increase a woman’s bust line by one or more bra cup sizes. If you’re considering breast augmentation, this will give you a basic understanding of the procedure–when it can help, how it’s performed, and what results you can expect. It can’t answer all of your questions, since reaction and recovery largely depends on your individual circumstances – just like with any other plastic surgery. Please ask Dr. Beals if there is anything you don’t understand about the procedure.
photo not actual patient
Where Your Surgery Will Be Performed
Dr. Beals may prefer to perform the operation in an office facility, a freestanding surgery center, or a hospital outpatient facility. Occasionally, the surgery may be done as an inpatient in a hospital, in which case you can plan on staying for a day or two. Whether you’re a resident of the Paradise Valley and Scottsdale area or you’re an out-of-towner, you will be comfortable, pampered, and at home in our lavish facilities.
The Best Candidates for Breast Surgery
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 plastic surgery, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them with Dr. Beals.
The best candidates for breast augmentation are women who are looking for improvement, not perfection, in the way they look. If you’re physically healthy and realistic in your expectations, you may be a good candidate for cosmetic surgery.
All Surgery Carries Some Uncertainty And Risk
In your initial consultation, Dr. Beals will evaluate your health and explain which surgical techniques are most appropriate for you, based on the condition of your breasts and skin tone. If your breasts are sagging, Dr. Beals may also recommend a breast lift.
Be sure to discuss your expectations frankly with Dr. Beals, he will be equally frank with you, describing your alternatives and the risks and limitations of each. You may want to ask Dr. Beals for a copy of the manufacturer’s insert that comes with the implant he or she will use — just so you are fully informed about it. And, be sure to tell Dr. Beals if you smoke, and if you’re taking any medications, vitamins, or other drugs.
Dr. Beals will also explain the type of anesthesia to be used, the type of facility where the surgery will be performed, and the costs involved. Because most insurance companies do not consider breast augmentation to be medically necessary, carriers generally do not cover the cost of this procedure.
Dr. Beals will give you instructions to prepare for surgery, including guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, and taking or avoiding certain vitamins and medications. A mammogram may be recommended prior to your procedure to ensure breast health and serve as a baseline for future comparison.
In addition to explaining your surgical procedure, Dr Beals will discuss anesthesia, the recovery process and your obligations as a patient. You will also discuss where your procedure will be performed. You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure you will undergo and any risks and potential complications of your surgery. There may be a waiting period of several days to weeks from the time of your consent to the day of surgery.
While making preparations, be sure to arrange for someone to drive you home after your surgery and to help you out for a few days, if needed.
Dr. Beals may select general anesthesia, so you’ll sleep comfortably through the operation. Some minor procedures can be done with local anesthesia, combined with a sedative to make you drowsy. Dr. Beals will help you decide which form of anesthesia is appropriate for the procedure you are having done.
The method of inserting and positioning your implant will depend on your anatomy and Dr. Beals’s recommendation. The incision can be made either in the crease where the breast meets the chest, around the areola (the dark skin surrounding the nipple), or in the armpit. In addition, a saline implant may be placed through an incision at the navel. Every effort will be made to assure that the incision is placed so resulting scars will be as inconspicuous as possible.
Working through the incision, Dr beals will lift your breast tissue and skin to create a pocket, either directly behind the breast tissue (submammary or subglandular placement) or may be placed beneath the pectoral muscle and on top of the chest wall (submuscular placement). Once the implant is positioned within this pocket, the incisions are closed with sutures, skin adhesive and/or surgical tape. A gauze bandage may be applied over your breasts to help with healing. The surgery usually takes one to two hours to complete. You’ll want to discuss the pros and cons of these alternatives with Dr. Beals before surgery to make sure you fully understand the implications of the procedure he or she recommends for you.
You’re likely to feel tired and sore for a few days following your surgery, but you’ll be up and around in 24 to 48 hours. Most of your discomfort can be controlled by medication prescribed by Dr Beals.
Within several days, the gauze dressings, if you have them, will be removed, and you may be given a surgical bra. You should wear it as directed by Dr. Beals. You may also experience a burning sensation in your nipples for about two weeks, but this will subside as bruising fades.
Your stitches will come out in a week to 10 days, but the swelling in your breasts may take three to five weeks to disappear.
You should be able to return to work within a few days, depending on the level of activity required for your job.
Follow Dr. Beals’ advice on when to begin exercises and normal activities. Your breasts will probably be sensitive to direct stimulation for two to three weeks, so you should avoid much physical contact. After that, breast contact is fine once your breasts are no longer sore, usually three to four weeks after surgery.
Your scars will be firm and pink for at least six weeks. Then they may remain the same size for several months, or even appear to widen. After several months, your scars will begin to fade, although they will never disappear completely.
Routine mammograms should be continued after breast augmentation for women who are in the appropriate age group, although the mammography technician should use a special technique to assure that you get a reliable reading, as discussed earlier.
For many women, the result of breast augmentation can be satisfying, even exhilarating, as they learn to appreciate their fuller appearance.
Even if you believe your implants are functioning well, it is important that you follow-up as directed with your plastic surgeon to assess the condition of your breast implants. In addition, whether you choose to have breast implants or not, it is essential to your health that you practice a monthly breast self-exam and schedule regular diagnostic breast screenings.
Your decision to have breast augmentation is a highly personal one that not everyone will understand. The important thing is how you feel about it. If you’ve met your goals, then your surgery is a success.
Member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
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