Breast augmentation is a popular procedure for women who are interested in changing the size and volume of their breasts. Whether you’d like to reverse age-related loss of breast volume, or you have naturally small breasts, this highly customizable procedure can be tailored to your cosmetic tastes. Learn more about how breast augmentation at our Miami Beach cosmetic surgery practice can help you achieve beautiful, balanced curves.
Meet Dr. Gerth
Looking to book your procedure in the Miami Beach area? Learn why you should choose a versatile surgeon like Dr. Gerth today!
Who Is a Good Candidate for Breast Augmentation?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not recommend breast augmentation for women under 18, because it is essential for a woman’s breasts to have developed fully before undergoing this procedure. Even after going through puberty, many women find their breasts continue to grow and change until they are in their early 20s.
If you are over age 18, you can get saline implants, but you will need to wait until you are at least 22 to get silicone gel-filled implants. Here are other factors that make someone well-qualified for breast enhancement:
- Being in good physical and mental health, including being a nonsmoker
- Not currently pregnant or breastfeeding
- Not having any health issues that may complicate the surgery
- Feeling as if your breasts are undersized
- Your breasts have lost volume after pregnancy, weight loss, or aging
- Your breasts are asymmetrical
- One or both of your breasts are underdeveloped
What to Know About Breast Augmentation Options
As you research breast enhancement, you may be feeling confused or overwhelmed by the sheer number of different options out there – from implant material to size and more. Getting breast implants is a highly personalized procedure, and you’ll have several significant choices to make. Here’s an overview to help you make the best decision regarding breast augmentation surgery.
It’s no exaggeration to say choosing a skilled and experienced surgeon like Dr. David Gerth is the most essential decision to make in your journey toward better breasts. To find the doctor who is the best partner for you, be prepared to have in-person consultations with a few different surgeons to select someone whose personality, aesthetic vision, and skill level are a good fit. Your goal should be to find someone who not only has experience in breast enlargement surgery, but also has been able to provide consistently excellent surgical outcomes.
The first thing to know about breast implant size is that it’s not measured in terms of bra cups, but in cubic centimeters. When thinking about size, two major factors come into play: your body type and how natural you want your results to look. In the early days of breast augmentation surgery, many women intentionally chose larger implants; however, most plastic surgeons today will caution you against going too big.
As a knowledgeable cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Gerth will be able to educate you on how different breast implant sizes will alter your physique, including how much your skin will need to stretch to accommodate them, and what is realistic for your body type.
Another essential decision regarding implants is the choice between saline vs. silicone implants. Saline implants are filled with a sterile saltwater solution. Dr. Gerth will fill your saline implants after placing them into your breasts, which is convenient because it allows more precision and control. Additionally, the incision for saline implants is slightly smaller than the one required to place silicone implants.
Silicone implants are made with a viscous gel that is designed to closely mimic natural breast tissue. As a result, many women say silicone looks and feels more natural. Unlike saline implants, silicone breast implants are fully filled before placement.
You and Dr. Gerth also need to decide among three spots for the placement of your incision: under your arms, around your nipples, or underneath your breasts. All three of these locations are designed to keep incisions as inconspicuous as possible, so the decision about where to place the incisions for your procedure will depend on both your personal preference and your anatomy.
You will also need to choose whether you want Dr. Gerth to place your implants over or under your chest muscles. Sub-muscular placement means your implants are partially beneath your pectoral muscles, while in sub-glandular placement, your implants will be between your chest muscles and your breast tissue. As a qualified surgeon, Dr. Gerth can help you decide which placement is best, depending on the type of implant material you choose and the results you hope to achieve.
Breast implants come in two different textures: textured or smooth. The textured surface is slightly rough, like fine-grit sandpaper, which provides greater traction. Meanwhile, the smooth surface is a consistently slippery cover on all sides, which allows the implants to move freely inside the breast pocket without friction.
Smooth implants tend to be longer-lasting and less expensive. However, textured implants generally feel firmer. Also, the slight roughness causes the surface of the implants to adhere to the surrounding tissue, which secures them in their initial positions.
There are two different breast implant shapes: round or teardrop. Dr. Gerth can help you choose between these based on which shape fits your body best, as well as which type will provide you with the most natural-looking results.
Because round implants have a consistent shape, you won’t have to worry about them rotating out of place and becoming asymmetrical in the future. However, teardrop-shaped implants are more anatomically correct because they are more in line with the natural shape of your breasts – they are fuller in the lower half, and have less volume in the upper portion. Teardrop implants are often an excellent choice for women who have less existing natural breast tissue. Teardrop implants also tend to feel slightly firmer, so if you want your results to feel soft, you may want to opt for round implants instead.
Breast Augmentation in Miami Beach
If you’re ready to learn more about breast enhancement, call our Miami Beach office today. Dr. David Gerth’s extensive educational background makes him highly qualified to provide excellent breast augmentation results for women throughout South Florida.