Breast Augmentation (Breast Implants)
All about breast implant surgery in Asheville, NC
If you wish for fuller, larger breasts and more feminine curves, breast augmentation can help you achieve the look you desire. Along with enhancing breast shape and size, breast augmentation surgery can help balance your proportions for a more flattering figure.
With more than 20 years of experience performing breast plastic surgery, Asheville plastic surgeon Dr. Donald R. Conway specializes in providing beautiful results while emphasizing natural symmetry and balanced proportions.
- Why have breast augmentation?
- Choosing breast implants with confidence
- How much does breast augmentation in Asheville cost?
- Basics about the breast augmentation procedure
- Recovering after breast augmentation
- Frequently asked questions
Why have breast augmentation?
There are many reasons women choose to have breast augmentation beyond having larger, more shapely breasts. Many have the procedure to help them improve breast symmetry, correct tubular breast deformity, or improve clothing options if a small chest has made it difficult to find clothing that fits properly. Others wish to restore breast volume following pregnancy or weight loss. Following breast augmentation, patients commonly experience a positive shift in self-confidence and greater appreciation for their bodies.
In the end, however, the “why” behind breast augmentation is incredibly personal, and our highest priority is to respect your unique “why” and make sure every step of the way that we are helping you achieve your goals.
- Key Benefits
- Glossary
- Enhanced Breast Size: Breast augmentation increases the size of the breasts, providing a fuller, more voluminous chest appearance.
- Improved Breast Symmetry: The procedure can correct natural asymmetry between breasts, making them more symmetrical in size and shape.
- Restored Breast Volume Post-Pregnancy or Weight Loss: Breast implants can restore lost volume that often occurs after pregnancy, breastfeeding, or significant weight loss.
- Better Body Proportion and Balance: Implants can help balance the proportions of the body, enhancing the overall figure and improving body confidence.
- Long-Lasting Results: Breast implants provide long-term results, maintaining their size and shape for many years.
- Anesthesia: Medication used during surgery to prevent pain; can be either local anesthesia (numbing a specific area) or general anesthesia (inducing sleep).
- Breast Augmentation: A cosmetic surgical procedure to increase breast size and improve breast shape, typically through the insertion of implants.
- Breast Implants: Medical devices placed in the breast to augment its size and shape; commonly made of saline or silicone gel.
- Capsular Contracture: A potential complication of breast augmentation where scar tissue around the implant tightens, possibly affecting the look and feel of the breast.
- Implant Profile: Refers to the degree of forward projection off the chest wall in relation to the base width of the implant.
- Incision: A surgical cut made in the skin; in breast augmentation, common sites include under the breast, around the areola, or in the armpit.
- Mammogram: A breast X-ray used for screening and diagnosis of breast diseases, important for patients with breast implants to monitor breast health.
- Mastopexy (Breast Lift): A procedure that lifts and reshapes sagging breasts, often performed in conjunction with breast augmentation for enhanced results.
- Recovery Time: The period post-surgery during which patients heal and may experience swelling, with specific care instructions for optimal healing.
- Rippling: Visible or palpable wrinkling of breast implants, more common with saline implants and in patients with thinner breast tissue.
- Rupture: A potential complication where the shell of a breast implant breaks; the management depends on whether the implant is saline or silicone.
- Saline Implants: Breast implants filled with sterile salt water; if ruptured, the saline is safely absorbed by the body.
- Silicone Implants: Breast implants filled with a silicone gel that feels more like natural breast tissue; requires regular monitoring for ruptures.
- Subglandular Placement: Placement of breast implants above the chest muscles but beneath the breast tissue.
- Submuscular Placement: Placement of breast implants beneath the chest muscles, often recommended for a more natural appearance.
- Upper Pole Fullness: Refers to the fullness or roundness of the upper part of the breasts, often a desired outcome in breast augmentation for a youthful appearance.
Choosing your breast implant with confidence
If you have done a little bit of research into breast implants, you have likely noticed that there are literally dozens of options for size, shape, and filling material. On the whole, it is wonderful to have so many choices, because it means that we can find an implant that fits your unique body very well. However, the vast selection can seem overwhelming at first for patients who are new to the experience of choosing breast implants.
The good news is that you are not alone in this process: Asheville plastic surgeon Dr. Conway will explain to you the most suitable choices based on your body shape, your desired implant size, your lifestyle, and how you imagine looking after breast augmentation.
Saline breast implant options
Composed of a silicone shell filled with sterile saline solution, saline implants have been used safely and successfully for decades. Since they can be filled to a precise volume, saline can be a great option for achieving very close symmetry. While they can feel slightly heavier and firmer than silicone, a saline breast implant can achieve a beautiful breast augmentation for patients with adequate natural breast tissue to cover the implant, with smaller incisions as well. In the rare event of a rupture, the saline solution is safely absorbed by the body.
Silicone breast implant options
Gel implants feel similar to real breast tissue and have a natural “give” despite their strength. As round implants, these are a popular choice for women desiring a fuller upper portion of the breast. Silicone gel implants come in a variety of sizes, profiles (which determines how far the implant projects from the chest), and base widths to fit nearly any body.
Today’s silicone breast implant options have a very strong outer shell; ruptures are rare, and serious complications resulting from rupture are very rare. Silicone implants come pre-filled, and may require a slightly longer incision to insert compared to saline. However, silicone implants are lighter and softer, and have a much lower incidence of visible rippling.
How much does breast surgery in Asheville cost?
The cost of breast augmentation in Asheville varies somewhat for each individual patient, based on the extent of the procedure (i.e., whether or not Dr. Conway is performing a breast lift at the same time), the implants to be placed, and other factors. At your consultation with our board-certified plastic surgeon, you will be given an all-inclusive fee quote that covers surgical fees, operating room fees, implant costs, and anesthesia costs. We offer several financing options to help you pay for your breast surgery.
Patient Gallery » See Breast Augmentation results
Breast implant surgery basics
Your breast implant surgery will take place in our AAAASF accredited on-site surgical suite. Upon arriving for your surgery, one of Dr. Conway’s nurses will greet you and escort you to the pre-op area to prepare for your procedure. When you are ready, Dr. Conway will check in with you and make final preparations for surgery. He will be happy to answer any last-minute questions you have at this time.
For your breast implant surgery, anesthesia is administered by a board certified MD anesthesiologist for your safety. Dr. Conway will place your pre-selected breast implants using the incision site discussed during your consultations. Following surgery, you will rest in our recovery room for another hour or so, until you are ready to go home.
Augmentation incisions
Many patients are curious what the scars from breast augmentation will look like. This depends on the incisions that are made during surgery to place your breast implants. The most common incisions are:
- Inframammary incision, made along the bottom crease of the breast
- Peri-areolar incision, made around the outer edge of the areola.
Resulting scars from either incision are easily concealed by a bathing suit top, and often fade to where they are barely conspicuous even without clothing. Dr. Conway will explain the incisions best suited for your procedure during your consultation.
Recovering after breast augmentation
Most patients find breast augmentation recovery goes more quickly and smoothly than they expected. The first day or two after surgery, you will be groggy and sore. Dr. Conway will prescribe pain medication to help keep you comfortable.
Within 2 or 3 days, you will be able to resume most non-strenuous daily activities. Driving can be resumed after you are no longer taking prescription medication, and patients with sedentary jobs typically are back to work within 1 week.
Light exercise can be resumed after about 2 weeks, and most patients are back to their normal routines about 4 weeks following surgery. When you meet for your consultation, Dr. Conway will go over details of the recovery as they pertain to your lifestyle and situation. Following surgery, he is available 24-7 by phone to answer any questions that you may have.
Frequently asked questions
Should I get silicone or saline breast implants?
Choosing breast implants can be a fun part of the augmentation process, but with so many choices, it can become overwhelming. The important thing to remember is that an experienced breast augmentation surgeon will help you choose the best implants for your body and lifestyle that will give you the look and feel you want.
Both saline and silicone (including the form-stable silicone “gummy bear” implants) can achieve a beautiful, natural-looking shape, but there are some key differences:
- Incision size
- Look and feel
- Cost
Dr. Conway will discuss these differences in detail with you when you meet for your one-on-one consultation, and help you determine which implant type is the best fit for you.
How do I choose the right implant size?
Your consultation will include a sizing session where you can evaluate different implant shapes and sizes and try different implant volumes with a special bra to help you choose the implant size you like best. You may bring a friend or family member with you for support.
Will I be able to breastfeed if I have breast implants?
Many women that are concerned that getting breast implants may interfere with breastfeeding ability, but we have good news—studies show that about 10 to 17% of women with implants have problems breastfeeding, which is the same percentage range seen in women without implants. Moreover, breast implants have not been shown to impact the safety of breast milk.
What can make a difference is incision placement. There is a somewhat higher risk of milk ducts being compromised with a peri-areolar incision, which is located around the outer edge of the areola—so if breastfeeding is a concern, you may wish to discuss the benefits of the inframammary (below the breast fold) incision during your consultation.
When can I get back to work?
Most patients with a desk job can expect to return to work after 3 to 5 days. However, those with physically demanding jobs should take at least 2 weeks off of their full workloads to allow incisions to heal adequately.
Does Dr. Conway perform male breast surgery?
Dr. Conway performs male breast reduction, also known as gynecomastia surgery, on male patients who are concerned by enlarged male breasts. A relatively simple procedure with a high satisfaction rate, breast reduction for men is an effective gynecomastia treatment that can offer instant results and virtually undetectable scars.
If you would like to learn more about Asheville breast enlargement, please feel free to give our office a call. Our friendly staff will be happy to schedule your personal appointment to meet with plastic surgeon Dr. Conway at our comfortable, private Asheville practice. We are here to listen to your aesthetic goals, discuss your procedure options, and answer any questions you may have.
References »
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American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Breast Augmentation Procedure Steps. Accessed 07/17/2024.
Herluf G. Lund, Janet Turkle, Mark L. Jewell, Diane K. Murphy. Low Risk of Skin and Nipple Sensitivity and Lactation Issues After Primary Breast Augmentation with Form-Stable Silicone Implants: Follow-Up in 4927 Subjects. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, Volume 36, Issue 6, June 2016, Pages 672–680, https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjv266.
U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Risks and Complications of Breast Implants. 12/15/2023. Accessed 07/17/2024.
Taheri AR, Farahvash MR, Fathi HR, Ghanbarzadeh K, Faridniya B. The Satisfaction Rate among Patients and Surgeons after Periareolar Surgical Approach to Gynecomastia along with Liposuction. World J Plast Surg. 2016 Sep;5(3):287-292. PMID: 27853693; PMCID: PMC5109391.
Coroneos CJ, Selber JC, Offodile AC 2nd, Butler CE, Clemens MW. US FDA Breast Implant Postapproval Studies: Long-term Outcomes in 99,993 Patients. Annals of Surgery. 2019 Jan;269(1):30-36. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000002990.
