Breast Implants in Glastonbury, CT

Dr. Beam offers breast implants for women in Glastonbury, New Britain, Hartford, New Haven and surrounding areas of Connecticut.

What Are Breast Implants?

Breast implants, or breast augmentation, is a surgical procedure designed to improve the size and shape of the breast. While there are other options for improving the size and shape of the breast, breast augmentation surgery is by the safest and most effective method available. In most cases, breast implants consist of pouches filled with saline or silicone that are put in place during surgery. Once they are in place, they enhance the size, shape and appearance of the breasts.

Benefits of Breast Implants

There are many benefits to patients seeking breast implants. With so many options available, women seeking treatment can take control over their bodies and their appearance to create a look that makes them proud. Some of the best benefits to breast augmentation include:

  1. Improves size and shape of the breast
  2. Enhances confidence and improves self-esteem
  3. Improve breasts after weight loss and pregnancy
  4. Improves and balances figure
  5. Provides reconstruction after a mastectomy due to breast cancer

Breast Implant Options

Patients seeking breast augmentation surgery have many different options available to them. Patients can choose the size, shape and placement of the implants as well as choose the type of incisions used and the final placement of the actual implants. At the time of the consultation, Dr. Beam will determine what is best for you.

There are three different areas for placement of the implants that Dr. Beam prefers: under the breasts, around the areola of the nipple or under the armpit (for saline implants only). Once you have your consultation, Dr. Beam will determine what is best for you to reach your goals.

Types of Breast Implants – Silicone and Saline

The most common types of breast implants today are made from silicone or saline. Both of these options are approved by the FDA for safety, and each come with their own strengths.

Breast implants that are filled with saline offer the best safety to patients as the saline is harmlessly absorbed by the body if the implant were to rupture. If this were to happen, you would notice a decrease in the size of the deflated implant; it can happen immediately or can take some time. Silicone, on the other hand, would be harder to detect, but the silicone implants look and feel more natural than saline implants. Plus, silicone implants have less of a chance of rippling.

The implant company highly recommends that you get an MRI three years after the implantation and every two years thereafter. The warranty and recommendations will be discussed during your consultation.

Today, most saline implants look and feel very natural, however, many patients believe that silicone breast implants provide the most realistic look and feel of all breast implants.It should be noted, however, that the incisions made for saline implants are much smaller due to the fact that they are filled after they have been implanted, whereas silicone implants must be filled before surgery.

We specialize in silicone or saline breast implants from Allergan®/Natrelle® but the choice is ultimately up to you. If you prefer to use implants from MENTOR® or other manufacturers, we will help you acquire the implants of your choosing.

Implant Placement

Breast implants can be placed either above or underneath the chest wall muscles. In most cases, the implants are placed under the muscle tissue to allow for a more natural shape and texture. This leads to longer recovery times and added discomfort, however. Still, this is the most common form of the procedure that yields better results compared to placing them above the muscle tissue.

Location of Incision

Breast implants are most often inserted through an incision in the inframammary fold underneath the breast, through the nipple (called the peri-areolar approach) or through the armpit (saline implants only).

Preparing for Breast Implant Surgery

For most women, impending breast implant surgery is a time of both excitement and stress. In most cases, women are thrilled at the idea of their new breasts but at the same time they worry about exactly how it will change their figure and their look. To help you through the process, Dr. Beam will go over, in detail, how the implants will impact your figure. In many cases, your current clothing such as bras and swimsuits may no longer fit properly, requiring you to replace them with new garments that fit your new curves.

Recovery from Breast Implant Surgery

Following the surgery, you must rest for at least two days, so it is important to ensure that you have the necessary time available after the surgery for this rest. During the recovery process, you will feel some tenderness and swelling. These symptoms are typical during recovery from breast implant surgery. At the time of your pre-op, you will be given prescriptions for pain and nausea/vomiting. After approximately three days, you will most likely begin to feel relief from these symptoms and will begin to feel more mobile. It is important to avoid any strenuous activity for at least one week following the surgery.

Following breast implant surgery, Dr. Beam will give you very detailed post-op care instructions. By following these instructions carefully, you will begin to see the full results of the surgery in three to four weeks.

How Much Do Breast Implants Cost?

The cost of breast implants may varies for each patient, depending if additional surgery is needed to reach your goal. Also, since this is elective surgery, insurance companies will not cover the cost. Dr. Beam’s staff can discuss all pricing and financing options with you at your initial consultation.

When performed by a cosmetic surgeon such as Dr. Beam, breast implant surgery can help a woman feel more sensual and feminine. Call our plastic surgery office in the Glastonbury, Hartford, and New Britain areas to schedule your consultation today.

Breast Implants FAQs

1. How long do breast implants last?

While breast implants don’t necessarily expire, the FDA recommends patients get their breast implants checked after about 10 years. At that point, your doctor may recommend replacing them or may recommend you keep them and come in for periodic exams to ensure they remain in place and you remain healthy.

2. Which breast implant is best?

The type of breast implant that is right for you will depend on your budget, your lifestyle, and the type of look you wish to achieve. For patients who are looking for a more natural-looking appearance, we typically suggest silicone breast implants.

3. Do breast implants feel different to the touch?

The type of breast implant you receive will feel slightly different. Patients who receive saline breast implants may notice they don’t quite feel like a natural breast. However, patients who receive silicone or “gummy bear” breast implants find that their breasts look and feel very similar to their natural breasts.

4. Are breast implants safe?

Yes, breast implants are very safe. Breast implants are all made with hypoallergenic medical-grade materials that can last up to 10 or more years in the body. While a rupture may still happen, the self-containing silicone breast implants and safe-to-leak saline breast implants rarely cause any serious complications.

5. What is the most common breast implant size?

Breast implants are available in many different shapes and sizes, ranging from 100 to 1,000 cubic centimeters (cc’s). While the size and shape breast implant that best suits you may vary, we typically see patients choose breast implants between 300 and 400 cc’s. This size typically results in a small to large C-cup bra size.

 

Harold E. Beam M.D. offers plastic and cosmetic surgery to patients in Glastonbury, New Britain, Hartford, New Haven and surrounding areas of Connecticut. Contact Dr. Beam today to schedule your consultation!