Named Among the Best Plastic Surgeons in Boston
Helena O. Taylor MD, PHD, FACS & Stephen R. Sullivan MD, MPH, FACS
There are many reasons a woman may not be happy with the size or shape of her breasts. Breasts that begin to show the signs of aging or not as full and youthful as you wish can have a subtle effect on your confidence. If there is anything about your breasts that doesn't fit your ideal, a breast augmentation may be the answer.
Breast augmentation is the most popular cosmetic operation performed by top board-certified plastic surgeons. It is a procedure ideal for any woman who wants to correct the size of her breasts or wants to adjust the shape of her breasts to be in harmony with the rest of her body.
Dr. Taylor and Dr. Sullivan, both certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and named among the “Best Plastic Surgeons” by Boston Magazine, will spend time with you to carefully select an implant type and size as well as surgical approach for breast enhancement. Breast implants can create natural appearing and natural feeling breasts to rejuvenate volume loss from aging, pregnancy, breast feeding, or weight loss - perhaps your tummy and bum look great from your Peloton classes… but your breasts have deflated.
Other common reasons for breast augmentation are to make the breasts more proportionate with the body, to feel more attractive, or to make breasts more perky. All patients have some asymmetry between breasts, and breast augmentation provides an opportunity to improve symmetry. Some women may also want a breast lift if your breasts have fallen or sag and developed breast “ptosis”. A breast lift (mastopexy) can be performed at the same time as a breast augmentation or as a separate operation. Fat grafting or fat transfer can also complement breast augmentation or breast lift.
Selecting a breast implant is a blend of science and art, and Dr. Taylor and Dr. Sullivan work closely with each patient to make decisions together.
Their recommendations for a breast implant size, fill, surface, shape, and style will be based on careful breast measurements, assessment of breast shape, skin quality, each patient's proportions, and patient preferences.
Breast implant size is referred to as the number of cubic centimeters or "cc's", which measures the exact size or how much volume is in the breast implant. One cc is approximately one gram. In general, 200 cc is approximately one cup size in a bra.
A “bra size” or “cup size”, however, is used by department stores or clothing companies and is not objective, as cup size changes with every store or brand. A “34 C” at Nordstrom or Athleta will likely be a much different size than the “34 C” at Victoria’s Secret, depending on whether the store wants you to feel like your breasts are smaller or larger than they actually are. If you don’t like the size written on the label of your bra, cut out the label or try a different department store. In our office, patients will be able to see and feel samples of breast implants of various sizes to understand cc's and breast size.
All breast implants are made with a silicone outer shell. Silicone is made from silicon, a naturally occurring element. Because of its safety, silicone is used in many medical devices and surgical implants. The silicone shell of breast implants can be filled with either silicone gel or saline (salt water).
Silicone filled breast implants, used more commonly, are a soft gel with a natural feeling. The gel is “cohesive,” which means it sticks together to hold the shape similar to a gummy bear candy. The cohesiveness of the gel and the fullness of the implant can be selected. Patients must be at least 22 years old to have silicone gel breast implants. Patients younger than 22 years of age may qualify for silicone breast implants if they have chest deformities or congenital breast asymmetry. Some patients may choose saline filled breast implants. Although less common, saline-filled breast implants can be inserted through a smaller incision and adjusted to very specific sizes.
The surface of breast implants can be smooth or textured. Smooth implants are more commonly used, and we, along with many surgeons, have moved away from using textured implants and don’t recommend them. Breast implants can be round or teardrop shaped. Round implants may provide more fullness of the upper breast, while shaped implants may provide more fullness of the lower breast. Round implants are more common, and when a woman is standing, round implants have a shape similar to teardrop implants while having the advantage of softer, less rigid gel. All implants can rotate and rotation of a teardrop shaped implant can cause the appearance of the breasts to suffer.
IDEAL BREAST AUGMENTATION CANDIDATE
WHAT BREAST AUGMENTATION DOES
DURATION OF RESULT
Years
LENGTH OF PROCEDURE
1-1.5 hours
TYPES OF ANESTHESIA
RECOVERY
TIME OFF SCHOOL OR WORK
TIME OFF ACTIVITIES
At Taylor and Sullivan Plastic Surgery, breast implants are not your only option. There are several ways to enhance your bust line, including traditional breast augmentation with implants and breast fat grafting.
Breast implants are soft medical devices that resemble the shape and feel of natural breasts. To insert the implant, your surgeon will make an incision only a few centimeters long, gently make a space under the breast tissue to make a pocket for the implant, then place the implant either above or below the chest muscle. Once healed, breasts augmented with implants take on a fuller, more proportionate shape and can look and feel quite natural.
Dr. Taylor and Dr. Sullivan also commonly perform natural breast augmentation with fat grafting or fat transfer. This is an excellent alternative for those seeking a more subtle breast enhancement. Minimally invasive liposuction is first used to remove unwanted fat from areas of the body such as the abdomen, love handles, or thighs. The fat is then transferred to the breasts without any breast incisions. Some women may also have a breast lift to correct sagging or ptosis. The volume of fat that can be grafted will typically range from 75 to 150 cc per breast. As this fat is taken from your own body, it is readily accepted and provides a more natural-looking outcome with long-term fullness.
The location of incisions and approach will be considered during your evaluation, and the decision will be based on what is best for you and each individual patient.
An inframammary incision (placed under the breast in the fold where the breast meets the chest) is the most common approach as the scar can be relatively hidden, heals well, and provides excellent access for proper breast implant placement without exposure to breast ducts and bacteria. The incision will approximately 3 cm (less than 2 inches) in length, depending on the size of the breast implant. Dr. Taylor and Dr. Sullivan use all buried sutures to close the incision so there are no stitches to remove and no drainage tubes are used.
The incisions made during breast augmentation are sealed with surgical glue and a sticker, so you don’t have to do anything for wound care, and you can shower and wash your breasts the next day. The scar will be slightly red for several weeks to months and eventually usually fades to a pale color and is hidden under the breast.
Another common though less frequent approach is known as “periareolar,” or at the edge of the darker tissue around the nipple. When this approach is used, the incision is usually placed on the lower half of the areola at the junction of the areola and the breast skin to hide the scar. The periareolar approach requires dissection through the breast and may expose the implant to more bacteria and risk for infection. The transaxillary approach or through the armpit can also be used, though this approach may have a higher risk of implant malposition, swelling of arms if lymphatic channels are disrupted, and decreased sensation on the upper arms if nerves are disrupted.
Breast implants can be placed under the breast tissue (subglandular) or under the pectoralis chest muscle (submuscular, subpectoral, or "dual plane"). Placing the implants under the muscle decreases the chance of seeing implant wrinkles or ripples and lowers the risk for scar tissue forming around the implant, known as capsular contracture.
Dr. Taylor and Dr. Sullivan can review some of the advantages and disadvantages to each breast implant location. To reduce the risk of complications such as infection or implant damage and to maximize safety and efficiency during the operation, Dr. Taylor and Dr. Sullivan may use the Keller Funnel to insert breast implants. This innovation allows a limited or "no-touch" technique to safely insert breast implants through a smaller incision and may reduce risks of infection.
Operations are performed at Mount Auburn Hospital, a Harvard teaching hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The operation usually takes Dr. Sullivan and Dr. Taylor about 50 minutes. Patients may have sedation with local anesthesia or general anesthesia for safety and comfort.
Benefits Of Breast Augmentation
Most important is to work with a surgeon with whom you feel comfortable and safe. Dr. Taylor and Dr. Sullivan believe in a safe and gentle, but rapid recovery from breast surgery.
With their carefully planned protocols, patient safety is the highest priority for Dr. Taylor and Dr. Sullivan and patients can often avoid taking or reduce postoperative opioid or narcotic pain medications. Dr. Taylor and Dr. Sullivan use the latest and most effective medications for pain and symptom control. Our Boston breast augmentation patients recover quickly from the procedure with limited discomfort and return home on the same day. You may shower the next morning. We do not use surgical drains. The stitches are all dissolving and buried.
After your breast augmentation Boston plastic surgeon Dr. Taylor or Dr. Sullivan will see you in follow-up appointments at one week, one month, three months to six months, and one year or as often as needed post-op. Call to schedule your appointments at Taylor & Sullivan Plastic Surgery office at (617) 492-0620 between the hours of 8:30 – 5:00 or visit our webpage at www.massplasticsurgeons.com. We are always available for postoperative concerns or emergencies and can be reached through our paging service 24 hours per day at (617) 492-0620.
Download our Breast Augmentation (Breast implant) postoperative instructions here.
Most patients usually need only Tylenol or Ibuprofen. The surgery usually takes place under general anesthesia, so you will not feel or remember anything during your operation. In the early stage of healing, expect to feel some mild tenderness, aching, or discomfort. Drs. Taylor and Sullivan use a minimal-access technique that makes narcotic pain relievers unnecessary in most cases.
Breast augmentation is generally safe, but rare risks are possible with any surgery. Some reported complications include infection, difficulty healing, keloid scars, hematoma, seroma, implant rupture, capsular contracture, implant shifting, changes in sensation, numbness, breast implant-associated lymphoma, breast implant-associated squamous cell carcinoma, breast implant illness, need for repeat or revision procedure, implants are not meant to be lifetime devices, implants will need follow-up imaging and will need to be removed or replaced when they wear out. Serious complications are rare. After reviewing all possible risks, our office will provide a consent form for you to sign.
Someone will need to drive you home after anesthesia. Most patients are discharged from the surgical center on the same day.
Sleeping on your back or sides will be most comfortable for the first week or two. You can also sleep with your head elevated slightly to alleviate any swelling.
Patients should only consider breast augmentation after the breasts have fully developed. Most surgeons only operate on individuals over the age of 18. Silicone implants are FDA-cleared for patients aged 22 years and older.
Breast augmentation provides a long-term result in most patients, although no cosmetic procedure can technically be considered permanent. Even augmented breasts can change in shape, size, or fullness due to aging, gravity, pregnancy, or weight changes. Patients may wish for different things at different times, so a patient should never feel stuck with a particular implant or size. When carefully performed, future changes can be easily performed if or when a patient has the desire for a change in size or type of breast implant.
Breast implants are not meant to be lifetime devices, though once placed, they don’t expire or need to be replaced at any particular time. Implant manufacturers recommend getting an Ultrasound or MRI of the breast implants 5 to 6 years after surgery. Implants only need to be replaced if the patient has a desire for a new size, when an Ultrasound or MRI shows that the implant shell has worn out, or if other complications occur.
Not all fat survives fat transfer, but that which does survive, will live as long as the patient. Fullness of fat fluctuates with weight changes. The fullness of fat transfer breast augmentation generally remains as long as the patient maintains a steady weight. However, the breasts may change over time due to aging and other factors.
The result you see immediately after surgery is different from your final result. Residual swelling can make the breasts appear larger than their ultimate size for several weeks. Likewise, not all of the fat graft will survive. Some of the transferred fat (approximately 30 to 50 percent) will die off during the first three months. In short, the results you see at three to six months are considered the final result. Source
Nationally, the average breast fat transfer cost is approximately $9,325. Your surgeon’s experience, board certification, credentials, Boston location, surgical technique, and choice of anesthesia can all affect the final price. A board-certified plastic surgeon may be more expensive, but a potentially safer or higher quality of care may make the added cost worth it. Source
Cost of breast augmentation and breast implants can vary by region and surgeon. Most important is to find a board-certified plastic surgeon with whom you feel comfort and trust. Breast implant surgery includes the cost of the implant as well as a surgeon fee, anesthesia fee, and facility fee. There are no charges for follow-up appointments.
Scar maturation can take anywhere from 12 to 18 months and varies among all patients. For the first several weeks to months, scars can become red, raised, and firm and then can become soft, flat, and pale. Most patients notice the scars beginning to fade at around nine months post-op though every patient is different.
Dr. Sullivan and Dr. Taylor believe in a gentle, easy, and rapid recovery. The doctors have a careful protocol to ensure that you quickly and safely return to your activities. The operation takes approximately one hour and patients return comfortably home the same day. Patients may shower and return to normal activities of daily living the day after surgery. There are no stitches to remove or drains. Patients may resume light work and social activities within the week. Gradually return to exercise after one week, with the exception of chest muscle exercises, which can resume at six weeks. After six weeks, there are no restrictions to activity.
Call Today 617.492.0620
To schedule a private consultation with Dr. Taylor or Dr. Sullivan, please call the office or request an appointment using our form. We welcome your visit and your questions.
300 Mount Auburn St. Ste 304, Cambridge, MA 02138
300 Mount Auburn St. Ste 304, Cambridge, MA 02138
Monday - Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm — 617.492.0620
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