As a board-certified plastic surgeon and breast augmentation specialist in Austin, TX, I see many women who are interested in getting breast implants but want to avoid a lengthy recovery period. I have developed a technique especially for these active women, giving them fuller, natural-looking breasts with minimal downtime after surgery.
Why do women want a more modestly sized implant?
Many women come to see me desiring a modest increase in size of their breasts because of two key reasons:
- These women are super active with a dedicated fitness routine. They don’t desire to change their bra size or modify their wardrobe. Instead, they want to fill out their bra and look better in their clothes.
- They want to restore lost volume from having children and breastfeeding.
What is the Active Augmentation?
With these two goals in mind, I have renamed this type of breast augmentation the Active Augmentation™. With this procedure, my goal is to enhance the appearance of the breast with a Natrelle Inspira® SoftTouch smooth round silicone gel breast implant. This smaller implant, sometimes called a “Slimplant,” gently increases the size of the breast while creating a natural shape and minimizing the impact on athletic activities. You can learn more about the Slimplant in our related blog post and in the video below:
Active Augmentation Incision
I love to keep the incisions minimal for all of my breast augmentation procedures, so I strategically place them underneath the breast in the fold. The incisions typically heal extremely well and become nearly invisible over time. I firmly adhere to the ‘No-Touch’ technique, utilizing a Keller Funnel™ to place the implant in the breast. Using the Keller Funnel minimizes complications in the procedure, giving my patients the very best surgical experience.
The procedure takes a little less than an hour and is safely performed in a fully accredited operating room. I always close the incisions in multiple layers of dissolvable sutures. We will clip one suture in the office around Day 6 following the procedure. The incision will also be covered with a Steri-Strip™ and a clear plastic dressing called a Tegaderm™. This will stay in place until your first follow-up visit. This will also allow you to shower on the day of surgery.
Active Augmentation Recovery
During the first few days after the procedure, you may experience some chest pressure or tightness in the breasts. Most of my patients recover very well with Tylenol® and ibuprofen, two over-the-counter medications. The majority of my patients return to work around Day 3 or 4 and are back to full activities without restrictions at 6 weeks.
I think the Active Augmentaiton is an excellent procedure that delivers a beautiful result for the active woman. Below we offer a snapshot look at the Active Augmentation.
Goal:
Enhance the appearance of the breasts using Natrelle INSPIRA® SoftTouch smooth, round, silicone gel breast implants to gently increase the size of the breasts while creating a natural shape and minimizing the impact on athletic activities.
Procedure:
Incisions are hidden underneath the breast in the fold. The incisions typically heal extremely well and over time become nearly invisible. I adhere to the “no-touch” technique utilizing a Keller Funnel® to place the implant in the breast.
Anesthesia:
General anesthesia using a laryngeal mask airway (LMA) to provide a smooth surgical experience.
Procedure length:
The procedure takes less than 1 hour to complete.
Aftercare:
The incisions are closed in multiple layers using dissolvable sutures. We will clip one suture in the office approximately 6 days after surgery. The incision will also be covered with a Steri-Strip and a clear plastic dressing called Tegaderm, which will stay in place until your first follow-up visit. This will also allow you to shower the day of surgery.
Recovery:
During the first few days after breast augmentation, the patient will experience some chest pressure or tightness in the breasts. Most patients recover very well with acetaminophen and ibuprofen, both over-the-counter medications. Most patients will return to work around 3 to 4 days after surgery and are back to full activities without restrictions at 6 weeks. Bruising is uncommon with this procedure, but can sometimes be visible on the sides of the breast where anesthetic medication was injected.
Timeline After Active Augmentation Surgery
- SUTURE & DRESSING REMOVAL: Day 5 to 7
- RETURN TO WORK/SOCIAL LIFE: 3 to 4 days
- 80% HEALED: 6 weeks
- 100% HEALED: 3 months
To see actual before and after pictures of some of my breast augmentation patients in Austin, San Antonio, and Round Rock, Texas, and beyond, visit my online photo gallery. If you want to learn more about this innovative breast augmentation technique, contact us online to request a consultation or call (512) 288-8200.
