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In this interview, Dr. Timothy Fee, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon at Coastal Cosmetic Center, shares his expertise and experience by answering your questions about breast augmentation.
Dr. Fee: We use both here at Coastal Cosmetic Center. The implant selection is left up to the patient, however, there are certain indications when one type might be chosen over another. But, that would be reliant on a consultation. There are all sorts of aspects between the two types that would make a patient choose one or another.
Dr. Fee: These implants are all designed for different indications. The memory gel or highly cohesive implants have qualities that make them feel more natural and we have higher patient satisfaction rates with those, so we find that we are doing more of them.
Dr. Fee: The recovery time after breast augmentation is relative to how you define your recovery. Some patients are up and around hours after surgery. They’re able to walk around their house and do odd jobs around the house. There is a little discomfort for the first couple of days, but that usually subsides with pain medications or simple time and support. But, I would say after a weekend most patients are able to return to light sedentary work. Exercise and that type of activity usually takes 2-3 weeks, but I have seen people get back to it earlier.
Dr. Fee: Breast augmentation is usually performed within an hours time. General anesthesia is preferred so to the patient it may feel as easy as 10 minutes in length. There is a little bit of time before and after the procedure to do paperwork. But after that the procedure is quite quick. There are some instances when it may take a bit longer to get things perfect, but that’s not commonly needed because we usually get it right the first time.
Dr. Fee: The scars are very minimal and they can be kept under the curve of the breast and can be concealed quite naturally where the bra line would be. I feel that this is advantageous to any other types of incisions because these are hidden and heal very well with very little tension. The scar can also be used as an option if the patient wants to go larger one day, go smaller one day or take the implants out one day. That incision gives us access to give us anything that we need to do.
Dr. Fee: Breastfeeding is a common question we see from patients receiving breast implant surgery. In general, the breast is simply being augmented. In other words, the breast is being pushed forward and shaped around the implant. All of the natural nerve fibers and function of the breast is preserved during this technique. Which goes back to why we make the incision on the under curve of the breast. We don’t want to disturb any of the anatomy or breast milk supply. So breast feeding is performed quite naturally if it’s going to take place at all.
Dr. Fee: Long term consequences of breast implants is simply one of disguise. The natural breast will go through the natural process of aging and through breastfeeding and the like. Once the breast implants have been in for a long time, sometimes patients get a false sense of security that if you were to take the implants out, that the breasts would look the way they did 20 years ago. That’s not the case. We often see that the breasts have gone through significant changes over the years and without the implant supporting them, when it comes out it can be quite distressing. Often we will encourage patients to replace their implants whenever they need to.
Dr. Fee: I think the risks of breast augmentation are pretty mild. If you follow the simple post operative instructions and you avoid strenuous activity such as baby lifting or pushing and pulling objects that weigh greater than 10-20 pounds, the likelihood of having a complication is minimal. Sometimes the complications we see are related to bleeding or infection, but it’s very rare.
Dr. Fee: Implants are measured and the size of the patient’s chest is measured. They have to be compatible in order for the breast implant and breast augmentation to be successful. I think it’s important to note that here we have all sizes and shapes of implants available so we can actually size them during the procedure- which a lot of practices don’t have that luxury. By using the implant and sizing methods we can choose the implant based on the artistry of making the breast look pretty rather than just measurements of the volume, which to me is a homerun.
Dr. Fee: My typical schedule is to see patients about a week after surgery. Then I see them again at three weeks to make sure the swelling is resolving as it should and to release patients to activities they want to enjoy. The last time I see patients is at three months where we take post-operative photographs and they are compared to the pre-operative photographs. This gives the patient the opportunity to express their satisfaction or if there are any concerns they can be expressed as well.
Dr. Fee: Externally the breast implants should not be felt at all. The breast should feel like a naturally large breast with better shape and better support especially with the cohesive gel implants. In fact, in many of the patients I’ve come to see it’s hard to tell if they’ve had implantation at all. To the patient however, there is some feeling that the implants are there at first. Over the years that feeling tends to go away and most patients can’t remember not having implants.
Dr. Fee: Well, dissatisfaction is sometimes based on unexpected realism and realistic results. I think that it’s important that the communication be there between the patient and the physician. That way dissatisfaction is kept to a minimum. Here we look at every individual’s situation and resolve that to the point where the patient is satisfied. Sometimes this may make a simple adjustment, sometimes it’s just encouragement that time will heal this problem and often times it does.
Please visit our Gallery to see Before & After photos. To schedule a consultation, please contact us online or call Coastal Cosmetic Center at (904) 332-6774.
Dr. Fee is a board-certified plastic surgeon serving patients in Jacksonville and the surrounding communities. He is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the largest and most prestigious organization of plastic surgeon in the United States. A former President of the Greater Jacksonville Society of Plastic Surgeons, Dr. Fee has published and participated in several peer reviewed journals.
