Board-certified New Jersey plastic surgeon Dr. Larry Weinstein has over 30 years of experience in cosmetic surgery. He has conducted extensive research on breast implants and breast tissue expanders. Dr. Weinstein helps his patients achieve their optimal results in breast augmentation and breast enhancement. His patients appreciate his professionalism, his thoughtfulness, and his kindness. We recently sat down with Dr. Weinstein to discuss breast augmentation and what to expect from a consultation, different breast lift options, and IDEAL IMPLANT® Structured Breast Implants.
Why should patients choose your practice over others in the New Jersey area?
“When it comes to performing breast augmentations, I have 32 years of experience. Not every surgeon can say that. My goal is to help my patients achieve a natural, proportional look to their bodies. I strive to never rush my patients, so I’ll spend quite a bit of time discussing the procedure and answering any questions they might have. I do everything I can to make my patients’ expectations a reality.”
What is a breast augmentation consultation like in your office?
“The first thing I do is ask my patient what their goals are. I talk to them in terms of cup size and volume. Then I’ll examine the patient to check and make sure that they don’t have any breast abnormalities. My examination also helps me determine if they would also benefit from a breast lift. The patient can then try on different sizes of breast implants in a tight fitting sports bra so they can get an idea of what they will look like when everything is said and done. Once the patient and I are on the same terms as far as volume is concerned, my Vectra 3D imaging machine can also project a 3D image of that breast size. I try to help my patients achieve a natural and balanced look. I check the breast diameter, the tummy diameter, and the hip diameter so their body can be as close to proportional as possible.
“After we’ve established what the patient wants, my computer can also show them what a breast lift might look like if they need it. We’ll also look at their photographs and compare those to previous patients I’ve operated on. I show them patients who are 18 years old and I show them patients as old as 69. These before and after pictures help the patient determine to what extent they want to be enhanced.”
Do a lot of your patients get a breast lift in addition to a breast augmentation? Can you talk about the different breast lift options?
“Many people think that breast implants will correct saggy breasts. Certainly an implant can help with that, but if a patient’s entire breast is below the inframammary fold, they are going to need some type of lift in addition to an augmentation. With a lift, excess breast skin is removed and then the nipple and areola are lifted to a higher position. The skin that surrounded the areola is then brought down and met together to reshape the breast.
“I perform four different types of breast lifts. It depends on the volumetric difference. The simplest lift I do is called a Crescent lift. The Crescent lift is where I take a little ellipse of skin above the areola and I bring the areola up and that brings the breast up a good half of an inch or 3 centimeters. That allows us to bring the areola into a better position rather than it hanging too low.
“The other technique is a periareolar approach which I do with patients who have laxity in the breast and sagginess. With the periareolar approach, I make an incision that goes all the way around the areola to lift the location of the nipple. I use a permanent suture in order to maintain the areola diameter. A dissolvable stitch in that area tends to cause an increase in diameter over time because of the implant play on it.
“I also do what’s called the lollipop lift. This is where I make an incision that goes around the areola and straight down to the fold underneath the breasts. Many patients benefit from that. I have done that a number of times when doing a full mommy makeover. We’ll do a tummy tuck, breast augmentation, and a little lollipop lift.
“Another common technique for a breast lift is the anchor-shaped incision. This is where I make a small incision underneath the inframammary fold or an inverted T that follows the natural contour of the breast. I’m very careful in terms of suturing. That’s really the key whenever you do any procedure. It’s not about how fast you do it, but how well you do it. Each procedure has to be individualized and each wound has to be treated appropriately and carefully. By having that careful and gentle approach, you tend to get a very nice result.”
What can you tell us about the difference between silicone gel implants, saline implants, and the IDEAL IMPLANT?
“When my patients are trying to decide which breast implant they want, I have them look at and feel silicone implants, regular saline implants, and the IDEAL IMPLANT. Most of my patients describe the IDEAL IMPLANT as very soft and pliable, with a similar feel to the silicone gel implant. Because the IDEAL IMPLANT has a double chamber, we can also give it more projection, which can sometimes avoid the need for any breast lift procedures. The other nice thing about the IDEAL IMPLANT is that it allows me to make smaller incisions in surgery, which I prefer to do. Of course each patient is an individual and can decide which breast implants are right for them. We tailor each procedure to that individual and if they want to use the IDEAL IMPLANT, then I am happy to do that.”
How can women ensure they have a successful recovery after surgery?
“In preparation for surgery I always make sure that my patients understand that they should stop taking any sort of NSAIDs [nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs], such as aspirin, Motrin, Advil, Clinoril. These medicines can affect the plated adhesiveness and you run an increased risk of having a clot or hematoma. We also explain to our patients that they won’t be able to exercise for several weeks afterwards. I usually recommend waiting three weeks to exercise again. I do encourage and appreciate patients who exercise regularly, but you have to give your body some time to rest and heal from a procedure like this. You can’t expect to go out and conquer the world in the first three weeks. Most patients can go back to work in four or five days, but you shouldn’t try to do every activity that you would normally do.
“I also tell my patients to take a multivitamin everyday, to eat healthy, and to not smoke. It’s very important they don’t smoke for at least two weeks before surgery because it affects their ability to recover from surgery. Also, the problems with anesthesia are greater with smokers than non-smokers and the healing process is different with smokers versus non-smokers. I’ve done research on the effects of smoking on wound healing and smoking does not contribute toward the healing process. We want the wounds to heal perfectly, as beautiful as possible, and we want our patients to have the easiest recovery. So I think if you avoid alcohol, avoid smoking, avoid the sun after surgery, and avoid exercise for about three weeks after surgery, you’re going to have a very smooth recovery.
“Before surgery, we also have our patients wash with special soap. We use the Hibiclens soap, which keeps bacteria from growing for about 48 hours on the skin. When using the Hibiclens shower, our incidents of infection are zero. We want to keep our infection rate for breast augmentation at zero so we always ask our patients to wash with a microbial soap, to shower the night before surgery, and the morning of surgery. I ask my patients to keep certain areas dry immediately after surgery, and to only shower after an appropriate amount of time.”
Can you share any stories of successful past procedures?
At one time, three sisters came in and they all wanted a breast augmentation. One sister was married with children and had slightly saggy breasts. She wanted to be a B-cup, but she had almost no breast tissue. She had what’s known as postpartum involution when the breasts sort of go away after you’ve had children. So in her particular case, I was able to use a slightly wider implant with low projection. She did extremely well, she got her B+ cup and she was really excited to go to the beach after that.
Her other sister was younger but she was very thin and delicate and had almost no breast tissue whatsoever. So I used a moderate plus profile and an IDEAL IMPLANT, which gave her nice cleavage and some volume and a little more projection. Then the third sister came in and she was a little bit heavier, slightly more stocky than the other two. So I selected an implant that was perfect for her and we were able to achieve a result that was very proportional for her body. She had nice cleavage and superior fill.
Though these sisters had some genetic similarities, I customized all their breast augmentations to meet their different goals. I used three different types of implants of varying sizes and volume with distinctive projections in order to achieve ideal results. My goal in every breast augmentation I perform is to make sure I gave my patient what they wanted, and that they are thrilled with the outcome.
Considering breast implants in New Jersey? Contact Dr. Weinstein today to discuss your options. Simply call 908-879-2222 or visit docweinstein.com. Dr. Weinstein’s office is located at 385 State Route 24, Chester Township, NJ 07930. Call today for more information on IDEAL IMPLANT® Structured Breast Implants.