How Old to Get Breast Implants: Women’s Concerns About Silent Rupture

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Breast augmentation with implants continues to be a popular cosmetic surgery procedure performed in the year 2020. If you’re Googling, “how old to get breast implants?” you should know that the FDA  has approved saline-filled breast implants in women aged 18 or older, while you have to be 22 or older to get silicone gel-filled breast implants. When you make the choice to get a breast augmentation, you deserve to know exactly what’s going into your body and how it will affect you. 

Breast implants are designed to last many years, and their designs and shapes have evolved over time to reflect women’s changing desires and goals. But one thing that hasn’t changed? Women want to know what’s happening inside their bodies. They want to know that their breast implants are intact. But there are still breast implants on the market today that don’t alleviate women’s concerns. Silicone gel-filled implants have the potential to rupture silently and a woman won’t know about it for weeks, months, or even years. Another concerning factor is that some plastic surgeons don’t inform women about the possibility of silent rupture and act like it’s not a big problem. 

Women are Concerned About Silent Rupture

All breast implants have the potential to tear or rupture, but silicone gel-filled breast implants are the only ones that do so silently. The FDA states,

“If a silicone gel-filled breast implant ruptures, it is not likely that you or your doctor will immediately notice because most silicone implant ruptures are without symptoms, ‘silent ruptures’. A silent rupture doesn’t change the way an implant looks or feels, so your surgeon or health care provider may not be able to detect a silent rupture by a physical examination alone.” 

Silicone gel-filled implants can rupture at any time after they are placed, and the longer you have the implant, the higher your chances of rupture. A recent independent survey asked 933 women ages 25-45, (of which 45 percent are registered nurses, with 108 women in the aesthetic surgery industry, and 102 female physicians) how they felt about silent rupture. Survey findings showed:

  • 98% of women said they would be concerned about silent rupture with silicone gel implants.
  • 95% of women say they would want a ruptured silicone implant removed, even if they didn’t show symptoms

At an American Society of Plastic Surgeons conference, California-based plastic surgeon Dr. Vivian Ting shared the results of three surveys of 1,143 women with almost identical findings. Survey results showed that 97 percent of women want to know if their silicone gel implant has ruptured, with 95 percent of women wanting the faulty implant replaced even if it’s not causing symptoms. Dr. Ting believes it’s important to share these survey findings with other plastic surgeons to make them aware of just how substantial women’s worries are. “The surveys clearly showed that the majority of women have very real concerns about silicone gel in their bodies and the risk of silent rupture,” she said. “Surgeons may underestimate this anxiety simply because they don’t share the concern, in great part because 90 percent are male. Yet a woman’s anxiety about what is in her body is a critical part of the full treatment picture.”

Over 10 years, silicone gel-filled implant had very high rupture rates, with Mentor gel-filled implants rupturing 24% of the time. Dr. Mathew Plant, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Toronto, says “Patients have aesthetic surgery to feel better about themselves and gain some confidence that they may be missing. So the last thing that I ever want to do is put a device into someone that then gives them a whole bunch of new anxieties and keeps them up at night. If all we’ve done is trade one insecurity for another then we haven’t really accomplished anything at all.”

Silent Rupture Detection: is it Reliable?

The only way to find out if your silicone gel-filled breast implant has ruptured is by obtaining an MRI or ultrasound scan. The FDA recommends women get these imaging procedures every two to three years after breast augmentation. This is an out- of-pocket expense (not covered by insurance) that can cost between $444-$1468. This is in addition to the money already spent for the initial breast augmentation. Out of the 933 respondents, 89% of women surveyed reported they were “less likely to choose silicone gel” after learning of the FDA MRI requirements.

Unfortunately, modern imaging technology is not always 100% reliable. NYC board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Sophie Bartsich says, “In the last couple years I’ve had several patients who’ve had MRIs done because there was a question about their existing silicone gel implants. I’ve found that sometimes MRIs are not actually very reliable. In some instances, a patient’s MRI said the silicone gel implant had ruptured, and then when I went in to operate on it, it actually hadn’t. I’ve had one or two patients where an MRI showed the implant was not ruptured, but based on my clinical exam I really thought there was a concern, so I went in and it turned out it was ruptured.”

Some surgeons don’t even discover a silent rupture until they are switching out a patient’s breast implants due to aesthetic concerns or sizing changes.

Bottom line: if a woman waits until she is in pain or notices her breast is swollen, complications have already happened. At that point swapping out her implant is a much more extensive process and recovery afterward can be prolonged. 

What Breast Implant Revision Surgery is Like

If a silent rupture occurs with a silicone gel-filled implant, the majority of women want the ruptured silicone implant and sticky gel removed and replaced with something else. Sometimes it’s another silicone gel-filled implant, and other times women opt for a structured implant like the IDEAL IMPLANT®. 

“As far as breast implant revision goes, it is also a lot easier to replace a structured saline implant than a silicone gel implant, “ says California-based plastic surgeon Dr. Eric Bachelor. “When somebody has a ruptured silicone gel breast implant, especially the older implants which were liquid silicone gel, it is a very difficult replacement surgery. They may need a total periprosthetic capsulectomy or removal of the implant and reconstruction, which is a much more difficult procedure than swapping out a deflated saline implant.”

Remember that after any type of surgery, there’s a recovery process involved, where you have to avoid strenuous activity and exercise and halt a lot of your day-to-day activities. If you’ve already had a breast augmentation and been through the recovery process once, you might not be in a rush to do that all over again. In case of a rupture, women prefer that saline come into contact with their body tissues rather than silicone gel (91%). Dr. Bachelor says swapping out saline-filled implants is a much easier procedure, “Since it is filled with saline instead of silicone gel, replacing a saline implant requires just a slight revision and then a quick replacement of the implant.”

Why Do Doctors Still Push Silicone Gel Implants?

With all the knowledge we have about silent rupture, and the proof we have that women are very concerned about it, why do so many women continue to go into their plastic surgeon’s office and come out with silicone gel-filled implants? 

Many doctors push silicone gel-filled implants on their patients because silent rupture is not a problem for the doctor. They are not the ones with the implants in their bodies. They are not the ones keeping up with regular MRIs. They are not the ones having anxiety over silent rupture. In many ways using silicone gel-filled implants is easier for surgeons because they don’t deflate, so patients don’t know when they are ruptured. Other doctors simply have always used silicone gel implants and will continue to use them because they don’t experience the side effects of rupture firsthand. They’re not concerned about the possible health impacts from long term exposure to silicone gel. Silicone gel implants might look good and feel natural, but that’s not the end of the story.

Dr. Ting says, “Women have a right to have their concerns taken seriously about what is in their bodies, be educated about all of their implant choices . . . and not simply have their concerns dismissed.”

When you go in for a breast augmentation consultation, you may go into the office feeling like you know what you want, but then change your mind based on the plastic surgeon’s recommendations. With that medical degree hanging on the wall, it’s easy to feel like they have the expertise and should know best, and to keep quiet about your rupture concerns. Any plastic surgeon who is not willing to listen to what you want and who dismisses your personal preferences is not the doctor for you. If you experience this in a plastic surgeon’s office, it’s time to find a different surgeon.

Newer Options for Breast Augmentation

While some surgeons push silicone gel-filled implants on their patients because they personally prefer it, other surgeons may be unaware that there are other implant options out there that may alleviate their patients’ rupture concerns. 

Survey findings showed that 89% of women preferred an implant where a rupture could be detected by looking at the breast rather than requiring an MRI scan. With the new IDEAL IMPLANT, women can tell they have a rupture just by a quick glance in the mirror. They don’t have to worry about harmful substances coming into contact with their bodies because saline—which is salt water, like in your tears or an IV— is safely absorbed by your body.

The IDEAL IMPLANT significantly outperforms silicone gel for primary augmentation over ten years with both a lower risk of rupture and of capsular contracture. Only 3.7% of patients have the risk of rupture over ten years, compared with silicone gel implantsat 8.7-24.2%. 

The IDEAL IMPLANT also looks and feels natural, with an innovative design. A series of implant shells nested together and two separate chambers hold the saline filler. This unique internal structure gives the saline inside a more natural feel, while reducing folding and wrinkling. The edges of the implant have also been lowered for a more natural contouring to the chest wall.

Beauty Without Compromise

This is 2021, and you don’t need to compromise your safety to get the look you want. There’s no need to worry about silent rupture if you don’t want to. If you’re researching, “how old to get breast implants?”, take the time to research board-certified plastic surgeons, too. Your plastic surgeon should present all your options to you and let you make the final decision. Technology has advanced, make sure your surgeon has, too! 

You are your own best advocate, and you deserve to be heard. With the IDEAL IMPLANT, you get all the benefits of earlier implants, but without their compromises. The problem of silent rupture has been—put simply—solved. 

“Plastic Surgeon Near Me” Explains Implant Rupture

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It is easy to get excited about the potential results of your breast augmentation. For many women, breast augmentation means increased confidence, self-esteem, and happiness. However, patient satisfaction is affected by expectations and education. Having realistic expectations, and educating yourself about potential complications will give you better results. Below, you will learn about breast implant rupture. You might ask, “What is breast implant rupture and can plastic surgeons near me help avoid a rupture?” We talked to board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Constance Barone to learn more.

Breast Implant Rupture: What is it?

The FDA defines breast implant rupture as “a tear or hole in the implant’s outer shell.” All breast implants are made using a solid silicone shell. Silicone gel breast implants are then filled with thick, sticky silicone gel. Saline and structured breast implants are filled with salt water, also known as saline. When a saline-filled breast implant ruptures, the saline filling leaks out and the implant deflates or becomes misshapen. 

When a Silicone Gel Implant Ruptures

When a silicone gel breast implant ruptures, the silicone gel inside stays within the tissues. This is because silicone gel is thick and cannot be absorbed by the body. According to the FDA, symptoms of a ruptured silicone gel breast implant include “a decrease in breast size, change in breast implant shape, hard lumps over the implant or chest area, an uneven appearance of the breasts, pain or tenderness, tingling, swelling, numbness, burning, or changes in sensation.” If a silicone gel breast implant ruptures without causing physical symptoms, this is called a “silent rupture.” Even the best “plastic surgeons near me” cannot predict if your breast implant will have a silent rupture. Because of the risk of silent rupture, the FDA recommends periodic MRI scans for women with silicone gel breast implants.

When a Saline Implant or Structured Implant Ruptures

Saline has a variety of medicinal uses because it is naturally absorbed by the body. If there is a rupture of the IDEAL IMPLANT® Structured Breast Implant, the saline inside is naturally absorbed by the body causing the implant to partially deflate. IDEAL IMPLANT Structured Breast Implants are made with two chambers and baffled layers to control the movement of saline to give it a natural feel. Rupture detection is as simple as looking in a mirror, and there is no risk of silent rupture.

Breast Implant Sizes: How a Saline-Filled Implant Rupture Feels

To learn more about what happens when saline filled implants rupture, we spoke to Dr. Constance Barone of Barone Plastic Surgery in San Antonio. According to Dr. Barone, an IDEAL IMPLANT rupture and deflation is different from an unstructured saline implant rupture and deflation. Because the IDEAL IMPLANT saline is in two chambers, rupture of one causes “a slight deflation; you don’t have a complete deflation.” However, even a slight deflation is noticeable to the patient and her doctor so there is still no risk of silent rupture. “I think that also helps give women self-confidence,” says Dr. Barone, “the fact that there are dual chambers with saline.” The IDEAL IMPLANT provides instant rupture detection without complete deflation, giving women more time to schedule removal and replacement.

How to Choose Breast Implants With Plastic Surgeons Near Me

When you choose a breast implant, you must weigh the benefits and compromises of each choice. Silicone gel breast implants feel natural, but require regular monitoring to detect silent ruptures. Unstructured saline breast implants offer instant rupture detection, but as Dr. Barone says, “they feel like balloons underneath the chest wall.” IDEAL IMPLANT Structured Breast Implants were developed to give women a natural look without the risk of silent rupture. Dr. Barone tells us, “when the IDEAL IMPLANT came out I loved the fact that it was much more natural feeling.” 

During a typical consultation Dr Barone says, “I give my patients brochures on every type of implant. My assistant and nurse go through the different types of implants and the patients feel those implants and they look at those implants.” After discussing how the implants look and feel, Dr. Barone informs her patients of the risks involved with breast augmentation including rupture rates and capsular contracture rates. Take all of these factors into consideration when you decide which breast implant will work best for your body and your peace of mind.  

Visit Dr. Barone for More Breast Implant Sizes and Choices

Dr. Barone is a board-certified plastic surgeon with over 25 years of experience. She was named an IDEAL IMPLANT Premier Surgeon because of her extensive experience using this new technology. At Barone Plastic Surgery, you will find a wide variety of breast implant choices and sizes so you can get the look you want.
Considering breast implants in San Antonio? Contact Dr. Constance Barone today to discuss your options. Simply call (210) 614-0400, or visit www.baroneplasticsurgery.com. Dr. Barone’s office is located at 9502 Huebner Road, Suite 202 San Antonio, TX, 78240. Call today for more information on IDEAL IMPLANT Structured Breast Implants.

What the Best Plastic Surgeons Want You to Know About Silent Rupture

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Are you researching breast augmentation or plastic surgery recovery? What about life after a breast augmentation? Even after you are “done” recovering from a breast augmentation, you might still encounter complications that require additional surgery. One term you may see when researching breast implant types is “silent rupture.” What is silent rupture, and how can you reduce your risk of encountering it? To help you learn more about silent ruptures, we talked to several of the best plastic surgeons around the country.

What is a Silent Rupture?

A silicone gel breast implant is made by filling a solid silicone shell with thick, sticky silicone gel. The stability this gel provides means silicone gel breast implants have beautiful, natural looking results. If a rupture occurs the silicone gel must be removed with the shell because, unlike the saline that fills saline and structured implants, silicone gel cannot be absorbed by the body.

According to the FDA, symptoms of a ruptured breast implant include, “a decrease in breast size, change in breast implant shape, hard lumps over the implant or chest area, an uneven appearance of the breasts, pain or tenderness, tingling, swelling, numbness, burning, or changes in sensation.”

However, not all silicone gel breast implant ruptures show symptoms, which can cause some anxiety during plastic surgery recovery and beyond. According to the FDA, “If a silicone gel-filled breast implant ruptures, it is not likely that you or your doctor will immediately notice because most silicone implant ruptures are without symptoms, ‘silent ruptures.’” Even if a rupture is causing no problems, the FDA still recommends removal with or without replacement.

How Silent Ruptures are Detected

How do you know you have experienced a silent rupture? Women with silicone gel breast implants are encouraged to get magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) every few years in order to detect a silent rupture. As Dr. Constance Barone, board-certified plastic surgeon in San Antonio, points out, not all women like this recommendation. She tells us, “We like the feel of silicone gel implants. We just don’t like the fact that we should be getting MRIs at three years and every two years thereafter. That’s an out- of-pocket expense, which can be quite expensive.” According to a recent report the average MRI cost is between $444-$1468.

Some of the best plastic surgeons around the country tell us detecting a silent rupture can be more difficult than just getting an MRI. Dr. Joshua Waltzman, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Long Beach, says “I’ve had multiple patients who have experienced some type of silent rupture. The more common scenario is that I find the rupture during an implant exchange and/or upsizing or downsizing. I discover it once I am operating on the patient, which is really the ultimate silence.”

Even if you do your best to detect a rupture, Dr. Sophie Bartsich, a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York City, says that may not be enough. She tells us, “In the last couple years I’ve had several patients who’ve had MRIs done because there was a question about their existing silicone gel implants. I’ve found that sometimes MRIs are not actually very reliable. In some instances, a patient’s MRI said the silicone gel implant had ruptured, and then when I went in to operate on it, it actually hadn’t. I’ve had one or two patients where an MRI showed the implant wasn’t ruptured, but based on my clinical exam I really thought there was a concern, so I went in and it turned out it was ruptured.”

Are Silent Ruptures Avoidable?

Is there anything you can do to avoid a silent rupture, which will lead to revision surgery and plastic surgery recovery? The short answer is, no. According to the FDA “silicone breast implants can rupture at any time after your implant surgery, but the longer an implant is in place, the greater the possibility an implant may rupture.” Dr. Eric Desman, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Alexandria, Virginia, echoes the FDA when he tells us, “breast implants are man made devices. They’re not lifetime devices. So every implant, in my opinion, eventually will leak or rupture.”  Furthermore, after removing a ruptured silicone gel breast implant, Dr. Desman says, “If the patient puts new silicone gel implants back in, then they’re just restarting the clock on the next problem or process with a leaked silicone gel implant.”

Silent Rupture and Anxiety

Occasionally, some of the best plastic surgeons will recommend replacing your silicone gel breast implants at ten years, but if they are not causing issues there is no reason for a replacement. Some women are able to keep their silicone gel breast implants for 20 years or more with no issues. However, the anxiety caused by possible silent rupture should not be discounted. In a recent independent survey, 98% of women surveyed said they would be concerned about silent rupture with silicone gel implants, 95% of women say they would want a ruptured silicone gel implant removed, even if they didn’t show symptoms, and 89% of women reported that they were less likely to choose silicone gel after learning of the FDA’s MRI recommendations. Dr. Mathew Plant, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Toronto, says “Patients have aesthetic surgery to feel better about themselves and gain some confidence that they may be missing. So the last thing that I ever want to do is put a device into someone that then gives them a whole bunch of new anxieties and keeps them up at night. If all we’ve done is trade one insecurity for another then we haven’t really accomplished anything at all.”

Plastic Surgery Recovery and Beyond

Not every women will experience a rupture in her silicone gel breast implants but it is important to know statistics about rupture rates before you choose a breast implant. Choosing a breast implant with a low rupture rate will help you avoid future surgeries. Unfortunately, many silicone gel breast implants have high rupture rates. The FDA collects this data from core clinical trials so every patient can be informed and empowered to make the best choice for her future. To compare the benefits and compromises of some of the most popular breast implants, click here.

Beauty and Peace of Mind After Your Breast Augmentation

Women choose silicone gel breast implants because they offer beautiful results, and as Dr. Plant pointed out, aesthetic surgery should boost your confidence. In the past, silicone gel was the top choice for a great aesthetic. Now there is a new breast implant option that offers beautiful, natural looking results but without the risk of silent rupture. The IDEAL IMPLANT® Structured Breast Implant is filled with saline for a women’s peace of mind. If the IDEAL IMPLANT ruptures the saline will leak out and be naturally absorbed by the body, there is no need for an MRI to detect a rupture. The internal structure of the IDEAL IMPLANT gives the implant stability and a natural, beautiful look.

The IDEAL IMPLANT Structured Breast Implant is offered from some of the best plastic surgeons in the nation. All IDEAL IMPLANT surgeons are board-certified, and dedicated to providing their patients with safe and effective treatment options. To find a surgeon near you use our easy surgeon finder: idealimplant.com/find-a-surgeon. To learn more about the advantages of the IDEAL IMPLANT visit idealimplant.com/advantages.

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Understanding Your Breast Implant Options With Dr. Galumbeck

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https://idealimplant.com

Breast augmentation is the most popular plastic surgery procedure in the United States, with over 300,000 surgeries performed last year. Dr. Matthew Galumbeck, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Virginia Beach, Virginia, has performed hundreds of breast augmentations in his 25 year career. Dr. Galumbeck explains why he thinks breast augmentation is so popular, saying,

“I think women who come in and get breast augmentation do it for themselves so that they feel better about themselves. It gives them better shape, better proportion, more confidence. I think most women who come in say, ‘I want to be able to get in a bathing suit and fill it up when I walk down the beach,’ but not have people point and say, ‘oh, you look fake.’”

There are many reasons to seek out a breast augmentation, some of the most popular being:

    • Small breasts
    • Loss of breast volume following pregnancy and breastfeeding
    • Change in breast size after losing weight
    • Asymmetrical breasts

Women in all of these situations are good candidates for a breast augmentation. In addition, breast augmentation can be combined with other procedures such as a tummy tuck or liposuction to further enhance your natural beauty.

Dr. Galumbeck is an expert in breast augmentation, and provides women with the the newest surgical technologies in a safe and relaxing environment. His desire is that every patient would feel beautiful, empowered, and confident after her procedure. Great plastic surgery results start with access to choices, which Dr. Galumbeck provides for his patients. Dr. Galumbeck was recently named an Ideal Implant Premier Surgeon because he is one of the top surgeons in the nation to provide the newest breast implant, the IDEAL IMPLANT® Structured Breast Implant.

Breast Implant Options: What to Expect

If you’re meeting with your plastic surgeon to discuss breast augmentation, what should you expect? Dr. Galumbeck tells us, “One of the biggest options that women have now is the type of implant for breast augmentation that they can use.” Many women don’t realize there are options when it comes to breast implants. In fact, your choice of breast implant can have a lasting impact on your lifestyle so it is important to choose carefully.

Saline Breast Implants

Saline breast implants are made from silicone shells filled with saline (sterile salt water). As Dr. Galumbeck explains, they were the only implant choice for many years. “So, originally all we had was the saline implant. The advantage of the saline implant is that if it leaks, it is all absorbed by the body. The problem with this is it has no structure, so it can ripple. It’s not a very natural feel or very natural look.” Women still love the peace of mind they get with saline breast implants. Because the saline is absorbed, there is no need to worry about complicated surgery to remove it if the implant ruptures. However, women began moving away from this choice when silicone gel breast implants became available because of the aesthetic concerns.

Silicone Gel Breast Implants

Dr. Galumbeck explains why women liked the silicone gel breast implant when it was first introduced, “In 2007, the silicone gel implants came out and the advantage is that because it’s more cohesive, it has a more natural look, more natural feel.” Silicone gel is a thick, sticky substance that provides more stability to a breast implant than saline. The result is an implant that does not ripple or wrinkle and looks natural. Since the FDA approved silicone gel breast implants they have grown in popularity. However, these implants have a downside which Dr. Galumbeck explains, “The disadvantage is that if it leaks, the silicone gel stays in the breast tissue and so you can’t tell that its leaked with a ‘silent rupture.’ The FDA actually recommends that women get MRIs every three years to look for leakage.” Women do not like the hassle and expense of repeated MRIs, which cost on average between $444-$1468. In addition, the anxiety caused by not knowing the status of their breast implants can be a daily stress for some women.

IDEAL IMPLANT Structured Breast Implant

The IDEAL IMPLANT Structured Breast Implant was created to give women an option for beautiful, natural looking breast implants without the worry about silent rupture. Since it became available it has grown in popularity, quickly becoming the next generation of breast implant. Dr. Galumbeck explains more about it saying,

“The third implant that’s been out since 2014 is the IDEAL IMPLANT. The nice thing about this is it’s an all saline implant, but its structured so that it’s an implant surrounding an implant. And because of the structure it looks and feels like the silicone gel implant. It has a very natural look, very natural feel, doesn’t ripple, but it also has the advantage that if it leaks, because it’s saline, the salt water is absorbed by the body.”

Breast Augmentation Complications: How Implant Types Compare

Breast augmentation is not without potential complications. Additional surgeries may be required to address complications such as rupture, capsular contracture, or cyst removal. According to the FDA, rupture and capsular contracture are two of the top reasons for breast implant revision surgery. The breast implant you choose can give you a statistically higher or lower risk of needing a revision. Knowing statistics on rupture rates and capsular contracture rates can help you plan financially and prepare mentally for the possibility of additional breast surgery.

Unfortunately, many women are not aware of the high rates of complications with silicone gel breast implants. For primary augmentations, silicone gel breast implants have a capsular contracture rate of 10.9-16.2%, and a rupture rate of 7.2-13.6% in 7-8 year trials. Ruptured silicone gel breast implants can also lead to other complications. The FDA lists these possible complications as, “a decrease in breast size, change in breast implant shape, hard lumps over the implant or chest area, an uneven appearance of the breasts, pain or tenderness, tingling, swelling, numbness, burning, or changes in sensation.” It is important to get the recommended MRIs every three years to check for a silent rupture before it turns into a larger issue.

The IDEAL IMPLANT Structured Breast Implant, for primary augmentations, has a capsular contracture rate of 6.6% and a rupture rate of 2.1% at 8 years. The lower rates of these major complications mean you are at a lower risk of lifetime surgeries. Additionally, because the implant is filled with saline there is no need for repeated MRIs to check the status of your breast implant. As Dr. Galumbeck explains with the IDEAL IMPLANT Structured Breast Implant, “women have not only the look and feel, but also the confidence that she doesn’t have to worry about a silicone gel rupture or getting MRIs.”

When you’re considering your breast implant options make sure you get all the facts. Talk with your surgeon, look at before and after pictures, and feel the difference for yourself in your surgeon’s office. Educating yourself, especially when it comes to common complications such as rupture and capsular contracture, will help you make an informed decision. Choose an option that makes you feel beautiful, and leaves you without anxiety for the future.

Breast Augmentation Surgery and Recovery

Many women worry what surgery and recovery will be like after a breast augmentation. Is surgery safe? Will you be out of work for weeks? Dr. Galumbeck answers these common concerns for us:

“The procedure is very safe. It has been done for many, many years. The recovery is quick. During the operation that we perform here at our fully accredited facility, I use an endoscope, which is a specialized TV camera, to look inside. So I keep the incisions smaller, and don’t have to use drains afterwards. We have a hyperbaric oxygen unit that we have patients get in after surgery to help speed the recovery process.”

The surgical process typically includes the following steps:

    • Preoperative Markings: These markings ensure your breast implant is placed properly.
    • IV Anesthesia: A physician anesthesiologist gives intravenous anesthesia.
    • Incision: An incision is used to gain access to breast tissue. There are four choices for incisions—axillary, periareolar, inframammary, and transumbilical.
    • Creation of the Breast Pocket: A pocket is created to place the implant into. Dr. Galumbeck uses an endoscope to allow for precise dissection.
    • Inserting the Breast Implant: The breast implant is inserted into the pocket.
      • Final Check: Surgeon checks to make sure breasts are symmetrical.
    • Incision Closure: The final step, closing the incision with methods to minimize scarring.

The whole procedure is finished in about an hour, after which you will be taken to a recovery room. After some observation patients are usually sent home the same day. Dr. Galumbeck tells us, “most women are back to work and social activities in a day or two after breast augmentation.”

Dr. Galumbeck uses the newest surgical technology to provide safe and efficient breast augmentations for his patients. His training and experience provide him with the knowledge needed to minimize risks and complications. The result is a natural and beautiful looking breast augmentation.

How to Select a Plastic Surgeon

Finding the right plastic surgeon for your procedure is very important. Dr. Galumbeck shared the following tips and questions to ask when searching for a plastic surgeon:

    • Is the plastic surgeon board-certified in plastic surgery?  
    • How many procedures have they done?  
      • See before and after pictures of that physician’s patients.
    • Feel comfortable with the plastic surgeon.

Board-certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery is especially important to ensure great results. Surgeons who maintain their board-certification are committed to providing a high standard of care and staying up to date with medical research.  

Before scheduling a consultation you should check out online reviews to see what past patients have to say about the surgeon. Websites like RealSelf, Facebook, or Google have real patient reviews.

Read reviews like the ones below for Dr. Galumbeck and his staff:

“Wonderful Experience!! After having 3 kids, my mommy makeover by Dr. Galumbeck has really helped me feel beautiful again! His staff is AMAZING! Everyone was super friendly, caring, and easy to talk to. I would recommend Dr. Galumbeck to everyone!!” – Google reviewer Charlotte Reed

“Absolutely amazing. My results are phenomenal!!! I couldn’t be happier with my decision. You don’t realize how much of a positive change you can make until you take a leap of faith. Dr. Galumbeck and his staff were professional, made me feel at home and 6 months post surgery they still make me feel like a part of their family. 100% recommend and would do it all over again!! Thank you guys.” – Facebook reviewer Stefani Skiest

“Dr. Galumbeck and his staff were outstanding. I never ever felt rushed or pushed to make a decision. He offers the Ideal implant which after researching for years on implants, I felt this was the best for me. He was personable and easy to talk to. He didn’t even mind the kiddos (sitter bailed) on procedure day! He let my husband watch the kiddos in a side room just so it was more convenient for us all. I would do this over in a heartbeat! His procedure is fantastic! No muscles cut or torn and no need for drainage tubes! He changed my life!!!!” – Realself reviewer Stski

Finding a skilled and experienced board-certified plastic surgeon is the first step toward a new you. If you’re in Virginia Beach call Dr. Galumbeck to set up your complimentary breast augmentation consultation. Dr. Galumbeck was trained at Case Western Reserve University and Eastern Virginia Medical School. He also received advanced body contour training in Paris. In addition to his plastic surgery practice, Dr. Galumbeck founded and serves as the medical director of Spa Phoenix, the area’s first doctor directed medispa. Dr. Galumbeck prides himself on providing safe and efficient cosmetic procedures that get his patients the results they want.

Considering breast implants in Virginia Beach? Contact Dr. Matthew Galumbeck today to discuss your options. Simply call (757) 491-3204, or visit www.galumbeckplasticsurgery.com. Dr. Galumbeck’s office is located at 1817 Republic Road, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23454 US. Call today for more information on IDEAL IMPLANT® Structured Breast Implants.

Your Grand Rapids Breast Augmentation. Before and After photos from Dr. Steven Ringler

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