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Breast Augmentation Richmond

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At our practice in Richmond, breast augmentation is the most popular procedure and Dr. Hubert’s specialty. If your breasts are not as large or perky as you would like or have lost volume after having children, breast augmentation surgery may be the best procedure for you.

Dr. Darrin Hubert has successfully performed many hundred—if not thousands—of breast implant procedures for nearly two decades, and it is an area of particular focus within his practice. If you have any questions or would like to book a consultation to meet with him in our Richmond office, please feel free to get in touch. Below, we’ve outlined information about the procedure, Dr. Hubert’s recommendations, and frequently asked questions. We look forward to beginning this exciting journey with you!

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What is a Breast Augmentation?

Implants today are safe. In fact, there are many millions of women in America, let alone throughout the world, who have breast implants. They are used to make a larger breast through small incisions that are easily covered by almost any clothing, including a bikini. Breast implants can give a natural look and feel, and the results are long-lasting. Studies have shown that breast implants not only improve your overall self-confidence but can improve satisfaction in other aspects of your life, such as your emotional and sexual well-being. Women are choosing breast augmentation in increasing numbers, with over 290,000 in the United States in 2016 alone, as estimated by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Breast Augmentation Basics

Surgery time: approximately one hour. Part of the time required is going to sleep and waking up, so when that is included, the total anesthesia time is just under 90 minutes.

Breast Augmentation Cost: The cost of breast augmentation surgery can vary slightly depending on various factors.  These include the type of implant (saline or silicone gel) and if any other procedures need to be combined with the augmentation, such as a breast lift.  The cost typically starts around $5999 and goes up from there.

Recovery Time: The first couple days after your surgery are usually moderately painful. While skin and fatty tissue are usually not too sensitive, muscle tends to be much more sensitive. The breast implants are placed either right on top of or beneath the pectoralis muscle, which is what causes the majority of the discomfort. After a couple days, it tends to decrease quite a bit. And once the pain is gone, it typically never returns. Strenuous activity, such as exercise or heavy lifting, can resume about 4-6 weeks after surgery.

Results: Results are long-lasting. The breast implant volume (size) does not change with time. While the risk of an implant breaking is low, it is not zero. If an implant breaks, it will be removed and can be replaced if so desired. Weight fluctuation (either up or down) could affect the appearance of the breast since it may change the tissues around the implants. Pregnancy and aging could also affect the results and appearance of the breasts, since the skin can sag more and lose its elasticity. For all those reasons, additional surgery might be recommended to rejuvenate the breast appearance. Most patients won’t be driving the same car in 30 years, so it is quite likely that you will want or need another operation at some point because of your breast implants. They are not really lifetime devices. But the good news is that you’ve got options.

Who are the Best Candidates for a Breast Augmentation?

If your goal is to have larger breasts, our Richmond breast augmentation is the best surgery for you. Below, we’ve listed who the best candidates for the surgery are:

Women who desire larger and more perky breasts
Mothers who have lost volume in the upper poles of their breasts after having children
Patients who are in good health.

What are the Benefits of A Breast Augmentation?

Obviously, implants make your breasts larger, but they are very versatile and can help in many ways. The following is a list of some of the benefits of breast implants:

Enhance the size (volume) of the breasts
Enhance the shape of the breast
Restore fullness of the upper part of the breasts after childbirth/breastfeeding
Correct size and shape asymmetry between the two breasts
Can give a little natural lift to gently sagging breasts without breast lift scars

What’s the First Step?

The first step to getting a breast augmentation in Richmond with Dr. Hubert is to book a consultation by giving us a phone call or emailing us. We are excited about the opportunity of setting up your appointment, where you’ll be able to get to know Dr. Hubert, understand his expertise, ask questions, and learn more about the procedure.

If you’re happy with Dr. Hubert’s surgical advice, we’ll book your surgery and provide you with very detailed pre and postoperative instructions. Dr. Hubert will have questions about past surgeries, your health, current medications, and surgical goals.

The goals of your consultation are to ensure you’re a good candidate for surgery, which will help reduce the chances of complications and risks.

Darrin Hubert MD, FACS discussing breast implants with a patient

Five Steps to Choosing Breast Implants

At your consultation, Dr. Hubert will help you pick out the procedure and implants that works best for you, to help you get an optimal result. There are decisions to be made, and he will review each one with you. Some options work better than others, depending on your specific situation (body shape, goals, etc).

Step 1 – Selecting Implants

All breast implants consist of an outer shell made of a durable and stretchy silicone rubber. The main difference between saline implants and silicone implants is the material that fills them.

  • Saline – Saline solution is basically water that has electrolytes in it. Saline implants are supplied from the manufacturer empty. There is a small tube used to fill them during surgery. It is inserted into a valve built into the implant. It is removed after the implant is filled, and a tiny plunger attached to the implant plugs up the valve even further. The outer implant shell is stretchy, so saline implants are usually overfilled just a little bit so that there may be less rippling and less risk of breaking. That also means they are adjustable during surgery, though not after surgery. If you have a minor difference between your breasts, then saline implants may be able to fine-tune the amount Dr. Hubert fills in each one and improve the balance between the two sides. Saline implants, however, can sometimes be easier to feel, especially if you do not have a whole lot of breast tissue camouflaging them. If a saline implant breaks, the fluid is simply absorbed by the body. It is obvious that the implant is broken, because one side is noticeably smaller (if not totally flat), while the other is not.
  • Silicone – Silicone implants are filled with a thick silicone gel. This gel can be firmer (like “gummy bear” implants) or softer, depending on the degree of molecular cross-linking of the silicone. They come from the manufacturer already filled, so they are not adjustable during surgery. They tend to have a little bit more natural feel in many instances. One of the main differences between silicone and saline implants is what happens when they break. Because the thick silicone gel does NOT get absorbed by the body, it usually just sits there, so to speak. The breast may look and even feel the same as it did when the implant was not ruptured. Because of this, the US Food and Drug Administration recommends that a woman get periodic imaging studies, such as MRI or ultrasound, just to check the implants to see if they are broken. Even if the implant leaks silicone gel, current research seems to indicate that this is not a medical risk in any way. However, if we detect a broken implant, we typically remove it and replace it with a new one.

Step 2 – Selecting your Breast Implant Size

One of the most important decisions to be made is what size implant to choose. Dr. Hubert likes to do this at the consultation, but it can also be done at your pre-operative office visit. He uses sizers that rest over the top of your breast, under the bra, to mimic how different sizes would look. You need to wear an unpadded bra for this since any padding interferes with the appearance. If you do not have an unpadded bra, or you forget to bring one, we have ones you can use during your visit. If you want to see how you might look in a particular shirt, then wear or bring that shirt with you.

Cup Size: Patients often ask what cup size they will be with a breast augmentation. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. The problem is that cup sizes are made up by each bra manufacturer. There is no such thing as a standard cup size. A “D” cup at one store might be a “B” or “C” cup at another store. And implants don’t come in cup sizes as a result, they are sized by volume (in cc or mL). So a cup size cannot be promised, but it may be helpful just for discussion purposes.

Step 3 – Deciding your Breast Implant Shape

Breast implants come in different shapes as well as sizes. The main shapes are round and anatomical (or teardrop-shaped). Most of the time, round implants look fantastic, and they are usually cheaper and have lower risks than shaped implants. A shaped implant has to stay not only in the right position but also in the right orientation. In other words, because they are shaped, if they rotate any more than just a little bit, they might not look right. So in order to resist rotation, most shaped implants have a rough surface, also called textured, to keep them from moving. But it is this texture that has its own set of issues. There are two kinds of extremely rare malignancies (BIA-ALCL and BIA-SCC) that have been identified in the tissue around an implant and seem to be correlated with textured implants. Again, this risk is quite low. However, a smooth round implant will do great in the vast majority of patients. And textured shaped implants have become a whole lot less popular for breast augmentation.

Step 4 – Breast Implant Placement

The main consideration for implant placement is how it relates to the pectoralis major muscle. This is usually referred to as “under the muscle” or “on top of the muscle.” Under the muscle may have less risk of a problem called capsular contracture, which is a hardening of the soft tissue surrounding the implant. Under the muscle also likely has less rippling and visibility of the implant, especially in very thin patients. This is the most common placement of implants for breast augmentation. It’s not perfect, though. Under the muscle might make the implant move a little bit every time the pectoralis muscle contracts. Patients who are extremely active (for example, regular cross-fit or other heavy exercises) might do better with implants on top of the muscle. Another instance when on top of the muscle is preferred is in the constricted, or tubular, breast. This is a specific deformity that you are born with, and it presents as a smaller breast, short distance between the nipple and the inframammary fold, and a puffy or prominent areola. For patients with a constricted breast, on top of the muscle augmentation and a periareolar mastopexy (breast lift) may be the best approach.

Step 5 – Incision Placement

Breast augmentation with implants requires an incision through the skin in order to be able to place the implant. We try to place the scars where they will be the least noticeable and the easiest to cover up. The most common location is along the inframammary fold (the fold along the bottom of the breast). This approach gives excellent access for the precise creation of the pocket where the implant will sit inside the breast. The length of this scar is usually on the order of 3 – 4.5 cm, depending on whether you are using saline or silicone implants. Another option for placement is along the lower half of the areola, called a periareolar incision. If you have a small areola, this might not be adequate to fit the implant size that you chose through the incision. However, if you need a breast lift at the same time as the augmentation, it could be incorporated into the mastopexy scar.

For a while (1994-2006), the FDA restricted the use of silicone implants for augmentation (but interestingly, not for breast reconstruction in women with cancer). As a result, only saline implants could be used for augmentation during that time. The transaxillary approach through an incision in the armpit became very popular, because they could be placed empty through a long tunnel and filled with an extra long tube once they were in. But it’s quite difficult, if not impossible, to place silicone gel implants through the armpit in this manner. So once the FDA lifted their moratorium on silicone gel implants in breast augmentation near the end of 2006, interest in the transaxillary approach dropped way off. In fact, most surgeons and most facilities don’t even maintain the specialized equipment for the procedure any more. While Dr. Hubert was trained in and has performed that operation many times in the past, it has been relegated to history in his practice (and for many others).

Different Types Of Breast Implants

Silicone Implants All breast implants are made of the same outer silicone rubber shell. What makes them different is what they are filled with, how big they are, if they are smooth or textured, and if they are round or shaped. Silicone gel-filled implants have a very natural and soft feeling. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) released silicone implants for general use in 2006, after years of scientific study. These studies have shown that silicone implants are safe and that they do not cause any medical diseases. What happens if my silicone implant leaks? For the most part, the silicone gel is so thick that it does not spread to other parts of your body. Rather it stays put where it was placed in your breast. Because of this, you might not know if and when a silicone implant has ruptured. The manufacturer, therefore, recommends that you get MRIs every so often just to check to see if they have broken. Dr. Hubert will review these recommendations in greater detail with you during your consultation.

Saline Implants The other option is saline solution-filled implants. They are filled essentially with sterile saltwater, but they still have a natural feel. Because they come from the factory empty, Dr. Hubert can place a saline implant through an even smaller incision. Then he fills them during the surgery which allows for minor adjustments in case you have a small asymmetry between your two breasts. What happens if a saline implant breaks? Your body reabsorbs the saline solution and one side is deflated while the other is not. Generally, the implant companies provide a 10-year warranty, so if you have one break, they will usually provide a new implant at no cost and also cover part or all of the surgery costs associated with replacing the implant. If you have at least a modest amount of your own breast tissue, then saline implants often feel as natural as silicone implants, since they are located beneath all of your own breasts. And they often cost a little less, too!

Dr. Hubert can use implants from several implant companies. He often uses products from Mentor Corporation, the only implants made right here in the USA.

Where Do Breast Implants Go?

Do breast implants go under the muscle or on top of the muscle? Most commonly the implant is placed under the pectoralis muscle on the chest wall (submuscular, or dual plane), but there are certain reasons why you might have the implant placed on top of the muscle (sub-glandular). An implant under the muscle might give a better result, especially in thinner patients. Submuscular implants have a lower risk for rippling or visibility and a lower risk for scar tissue forming around the implant, called capsular contracture. However, implants under the muscle can sometimes move when the muscle moves, so fitness enthusiasts or bodybuilders might not do so well with this option. Subglandular implants, on the other hand, have less trouble with movement but may be more visible or more easily felt, especially in thinner patients. Another reason to put an implant on top of the muscle is for something called “tubular breast deformity,” or “constricted breast.” This is a condition that you are born with, and it can cause severe asymmetry when compared to a normal breast on the other side. Dr. Hubert has extensive experience with breast surgery in general, and with deformities like this in particular. During your consultation, Dr. Hubert will discuss all of the options with you. You will also try on sizers that you place over your breast, and under an unpadded bra, to see how you can look and to come up with the right size for you. So when you come in for your consultation, it is best to wear an unpadded bra that fits you well. If you don’t have one, Dr. Hubert has unpadded bras to help with the process of trying on the sizers.

What to Expect the day of my Breast Augmentation Surgery

By the time of your operation, you and Dr. Hubert will have decided on the best implant for the anatomy of your body. The surgery will require general anesthesia. During your surgery, Dr. Hubert will make the incisions and lift the breast tissues and skin as needed. The implant will then be placed either under the muscle or on top of it. Dr. Hubert’s expertise and trained eye help him determine when the breast implant is in the ideal place. When he is happy with the position, he will close the incision and place skin glue over the incision. The surgery will take Dr. Hubert approximately 60 to 90 minutes to perform.

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Breast Augmentation Recovery

Our Richmond Breast augmentation is typically done under short general anesthesia on an outpatient basis. You will wear a fitted surgical bra that fastens in the front (so you don’t have to pull it over your head with your arms up) for the first two weeks. After a few weeks, you can resume your normal activities and work back into any exercise routine. Women often ask, how long will breast implants last? The implants made today are of excellent quality with the highest technological advances. There’s no way to predict exactly how long they will last, but many women can expect great results for 10, 20, or 30 years or more.

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How Much Does A Breast Augmentation Cost in Richmond?

As an experienced breast augmentation Richmond, VA plastic surgeon, Dr. Hubert will meet with you in his office to discuss all options and associated costs. Dr. Hubert’s pricing for breast augmentation is extremely competitive. During your consultation, he will go over his recommendations and any financing options available.

Schedule Your Consultation

Dr. Hubert is widely considered by his patients as one of the best breast augmentation surgeons in Richmond, VA. Contact us today to schedule a consultation. During the appointment, you will be able to look at before and after photos and learn about the preparation and recovery process. Contact us to set up your consultation.

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Breast Augmentation FAQs

Your Breast Augmentation questions answered

Why Choose Dr. Hubert for your Breast Augmentation?
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Not only has Dr. Hubert performed many breast augmentations in his career but he has also been a Top Doc award winner for years in plastic, cosmetic, and reconstructive surgery. Dr. Hubert is a board-certified plastic surgeon and expertly trained at one of the top Ivy League training programs in the country.
How long until you can see the result of breast augmentation surgery?
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The results are instantaneous! The breasts will start looking their very best after 3-6 months.
Is Breast Augmentation covered by insurance?
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No, breast augmentation is not covered by insurance. However, we do offer financing options to help manage the payment for our patients.
How long do the results of breast augmentation last?
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Typically, and every patient is a little bit different, the results from your breast augmentation last for 10-20 years If you start to develop sagging, for example after having children, then you might also consider a breast lift at that time.
Can I combine my breast augmentation with other surgeries?
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Many patients combine their breast augmentation with a tummy tuck. This is referred to as a mommy makeover. It’s a very popular procedure and one that can feel life-changing for the patients. It’s referred to as a mommy makeover, as many patients get it after the physical effects of childbirth.
Will Breast Augmentation Surgery Leave Scars?
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There are three basic approaches to placing breast implants. The first places the scar in the fold beneath the breast, or the inframammary fold (IMF). This is the most versatile site for the surgeon. It is situated on the lower outer portion of the breast, so it is covered by clothing, including bikinis. These scars tend to heal very well for most people. The second place the scar along the lower border where the areola (usually brown or pink) portion of the breast meets the normal skin. This may be advantageous in terms of a camouflage effect for the scar. However, it might also increase the risk for postoperative nipple sensation changes or for not being able to breastfeed in the future. The third places the scar in the armpit also called the axilla and reaches the breast through a long tunnel. This armpit incision was very popular during the 1990s and 2000s when the FDA limited cosmetic breast surgery only to saline implants, which can be placed through a smaller incision. However, since 2006, when silicone implants were once again available, most surgeons have moved away from this approach.
What is Capsular Contracture?
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Since a breast implant is a foreign material, the body creates a response where it is in contact with the silicone rubber shell. The soft tissue that forms around the implant is what we a call a “capsule.” Most of the time, it remains thin and soft. However, sometimes it can become thick and firm (called “capsular contracture”). It could cause the implant to be easier to feel, and it can cause the implant to shift position. In rare instances, it could even be painful. Unfortunately, we are not good at predicting in which patients it might occur. Even worse, there are not necessarily great treatment options either. Allergy medicine may be of some benefit, but it tends to be rather disappointing. There is another treatment called the Aspen Multi-Energy System, which Dr. Hubert has in his office. It is a machine that looks like an ultrasound probe that treats capsular contracture from the outside. It can be costly and usually requires several treatments, but it may be beneficial. If these non-invasive options are not successful, then surgery might be needed to remove or break up the offending breast capsule tissue. This is not perfect either, and sometimes capsular contracture can come back, even with surgery. Luckily, the risk of capsular contracture is usually quite low.
Can I breastfeed after getting Breast Implants?
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Most women can breastfeed after augmentation surgery. Even if you have a periareolar incision (at the bottom of the areola), it is not likely to affect your ability to breastfeed. If you have a silicone gel implant that is known to be ruptured, you should avoid breastfeeding.

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I jokingly booked a consultation because I’ve wanted a boob job since I was born lol. My husband knows I’ve always wanted them and told me I should just go for it! So I did!!! I only went to one consultation because I felt so comfortable with Dr. Hubert. I’m terrified of needles, thinking about blood, veins, IVs..... but let me tell yoooou this was so worth it.

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Dr. Darrin M. Hubert extends a warm welcome to patients from other cities, states, and countries. We understand that finding your perfect match in a surgeon may require you to travel far away from your home and we are thrilled to help you plan your exciting journey to beauty and confidence.

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