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!
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.
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.
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:
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:
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
before
afterYour Breast Augmentation questions answered
& testimonials
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.
Out of town
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.
