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772.335.7477

1901 SE Port St. Lucie Blvd

Port St. Lucie, FL 34952

 

Office Hours.
DayHours
Monday8:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Tuesday8:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Wednesday8:30 AM to 7:00 PM (By Appointment)
Thursday8:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Friday8:30 AM to 5:00 PM

Breast Augmentation

          

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Breast Augmentation Martin, Okeechobee, Indian River, and St. Lucie,
Florida

If you feel that your breasts are too small, and are not sagging very much or not at all, then breast cosmetic surgery may be the treatment for you.  Dr. Viggiano is a breast plastic surgeon (breast surgeon) who has performed breast enlargement surgery on hundreds of patients.

Breast enhancement surgery can be performed using fat grafting (also called fat injection breast cosmetic surgery) or placement of breast implants.  Neither treatment interferes with breast feeding.  Since most women want a greater enlargement than can be obtained with fat transfer, the most common method of breast augmentation is placement of an implant beneath the breast. 



 

                              
To See Enlarged Pictures or Slide Show, Please Click on Any Picture
(Note: Our best before and after pictures are only available to be seen during a consultation)

 Carol was a 5’ 6” 22 year old mother of two when she presented for a breast enlargement. She was happy with her result. Nine years later, her breasts did not sag even after having two more children.
Carol was a 5’ 6” 22 year old mother of two when she presented for a breast enlargement. She was happy with her result. Nine years later, her breasts did not sag even after having two more children.		  

Saline Implant Versus Silicone Breast Implants
The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved two general types of breast implants for breast enlargement surgery, the salt water (saline) filled and the silicone gel-filled implants. It is felt by some that the silicone gel-filled implant may have a more natural feel than the saline-filled implant. This is the only advantage of the silicone gel-filled implant over the saline-filled implant.saline-silicone-implants.jpg
        
Dr. Viggiano only uses saline filled breast implants for the following reasons:
1. For all patients who have silicone gel-filled implants the FDA recommends a magnetic resonance imaginig scan (MRI scan) at 3 years after the breast enlargement surgery and then every 2 years thereafter. This is an expensive method of follow-up (generally about $1,000) and one that is not covered by standard insurance plans. It is not necessary with saline-filled implants.
2. Further surgery may be necessary in all patients with breast implants if the implant breaks. Saline-filled implants are much easier to exchange than the silicone gel implants since there is no gel. Although the saline from a ruptured saline-filled implant is harmlessly absorbed by the body, the gel from a rupture gel-filled implant must be removed. Since the silicone gel is sticky, when a gel-filled implant breaks, surgery to remove the broken implant, the gel filling, and the surrounding scar (“the capsule”) is difficult and can cause damage to the nearby breast and muscles. This is not the case with saline-filled implants (see below).
3. Rupture of a saline-filled implant is easily noted by the patient and the physician since the implant will deflate. A ruptured gel-filled implant will not deflate. Determination of a gel-filled implant rupture may require an MRI scan which is expensive and not always helpful. 
4. Removal of a rupture gel-filled implant requires removal of the natural scar tissue that surrounds any implant (the capsule), which can damage the nearby tissue as noted above. Replacing a ruptured saline-filled implant is relatively straight forward. The ruptured implant is removed and a new implant placed. The breast capsule is not removed as is necessary with gel-filled implants. Therefore there is little down-time, much less expense, and much less discomfort.
5. Saline-filled implants have less of an effect on mammography making mammography easier to interpret.
6. Saline-filled implants have a much lower incidence of capsular contracture (shrinking of the capsule around the implant, causing the implant to feel hard.)Severe capsular contracture can cause breast distortion and pain and is seen primarily with gel-filled implants. When capsular contracture occurs, improvement may not be possible.
7. The incision required for placement of a saline-filled implant is ¾ inch since the implant is put in empty and filled with saline through a tube after the implant is in position.  The incision for a gel-filled implant is typically over 2 inches.
           
The scar is minimal and discreet.
Dr. Viggiano makes the incision in the armpit so that it is not on the breast itself. Placed in the armpit, the scar heals well and is hidden by a fold of skin, thereby giving one a “scarless breast augmentation” since the incision for the breast surgery is not on the breast.   The other locations for breast enlargement incisions include the fold beneath the breast and the junction of the areola (the dark skin around the nipple) and the normal skin. Dr. Viggiano does not use the breast fold incision since the scar is never invisible, it can be obvious if a two-piece bathing suit rides up, and it can always be easily seen from below. Dr. Viggiano does not use the around-the-areola incision since the scar can become wide and thick. This scar would be quite visible when disrobed. The areolar incision approach also requires dissecting through the breast tissue. As might be imagined, cutting breast tissue is best avoided if possible.

Although the armpit incision is exposed when a bathing suit or sleeveless blouse is worn, the scar usually heals so well that it is not noticeable even when pointed out.