Breast augmentation, also referred to as breast aug or boob job by patients, is a surgical procedure that uses breast implants to increase the size of your breasts. Placement of breast implants is also commonly performed to restore breast volume that was lost after weight reduction or pregnancy. Common reasons why patients seek breast augmentation:
- Improve the proportions of the breasts to your body
- Restoring the volume of your breasts lost due to breast feeding or age
- Correcting breast asymmetry
- Enhance your self-image and self-confidence
Dr. Derderian’s Goals for Breast Augmentation
In order to achieve a natural and aesthetically pleasing result the breast implants must be carefully selected for your surgery. The surgeon must ensure that the characteristics of your breast skin and breast tissue, chest wall shape and body type are considered when developing a plan to meet your goals.
Am I a Candidate for Breast Augmentation?
Patients who have specific goals for breast augmentation have the highest satisfaction rates. It is important to have specific and realistic goals for what breast augmentation can achieve. The best candidates for breast augmentation are healthy and do not smoke. Common reasons why patients undergo breast augmentation:
- You feel that your breasts are too small
- You are unhappy about your breasts losing their shape and volume after pregnancy, weight loss or with aging
- You want the upper part of your breast to be more full
- Your breasts are not evenly shaped or sized
- One or both breasts failed to develop normally or have an unusual shape
What Happens at Consultation?
It is important that the patient have a clear idea of what improvements they want for their breast surgery augmentation. Dr. Derderian will perform a detailed history and physical exam with a focus on the breast and chest wall dimensions and breast tissue characteristics. He will then discuss how your anatomy impacts the decisions for implant selection and incisions to help you achieve your specific goals.
How is the Surgery Performed?
For most patients Dr. Derderian prefers the inframammary incision. This incision is place at the breast fold. Using this incision minimizes trauma to the breast tissue and it heals well and is well concealed. Other options for incisions are along the areolar edge (peri-areolar incision) and within the armpit (axillary incision). While some people offer a belly-button approach to breast augmentation, Dr. Derderian does not use this approach because it is associated with a higher complication rate. Incision selection varies somewhat based on the type of breast implant chosen, the degree of enlargement you desire and your anatomy.
In general, the basic steps of breast augmentation include developing a pocket for the implant to sit in. The pocket is either under the breast tissue only or under the chest muscle (pectoralis) and breast tissue (dual plane). Incisions are closed with dissolvable sutures and skin adhesive and surgical tape to reinforce the skin closure.
What is the Recovery Period?
After surgery a supportive surgical bra will be worn to minimize swelling and support the breasts. Patients go home on the day of surgery. Prescribed pain medicine is usually needed for 2-4 days. Patients can return to school or work in 7 days after surgery. It is best to wait for 2-3 weeks before starting to resume exercise to avoid a blood collection from developing around the implant.
WHEN IS THE FINAL RESULT APPRECIABLE?
The breasts are immediately larger right away, however it take a few weeks for the swelling to resolve and the result to be better appreciated. Incision lines typically take 4-6 months for the pink color to fade and 12-18 months for the scar to completely soften and the color to match the surrounding skin.
Breast implant replacement
Breast implants are not designed to last a lifetime, and they may need to be replaced if they rupture due to trauma or natural wear over years. Whether you have a breast augmentation or not, your breasts will continue to change due to aging, weight fluctuations, pregnancy, hormonal factors and gravity. As the appearance of their breasts changes with time, some patients have a breast lift or an implant exchange to restore a more youthful contour.
What does a Breast Augmentation Cost?
Cost include:
- Anesthesia fees – cover the anesthesiologist, their staff and medications
- Hospital or surgical facility costs – covers the operating room, staff and equipment
- Implant cost
- Surgeon’s fee
A breast lift, also called mastopexy, raises the breasts by removing excess breast skin to reshaping of the breast tissue improve the breast shape.
Breast lifts are becoming increasingly popular. Sometimes the areola becomes enlarged over time and this can be addressed at the time of a breast lift. A breast lift can rejuvenate your figure by restoring a youtful breast profile that may have been lost due to pregnancy, weight fluctuations and/or aging
DERDERIAN’S GOALS FOR BREAST LIFT SURGERY:
Restore a natural youthful breast shape while minimizing scarring.
AM I A CANDIDATE FOR BREAST LIFT SURGERY?
The best candidates are healthy and non-smokers. Common reasons why women seek a breast lift include:
- Your bothered that your breasts sag or have lost shape and volume
- The nipples rest below the level of the breast crease
- The nipples and areolas point downward
- You have excess skin and enlarged areolas
What happens at Consultation?
It is important to have specific goals for your consultation and surgery. It is important to share all of your concerns with Dr. Derderian. He will perform a detailed history and examination and will develop a plan tailored to your breast and body characteristics and your goals.
How is the Surgery Peformed?
The pattern of incisions and resulting scars depends on the amount of breast skin you have and the volume and quality of the underlying breast tissue. The most common incision patterns include an incision around the areola alone, the areola and a vertical scar to the breast fold and an incision around the areola with a vertical incision to the breast fold with a t-pattern extending into the breast fold (anchor shaped incision). The goal is to place the nipple and areola complex in a more youthful position and reduce the size of the areola if enlarged. The breast tissue is reshaped to provide a more youthful appearance. Sutures, skin adhesives and/or surgical tape may be used to close the skin. A surgical bra is worn after surgery for support.
What is the Recovery Period?
Patients will use prescribed pain medicine for 2-4 days. Normal showering resumes after 48 hours. You will wear the surgical bra for 10-14 days. A sports bra is usually worn from 2-4 weeks after surgery until the incisions are healed enough to comfortably wear an underwire bra. Patients return to work after 7-10 days. Exercise is resumed gradually at 3 weeks.
WHEN IS THE FINAL RESULT APPRECIABLE?
The new breast shape is immediately appreciated. There will be swelling in the initial postoperative period the majority of which resolved by 4-6 weeks. The remaining swelling resolves over the next 6-12 months. It is expected that your breast shape and position will continue to change with aging, weight fluctuations, pregnancy and due to gravity. For these reasons it is best to wait to perform breast after child bearing is completed and after any attempts at significant weight loss are made.
The Cost of Breast Lift Surgery Include:
- Anesthesia fees – cover the anesthesiologist, their staff and medications
- Hospital or surgical facility costs – covers the operating room, staff and equipment
- Surgeon’s fee
Breast reduction, also called reduction mammaplasty, is a surgical procedure that removes breast tissue and skin to reduce the size of the breast. The goal of breast reduction is to reduce the size of the breasts to alleviate the discomfort associated with overly large breasts while leaving the patient with an aesthetically pleasing shape to the breasts that are proportionate to their body.
DERDERIAN’S GOALS FOR BREAST REDUCTION SURGERY:
Dr. Derderian’s goal for breast reduction is to achieve resolution of functional symptoms associated with large breast size while achieving a natural appearance with minimal visible scarring.
AM I A CANDIDATE FOR BREAST REDUCTION SURGERY?
Overly large breasts can cause pain, particularly in the neck, upper back and shoulders. Having overly large breasts is also a frequent source of unwanted attention, particularly for younger patients. Having large pendulous breasts is also a source of self-consciousness that affects the patient as much as the physical symptoms. In addition to self-image issues, patients frequently report that they can not participate in the sports or work out activities that they want to secondary to pain.
Am I a Candidate for Breast Reduction:
In general, the ideal patients for breast reduction are healthy, do not some and are close to their ideal body weight. If you have shoulder grooving, neck and/or back pain and skin irritation in the crease beneath the breasts due to the large size of the breasts you will likely benefit from a breast reduction. If you are age 40 years or older you should have an annual mammogram. Women should also perform self examination of their breasts monthly.
WHAT HAPPENS AT CONSULTATION?
During the consultation Dr. Derderian will perform a detailed history and examination. Measurements are taken of the breast dimensions and standardized photographs are obtained. It is important to disclose any family or personal history of breast cancer, previous breast surgery, medications and allergies during the consultation.
HOW IS THE SURGERY PERFORMED?
Breast reduction surgery is performed through incisions on the breasts that are designed to allow removal of the excess breast tissue and skin. The principles of breast reduction require keeping the nipple areola complex alive and sensate while removing enough skin and breast tissue to achieve the goals of smaller size and improved breast shape. There are many approaches to breast reduction that may be used to reduce the size of your breasts and can achieve a good result. In some cases, additional excess fat may be removed from the flanks using liposuction in addition to the breast reduction. It is important that the procedure is tailored to your anatomy and goals for size.
Despite the variety of available techniques the patterns of closure are fairly consistent. The scar patterns from the pattern of skin excision are:
- A circular scar around the areola and a scar in the breast fold
- A circular scar around the areola and a vertical scar extending to the breast fold
- A circular scar around the areola and a vertical scar extending to the breast fold commonly called an inverted T or anchor-shaped pattern
WHAT IS THE RECOVERY PERIOD?
Dissolvable sutures and skin glue are commonly used for closure. A surgical bra is worn in the immediate time after surgery. In the majority of cases drains are not used, however, in a minority of cases drains may still be used. These drains remain in place for 3-5 days. There is considerable swelling after surgery that peaks at 2-3 days after surgery. Patients should not work or attend school for one week after surgery. No vigorous activity for 3-4 weeks.
WHEN IS THE FINAL RESULT APPRECIABLE?
The majority of the swelling resolves after 6-8 weeks. The final result is appreciable at 6-12 months after surgery. It is important to remember that time, weight gain and loss and pregnancy will affect the breast shape over time.
WHAT DOES BREAST REDUCTION COST?
Breast reduction is frequently covered by insurance, but not always. If your insurance does not cover breast reduction your out of pocket expense include:
- Anesthesia fees – cover the anesthesiologist, their staff and medications
- Hospital or surgical facility costs – covers the operating room, staff and equipment
- Surgeon’s fee
Why Choose Dr. Derderian?
Dr. Derderian had extensive training in breast reduction during his residency at New York University. After completing his residency, Dr. Derderian did a fellowship in craniofacial surgery at the University of Pennsylvania, and he joined the faculty at UT Southwestern in Dallas in 2011. Dr. Derderian is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Dr. Derderian frequently performs breast reduction in his practice in Dallas. He is an expert in both short scar breast reduction and tradition anchor-pattern breast reduction techniques.
Liposuction, also called lipo, is a surgical procedure that uses specialized cannulas inserted through small easily hidden incisions to remove fat to reshape the contour of the body. Liposuction can be used to improve the body proportions by removing fat from the thighs, hips, buttock, abdomen, flanks and back. Liposuction is also commonly used as an adjunct in facial cosmetic surgery, especially for the neck, under the chin and along the jawline. Liposuction is performed alone or in combination with other procedures such as a breast reduction, a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), facelift or necklift.
Dr. Derderian’s Goals for Liposuction:
Improve your body or facial contours with minimal scarring and a rapid recovery.
Am I a candidate for Liposuction?
Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure. Patients who are best suited for liposuction are healthy, close to their ideal body weight and have good skin quality. Liposuction is ideal for patients who’s familial or genetic “body type” make it hard for them to lose weight from the areas they would like with diet and exercise. Liposuction gives the ability to create a more proportionate and balanced look to your figure.
What happens at consultation?
It is important to have specific goals for liposuction while maintaining realistic expectations for what liposuction can achieve. Dr. Derderian will perform a detailed history and physical exam. It is important to disclose all medical problems, medications taken and previous surgeries. It is particularly important to mention previous abdominal surgeries, including C-section and any history of hernia. Dr. Derderian will discuss you goals, your skin and soft tissue characteristics and will develop a detailed plan to help you meet your goals. Medical photographs are taken to plan your surgery and document your results and progress.
How is the surgery performed?
Liposuction is performed through small incisions that are placed based upon the target areas for treatment. It is common that the tissue to be treated are infused with a solution of numbing medicine and adrenaline to minimize discomfort and bruising. Specialized thin hollow metal tubes (liposuction cannula) are connected to a suction canister. The cannulas are passed through the incisions using precise patterns to suck out of the excess fat from the target areas. The incisions are typically closed with dissolvable stiches. Compression garments are usually worn to minimize swelling after surgery.
What is the recovery period?
The compression garments are worn through the first week to minimize swelling.
When is the final result appreciable?
While the appearance is improved right after surgery, it commonly takes 3-6 months for the swelling to fully resolve and the final result to be appreciated. The results are long lasting, provided that you maintain a stable weight and your same general level of fitness.
The major limitation of liposuction is the tightness of the skin over the treated areas. Some patient’s skin tightens more than others after treatment. Skin tightness also decreases with age that may affect the long-term affect of your body contour.
Cost of Liposuction?
Costs include:
- Anesthesia fees – cover the anesthesiologist, their staff and medications
- Hospital or surgical facility costs – covers the operating room, staff and equipment
- Surgical Garments
- Surgeon’s fee
Why Choose Dr. Derderian?
Dr. Derderian trained in plastic surgery at New York University where he also had extensive cosmetic surgery training at the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital (MEETH). After completing his residency Dr. Derderian did a fellowship in craniofacial surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. He joined the faculty at UT Southwestern in Dallas in 2011. Dr. Derderian is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and he frequently performs liposuction in his practice in Dallas.
Tummy tuck surgery, also known as abdominoplasty, is a commonly performed surgical procedure that removes excess fat and skin from the abdomen. The majority of patients undergoing abdominoplasty are females, and the weakened or separated six-pack muscles created by pregnancy are repaired creating an abdominal profile that is flatter and firmer. A flat and well-toned abdomen is something many of us strive for through exercise and weight control. Sometimes these methods cannot achieve our goals. Even individuals of otherwise normal body weight and proportion can develop an abdomen that protrudes or is loose and sagging.
Dr. Derderian’s Goals for Your Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)
Patient’s who seek abdominoplasty because they feel that their current body shape does not math their self-image. This is frequently the case for women after pregnancy but it holds true for most patients. Dr. Derderian’s goal is to improve your abdominal contour and figure to restore your body-image and self-esteem.
Am I a Candidate for Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)?
The best candidates for tummy tuck are healthy, non-smokers who have excess skin of the abdomen due to pregnancy or weight loss.
What Happens at the Consultation?
It is important to have clear goals for your procedure. Dr. Derderian will listen to your specific concerns and perform a history and physical exam. His plan for your treatment will be customized to your anatomy and your goals for improved appearance.
How is the Surgery Performed?
An incision is required to remove the excess abdominal skin. The goal of incision placement is to keep the resulting scar low in the waistline so the scar will not be visible with pants or shorts on. The length of the incision is dictated by the amount of excess skin that needs to be removed. The abdominal skin is lifted up off the muscle up to the ribs. This allows the abdominal muscles to be assessed and repaired if needed.
The skin is pulled down to the incision and the excess skin is removed. The belly button is brought out through a new opening in the abdominal skin and sutured into position. Dissolvable sutures, skin glue and tapes are used to close the skin. Drains may be left in place for a brief period of time after surgery.
What is the Recovery Period?
An abdominal binder is frequently used to minimize swelling and support your abdomen as it heals following surgery. Patients often feel more comfortable bent forward at the waist for the first few days after surgery. Patients usually return to work after 10-14 days and are encouraged to not perform any vigorous activity for 2-3 weeks. After 3 weeks patients may slowly resume low-impact exercise with a goal of returning to full activity by 6 weeks after surgery. Dr. Derderian prescribes silicone sheeting for 4-6 months, until the pink color of the scar fades.
WHEN IS THE FINAL RESULT APPRECIABLE?
Patients are happier with their abdominal contour within 2 weeks. The majority of the swelling has resolved by 8 weeks, but the final result is not fully appreciated until 6-12 months after surgery when the scar has fully softened and normalized in color.
WHAT DOES A TUMMY TUCK COST?
Dr. Derderian’s team will discuss the surgical costs in detail. Costs include:
- Anesthesia fees – cover the anesthesiologist, their staff and medications
- Hospital or surgical facility costs – covers the operating room, staff and equipment
- Surgeon’s fee
WHY CHOOSE DR. DERDERIAN?
Dr. Derderian had extensive training in cosmetic surgery at New York University and the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital (MEETH). After completing his residency Dr. Derderian did a fellowship in craniofacial surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. He joined the faculty at UT Southwestern in Dallas in 2011. Dr. Derderian is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and he frequently performs abdominoplasty at his Dallas practice.
