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Breast Augmentation: Consulting Your Surgeon FAQ
How should I choose a surgeon?Choosing a plastic surgeon should be based on the two important factors: Your surgeon should be board eligible or board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons. This means that your doctor spent 4 years at an accredited medical school, followed by at least 5-years of additional training called residency. Finally, only after taking intense written and oral exams is he/she certified. In total, your plastic surgeon has at least 13 years of training after high school before he/she can be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons. Finding a surgeon that you are comfortable with is very important. Patients commonly say that after they made the decision to have this surgery, the choice of the surgeon was the second most critical factor. Having cosmetic surgery is a big decision with potential risks. Working with a caring physician that you trust can make this process much easier.
What should I expect at my first consultation?First, your plastic surgeon will ask why you want to have this surgery. Topics such as expectations on final size, and emotional reasons will be discussed. It is often easier for a patient who has been pregnant prior to surgery to know how she will feel and look after the procedure. If the natural increase in breast size during pregnancy was welcomed, this may predict how satisfied the patient will be with breast implants. Second, the physician will discuss the different types of breast implants surgeries, where the scars will be, and what the associated risks are. This is extremely important when considering surgery. Though death from breast augmentation is very rare, problems or complications can happen and should be taken seriously. Usually during this first appointment, the plastic surgeon will also perform a breast exam and take a detailed family breast cancer history. In addition, patients over the age of 40 will have a mammogram to look for breast cancer before the surgery.
Is it okay to ask questions?Absolutely! Asking questions and reading about the surgery are the best ways for patients the patients to decide if this operation is appropriate for them. To truly come to a decision about this procedure. Doctors appreciate well-informed patients who understand the surgery and who have realistic expectations of the final result. Some sample questions that might be good to ask are:
How do I choose the size of my new breasts?This is often one of the most difficult decisions, and for many reasons, has the most potential for disappointment. For instance, women often come to their surgeon with a new bra size in mind. Since bra size depends on many factors, a better choice is to look at before and after pictures provided by your surgeon or by photo galleries on other websites. By finding a women with a similar body shape in the "before" picture, and then with the results you want in the "after" picture, misconceptions on the final breast size can be avoided. Generally, each 125-150cc of saline that is added to the implant will result in an increase in a single cup size. In addition, some surgeons have their patients wear implants under their bra for several days to decide if this is the size they want.
Will I be able to look at "before" and "after" pictures of other breast augmentation patients?Your plastic surgeon may provide "before and after" pictures from previous operations. Implantinfo.com has a photo gallery of breast implant patients that can also be viewed.
How much will the surgery cost?The national average for breast implantation is between $4,000-5,000, but this is highly variable and you should talk with your plastic surgeon about the cost for you.
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