How Can I Enlarge My Breasts? – Breast Enlargement Surgeries
December 29, 2022
Written By Joe Gryskiewicz, MD, FACS
“Breast surgery is a very sensitive, personal, and individual decision. What could be more radical than actually changing the body part many women connect most directly with their femininity?” – Anonymous
Breast augmentation surgery can improve your appearance and self-esteem. If you have naturally small breasts or want your clothes to look and fit better breast enlargement could help. Regardless of why you want to augment your breasts, breast enhancement can help change or restore your breasts’ shape, size, and position.
Fortunately, Minnesota Plastic Surgeon Dr Joe Gryskiewicz is an expert in augmenting breasts and can work with you to achieve the best possible results.
What Is Breast Augmentation?
Many patients refer to breast augmentation as a ‘boob job’. A breast augmentation increases the size of your breasts. Dr Joe is an expert in transferring your own fat or placing breast implants to enhance breast volume.Breast augmentation surgery can help increase the breast’s fullness and projection. So, if you want your breasts to look fuller and perkier, surgery might be the right thing for you.
Reasons to choose Breast Enlargement with your own fat or an implant
- Small breasts
Small breasts can make you feel less feminine and embarrassed about your look. Sometimes, your clothes may not even fit well. But with a breast enlargement, you can get a fuller bust, boosting your appearance and self-esteem.
- Lost a Lot of Weight
Going through weight loss is excellent for your health. But significant weight loss can affect your breasts’ fullness and perkiness. Fortunately, breast implants can help restore the shape and size of your breasts.
- Pregnancy
Pregnancy and childbirth can cause weight fluctuations that can significantly affect the appearance of your breasts. If you have gone through pregnancy one or a few times, your breasts are more likely to droop and lose volume. With a breast enlargement, you can restore your breasts’ appearance to how they were before pregnancy.
- Aging
Aging may affect your breasts, causing them to lose volume and shape. You can consider getting breast augmentation to lift your breasts, giving you a more youthful look.
- After a mastectomy
Going through cancer and a mastectomy can be life-changing. But with breast implants, you can look and feel more like your old self again.
- Uneven Breasts – Asymmetry
Breast asymmetry is when one breast has a different size, position, or volume than the other. Asymmetrical breasts are pretty common and can affect how your clothing fits and also your self-esteem. Fortunately, breast enlargement can give your breast symmetry and improve your confidence.
Who Qualifies For Breast Augmentation?
You can have breast implants if you are healthy and meet the minimum age requirement. For example, you must be at least 18 years old for saline implants, while the minimum requirement for silicone implants is 22 years.
How Can I Enlarge My Breasts?
There are two ways to enlarge your breasts – fat transfer and breast implants. However, these two options have different procedures and achieve different results.
- Fat transfer breast augmentation
As the name suggests, fat transfer breast augmentation requires Dr Joe to transfer fat from a part of your body to your breasts. Usually, this fat is taken from areas like your belly, flank, or thighs to improve your breast’s appearance. However, it is essential to note that this procedure is suitable only if you want only a very slight increase in your breast size.
- Breast implants
Breast implants significantly alter the appearance of your breasts depending on the implants. There are different implants, and they vary in shape and material. Bring in your “wish boobs” photo to see which approach is best for you.
Types Of Breast Implants
- Teardrop implants
Teardrop implants are micro-textured implants with a teardrop shape. They are narrow at the top and wider at the bottom. Therefore, they give your breasts a more natural look. Suppose you want to enhance the appearance of your breasts while keeping their natural appearance. In that case, teardrop implants may be for you. However some studies show a teardrop implant becomes a circle inside your body from the pressure of your overlying tissue. Macro textured teardrop implants are associated with lymphoma, and we refuse to place these.
- Round implants
Round implants can help give your breasts a fuller and rounder look. In addition, these types of implants make your breasts look more curvaceous or voluptuous. So, if you want more cleavage and curvier breasts, round implants may be for you.
- Silicone implants
Silicone implants are filled with silicone gel. Silicone gel is regarded as inert and hence does not cause any allergies or reactions. Furthermore, silicone gel has more viscosity than saline, giving your breasts a more natural look and feel. The newer silicone gel implants, such as the XTRA or BOOST, give amazing results.
- Saline implants
Saline implants are filled with sterile salt water. Surgeons place the implant shells in the breasts before filling them with saline solution. Some patients prefer to avoid silicone gel implants.
What Is the Best Breast Implant Size?
There is no one size fits all in breast augmentation. Breast implant size is measured in ccs. Before choosing an implant size, discuss your expected results with Dr Joe and try out implant sizers to see how the implants will look.
What Factors Should You Consider Before Choosing Your Implant Size?
- Age
Age is critical in choosing breast implant size. Your skin loses elasticity with age. So, your body will quickly adjust to your new breast if you are a younger woman. On the other hand, as an older woman or a Mom, you may need to get a breast lift in addition to the augmentation for the best results.
- Desired look and results
Your reason for getting breast implants is vital in the size you choose. For example, you may want to get a larger implant size if your goal is to achieve a more glamourous look. On the other hand, you may go for a smaller implant size if your goal is to improve how your clothes fit.
So how do you decide which size to pick? Terms like “bigger,” “not too big,” and “just enough,” don’t communicate your image too clearly. “Big to you and big to me are two different things,” I tell my patients. Placing implants of various sizes or plastic bags filled with rice into your bra may be slightly more helpful. I measure a patient’s rib cage, breast fold, tissue thickness, breast width, and even the distance to the belly button and shoulders during my examination to better ascertain how she will carry a certain size implant. Careful measuring helps me to better appreciate what she and God are giving me to fashion. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. In the case of breast augmentation, it’s worth 10 times more. I sometimes ask patients to bring in pictures from a website or magazine to help me understand what breast size they want. They can also choose from our office preop and postop photo album. One to three pictures is sufficient because any more can be confusing. I refer frequently to these pictures in the operating room as I perform the procedure.
- Occupation and lifestyle
Consider your occupation and lifestyle before choosing a breast implant size. For example, smaller implants may be better if you often play sports, run, or do high-intensity workouts. Generally, it is best to choose an implant size that won’t hinder your lifestyle. For our active patients or body builders and competitors, we recommend you take the muscle out of the equation and go on top of the muscle.
- Body anatomy
Your implants should match your anatomy. For example, if you are short and petite, high-projection implants may be more suitable. Generally, the size of your implants should fit your body proportions. After all, the goal of getting implants is to enhance your look and improve your self-esteem. You would want the width or the “footprint” of the implant to fit your own breast.
Can You Get a Breast Enlargement On Just One Breast?
The goal of implants is to make breasts more harmonious with the rest of the body. If your breasts are asymmetrical, one may have more volume than the other. Therefore, working on just one breast may not achieve the best results. So, in this case, the surgeon may use different implant sizes on the two breasts to correct the asymmetry. That said, a single breast can be done. Talk to Dr. Joe about your personal desires.
What Should You Expect During A Breast Augmentation Consultation?
Before enlarging your breasts, you have to consult with a specialist plastic surgeon. During the consultation, you will discuss your medical history, including your current medications and family history. In addition, you will discuss your desired results, and the plastic surgeon will recommend an appropriate treatment option. Finally, it is essential to ask questions about the surgery and discuss the potential risks or complications of the procedure.
How to Prepare For Breast Enlargement Surgery
Before getting breast augmentation, you should stop taking anti-inflammatory drugs, including aspirin, because they can increase bleeding. Furthermore, quit smoking or taking recreational drugs.
What Are The Risks Of Breast Enlargement?
As with any surgery, breast augmentation also has its risks. The risks associated with breast implants can include infection, breast discomfort, implant changing position, or implant leakage. You may also experience nipple and breast sensation changes. Scar tissue may distort the shape of the breast. This is referred to as a “capsule.”
Quick Recovery® BREAST AUGMENTATION
Dr. Joe specializes in rapid recovery breast augmentation, also known as the “no-touch technique,” a surgical procedure that uses special instruments and techniques to minimize tissue damage and avoid touching the ribs (hence the term “no-touch”). It causes far less trauma to the surrounding tissue than traditional approaches and dramatically reduces pain and suffering as well as their recovery time. After I began using this technique, my staff and I interviewed each patient postoperatively to assess the results. We discovered 95 percent returned to normal daily activities within 24 hours. Before I began using the rapid recovery method, a substantial number of my patients would spend as much as two to three weeks stiffened with pain. Now I have a patient who reported that she had folded three loads of laundry and bathed her two boys the evening after surgery. A second patient worked a full day at her office the day after her surgery. Another went to a movie eight hours postoperatively.
Dr Joe usually won’t wrap your breasts in dressings and an elastic bandage. Usually you only have skin tapes covering your incision. Because the procedure is outpatient, you can go home the same day. For fast recovery, ensure you follow the post-operative instructions and use the prescribed medications. Usually, the meds include pain relievers and antibiotics to prevent infection.
Furthermore, ensure you limit your activity for the first several days to prevent bleeding into the pocket around your implants. It is normal to feel soreness and discomfort for the first few days. But this will soon wear off. After that, you can resume your regular activity based on Dr Joe’s instructions. You can do strenuous activities such as swimming, running, lifting, horse back riding, etc. at three weeks.
How to Speed Up Recovery after Breast Enlargement Surgery?
Ensure you follow all post-operative instructions for fast recovery. Also, drink plenty of water. You can sleep in any position you desire. Smoking and drinking alcohol are not ideal, as they can delay wound healing and cause dehydration. Furthermore, keep your incisions above water, eat nutritious meals, and get enough rest.
When Do You Need To Replace Or Remove Your Implants?
The lifespan of your implants depends on your body and how you take care of the implants. You may need to consider implant removal for a variety of reasons. You do NOT need to replace your implants every ten years, this is a myth. Dr. Joe uses a state-of-the-art ultrasound machine to scan the shell of your gel implants to verify the shell is intact and has not ruptured.
When All Is Said and Done
As time goes by, your breasts will begin to feel more and more natural. Many women think they look better proportioned after breast augmentation. Friends and acquaintances may ask if you’ve lost weight (go ahead and tell them yes.)
“A couple weeks after I had the surgery, I ran into some acquaintances who told me that I looked great and asked if I had lost weight or something,” one of my patients said. “I think what people are seeing is that I am now better proportioned, with my new bust making my hips look smaller. That was my goal in having the surgery. I didn’t want to be really big, just proportioned to my hips.”
Your decision to have breast augmentation is a personal one, something you do for yourself. If the surgery has met your expectations, that’s all that matters.
“I have spent the last 15 years being pregnant, raising kids, working, and taking care of everyone else but me,” one woman said. “Now I’m taking time to exercise and take care of myself, and the breast augmentation is part of my quest for self-improvement.”
FAQs about Enlarging the Breasts
Who should get Breast Implants?
You can get breast implants if you want to increase the overall size of your breast. A breast augmentation procedure enhances the volume and shape of breasts. Also, breast implants can restore breast fullness if you recently experienced significant weight loss or pregnancy.
Does A Breast Lift Enlarge The Breast?
No. A breast lift procedure does not require implants at all. So, the breasts are still the same size. The purpose of a breast lift is to lift and tighten the breast. Thus, the breast has improved natural contour without sagging or drooping. A breast lift is suitable for you if you only want to restore your breast’s natural look. The procedure does not add volume to your breasts; instead, it increases perkiness and firmness. Because your skin is tightened, you may go slightly down in cup size.
How Often Should You Replace Breast Implants?
Breast implants are prosthetics. They are not meant to last forever, but it is better to visit your surgeon every year for a checkup. Dr. Joe will see you at no charge. The older your implants are, the more likely they are to rupture or develop complications.
How Painful Is Breast Enlargement Surgery?
During a breast augmentation procedure, you will be administered anesthesia so you won’t feel any pain or discomfort. After the procedure, you may feel sore for a few days, but this discomfort subsides over time. Furthermore, maintaining your activity, getting enough rest, and eating a nutritious diet can speed up your recovery. We may have you do arm exercises to keep you from becoming stiff.
How to Maintain Your Breast Implants
Although implants are not permanent, maintaining them can help prolong their lifespan. After your implants are fully healed, avoid large weight fluctuations. Weight fluctuations can cause sagging in the breast tissue. Therefore, follow a healthy diet and regular exercise to maintain a steady weight. Furthermore, if you plan on getting pregnant, note that pregnancy can change your body and affect your implants. For example, you may need a breast lift to correct your breast’s shape and appearance. Dr. Joe will put you on a massage program to help prevent firmness or a capsule.
Can You Lay On Your Side After Breast Implants?
For your comfort, the best sleeping position after the surgery is to lie on your back and elevate your head at 45 degrees for a day or two. Then you can sleep in any position that is comfortable.
Further Reading about Breast Procedures
Medical References about Breast Augmentation Surgery
