Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation at our Long Island plastic surgery practice, is an elective, outpatient cosmetic surgery procedure that enhances and size, shape and projection of a woman’s breasts. New York plastic surgeon Dr. Zachary Gerut has performed thousands of breast augmentation procedures and will carefully meld your preferences with your physical proportions of weight and height to give you an excellent result.

Ideal Candidates for Breast Augmentation
Healthy women over the age of 18 are good candidates for a breast augmentation procedure.  Teenaged girls with asymmetrical breasts (one is much larger or smaller than the other) or tuberous breasts may also be good candidates is their breasts have reached their final adult size. Breast augmentation can be a standalone procedure or combined with a body contouring procedure as part of a mommy makeover, which includes a tummy tuck and/or liposuction. If, upon examination, Dr. Gerut discovers that your breasts are sagging, he may recommend that a breast lift be performed with your breast implant procedure to give you the best results.

If you are over the age of 40, Dr. Gerut will request a mammogram prior to surgery to provide an “original mapping” of your breasts that can reveal any abnormalities in breast tissue prior to the breast enhancement. If irregularities are found, they must be addressed prior to scheduling the procedure.

Some women worry about breastfeeding after breast augmentation but, for the majority of our NYC breast augmentation patients, the implants have proven no impediment to nursing as they are placed beneath the breast muscles and do not interfere with the production of milk.

Three Types of Breast Implants
At one time, breast augmentation implants were thought to be either saline or silicone. In reality, all breast implants have a silicone outer shell: it’s the filling that makes the difference. There are 3 types of filling: saline (sterile salt water); silicone gel and what’s sometimes called gummy bear gel which is another version of silicone gel.

Saline implants are filled with sterile salt water, called saline, after insertion. Because the implant is flat when inserted, smaller incisions can be used. However, if saline implants leak or rupture, the problem is immediately apparent and, until replaced, the affected breast would obviously be much smaller in size.

Silicone Implants come in two types: cohesive gel and an even more cohesive form, called form stable or gummy bear implants. The silicone gel in implants are not like the original silicone implants, which had a thin, oily silicone. Today’s implants are much less likely to leak if the shell ruptures. The minimum age for silicone implants is 22, which is different from saline implants, in which the age is 18. The manufacturers of breast implants include a warranty, the details of which Dr. Gerut will discuss with you at your consultation.

How Breast Augmentation Is Performed
The insertion of breast implants is an outpatient procedure performed in a fully accredited and licensed surgical facility in Dr. Gerut’s office. His patients benefit from the fact that Dr. Gerut has worked with the same surgical team, including anesthesiologists, for many years. Attention to detail and patient comfort and safety are paramount.  

Dr. Gerut chooses from a variety of techniques when performing breast enlargement, including options for incision points. Most of the time, this 90-minute procedure is done with the implant placed beneath the pectoral muscle, as this gives the best results. However, all your options about implant type, size, projection, surface (smooth or textured) and other considerations will all be reviewed at your consultation, so you’re fully informed.

Breast augmentation procedures are performed under general anesthesia. An incision is made either in the armpit or under the breast, after which a “pocket” is created in the body to accept the implant. Dr. Gerut will check repeatedly for position and placement on both breasts and, only when satisfied that he has achieved a beautiful result, will he close the incisions with tiny absorbable sutures. You will be put into a supportive bra before you go to our Recovery Room.

Recovery from Breast Augmentation
You will wear the supportive bra 24-hours a day for several weeks to provide support to the breasts and to manage swelling. Dr. Gerut will advise you to limit your activity levels to walking, and not to engage in vigorous exercise until he gives you the OK. In general, most of our Long Island breast augmentation patients see final results between the 3 and 6-month time intervals, as it takes time for the breasts to “drop” to their normal position (not to be confused with sagging) and for the swelling to go down.

A breast augmentation is a relatively safe and simple procedure that can give your breasts an enhanced and shapely appearance. If you would like to learn more about breast augmentation or other cosmetic procedures, please call Dr. Gerut at (516) 295-2100 or complete our online consultation form.