Breast Surgery

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Breast surgery is a popular procedure that modifies the breasts in women and men for a variety of reasons, both cosmetic and medical. Whether you are looking to reshape your breasts for aesthetic reasons or remove breast tissue to address cancerous lesions, breast surgery can give you the results you desire to look and feel better in your body.

Breast Augmentation Breast Fat Grafting Breast Lift Breast Reduction Breast Implant Removal Breast Reconstruction Lumpectomy Mastectomy Gynecomastia Surgery

For women, there is a sense of femininity associated with the appearance of the breasts. Many women also place a lot of importance on breast appearance to feel more confident about themselves. Understandably, when women aren’t comfortable with the appearance of their breasts, they may be unhappy. At Manuel Gigena MD Plastic Surgery in Scottsdale, AZ, we offer several breast surgery options to help you feel happier about your overall aesthetics.

What Is Breast Surgery?

Breast surgery is any type of cosmetic or medical surgery that is performed on the breasts. While some surgeries focus on the health of the mammary glands, other procedures are designed to address aesthetic concerns related to the size, shape, and position of the breasts. Depending on your needs, you will likely have several breast surgery options to choose from, including the following options.

Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation is a procedure that alters the shape, fullness, or size of the breasts and is commonly used to improve the symmetry of the breasts. Augmentation is meant to increase breast size in general, so if you would like to go up a cup size on one or both breasts, then this surgery is likely a good option for you.

Implants

Breast augmentation can be accomplished in a few different ways. The most common method to increase the size of the breasts is to use implants placed either under or over the chest wall. Implant options include: saline, silicone, and gummy bear implants. You will also be able to choose the general shape of the implant, such as round or teardrop, which will affect the final result of the augmentation surgery.

Fat Grafting

Breast augmentation can also be completed by using either fat grafting or fat transfer. Augmentation with both fat grafting and fat transfer means harvesting unwanted fat from one part of the body, such as the thighs or abdomen, and injecting that fat into the breast to increase breast volume. Depending on your desired outcome, you may also have breast augmentation done with flaps/tissue expansions and implants, particularly if you want to reconstruct the breasts.

Breast Lift

A breast lift is commonly confused with breast augmentation, but these procedures are very different. The goal of a breast lift is to tighten loose skin on the breasts and lift the breasts into a higher, more youthful position. Breast lifts are common for mature patients and women who have recently stopped breastfeeding. This procedure is also used to support new breast contours and reshape the breasts.

Breast Reduction

Breast reduction is another common procedure. With this surgery, the size of the breasts is reduced to correct body proportions, eliminate back pain, or simplify your lifestyle. Breast reductions are usually sought by patients who experience discomfort associated with large breasts.

This procedure can reduce the size of one or both breasts, which means the surgery can be used to correct asymmetry. During the procedure, excess fat, tissue, and skin will be removed until breasts are the preferred size.

Breast Implant Removal

Breast implants aren’t intended to last forever. Whether implants are old or you have simply grown tired of having implants, revision or removal surgery may be necessary at some point. Depending on your needs, fat grafting may also be used with implant or removal surgery.

Breast implant removal is common for patients who want to reduce the size of their breasts, change their minds about implants, or have implant complications. Breast implant revision surgery generally means replacing old implants, so patients who have had implants for more than 10 years may be eligible for this procedure, particularly if the implant is displaying any breakdown or volume change.

Breast Reconstruction

Breast reconstruction surgery is commonly performed on patients who have survived breast cancer or who have used a mastectomy as a way to prevent breast cancer in the future. With breast reconstruction, it’s common to use implants to create artificial breasts. Fat grafting can also be used for breast reconstruction.

Lumpectomy

A lumpectomy is a medical surgery that removes cancerous breast tissue as well as some surrounding healthy breast tissue to prevent the spread of additional abnormal tissue. This procedure is the best option to preserve the breast for women who have breast cancer. While not all women with breast cancer will require a lumpectomy, it is a common, mildly aggressive treatment option.

A lumpectomy can be combined with a breast reduction for those who need to remove a significant amount of abnormal tissue from the breasts. By reducing the overall size of the breasts, your surgeon will be able to ensure that the breasts are symmetrical, healthy, and proportional to your body.

Mastectomy

A mastectomy is the complete removal of breast tissue from the chest. This procedure is a common aggressive treatment for advanced breast cancer or can be used as a preventative measure for women who have a family history of breast cancer. Mastectomy can be performed on a single breast or it can be a double mastectomy.

This procedure can be customized to your preferred outcome. For example, mastectomy with skin-sparing or with nipple and skin-sparing can ensure that the appearance of the chest after reconstruction will appear natural. Skin sparing means that the areola and the nipple will be preserved when breast tissue is removed.

Modified Radical Mastectomy

While a mastectomy removes breast tissue, a modified radical mastectomy removes all breast tissue, lymph nodes under the arm, and the lining over the chest wall to prevent the further spread of cancerous cells. Sometimes, this procedure will also necessitate the removal of some muscles on the chest wall.

Partial Mastectomy

A partial mastectomy is similar to a lumpectomy. But while a lumpectomy removes only a small portion of abnormal cells, a partial mastectomy may remove a significant amount of cancerous tissue. Partial mastectomy can be combined with other breast surgeries, such as reconstruction, to preserve the shape or appearance of the breasts.

Lymph Node Procedures

It’s common for breast cancer to affect the health of the lymph nodes beneath the arms. Both sentinel lymph node biopsy and axillary lymph node dissection address the continued health of the lymph node as it relates to potentially cancerous tissue.

Port Placement

Port placement is a procedure that is used for chemotherapy. A port is placed beneath the clavicle, and a catheter is connected to the port so that chemotherapy can be administered directly into the vein. This surgery makes it easier to undergo lifesaving treatment.

Gynecomastia Surgery

Gynecomastia surgery – or male breast reduction – helps men with enlarged breast tissue to achieve a firmer and more defined masculine appearance to their chest. With careful sculpting using liposuction, surgical removal of the excess tissue, or a combination of these procedures, gynecomastia surgery improves the contouring of the chest and boosts self-confidence for a more positive body image.

Who Are Good Candidates?

Women who are not satisfied with the appearance of their breasts are generally good candidates for procedures such as augmentation, reduction, or lifts. Women seeking cosmetic surgery should be in good health and should have realistic expectations of what surgery can accomplish for them.

Women who have medical concerns related to breast cancer are usually good candidates for mastectomy, lumpectomy, lymph node procedures, and port placement. The medical surgery ideal for you will depend on the degree of your cancer and your expected outcomes. Breast reconstruction may or may not be necessary.

Explore the Benefits of Breast Surgery

Procedures like breast augmentation are very common for women. Women of all ages who have cosmetic or medical concerns are potentially eligible to explore the benefits of these surgical procedures. Contact us today to schedule your consultation.