Dr. Ted
  Eisenberg

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Breast Surgeon

Plastic Surgery - Breast
Augmentation FAQ

Breast enlargement, or augmentation mammaplasty, is a cosmetic plastic surgery procedure in which breast implants are frequently placed behind the chest muscle to increase breast size. The breast implants are filled with saline, a salt-water solution in the same concentration found in the body, or silicone gel.

The surgery is performed only by breast surgeon Dr. Ted Eisenberg, a double board-certified plastic surgeon with more than 20 years experience-not by another breast surgeon or a resident.

Plastic surgery is performed at Nazareth Hospital, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, one of the finest hospitals in the region. You will be in the safety of the operating room, cared for by experienced and competent professionals.

Women report that the plastic surgery and recovery were easier than they had expected and they wish they had done it sooner. They are surprised by how good they feel so soon after plastic surgery. Women tell us they were worried that everybody would notice their new larger breasts, and they are delighted to discover that people just think they look terrific but can't identify why. When they do show their breasts to friends, family or a gynecologist, for example, they've been told that their breasts look natural and proportional to their body.

My preference is to make the incision under the breast near the crease. This placement allows the incision to be fairly well hidden. There are fewer vital structures to go through, unlike an underarm incision, which may involve blood vessels and nerves to the arm, and an incision through the nipple, which can interfere with milk ducts and healthy breast tissue. When the incision is made beneath the breast, the pocket behind the muscle where the implant will be placed can be seen and reached easily without touching the breast tissue.

Sensation to the breast, including the nipple and areola, may be altered and may be decreased or lost permanently, but this is rare.

Women sometimes worry that their implant will pop out if they lie on their stomach or their side or massage their breast during the healing phase. This won't happen for several reasons. I close the incision with three strong layers of dissolvable stitches. The deepest ones don't dissolve for 90 days. A strong healing ridge forms and prevents the implant from popping out. Less than two weeks after surgery, a smooth layer forms on the inside of the breast, like the lining of your mouth, which gives an additional layer of protection.

Patients can generally return to aerobic activities in two to three weeks and upper body weightlifting in six weeks.

Plastic surgery patients can tan - either outdoors or at a tanning salon - a couple of weeks after surgery providing there is no black and blue area and no skin numbness. (Both of these conditions are rare.) It's necessary to use a sun block with at least a 15 SPF. Ultraviolet light of the sun or tanning salon could make the scar red longer but the sun block helps minimize this.

In most cases, a breast augmentation will not interfere with breastfeeding, because I do not disrupt milk ducts during plastic surgery. However, not all women are naturally able to breast feed, whether or not they have plastic surgery.

Each patient's mammogram needs are evaluated on an individual basis. The American Cancer Society recommends that women have a yearly mammogram beginning at age 40; we recommend that a woman with a family history of breast cancer (a mother or a sister) have a mammogram before breast surgery no matter what her age.

Because I place the breast implant behind the chest muscle, the implant interferes less with your mammogram. With over 300,000 women having breast augmentations each year, most radiologists have experience reading these mammograms. Likewise, the placement does not interfere with a manual breast exam, by you or your gynecologist.

Deflation or breakage usually occurs in less than 2% of patients. The implant manufacturer, under certain deflation criteria, provides up to $1,200 to cover the hospital and anesthesia costs and also up to $1200 to the surgeon to replace the implant — for 10 years after your initial surgery. (This applies to any doctor, not just the one who did the original surgery.) The new implants themselves, whether saline or silicone gel, are free for life. This warranty is included in your cosmetic surgery package.

The gel in a silicone gel implant is lighter and thicker than saline. According to Mentor Corporation, the gel acts as a unit, rather than a liquid, and holds together uniformly. Because of this, it is suggested that it doesn’t ripple or wrinkle as easily as saline. Therefore, it might cause less rippling under the skin — on the sides or under the breast. To learn more click here.

Dr. Eisenberg discusses the differences in an article he authored, which was published in the American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery in March 2009. Click here to read the article.

Cosmetic plastic surgery, such as a breast augmentation, is considered elective surgery and is not covered by health insurance. We require payment in advance. We accept credit cards and offer a number of affordable financing options.

Patients can generally be seen for a free initial consultation and have plastic surgery within two to four weeks of their first phone call. Because we specialize in cosmetic breast surgery - because this is all that we do - we can work to accommodate your schedule.