Breast Augmentation & Breast Implants

Breast Augmentation in Jacksonville by Lewis J. Obi M.D.

Breast Augmentation Without Noticeable Scars, Without Loss of Sensitivity, That Delivers a More Natural Appearance

Learn about Dr. Obi’s Breast Implant Surgical Techniques and how they truly surpass those performed in the typical breast augmentation.

breast-revision-procedure2Why Almost Every Patient Who Schedules a Consultation for Breast Implant Surgery with Dr. Obi, Chooses Dr. Obi.

Breast Augmentation is clearly one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures, primarily because it the way a woman feels about her breasts can impact her in many ways. Dr. Obi fully understands and appreciates this and has gone to great lengths to pioneer new medical technologies, develop specialized surgical techniques and invest in the industries latest and most advanced medical equipment. All of this, to assure that he can provide his patients with truly amazing results and do so without charging the patient exorbitant fees. If you are considering breast augmentation in Jacksonville, FL, the following information will be helpful.

Which Breast Implant Is Right For Me?

Dr. Obi maintains a vast inventory of breast implants for breast augmentation that include a variety of options which will allow you to see and feel the many options that are available. Dr. Obi will help you to determine which implant is best suited for you based on your desires and your body.

There are two primary types of breast implants which are available in a variety of shapes and surface textures. All of which have their own respective benefits. Learn more about by all of these options by clicking: Saline Breast Implants and Shaped Gel Breast Implants.

See The Results of your Breast Augmentation BEFORE Surgery!

See your Plastic Surgery Results Before SurgeryAdditionally, A huge benefit for Dr. Obi’s patients is the VECTRA XT 3D Imaging Platform. This amazing system will photograph you from six different angles and create a virtual image if you and your breasts. Dr. Obi will then show you how “You” and “Your Body” will look with the the various shapes and sizes of implants after breast augmentation surgery. You will be able to select the implants that make you look like you wish to look, and have the comfort of knowing exactly how you will look after surgery. Best of all, this fantastic peek into your future is included as part of your initial consultation with Dr. Obi!

What Is Breast Augmentation Surgery?

It is not likely that you will find the following breast augmentation surgical procedure details on other plastic surgery web sites. Mainly because Dr. Obi’s surgical techniques and technology; from his preference of incision location, techniques used for implant placement, advanced lasers, and stem cell enhancement techniques, are unique to Obi Plastic Surgery. These extraordinary steps are also why Dr. Obi’s operating room time is considerably longer than most plastic surgeons, and evidence of his commitment to provide his patients with the best possible results. We hope you find the following details about breast augmentation at Obi Plastic Surgery informative and helpful.

Breast Augmentation Incision Locations:

Breast Augmentation Incision LocationsThe location of the incision is a very important consideration. You’ve probably read that the most common locations for the incision are in the “Fold” of the breast, (where the bottom of the breast meets the abdomen), Under the arm, and at the edge of the aerola. Each of these options have both benefits and draw backs that you should be aware of.

The Periareolar Incision:

The Aerola is circular area of pigmented skin surrounding a nipple. Because of the dramatic change in skin tone at the edge of the aerola, a skilled surgeon can place the incision carefully along the edge of the aerola in order to avoid any discernible scar. In addition to being scarless, this incision is in the center of the breast mound allowing for a more complete placement behind all four chest wall muscles.

When performing  areola implant surgery, the surgeon must be extremely careful to make a very clean incision to assure minimal scarring as this is a very visible area of the breast as well as when suturing the incision. Sutures must be perfect to avoid stitching scars around the aerola.

Most surgeons will reserve areola implant surgery for implants that will be placed above the muscle because of the difficulty accessing and placing the implant behind the pectoral muscles which completely cover the area directly behind the breast.

Another important concern with areola implant surgery for future mothers who intend to breast feed is potential damage to the milk glands. The surgeon must be careful to make the incision at the very edge of the aerola without damaging the milk glands which are directly behind and slightly exceed the edges of the aerola.

The Fold Incision:

If you think about it, the fold of your breast will be in a different location on your torso after a breast plant is inserted. Your surgeon must be very careful to correctly calculate the size and shape of your Implant to assure that the incision is located in the fold of your breasts “after surgery”. Otherwise, the scar from the incision may end up more on the bottom of your breast than it is in the fold, especially if the implant is not placed fully “under the muscle” and “drops” over time. Fold incision scars are usually significant and unsightly and can not be removed or easily revised.

By inserting the implants through the fold incision, quite often the implant placement is placed in a dual plane position and not entirely behind all of the muscles of the chest wall. Also, large and major sensory nerve trunks traverse the fold and in front of the muscles so that nipple numbness is actually more common then with the periareolar incision above. This is contrary to much of the information on the web and in the media because of the popularity of the fold incisions. We will discuss this further below.

Another limitation with fold incisions is that it is difficult to access the muscles of the lower chest (The Rectus Abdominus) and therefore the common reason for a dual plane positioning of the implants, (partially under the muscle). The dual plane position along with weakening of the fold attachments also increases the likely hood for the implant to “bottom out” with downward and outward migration of the implant over time. This gravitational malpositioning of the implant results in the nipples pointing upwards increasing the deformity.

Trans Axillary Incisions (Arm Pit Incision):

Inserting breast implants through the arm pit is an approach that very few plastic surgeons use today. This approach was popularized in the 1970’s primarily as an effort to conceal scars, and also in an effort to avoid visible fold scars in the supine, (lying down) position.

Arm Pit Incisions are considered to be a “remote incision” with a greater risk of breast mound and breast fold asymmetries. The incidence of capsular contracture (internal scaring around the implant that creates breast firmness) is also higher. Infection rates are greater with this approach than with periareolar and fold incisions because the armpit contains higher bacterial counts.

Though this method of inserting breast implants has its respective risks, these risks do not mean this method is a bad choice for patients. Dr. Obi has observed many favorable results with local patients that have had their implants inserted this way by highly skilled plastic surgeons.

Which Incision Does Dr. Obi Use?

The Periareolar Incision.

While the aerola incision is the most difficult of the three primary incision options, it offers the skilled surgeon greater access and total control of how and where the implant is placed. Dr. Obi began performing areola implant surgery more than 30 years ago, after learning of its advantages from plastic surgeons in Europe and South America.

When Dr. Obi performs areola implant surgery he is extremely careful to closely follow the very edge of the aerola as the first step in concealing scaring. He assures the preservation of the milk glands by directing the incision outwards, away from the edge of the aerola thus avoiding the milk glands completely. further, the incision is only made half way around the aerola, which further minimizes scaring and also preserves aerola and nipple sensitivity.

This strategic approach has many other advantages over fold and arm pit incisions. It avoids major sensory nerves and completely avoids creating numbness in the breast after surgery, it allows for better implant positioning creating more natural looking cleavage without asymmetry. It also allows for better inspection of the entire breast gland for tumors during the procedure. Breast biopsies and adjustment of saline implant volume may also be performed without removal of existing implants. And finally, after 30 years of areola implant surgery for breast augmentation for countless young patients, not one mother has experienced any difficulty with breast feeding.

It is worth noting that Dr. Obi’s documented experience and patient success rates with areola implant surgery is in contrast to reports on the Internet and in the American media about this type of incision mainly because of the few plastic surgeons who are skilled at or are willing to invest the time in surgery required to insert implants through this more complex approach. The high use of fold incisions among plastic surgeons appears to suggest that surgeons are more interested in quicker operations with less complexity, and reduced operating cost for their center.

After the implants have been properly placed and Dr. Obi begins to close the aerola incision, he does so with deep internal dissolving sutures and medicated scar tape which allows the incision to heal to a barely visible hairline scar at the edge of the aerola, with no suture “tracks”. If the patient wishes, Dr. Obi can completely eliminate the hairline scar with a fractional pulse light laser that breaks down scar tissue and triggers new tissue to form in its place, thereby eliminating any trace of breast augmentation surgery.

Schedule a consultation with Dr. Lewis Obi to discuss how his skills and advanced techniques using the Periareolar Incision can allow you to achieve the look and appearance you desire at fees that are competitive to those charged by surgeons who prefer the easier, quicker fold incision.

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Breast Implant Placement

chest-musclesAnother important consideration in Breast Augmentation is the placement of your breast implants. This will have an effect on the aesthetic appearance of your breast after surgery and on the potential for aesthetic changes over time. There are three options for you to consider; Under the muscles, partially under the muscle, and above the muscles.

under-the-muscleUnder The Muscles:

Recognized by most surgeons as the optimal choice for placement of breast implants, regardless of implant type is to place the implant “Under the Muscles”, behind four different muscles. These muscles are the pectoral major and pectoral minor muscles, (located under the upper portion of the breast) the serrates anterior muscle, (directly behind the center of the breast) and the rectus abdominus muscle, (located behind and under the lower portion of the breast).

partially-under-the-musclePartially Under The Muscles:

As we stated earlier, the majority of plastic surgeons prefer to use fold incisions, (below the breast) because it is faster and easier. Because of this, almost all implants inserted through a fold incision are placed “Partially Under the Muscle”. This is because it is very difficult for the surgeon to place the implant behind or under the rectus abdominus muscle, (upper abdominal muscle).

While many patients experience no issues with this placement, patients should be aware that implants placed partially under the muscles can over time “bottom out”, dropping downward due to gravity, and outward due to the shape of the female rib cage. This is because the rectus abdominus, (upper abdominal muscle) is not supporting the implant from below.

above-the-muscleAbove The Muscles:

From the time the initial silicone implants were introduced in 1962 until the mid 1970’s, almost all implants were placed in front of the muscles and directly behind the breast gland.

Except in rare situations this type of placement should be avoided. Implants placed in front of the muscles are in direct contact with the breast gland, an area with a notable amount of bacteria. Direct contact with the breast gland greatly increases the risk of capsular contracture, (the formation of scar tissue around the implant causing the breast to become firm). Also, the lack of coverage and support from the muscles often results in an unnatural “fake” appearance. Implants placed above the muscle are also very likely to “bottom out” over time, (moving downward and outward). In spite of these factors, this type of placement is still being done because it is fast, easy and inexpensive for the surgeon. However, because breast augmentation revision will likely be required in the future, and because of the other concerns above, it is not a quick, easy and less expensive option for the patient.

Which Implant Placement Option Does Dr. Obi Prefer?

under-the-muscleBelow The Muscles:

While this procedure requires more time and is more complex, Dr. Obi places all types of implants under all four chest muscles in almost every breast augmentation he performs. The reasons for this preference are numerous; the long term aesthetic benefits, and the health benefits to the patient, placement under the muscles will have is a significant benefit for patients who opt for future breast revision, who may require a lumpectomy, and who may require breast cancer surgery. Dr. Obi is able to perform this procedure at costs that are competitive with partially below the muscles procedures.

Dr. Obi is one of the few surgeons who use the areolar incision because of his desire to provide the best possible placement, and the areolar incision is the only practical approach to properly placing the implant behind all four muscles. The other advantages of full retromuscular positioning of the implant are that it facilitates mammography, minimizes capsular contracture, assures that the implant will not “bottom out”, and prevents rippling. When combined with the areolar incision, patients receive significantly enhanced breasts with only a hairline incision scar that will diminish naturally over time or can be quickly removed with laser scar reduction.

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