Your Treasured Chest
There are many myths and misconceptions about breast enhancement and breast reconstruction in the general public. One is that only single twenty-somethings have it done. In fact, many women who seek breast enhancement are mothers who have experienced a loss of breast volume after having their children or women who have lost a significant amount of weight, both are looking to restore the volume and shape of their breasts. At Golden Isles Center for Plastic Surgery, we understand that deciding to have a cosmetic surgery and determining which procedure is right for you, can be an overwhelming task. Should we or shouldn’t we tamper with our ta-ta’s? That is the million-dollar question.
Essential to cosmetic breast surgery is a thorough assessment or consultation that reviews the goals and wants of a woman’s breast size and shape. There are various surgical options for a woman to choose from. For some women, they like what they have, but it just needs to be repositioned. In this scenario, a breast lift would be a viable option. Breast lift, or Mastopexy, is a surgical procedure that removes excess skin and reshapes the already existent breast tissue in order to raise the breasts back to a “perky” state. Other women wish to be larger than they are. In this scenario, a breast augmentation would be the viable option. Breast Augmentation, or Augmentation Mammoplasty, is a surgical procedure that involves placing breast implants under breast tissue or chest muscles to create the desired shape and size. There are newer techniques that allow us to do fat grating from another part of the body to enhance the breast size. The right surgical procedure for you depends upon your breast shape and your desired results. Someone who has smaller breasts may just need implants to achieve their goals. Someone who has larger but sagging breasts may just need a lift. Someone who has both- small breasts that are sagging- may need both an implant and a lift, which can be accomplished in the same surgical procedure. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Bowen to review your goals and desired outcomes to determine your individualized surgical plan that best fits your needs.
Is bigger better? Many ladies feel that if they are going to spend their time and money on breast augmentation surgery, they want their money’s worth. Our society/media also promotes this “pump them up” attitude. Dr. Diane Bowen takes the time to listen, evaluate and then recommend a course of action that is appropriate based on the individual needs to each person. The goal of breast enhancement is to have natural appearing breasts that are in harmony with the rest of a woman’s shape and size. That means that a tall lady with a big frame looks more proportional with a larger implant than a petite lady with a slender frame. Bigger is not always better, especially if they appear out of proportion and artificial.
If you have had breast cancer and part or all of your breast is missing, or you are unbalanced after radiation, thankfully, a federal law mandates that insurance covers the reconstruction of the affected breast, as well as the surgery necessary to reshape the other breast to achieve symmetry. Breast reconstruction surgery using implants can also be performed after a mastectomy or injury. New technologies allow breast cancer to be diagnosed sooner and needle biopsy techniques allow diagnosis without a surgery. Many advances have also been made in breast reconstruction to reduce the recovery time and optimize symmetry for the long term. In the past a mastectomy was a disfiguring guillotine style surgery, now the breast tissue can be removed leaving behind the breast skin envelope, sometimes even the nipple. This can be filled at the time of the mastectomy using a direct to implant procedure and avoid the many stages which were standard five years ago. Partial mastectomy or lumpectomy followed by radiation therapy has become a routine way to handle many breast cancers. In the past this could leave a woman with a “sunken cupcake” look resulting in asymmetry. As innovators, plastic surgeons applied their unique skills to developing oncoplastic reconstruction. In this technique the breast is reshaped and lifted at the same time as the lumpectomy. This helps a woman’s result to be not just as good, but sometimes even better in size and shape. Despite all the advances in technology and that this is covered under insurance some women choose not to have reconstruction, because they have been misinformed or are overwhelmed by the deluge of information associated with the diagnosis of breast cancer. It is essential that each woman have a consultation with a qualified plastic surgeon who can offer them the range of modern reconstruction options.
Dr. Diane Bowen is a board-certified plastic surgeon who did her residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery as well as completed additional fellowship training in breast reconstruction. She opened Golden Isles Center for Plastic Surgery located at 1015 Arthur J Moore Dr. St. Simons Island across from Epworth Marina in 1997. Her practice includes an onsite state accredited surgery center which allows for comprehensive and confidential plastic surgery care from start to finish. Please visit drdianebowen.com to see a full list of all services offered at her facility. If you would like a consultation with Dr. Bowen please call 912-634-1993 and her friendly staff will be happy to accommodate your needs.
