Breast augmentation, also known as mammoplasty, is a surgical enhancement procedure to accentuate the size and shape of a woman's breasts. While breast augmentation will make the breasts larger, the surgery will not move the breasts closer together or lift sagging breasts.  If you live in or near Baltimore, breast augmentation is tremendous help to patients who desire a fuller profile, who have lost breast volume due to pregnancy or nursing, or who have undergone breast reconstruction and want to gain a more natural look again.  Having received the Patients' Choice Award from patients rating Baltimore plastic surgeons, Dr. Schreiber is devoted to his patients and to achieveing all of their aesthetic goals.

Reasons for Considering Breast Augmentation:

• Enhance body shape if breasts are too small.
• Increase breast volume after pregnancy and nursing.
• Equalize a difference in breast size (cup size) to gain breast symmetry.
• Reconstruct breasts following a mastectomy or injury.

Breast augmentation - General Procedure

During a breast augmentation, Baltimore plastic surgeon, Dr. Jeffrey E. Schreiber, makes a small incision to insert a breast implant into the breast area in order to enlarge the breast.  The surgery is commonly performed on an outpatient basis at a hospital or state-of-the-art surgical unit while the patient is under a general anesthesia and asleep.  There are several possible locations for the small incision that will be used for inserting the breast implant.  The most frequent technique utilizes an incision made in the lower portion of the breast.  Another technique, though less frequently used, involves making an incision in the armpit.  A third technique makes an incision around the areola (the darker skin surrounding the nipple).  A newer technique uses an incision in the belly button, thus reducing the chance of scarring in the breast area.  The best technique will be decided together between the patient and the surgeon during the consultation.

During surgery, the breast tissue is raised to create an open pocket under the breast tissue or beneath the chest wall muscle.  Inserting an implant behind each breast can increase a woman's breast size by one or more bra cup sizes.  Breast implants can be made of either silicone gel or saline.  The FDA recently approved (November 2006) the use of silicone gel implants for cosmetic breast augmentations.  Silicone implants can provide you with a very natural look and feel.  As a board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Schreiber recommends them for women with only a small amount of breast tissue and for all breast reconstructions.  Saline implants are also great for cosmetic breast augmentation.  Dr. Schreiber recommends the use of saline implants for women who have a moderate amount of breast tissue to start with and want to increase the size of their breasts even more.  Talk with Dr. Schreiber during a complimentary consultation to determine which implant is best for you and where it should be placed (under or over the chest muscles.)  Surgery typically lasts from 1 to 3 hours, and it's very well tolerated as an outpatient procedure.

New!  View an animated 3-D breast augmentation procedure.

Dr. Schreiber performs breast augmentations and other cosmetic surgery procedures at Northwest Hospital in Randallstown, Maryland and at the SurgiCenter of Baltimore in Owings Mills, Maryland.  Both of these facilities are easily accessible from Towson, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Pikesville, Ruxton, Lutherville, Howard County, Annapolis, and Washington D.C.

Breast Augmentation - Recovery Process

Generally, post-operative instructions call for plenty of rest and limited movement in order to speed up the healing process and recovery time.  Bandages are applied right after surgery to aid the healing process and to minimize movement of the breasts.  Once the bandages are removed, a specialized surgical bra will need to be worn for several weeks.  Patients sometimes report minor pain associated with the surgery.  This pain can be treated effectively with oral medication. While complications are rare, patients can minimize potential problems by carefully following the directions given by the physician after surgery.