One of the more common plastic surgical procedures performed today in San Francisco is breast augmentation or augmentation mammoplasty. Many women feel that their breasts are too small for their bodies or they may have lost breast size after pregnancy, breast-feeding or significant weight loss. Breast augmentation may also be used to correct breast asymmetries or to reconstruct a breast following surgery for breast cancer.

Breast implants may also improve the shape of breasts or improve breast sagging. If there is too much sagging however, it may be necessary to perform a breast lift (mastopexy) at the same time as the breast augmentation.

The breast implants consist of a solid silicone shell that is filled with either saline or silicone. These implants come in a variety of sizes, shapes, diameters, profiles and surface textures. This variety allows Dr. Brown to obtain the best result for different types of breast anatomy and body types.

There are a number of different incisions that may be used to place the breast implant behind the breast tissue. The incisions may be placed either in the axillae (armpit), around the nipple (periareolar), or under the breast (inframammary). The axillary incision is useful in that it does not leave an incision on the breast, this may not be an advantage however as many women expose their underarms more than their breasts.

The incision under the breast is called an inframammary incision. This is placed in the fold where the breast meets the chest wall. This incision is very useful in the patient whose breast hangs down thus hiding the scar.

Finally the nipple or periareolar incision in breast augmenation surgery is placed at the border of the areola (that is the juncture of the nipple pigment and normal skin), which hides the scar. The breast implant is placed beneath the breast tissue either on top of the muscle or beneath the muscle(s).

In your consultation with Dr. Brown in San Francisco the choice of breast implant filler, shape, size and placement will be determined according to body type, breast size and shape and your esthetic objectives.

The breast augmentation surgery is performed either in Dr Brown's accredited office operating facility in San Francisco or in the hospital. The surgery is usually performed under general anesthesia although local anesthesia with I.V. sedation may also be used.

Breast augmentation surgery takes between two and four hours with patients going home immediately after surgery. For several days following surgery there may be some swelling and discomfort which is easily controlled with oral pain medication. Some activity is allowed right after surgery and most patients resume exercise after two weeks.

With over twenty years of experience Dr. Brown has found that it is very important to spend considerable time with patients before breast augmentation surgery to determine the patients esthetic wishes and concerns so that the right size and type of breast implant will be used. A natural looking and feeling breast is the ultimate goal of breast augmentation surgery in San Francisco.

View photos of Dr. Brown's San Francisco breast augmentation patients.