Breast Augmentation
Chicago board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Thomas Mustoe is one of the nation’s most experienced breast augmentation specialists, having performed more than 3,000 breast enhancement surgeries during his career. He’s dedicated years to researching and developing breast augmentation techniques that improve the patient’s comfort, healing, and results. He and board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Sammy Sinno offer exceptional breast augmentation outcomes for the women who visit their downtown practice.
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Good Breast Augmentation Candidates
Breast augmentation involves using breast implants to enhance the size and shape of a woman’s breasts. Many women also find that breast augmentation increases their feelings of sensuality, femininity, and body confidence. Getting breast implants at our Chicago practice may be a good choice for you if:
- You’ve always been dissatisfied with the size of your breasts
- You feel that larger breasts will balance out your figure
- Your breasts have lost volume with age, weight loss, or pregnancy
The best candidates for breast augmentation surgery are healthy women whose weight is stable and who have good skin tone. In cases where the breast skin is lax, breast augmentation alone will not correct the sagging.
Breast Lift With Augmentation
You may choose to combine a breast lift (mastopexy) with your breast augmentation in order to create fuller, more youthful-looking breasts. Breast lift can enhance the outcome of breast augmentation for women who have sagging skin, and nipples that have descended below the breast crease or point downward. It is quite common for Dr. Mustoe and Dr. Sinno to perform breast lift with breast augmentation, especially as part of a mommy makeover. This combination procedure involves removing excess skin, elevating the entire breast and nipple, and reshaping the breast with the help of an implant. For many women, this provides optimal breast augmentation results.
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Breast Augmentation Revision
Dr. Mustoe and Dr. Sinno perform breast augmentation revision surgery for a variety of reasons:
- Capsular contracture, a thickening of the normal scar tissue that forms around the breast implant and may cause discomfort and a distorted appearance
- Dissatisfaction with results from another practice for reasons such as breast shape, position, or asymmetry
- Implant leak or rupture
- Elective implant exchange to change implant material (for example, saline to silicone), size (larger or smaller), or implant shape
- A desire to remove implants without replacing them (explant)
Certain breast surgery complications such as bottoming out and symmastia may be corrected with an acellular dermal matrix (ADM). These innovative products can be used to reinforce weakened breast skin and tissues and to line or build out the implant pocket.
Revision procedures are typically more complex than primary breast augmentation and should be performed by a highly qualified and experienced plastic surgeon. Dr. Mustoe and Dr. Sinno have extensive experience performing revision breast surgery procedures and are highly regarded for their beautiful, natural-looking results.
Why Choose Dr. Mustoe & Dr. Sinno
Through extensive research and experience, Dr. Mustoe and Dr. Sinno have developed several
innovations that contribute to a better rhinoplasty procedure and result, characterized by:
- Predictable, natural-looking outcomes
- Use of local anesthesia with sedation
- Shortened, more comfortable recovery
- Minimal bruising
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What Are My Breast Augmentation Options?
There are many considerations involved with breast augmentation, including incision pattern, implant placement, as well as many breast implant options. At our Chicago practice, Dr. Mustoe and Dr. Sinno draw from their experience to help you make these decisions, taking into account your personal preferences, goals, and anatomy.
Incision Pattern
Incisions are placed inconspicuously in order to minimize visible scarring. Dr. Mustoe’s extensive research into wound healing and scar prevention has helped him to reduce scarring with any of the incision options he and Dr. Sinno offer.
- Inframammary incision – This is the most commonly used incision, and it is made in or near your natural inframammary fold (the crease beneath the breast). This offers your surgeon the most direct access to create a pocket for the placement of the breast implant.
- Periareolar incision – This incision is made along the lower border of the areola (the more darkly pigmented circle of skin around the nipple). It also offers good access to the interior breast anatomy for breast implant placement.
- Transaxillary incision – This incision is less commonly used, and is made in the crease of the armpit. The distance of the incision from critical areas of surgical dissection makes precision more challenging, and this incision is unsuitable for some patients.
Breast Implant Placement
After your surgeon makes the incision, he creates a pocket for the breast implant either beneath the pectoral muscle (submuscular placement) or behind the breast tissue and above the pectoral muscle (subglandular placement).
Submuscular placement is generally considered preferable to subglandular, as it can create a more natural appearance in the upper part of the breast if done properly, and has advantages for mammography and capsule formation. However, your surgeon will discuss both options with you, and make a recommendation based on your anatomy, your preferences, and the type of implant you have chosen.
Breast Implants With Fat Transfer
Dr. Mustoe has over 20 years of experience using fat transfer techniques to naturally enhance the face and breasts. He and Dr. Sinno can use a patient’s own fat to enhance her breast augmentation results in a variety of ways including:
- Sculpting and defining cleavage
- Reducing imperfections in breast shape
- Smoothing the transition between the upper portion of the implants and the chest (especially in thin patients)
How Much Does Breast Augmentation Cost in Chicago?
Cosmetic surgery prices vary based on several factors, including the geographic location of the plastic surgeon’s practice. The cost for breast augmentation at our Chicago practice typically ranges from $7,100 to $8,000. The type of implants and the surgeon’s expertise influence the final cost of breast augmentation, in addition to other factors. When you come in for a consultation, Dr. Mustoe or Dr. Sinno will discuss your options and their staff will provide a detailed price quote based on the choices you make.
Glimpse Your Potential With VECTRA® 3-D
Preview the results of your breast augmentation with our leading-edge VECTRA 3-D imaging
system.
VECTRA lets you virtually “try on” implants of different sizes and shapes during your
consultation so that you can envision your potential with accuracy.
Improved Recovery & Results
Recovery from breast augmentation at our practice is often shorter and more comfortable than recovery from surgery performed by other plastic surgeons in Chicago. Dr. Mustoe has done comprehensive research on wound healing and scarring. He and Dr. Sinno have incorporated this knowledge into meticulous surgical techniques and use conscious sedation with local anesthesia to minimize swelling, bruising, and scarring with an accelerated recovery.
You will receive specific post-op instructions from your surgeon about your recuperation, which will include early stretching. No special garments or bandages are needed.
During the 4 to 6 weeks following surgery, the breast skin and tissues will relax and breast implants drop or settle into a more natural appearance as you heal.
Breast Augmentation FAQ
Should I choose silicone or saline implants?
Your choice of implants will depend on your individual preferences and goals. Silicone and saline implants each have specific advantages and limitations. Silicone implants feel more like natural breast tissue but may require a longer incision. In addition, any future replacement surgery may be more involved. Saline implants are filled with a sterile saltwater solution, which the body can absorb harmlessly in case of a leak or rupture. For details, visit our Breast Implant Options page.
When can I resume my normal routine?
The majority of our patients can return to work and non-strenuous activities a few days after their breast augmentation. The length of time before you can return to exercise regimens and other vigorous activities will depend on your procedure, but usually cardio and light weights can be resumed after 1 week. Extensive exercises in which your pectoral muscles are utilized should be restricted for 4 to 6 weeks. Your post-care instructions and follow-up appointments will provide additional information about your individual recovery timeframe.
Will I still be able to breastfeed after getting implants?
Breast augmentation typically doesn’t interfere with a patient’s ability to breastfeed if the surgeon accounts for that goal when creating the surgical plan.
Is breast enhancement surgery safe?
When performed by an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon, breast enhancement surgery is considered safe. Our surgeons use local anesthesia with sedation, which is safer than general anesthesia.
When will I need to have my implants replaced?
While breast implants are not made to last a lifetime, you don’t need to replace them if you are not having any concerns or complications.
What if I want to upgrade my implants?
Our surgeons can perform elective implant exchange for women who are not having any problems but want to change the size or fill material of their breast implants.
Can I still have mammograms after I get implants?
Yes–you can and should continue to have mammograms after your breast augmentation. Remember to inform the practitioner performing the mammogram that you have breast implants.
If you would like to visit Dr. Mustoe or Dr. Sinno in Chicago for breast augmentation, request a consultation online. Or you can call our office at
(312) 788-2560 and one of our helpful staff members will schedule your appointment.