Leo Lapuerta, MD Plastic Surgery - Houston, TX
If it’s been some time since you had your breast augmentation, you might wonder when you should get a breast implant exchange. Your doctor may have mentioned during your consultation years ago that your breast implants would eventually need to be replaced. It can be helpful for your peace of mind to know what is exchange surgery and when you will need it.
Considering a breast enhancement procedure is exciting – but it’s also common to wonder or worry about getting a bad breast augmentation surgery. With any procedure, patients want to know that they are getting the best care and will enjoy good results. To know how to avoid a “bad boob job”, you need to understand what one is, what to look for, and how to ensure you receive the results you expect.
Getting a bad breast augmentation surgery is a legitimate concern, whether the breasts end up looking fake or just aren’t what you wanted. They may not look natural with the rest of your body or can be positioned incorrectly.
There are usually two reasons behind bad results from your breast augmentation surgery. Both can be avoided by doing your research. First, many breast enhancement procedures go wrong because the patient didn’t know what they wanted. They had an idea but hadn’t thought through the details. Perhaps they wanted to increase their breast size by two or three cups, but they didn’t stop to think about how it would look with the rest of their proportions.
This issue could be prevented by choosing a surgeon who has plenty of experience with breast augmentation. They should take time to meet with you in a consultation and talk to you about your options. While the final decision of what you want in breast surgery is up to you, the surgeon should provide guidance on what looks best and what reasonable expectations can be.
The doctor will also advise against a procedure that isn’t best for you. They will guide you to the best type of breast implant, the right size for your proportions, and other decisions to ensure you’re happy with the results.
The second main reason for bad boob jobs is that the patient didn’t choose the right doctor. You want someone who has experience in the type of breast augmentation you’re having done.
A skilled doctor is knowledgeable about the latest techniques and tools for breast enhancement while having the experience from previous surgeries to create optimal results in a wide range of patients.
One of the big concerns for patients planning for breast augmentation is that the breasts will look fake afterward. This is a valid issue because it can happen quite easily. If you try to increase your size by too much, the results won’t look right with the rest of your proportions. A more natural look requires you to go limit your augmentation by an increase of one or two sizes.
Another issue is in where the implants are placed. Women who are slender may have difficulty hiding their implants if they are placed just under the skin. For those patients, the doctor may recommend putting it behind the chest muscle.
Breast implants are either round or teardrop in shape. While there are only two main categories, you’ll find numerous options within those two categories. The final choice is based upon what you want, but your surgeon should guide you toward what will be the most natural-looking.
When you think about a bad surgery, it generally means one of the basic aspects of the procedure has been missed. You can avoid all this by working with a skilled, experienced plastic surgeon.
Even if surgery appears to have gone well, you could develop what is known as capsular contracture. This condition happens after the surgery when the implants harden from scar tissue surrounding it. The breast becomes painful and may even be disfigured. The condition gets worse if not treated with breast revision surgery.
When you decide to have a breast augmentation, you’ll have to choose silicone or saline implants. Saline implants are filled with sterilized salt water or saline solution. Silicone implants contain silicone gel, which has a more natural look and feel. Saline implants may also have an issue with rippling, which looks very unnatural. Some saline implants on the market today have a silicone feel to get that natural feel and look.
Another issue to consider is whether the new implants will result in sagging breasts because they are heavier. Many surgeons recommend getting a breast lift done along with breast augmentation. These are two different procedures, which may be performed with a singular surgery. The lift will reduce sagginess and reposition the breasts where they should be while the augmentation will increase size and volume. When done right, the result is a natural, beautiful result that gives you body confidence.
You may wonder what happens if you’ve already had a breast augmentation surgery that went wrong. Fortunately, you have the option of getting a breast revision to fix your issues. Breast revision surgery is done to fix problems with the initial procedure.
This type of surgery can remove the implants and replace them with more natural-looking implants. It can reposition them or even remove them completely if you have decided breast augmentation isn’t right for you. You can have peace of mind knowing that help is available if the augmentation didn’t go well.
You don’t have to end up dealing with bad results from your breast augmentation for the rest of your life. If you want to have breasts you can be proud of and those that look natural, you’ll want to start with a reputable plastic surgeon.
Dr. Leo Lapuerta is a triple-board-certified plastic surgeon with more than 20 years of experience in the industry. He has worked with countless patients on breast augmentation and breast lifts as well as those who have needed breast revision to correct problems or mistakes from less experienced doctors.
Dr. Lapuerta will work with you to help you determine exactly what you want in breast augmentation surgery. He will ask the right questions and help you think about your options. In areas where you aren’t sure what decision to make, he’ll guide you in the right direction based on your overall goal.
You can schedule a consultation online or give us a call at 713-340-0990 to set up an appointment. Let us help you avoid bad breast augmentation surgery and get results you’re proud of.
Dermal fillers are a non-surgical treatment that helps smooth out the lines in the face and achieve a younger, more rejuvenated look. The filler is injected into the skin where it will plump up the targeted area to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. This treatment can take years off your face and help you feel more confident about your looks. These fillers treat bags under your eyes, wrinkles, and crow’s feet around the eyes, as well as laugh lines, forehead wrinkles, and crepey skin along the neck.
Numerous dermal fillers are available on the market, but they aren’t all the same. Each one has a unique formula, and some provide better results to certain areas of the face and neck than others. Before you decide to get a dermal filler injection, you’ll want to know which products are designed for the area you want to work on.
The best filler for the cheek area is Juvederm with Dr. Lapuerta, which can add plumpness while creating more structure to the cheekbone. The result is a more youthful face you’ll enjoy looking at in the mirror. Juvederm Voluma is FDA-approved and fills in moderate to severe wrinkles along the cheeks, nose, and mouth. It has been labeled as a liquid facelift because of the dramatic and pleasing results.
Add some contour to your face along the jawline with Juvederm fillers. This area has a lot of bone, so it needs a filler that can enhance the natural line.
Fillers are a subtle way to lift the brow area and smooth wrinkles. This area can begin to droop as skin loses its elasticity.
One of the best options for the mid-face area is Juvederm VOLLURE, which fills in wrinkles around the mouth. The skin will appear smoother for a more youthful appearance. This formula is ideal for the smile lines because it moves with your mouth as you smile and talk.
From furrowed brows to quizzical looks, your forehead gets a workout daily. This area can be prone to wrinkles and is often one of the first to showcase a fine line or two. Dermal injections are one way to stop the hands of time with Botox being the best known of these products. As it relaxes the muscles at the site of the injection, the skin looks smoother and younger.
Lips are different from other areas of the face because of how personal they are to each individual, which means personalized treatment is important, too. Juvederm Volbella offers a natural-looking solution that can be customized by a skilled treatment provider like Dr. Lapuerta. Fillers are used to treat lines on the lips as well as wrinkles that form along the edge.
If you feel you have a weak chin, you may benefit from a Juvederm product in this area. The filler adds definition, making the face look longer and more well-defined. Injections can make your face look slimmer and fill in any wrinkles.
Fillers aid in smoothing out the wrinkles of the neck and softening the area’s look. Juvederm VOLLURE treats horizontal wrinkles along the neck, which is an area prone to show signs of aging first. Neck skin is even thinner than facial skin, which allows it to start wrinkling sooner.
Juvederm provides some much-needed assistance to this sensitive area. The skin around the temples is thinner than the rest of the face. Similar to what you have on the back of your hand, the skin around the temple area will show aging faster. When you add facial fillers to the temple area, you redirect the attention to your eyes.
Dermal fillers are a way to enjoy younger, healthier-looking skin without the cost and recovery time of surgery. While these injections don’t provide permanent results, they are an affordable way to look your best for up to 12 or 18 months before needing to have the procedure repeated.
Dr. Lapuerta will be able to assess your needs and recommend a product to yield your desired results. Schedule a consultation online or give us a call at 713-340-0990 to find out how we can help you look your best and boost your self-confidence.
If you’re considering breast augmentation surgery or are already planning to schedule the procedure, one of the decisions you’ll have to make is which of the types of breast implants to get. Several options are available, but every patient is different. It’s best to know your options and decide which will work best for your goals.
The types of breast implants can be divided into two broad categories: saline and silicone. However, there is also the additional option of receiving implants that are a combination of the two materials. Each type has unique properties that will impact whether they are the right kind for a person considering implants.
Saline implants are filled with salt water, or saline solution – hence the name. They are put in place before being filled with the sterile solution. This creates a better shape and fit on the body, and also means a much smaller incision. In the event the implant leaks, the body simply absorbs the solution as the implant collapses. One of the reasons women choose this implant is due to its uniform shape. Saline implants have been approved for women aged 18 or older by the FDA.
Within the saline implant option, patients can consider receiving structured saline breast implants. Like regular saline implants, they contain saltwater, but they also are “shaped” with an inner structure to create an even more natural feel. An informed surgeon like Dr. Lapuerta can answer questions and explain why some women might prefer this option over other types of breast implants.
The other main type of breast implant is silicone implant. This type is pre-filled with silicone gel, requiring a larger incision during the procedure. Some patients prefer silicone implants because they have a more natural feel and look that is similar to breast tissue. If the implant leaks, the shape will not deflate. The gel may stay inside the implant or it may leak into the pocket.
The FDA has approved silicone implants for use in women aged 22 and older. You may need to visit a doctor regularly and have an ultrasound or MRI to check the status of the implants.
Form-stable silicone implants are often referred to as “gummy bear” implants. The silicone is thicker than in traditional implants and firmer. They are firm enough to hold their shape even if the shell gets broken.
When considering how you want to look after breast augmentation, you’ll have to decide on a shape. Round and teardrop are the two main breast implant shape options, and then patients can also decide between receiving smooth or textured implants.
Round-shaped implants make the breasts appear fuller. They have the same shape all around, which lessens the worry about them moving out of place. They also provide more fullness on top, which often makes them an appealing choice.
Teardrop-shaped implants are, as you might guess, shaped like a teardrop – round on the bottom and slightly less full on top. They look more natural, but may feel less natural because they use a thicker, firmer gel.
One of the challenges with breast implants is allowing for natural movement without too much movement that would lead to them getting out of place. This is where smooth vs textured implants come in.
Smooth breast implants are soft with a smooth texture and can move around inside the implant pocket. The result is a movement that is more like your natural breasts. However, they may create rippling under the skin that you can feel or even see.
Textured implants are the opposite of smooth. They develop just enough scar tissue to help them stay in place within the implant pocket. They are less likely to get out of position or move around inside the breast. The texturing helps reduce the risk of a tight scar capsule.
Once you know the type of implant you want, you’ll want to move on to the other important considerations for different breast implants. You’ll have to decide on the size of the implant, where it will be placed, and whether you need a breast lift as well. While you can have breast revision surgery to fix any issues, it’s best to get it right the first time.
The most important decision in your journey to breasts you can be happy with is which surgeon you will choose to perform the procedure. Dr. Lapuerta has more than 20 years of experience and performed thousands of breast surgeries. He will sit down with you and answer your questions and help you decide the right answers to the questions about the best breast implant. You can trust Dr. Lapuerta to provide expert results and the best patient care.
To schedule a consultation and learn more about breast augmentation and your options, set up an appointment online or give us a call at 713-340-0990.
If you wish you had larger, firmer breasts, you may be thinking about breast implant surgery. This is a procedure that can alter the way you look and improve your body confidence. Before you take this step, you’ll want to consider how it will impact you now and into the future.
Here are some tips on what to consider before breast surgery, compiled by experienced surgeon Dr. Leo Lapuerta and the Look Younger team.
One of the decisions you must make in getting breast implants is what size and shape you want for your outcome. Implants can be round or in the shape of a teardrop. Most doctors will recommend only going up one or two sizes for the most natural results, although many women get implants with a larger increase in size. Consider how the additional weight will feel on your shoulders and back — not just now, but in the future, as well.
Age plays a role in your decision for breast surgery for several reasons. First, you’ll want to think about how implants will impact your life long-term. For instance, women in their 20s and early 30s may want to consider how breast implants will affect their ability to breastfeed if they choose to have children. While most women can breastfeed after getting implants, you may want to discuss this situation with your doctor since it can change the shape and condition of your breasts, requiring a second surgery.
Realize that another breast surgery is likely in the future to replace the implants. It may be 10 years into the future, or longer, but recognize that this is a distinct probability before deciding to have the implant surgery. If you increase the size by more than a cup or two, you may have an increased risk for sagging as you get older.
For women who are in their 40s and older and considering breast implant surgery, their results may look quite different. Women this age often hope to regain the volume and firmness they had when they were younger. Even when you get what you were hoping for, expect an adjustment period as you get used to your new breasts.
Breast implants have come a long way in the past several years. Today’s implants last for many years before needing to be replaced, but they don’t come with a lifetime guarantee. Know before you decide to have the surgery that you will likely need to have the implants replaced at some point in the future if you choose to keep them. Modern implants often last ten years or longer before replacement is necessary.
You will need to have regular checkups to ensure the implants don’t need to be replaced. The FDA recommends that you get an MRI three years after the implant surgery if you have silicone implants. You should follow up every two years with another MRI to monitor the implants and see if implant removal is necessary.
Women get breast implants for various reasons. While many want to increase the size of their chest, others may simply want to improve the shape. Still others may need to reconstruct the breast due to a mastectomy or from an injury. Breast implants won’t fix sagging breasts, but many women want to increase the size of the breasts while also lifting them at the same time. A doctor may recommend breast augmentation and lift with the same surgery to achieve these results.
Several choices are available, depending on the goals of the breast surgery. Traditional implants come in two options: saline implants or silicone implants. Patients may also elect to have a fat transfer, which uses a patient’s own tissue to reconstruct or augment the breasts.
Both silicone and saline breast implants increase the size and change the shape of your breasts, but they are quite different. Saline implants contain a saltwater solution that is injected into the implant after being placed during the surgery. This results in a smaller incision. If they rupture or leak, the saltwater is reabsorbed into the body and the implant deflates immediately.
Silicone implants are made of silicone gel, which has a more natural look and feel. They are ideal for women who have less of their own breast tissue because you can’t see or feel the edges of the implant. If they leak, the gel isn’t absorbed back into the body and the implant doesn’t deflate. Doctors recommend regular testing to monitor the condition of the implant and to have it removed if it leaks.
Fat transfer may be used instead of breast implants. The doctor will find a site or multiple sites to remove excess fat tissue, which can then be shaped and placed in the breast. Fat transfer is often used after a mastectomy to reconstruct the breast so that it naturally resembles its appearance prior to the breast removal surgery.
The most important consideration when planning for breast implants is to find the right surgeon for the procedure. You want to work with someone who has extensive experience and can help you make the right decisions to get the results you want.
Dr. Lapuerta is a triple-board-certified surgeon who has performed hundreds of breast implant surgeries on patients. He will sit down with you and discuss your unique goals and needs and make recommendations to help you get the results you want. Reach out to Dr. Lapuerta to find out more about how breast surgery can benefit you and improve body confidence.
Contact us at 713-340-0990 or online to schedule a consultant with the Look younger team today.
*Individual results are not guaranteed and may vary from person to person. Images may contain models.