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Procedures Breast Breast Augmentation in San Diego

Breast Augmentation in San Diego

Procedures Breast Breast Augmentation in San Diego

When you envision your ideal silhouette, do you imagine fuller, more proportionate breasts that complement your natural curves? At Umansky Plastic Surgery in La Jolla, board-certified plastic surgeons Dr. William Umansky and Dr. Jeffrey Umansky combine extensive training with an artistic eye to help women throughout San Diego achieve beautiful, natural-looking breast enhancement results.

With decades of combined experience and a commitment to personalized care, our surgeons have earned recognition as trusted breast augmentation specialists who consistently deliver exceptional, customized outcomes.

Understanding Breast Augmentation Surgery

Breast augmentation enhances the size, shape and symmetry of your breasts through the surgical placement of implants. This procedure addresses various concerns, from naturally small breasts to volume loss after pregnancy, breastfeeding or weight changes. Our La Jolla plastic surgeons carefully evaluate your anatomy, listen to your aesthetic desires and recommend the most suitable approach to achieve results that look and feel natural while enhancing your overall body proportions.

The procedure involves creating a discreet incision, forming a pocket (most commonly beneath the chest muscle), and precisely positioning your chosen implants. Every aspect of your surgery is customized, from implant type and size to placement technique, in order to achieve results that align with your vision while maintaining harmony with your natural physique.

Before & After Gallery

Who Can Benefit From Breast Augmentation Surgery?

Women choose breast augmentation for deeply personal reasons that extend beyond simple size enhancement. Many patients seek to restore breast volume lost after pregnancy and breastfeeding, when hormonal changes and nursing can leave breasts deflated or asymmetrical. Others have always felt their naturally small breasts were disproportionate to their body frame, affecting their confidence in clothing and intimate situations.

Significant weight loss presents another common motivation for breast augmentation. After achieving their fitness goals, many women find their breasts have lost volume and firmness, leaving excess skin that diet and exercise cannot address. Breast implants can restore fullness while a simultaneous breast lift can address sagging, creating a youthful, proportionate bustline that matches their transformed physique.

Breast asymmetry affects most women to some degree, but pronounced differences in size or shape between breasts can impact self-esteem and make finding properly fitting bras challenging. Our surgeons expertly address asymmetry through customized implant selection and surgical techniques, creating balanced, symmetrical results that look completely natural.

Choosing Your Breast Implants

Selecting the right breast implants involves more than simply choosing a size. At our San Diego practice, we guide you through a comprehensive selection process that considers your body frame, tissue characteristics, lifestyle, and aesthetic preferences. Our surgeons offer the latest FDA-approved implant options from trusted manufacturers, including Allergan, Sientra and Mentor.

Saline Implants

Filled with a sterile saltwater solution after placement, saline implants offer several distinct advantages. The ability to adjust volume during surgery allows for precise symmetry correction, while smaller incisions are possible since the implants are inserted empty. In the unlikely event of rupture, your body safely absorbs the saline solution, and deflation is immediately noticeable, providing peace of mind. While sometimes firmer than silicone alternatives, saline implants remain a popular choice for women who value the safety profile and adjustability these implants provide. Women who have a moderate amount of breast tissue to start are often the best candidates for saline implants.

The cost-effectiveness of saline implants makes them an attractive option for many patients. Additionally, because they’re filled during surgery, minor volume adjustments can be made to achieve optimal symmetry, which is particularly beneficial for women with subtle breast size differences. FDA-approved for women 18 and older, saline implants have provided satisfying results for countless patients at our La Jolla practice.

Silicone Gel Implants

Silicone implants contain a cohesive gel that closely mimics the feel of natural breast tissue, making them our most requested option. Available in various profiles and projection levels, these pre-filled implants create soft, natural-looking results with decreased risk of visible rippling. The latest generation of silicone implants features enhanced cohesive gel formulations that maintain their shape while providing a remarkably natural feel that many patients prefer.

Modern silicone implants have evolved significantly from earlier generations, featuring stronger shells and more cohesive gel formulations that reduce the risk of silent rupture. While FDA guidelines recommend periodic monitoring with MRI or ultrasound, many women find the superior aesthetic qualities of silicone implants worth this additional consideration. Available to women 22 and older, silicone implants offer exceptional versatility in achieving various aesthetic goals.

Gummy Bear Implants

Although many people refer to the newer generation of silicone implants as “gummy bear” implants, true gummy bear implants are highly cohesive silicone implants that feature a form-stable gel that maintains its shape even if the outer shell is compromised. The thicker consistency reduces the risk of rippling while providing excellent upper pole fullness and projection.

Named for their gummy bear-like firmness, these implants offer exceptional durability and shape retention, making them most useful in breast reconstruction following mastectomy procedures. As a result of the more cohesive silicone gel, the implants are much firmer and less natural feeling and are often not as beneficial in breast augmentation procedures.

Surgical Techniques and Placement Options

The artistry of breast augmentation lies in customizing the procedure to achieve your desired outcome. Our surgeons consider multiple factors when planning your surgery, including your anatomy, lifestyle and aesthetic goals. These decisions significantly impact your results and recovery experience.

Incision Locations

Your surgeon will review options and can recommend the most appropriate incision location based on your anatomy, implant type, and personal preferences.

Inframammary Incision

The inframammary incision, placed within the natural fold beneath the breast, provides excellent surgical access and typically heals to a fine line hidden within the crease. This approach works well for all implant types and allows precise pocket creation.

Periareolar Incision

The periareolar incision follows the lower border of the areola, where the color transition helps camouflage the scar. This approach can sometimes limit the size of the implant if the areola is small. It provides direct access for precise implant positioning. Women with sufficient areolar diameter often achieve excellent scar concealment with this technique. If done correctly, there is no greater risk of losing nipple sensation compared to other approaches.

Transaxillary Incision

The transaxillary approach places the incision within the natural folds of the armpit, leaving no scars on the breast itself. Using specialized instruments and sometimes endoscopic guidance, surgeons create the implant pocket and position the implant through this remote incision. This technique works particularly well for saline implants that can be filled after placement. It does not allow for secondary procedures, and often, another incision is required should any revisionary surgery become necessary. Implants may also have a tendency to be too high in position with this approach.

Implant Placement

Subglandular Placement

Subglandular placement positions the implant between breast tissue and the chest muscle. This approach typically involves less discomfort and a shorter recovery period. Women with adequate breast tissue coverage can achieve excellent results with this placement, enjoying a natural feel and appearance without muscle-related animation. However, there is a higher risk for capsular contraction with this approach.

Submuscular Placement

Submuscular placement positions the implant partially (dual plane) or completely beneath the pectoralis major muscle. This technique provides additional soft tissue coverage, reducing the risk of visible rippling and lowering capsular contracture rates. The transition from upper chest to the breast looks more natural with this approach. While recovery may involve more initial discomfort due to muscle stretching, most women find the long-term benefits worth this temporary consideration.

Your Breast Augmentation Consultation

Your journey begins with a thorough consultation at our La Jolla office, where you’ll meet with either Dr. William Umansky or Dr. Jeffrey Umansky. This unhurried appointment allows us to understand your aesthetic goals, evaluate your anatomy, and discuss all aspects of your procedure. Using a time-tested sizing approach, we help you visualize potential results, so that you can make an informed decision about implant selection.

During your consultation, we perform detailed measurements of your chest wall, breast width, and tissue characteristics. This careful analysis guides our recommendations for implant size, profile, and placement to achieve optimal results while respecting your natural anatomy. We encourage questions and provide comprehensive information about the procedure, recovery process and long-term considerations.

Our surgeons take time to understand your lifestyle, discussing your daily activities, exercise habits, and future plans which might influence implant selection. Whether you’re an active athlete requiring implants that won’t interfere with movement or a professional seeking subtle enhancement, we tailor recommendations to support your lifestyle while achieving your aesthetic goals.

The Surgical Experience

On the day of your breast augmentation, you’ll arrive at our AAAASF-accredited surgical facility, where our experienced team prioritizes your comfort and safety throughout the procedure. While you’re under general anesthesia administered by a board-certified anesthesiologist, your surgeon creates precise incisions in predetermined locations to minimize visible scarring.

The surgical process typically takes one to one and a half hours, during which your surgeon meticulously creates the implant pocket, ensures proper positioning, and confirms symmetry before closing incisions with fine sutures. Our surgeons’ attention to detail during this critical phase establishes the foundation for beautiful, long-lasting results.

Breast Augmentation Recovery and Results

Patients return home the same day as their surgery, beginning a recovery process our team carefully monitors and supports. Initial discomfort is well-managed with prescribed medications, and many women find they can return to light activities within several days. We provide detailed post-operative instructions and remain available throughout your healing journey to address any concerns.

The first week involves the most significant healing, with swelling and bruising gradually subsiding. Most patients feel comfortable returning to work within three to five days, though this varies based on individual healing and job requirements. We recommend avoiding strenuous exercise and heavy lifting for four to six weeks to allow proper healing and implant settling.

While you’ll notice an immediate change in breast size and shape, final results develop over several months as swelling subsides and the implants settle into position. This settling process creates the natural, soft appearance that characterizes successful breast augmentation. Patients often express amazement at how natural their results appear once fully healed.

Long-Term Satisfaction and Care

Studies consistently show breast augmentation maintains one of the highest satisfaction rates among cosmetic procedures. Our patients report enhanced confidence in clothing, improved body proportions, and a renewed sense of femininity that extends far beyond physical appearance. Many express surprise at the positive impact on their overall quality of life, from increased comfort in social situations to enhanced intimate relationships.

While breast implants are designed for longevity, they’re not considered lifetime devices. Regular monitoring through self-examination and routine follow-up appointments helps your implants remain in excellent condition. We maintain long-term relationships with our patients, providing ongoing support and addressing any concerns that may arise over time.

Why Choose Umansky Plastic Surgery?

When you select Umansky Plastic Surgery for your breast augmentation in San Diego, you’re choosing a practice with a distinguished legacy of excellence. Dr. William Umansky, recognized as one of America’s Most Compassionate Surgeons, combines technical precision with genuine care for each patient’s well-being. His extensive experience includes fellowship training in aesthetic surgery and recognition by physician peers as one of San Diego’s Physicians of Exceptional Excellence.

Dr. Jeffrey Umansky brings advanced training from prestigious institutions, including Cleveland Clinic and Harvard, offering care that meets the highest standards in plastic surgery. His dedication to achieving natural-looking results has earned him grateful patients who praise his artistic vision and meticulous surgical technique.

Define Your Ideal Proportions With Breast Augmentation in La Jolla

Discover how breast augmentation at Umansky Plastic Surgery can help you achieve full, shapely breasts and a more balanced figure. Contact our La Jolla office at 858-281-4560 to schedule your consultation with Dr. William Umansky or Dr. Jeffrey Umansky. During this comprehensive appointment, we’ll create a personalized treatment plan designed to deliver beautiful, confidence-enhancing results that complement your natural beauty.

Your aesthetic journey awaits at San Diego’s trusted destination for natural-looking breast enhancement.

Breast Augmentation with Natrelle^®

Breast Augmentation Planner

Allergan has prepared this information to help you better understand the breast implant procedure and assist you in making an informed decision about breast augmentation or revision-augmentation surgery. It will also provide you with specific information about the risks and benefits of Allergan’s NATRELLE ® Silicone-Filled Breast Implants.

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Important Factors to Consider

This brochure provides you a high level overview of the facts about breast implant surgery with Allergan’s FDA-Approved NATRELLE® Silicone-Filled Breast Implants. This brochure is not intended to replace consultation with your surgeon.