-updt.png)
Breast Implants for Bryn Mawr, Newtown Square, Philadelphia, and the Main Line
If you want to change the shape and size of your breasts, you are not alone. Women around the country frequently choose breast augmentation, which has consistently been one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures performed in the United States for years. Breast augmentation in the Philadelphia area with Dr. Laura Gowen is no exception. Women in Bryn Mawr, Newtown Square, and beyond seek out breast implants at the Cirillo Center for Plastic Surgery for a variety of reasons, each of which is as unique as the patient. Who better than our breast fellowship-trained plastic surgeon, Laura Gowen, MD, to understand your needs?
A breast augmentation, sometimes referred to as a breast enhancement or boob job, can:
- Increase the size or volume of both breasts, known as breast enlargement
- Balance out asymmetry in the size and/or shape between each breast
- Make the breasts firmer
- Restore lost volume due to pregnancy, breastfeeding, or weight loss
- Reconstruct a breast due to damage from cancer, trauma, or a congenital abnormality
Contact the Cirillo Center for Plastic Surgery to schedule a consultation for breast augmentation. Dr. Laura Gowen will review your options and recommend the best options for you. To schedule a consultation in our Bryn Mawr office, Please BOOK ONLINE, call 610.672.0500, or Contact Us.
What are Breast Implants?
Breast implants are available in several shapes and sizes, and there are four FDA–cleared companies that currently manufacture them. All implants are comprised of a silicone shell that is either smooth or textured. Breast augmentation patients can choose between implants filled with saline or implants filled with silicone gel.
Saline implants can be filled after insertion; thus, it is possible to place these implants with slightly smaller incisions. Silicone gel implants are comprised of a firm gel, and many women feel that silicone implants actually mimic the natural look and feel of the breast more closely than saline implants.
Women considering which implant to get during a breast augmentation should know that a leak is unlikely, but possible, so annual visits and check–ups are encouraged after receiving a breast augmentation. A saline leak would cause the implant to noticeably deflate, and the saline fluid would safely be absorbed and then expelled by the body. Silicone gel, on the other hand, cannot be absorbed by the body in a safe manner, and may or may not flow out of the shell in the instance of a leak. This can make a silicone gel leak more challenging to detect.
You can ask Dr. Laura Gowen any questions you may have about the long–term realities of breast augmentation, maintenance, and more.
See The Latest Specials & Events
Find out what’s new at the Cirillo Center for Plastic Surgery. Our Specials page is updated monthly with the latest promotions available to our patients!
What Other Decisions Does Breast Augmentation Involve?
In addition to the internal composition or material of your breast implants, you and Dr. Gowen will discuss:
- The shell itself, which may be either textured or smooth
- The shape of the implant, which may be rounded or resemble a teardrop
- The size of the breast implants, including their width and height
- The placement of the implant, whether between the breast tissue and pectoral muscle (on top of the muscle), or between the pectoral muscle and chest wall (under the muscle)
- The placement of the incision, either at the crease under your breast, around the areola, or in the armpit or axilla
For breast augmentation in the Philadelphia area at Bryn Mawr’s Cirillo Center for Plastic Surgery, Dr. Laura Gowen uses one of two incisions for insertion of the implants: A periareolar incision is made in the border of the areola around the nipple, while an inframammary incision is made in the crease below the breast. The best option for a patient depends on a range of factors to be discussed at the initial consultation.
What Does the Breast Augmentation Procedure Entail?
The insertion of an implant depends on its size, shape, placement, and material—as well as the patient’s preference and doctor’s recommendation. Dr. Laura Gowen will work with each breast augmentation patient to create a treatment plan that meets her goals and lifestyle. Most commonly, incisions are made in the lower breast crease (inframammary fold). The scar is hidden by this natural fold and is easily concealed by bra and bathing suit lines. A second option involves placing the implant through an incision around the areola, the circle where the skin transitions from dark to light surrounding the nipple.
Finally, some women would prefer an incision in their axilla (armpit) as opposed to on their breast. This is known as a trans–axillary breast augmentation.
Each breast augmentation incision carries its own unique benefits and tradeoffs, and Dr. Laura Gowen will discuss the options thoroughly with you during your consultation.
Will a Breast Augmentation Address Sagging Breasts?
Breast augmentation can add volume to breasts, making them larger and firmer, but they will address only a small amount of sagging. Women who have sagging breasts due to age, weight loss, or breastfeeding may require a breast lift, with or without breast implants. This procedure raises the breasts higher on the chest and gives them more projection for a perkier and more uplifted look.
Meet Plastic Surgeon
Laura A. Gowen, M.D.
Board-certified and breast-fellowship trained plastic surgeon Laura A. Gowen, M.D., draws on her extensive experience and uses advanced techniques to create beautiful, natural results for both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery patients.
What Are My Other Options Besides Breast Augmentation?
Some women may want the opposite of breast augmentation for themselves, instead seeking out breast reduction surgery to alter the size of their breasts. Women who choose reduction often do so to address the appearance of their breasts, as well as the physical discomfort large breasts can cause as they pull downward. Such weight can cause back and shoulder tension and pain. Many women also choose to correct asymmetry between the breasts by reducing the size of the larger one, rather than augmenting the smaller one.
Altering the size and shape of your breasts is a very personal decision, which is why Dr. Gowen and her team take breast augmentation and other breast surgeries in our Philadelphia area offices (Bryn Mawr and Newtown Square) so seriously. You will find that she is a thorough surgeon who aims to get to the heart of each woman’s desire for change, ensuring that she is delivering the results each individual woman seeks with understanding, safety, and care.
Final Words on Breast Augmentation in Philadelphia
Since breast augmentation is such a personal—even intimate—decision, it is vitally important that women electing to receive the surgery at our Philadelphia–area practice be open and honest with Dr. Gowen as they discuss the options and steps involved. This includes being clear about hopes and expectations of your desired results, being upfront about your current health and medical history, and committing to listening to and actively following up with the doctor’s instructions for care before, during, and after surgery.
For women considering breast implants, before and after images are available to give an idea of what breast augmentation can do.
Contact Cirillo Center for Plastic Surgery, serving patients on the Main Line in the Bryn Mawr, Newtown Square, and Philadelphia area, to schedule a consultation for breast augmentation. Dr. Gowen will review and discuss which option might be best for you. To schedule a consultation, Please BOOK ONLINE, call 610.672.0500, or Contact Us.