Breast Augmentation in Washington, DC

What is Breast Augmentation?

If you are unhappy with the size of your breasts and are looking for enhancement, we offer breast augmentation for our patients in Washington D.C. and surrounding areas. Breast augmentation is a surgical procedure that uses silicone gel or saline breast implants to enhance the size and shape of your breasts. All of our Board Certified Plastic Surgeons at West End Plastic Surgery work closely with you to ensure your breast augmentation goes smoothly.

Ideal Candidates for Breast Augmentation

If you are in good health and have realistic expectations regarding the results of your breast augmentation surgery, you are an ideal candidate for the procedure. Although surgery can enhance the size and shape of your breasts, it is important to understand the limitations of the breast enhancement procedure.

At our Washington, D.C. office, our surgeons thoroughly discuss the procedure, along with its limitations, during your initial consultation.

breast augmentation west end plastic surgery washington dc

If your breasts are sagging due to pregnancy, weight loss, aging, or loss of muscle tone, a breast lift, or mastopexy, can be performed to enhance your breast augmentation.

Benefits of Breast Augmentation Surgery

Women choose to have breast augmentation for many reasons. Breast surgery can:

  • Enlarge your breasts to a more desirable size
  • Correct a noticeable imbalance in the size of your breasts (asymmetry)
  • Correct sagging or ptotic breasts
  • Reconstruct one or more breasts after breast surgery

What Our Patients Say

"West End Plastic Surgery is truly the best! I had the most amazing experience with Dr. Ruff and his team back in April when I had my breast augmentation. They have been very responsive and supportive throughout the process and are always on top of their patients! I’m so glad that I chose West End Plastic Surgery to get my procedure done. I have never been so happy with my experience and amazing results!"

- Kyla Yesenosky

Breast Enhancement Consultation

doctor holding both hands out with breast implant in each, one saline, one silicone, showing them to female patient

Prior to scheduling your surgery, your surgeon and our staff will meet with you for a thorough consultation. We will evaluate your breasts and discuss how you want them to look after the procedure. With the guidance of the staff at West End Plastic Surgery, you will decide the type of implants to be used, as well as their size, position, texture, and shape.

Your surgeon and staff will:

  • Review the various breast augmentation options with you
  • Clearly discuss the potential risks of the procedure
  • Outline in detail how we perform the surgery and what you can expect before, during, and after the procedure
  • Provide detailed cost and payment information
  • Discuss current FDA regulations governing the use of implants
  • Answer all of your questions

You will need to provide:

  • Details about your medical history
  • A list of all medication you currently take, including over-the-counter medications such as aspirin, vitamins, and herbal supplements
  • Information regarding your tobacco and alcohol use

How Much Does a Breast Augmentation Cost in Washington, DC?

The cost of a Breast Augmentation starts at around $6,500. The price will vary depending on the extent of treatment necessary to deliver your desired results. During your consultation, our surgeons will assess your cosmetic goals and develop a treatment plan tailored to meet them. The starting price is provided for your convenience, and it is important to note that it does not encompass facility or anesthesia fees. The comprehensive cost, inclusive of all potential fees, will be confirmed during your visit.

We also offer financing options, including CareCredit® and Alphaeon®, to help you with the cost of your cosmetic surgery.

topless woman before and after breast augmentation with larger breasts after procedure

We’re as thrilled with our patients’ results as they are. Check out our before-and-after photo gallery and see for yourself the kind of work our talented surgeons do.

What Type Of Implants Should I Get?

Silicone Vs. Saline Breast Implants

All breast implants available in the U.S. today have a silicone outer covering called the shell. The choice comes down to the fill material, which can either be saline (a sterile saltwater solution) or silicone. The following table answers common questions for each type of implant.

When Are They Filled?

Saline

Filled after placement, so the volume can be adjusted and incisions can be tiny

Silicone

Pre-filled and therefore require slightly larger incisions than saline

How Old Do I Have To Be?

Saline

At least 18, or any age for breast reconstruction

Silicone

At least 22, or any age for breast reconstruction

What Do They Feel Like?

Saline

Firmer than silicone

Silicone

Soft, doughy, and more like real breast tissue than saline

What Makes These A Good Choice?

Saline

If you want the smallest incisions or have sufficient breast tissue to cover the implant

Silicone

If you have very little breast tissue, are thin, or want to minimize rippling

What Happens If There Is A Leak Or Rupture?

Saline

Deflate quickly

Silicone

May not deflate at all and require an MRI to detect

Silicone Implant Options

Silicone implants continue to increase in popularity whether for primary breast augmentation or an elective implant exchange through revision breast surgery. West End Plastic Surgery offers only FDA-approved silicone breast implants, which generally fall into the following 2 categories according to their consistency:

  • Cohesive silicone gel brands including Allergan Natrelle® and Mentor MemoryGel® feel soft and pliant, and they hold together even when cut (see image).
Mentor MemoryGel Implant Cut in Half
Mentor MemoryGel Implant Cut in Half
  • Highly cohesive or form-stable silicone implants (also called “gummy bear” implants) such as Sientra® Silimed-brand, Mentor MemoryShape®, and Allergan Natrelle® 410 shaped implants feel soft and slightly firmer than cohesive silicone gel implants, and they retain their shape better when the patient is standing upright (see demonstration video).

See how a Mentor MemoryShape highly cohesive breast implant holds together when cut.

What Is The Right Size Implant For Me?

One of the first things women ask about when choosing breast implants is which size is right. Your surgeon will make the decision easy and often a fun process! They can help you figure this important choice out using several different approaches:

  • Reviewing photos of women who are the size you want to be.
  • Using a 3-D imaging software system that takes digital images of you and creates a simulation of what you might look like with various types and sizes of implants.
  • Providing breast implant “sizers” for you to try on. These are like temporary silicone implants of varying sizes that can be placed into a stretchable bra and worn under a fitted, solid-color T-shirt. It’s a good way to visualize how you might look in clothes.

Once your surgeon has a clear understanding of the size you want to be, he or she will determine the implant size that will get you there, taking in account your existing breast tissue, breast skin, and chest wall anatomy.

saline-implants

Profile & Projection of Breast Implant

Both saline and silicone breast implants are available in various profiles, also called projections. An implant profile is a term that describes the width and depth of the implant. A low-profile implant (top) is wider and flatter than a high-profile implant (bottom), which is more narrow and projects farther (is deeper from front to back). Depending on the implant brand, there are other projections that fall in between the high and low profiles.

These options enable Dr. Ruff to help you attain your desired breast shape in a way that fits naturally with your unique breast anatomy, the width of your chest, and the way your breasts sit on your chest. Properly chosen, the right implant profile can enhance your breasts in the way you want, such as increasing fullness at the top of the breasts or filling out the cleavage between the breasts.

breast-implant-profiles

Breast Implant Shape

Another option for both silicone and saline implants is the shape, which can either be round or shaped (also called anatomical, teardrop, or contoured). Round implants increase overall breast fullness and are a popular choice. Teardrop implants reflect a natural breast shape with a gentle slope and more fullness at the bottom.

side view illustration of two different kinds of breast implants: shaped implant with natural upper contour and rounded implant with rounded upper contour

Breast Augmentation Procedure

Your breast augmentation procedure will be performed in our state-of-the-art surgical suite or at one of the area hospitals where our surgeons operate. Dr. Ruff and their staff are dedicated to ensuring your complete comfort during and after the procedure. The surgery generally takes 1 to 2 hours to complete. It is performed under general anesthesia.

During the procedure, the surgeon makes a small incision in each breast area in order to insert the implants. Your individual anatomy determines the best place for incisions. Your surgeon will make every effort to place the incision in a way that minimizes any resulting scars. Once the incision is made, your surgeon lifts the breast tissue and skin to create a pocket to hold the implant. The pocket will be either directly behind your breast tissue or beneath your chest wall muscle.

Either silicone or saline implants will be centered beneath the nipple. They may use an innovative device called the Keller Funnel™ to insert the implants. This device, which looks much like a pastry bag, enables them to minimize the incision size and insert the implants without touching them or using force.

Your surgeon may inject a local numbing medication called EXPAREL® into the surgical areas to provide pain relief after surgery for approximately 72 hours. The incisions are closed and may be taped to add support. A special surgical bra placed over the breasts keeps them in the best position for healing.

Breast Enlargement with Fat Transfer

An increasingly popular option for breast enlargement is using fat taken from other areas of the body to enlarge the breasts. Our Board Certified Plastic Surgeons expertise in this fat transfer technique offers their patients a soft, natural alternative to breast implants.

The procedure, sometimes called fat grafting, is a 3-step process completed during a single operation that takes up to 2 hours. Fat transfer breast augmentation includes:

  • Liposuction to collect the fat from another area
  • Purifying the fat
  • Injection into the breasts

All of our surgeons use a liposuction technique called VASERlipo™ that is ideal for harvesting fat in grafting procedures. This precise and gentle approach to liposuction excels at preserving the viability of the fat cells once they are injected into the breasts. Your surgeon will use a microcannula – a specialized instrument – to perform dozens of tiny injections, layering the fat so that the results look beautifully natural.

A good candidate for this natural approach to breast augmentation desires a modest increase in the size of her breasts. For example, a patient who wants to increase from an A cup to a B cup would benefit from the fat transfer technique. Patients who want a larger boost are better candidates for implants or serial fat grafting procedures. The best way to know if fat grafting is a good approach for you is to consult with your surgeon.

Patients recovering after fat transfer breast augmentation experience some discomfort in the area of the body where the liposuction is performed. Otherwise, the recovery is generally quite comfortable, and most patients return to work or their regular activities within a few days.

A video of Dr. Ruff performing a Breast Augmentation with Fat Transfer:

Recovery After Breast Augmentation Surgery

In most cases, patients are ready to go home shortly after the procedure. Because you may be a bit sleepy after the anesthesia and will experience a good deal of soreness in the area of your incisions, it is important for someone to drive you home after your surgery. You may also want to have someone stay with you for the first few days after the surgery.

During the first 24 to 48 hours after your procedure, you will feel tired from the anesthesia and sore from the surgery. Your plastic surgeon will prescribe pain medication to alleviate much of your discomfort, which usually improves rapidly after the first 2 days.

You can take a shower or bath the day after your surgery; however, don’t let the bandages covering your incisions get wet for more than a minute or so. You can remove the special elastic bra (placed over your breasts after the surgery) during your shower or bath, but it must be worn at all other times (even while sleeping) for the first 2 weeks after your surgery.

Young woman wearing a compressing bra after a breast enhancement surgery

If gauze dressings have been placed over your breasts during surgery, they will be removed after a few days. Your first post-operative visit usually takes place 2 to 3 days after surgery. Subsequent visits are scheduled every 1 to 2 weeks for the first 6 weeks and then every 1 to 2 months for the next 6 months. In addition, a massage program will be demonstrated at the first or second post-operative visit. This program is to help ensure implants remain soft and should be performed 4 to 5 times a day for the first 6 months after surgery.

Immediately After, 1-Day Post-Op, and Recovery Video:

This video shows what to expect immediately after a Breast Augmentation and 1-day post-op. Dr. Ruff is also going over your recovery instructions, such as implant massages and range of motion exercises. The massage program demonstrated is to help ensure implants remain soft and should be performed 4 to 5 times a day for the first 6 months after surgery.

Guidelines For Your Breast Surgery Recovery

Everyone heals at different rates and you are the best judge of when you are ready for certain activities. Here are some general guidelines:

  • You can most likely return to work or school within 3 to 5 days after your procedure unless your work is strenuous.
  • You can resume driving as soon as you can turn the steering wheel without pain, usually within a week for cars with power steering and a little longer for manual steering.
  • Two weeks after surgery, you can begin to sleep without the special elastic bra you’ve been wearing. However, you should continue to wear this bra during the day for 4 to 6 weeks after your surgery, unless otherwise instructed by your surgeon.
  • When you begin to wear your own bras again, you will probably be more comfortable wearing a bra without underwire support until your incisions are healed.
  • You should always wear a bra, except while sleeping, for 4 to 6 weeks following your surgery. At your follow-up appointment, the doctor will let you know when you can begin to go without a bra.
  • Strenuous exercise can begin about 3 weeks after surgery. Our patients are encouraged to plan an exercise program and discuss it with the staff prior to resuming exercise.
  • The scars on your breasts should be protected from sunlight for at least a year after surgery.

Breast Augmentation Results

breast augmentation west end plastic surgery in washington dc

Results of your breast augmentation are long-term. However, keep in mind that as your body ages, your breasts may sag somewhat and the skin may wrinkle over time. Many patients wish to have their implants adjusted over time to maintain as youthful a figure as possible, but this is not a necessity.

Risks of Breast Surgery

Like all surgical procedures, there are risks with breast augmentation. During your pre-surgical consultation with your surgeon, we will assess and discuss your individual risks and determine if you are a good candidate for breast augmentation.

As with any surgery, you can help reduce the risks associated with your breast augmentation by closely following the instructions provided to you by our staff. Your surgeon and their team will be with you every step of the way to ensure a safe and pleasing outcome.

Will Insurance Cover My Breast Augmentation?

Except in cases of reconstruction, breast augmentation is considered a cosmetic treatment and, therefore, is not covered by your insurance. You are responsible for the full payment for your procedure. Cost and payment information will be discussed in detail with you during your initial consultation.

Schedule a Breast Augmentation Consultation

If you’re in the Washington, D.C. area and considering breast augmentation, contact West End Plastic Surgery. Request a consultation online or call our office at 202-785-4187 to schedule a consultation.

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