Fat in Your Breasts

All women have some fat in their breasts, although the amount of fat can differ dramatically from one woman to the next. While some breasts are up to 56% fat in total volume, others contain as little as 7% fat. With that in mind, if you burn calories from exercise and a calorie-deficient diet, it is certainly possible to see your breasts shrink as a result. However, any change in breast size can be just as dependent on the composition of your breast volume as the amount of work you put into losing weight.

Another factor is how your body stores fat. In theory, fat should be evenly distributed to the fat cells throughout your body, but genetically you may be prone to fat storage in certain areas. You probably already know that if you gain weight, you cannot expect all that extra weight to go straight to your breasts. The same is true when you lose weight. Most likely, you will see fat reduction in your breasts that is proportional to fat loss in other areas. However, you cannot guarantee where fat reduction will be most visible.

What This Means for Your Cosmetic Goals

Whether your goal is to shrink the size of your breasts or lose weight without reducing the volume of your breasts, the good news is that you have some cosmetic options to make your contours look the way you would like.

If after losing weight you are no longer pleased with the size and shape of your breasts, you can enhance them with breast augmentation. Breast implants are a safe and easy way to achieve your preferred breast profile.

However, if you want to deliberately shrink the size of your breasts, you will probably see the best results with breast reduction. This surgery removes fat and other tissue from your oversized breasts to create proportions that better complement your figure.

Finally, if you have lost a significant amount of weight, you may discover that your breasts are prematurely droopy due to loose skin. Fortunately, Dr. Raj can perform breast lift (which can be combined with either of the other breast procedures) to re-elevate the breasts so that they look youthful.

Schedule a Consultation

Dr. Raj is a popular plastic surgeon who specializes in breast procedures. If you are unhappy with the appearance of your breasts before or after weight loss and would like to make cosmetic improvements, please schedule a consultation by calling 440-808-8030.

The post Will My Breasts Shrink If I Lose Weight? appeared first on Raj Plastic Surgery.

In this post, Dr. Raj explains some of the unique breast augmentation considerations for thin or athletic women.

Implant Size

If you’re slender or athletic, you may wonder whether breast implants will look natural on your frame. Ultimately implants should complement your natural body type, not overwhelm you.

The size of your breast implants will factor into how natural your results look. A modestly sized pair of implants can help you achieve the beautiful curves you want without making you appear “top heavy.”

Dr. Raj will discuss your options with you and help you select appropriately sized implants based on your height, weight and goals. He will take measurements of your chest to ensure your implants fit your chest and do not sit too close together.

Dr. Raj can also show you before and after examples of other thin or athletic women he has worked with, so you can get an idea of how different size implants look on someone with a body type similar to yours.

Under the Muscle vs. Over the Muscle

Implant placement is another factor to consider, as the position of your implants affects the final results. Placing implants under the glandular breast tissue and above the chest muscle may not offer adequate coverage. While placing implants underneath the chest muscle offers greater coverage, the implants could shift noticeably when flexing the chest muscles.

After a thorough physical evaluation, Dr. Raj can go over submuscular versus subglandular implant placement and help you make the right choice for your body type and goals.

Recovery Considerations

If you exercise or play sports regularly, you may have some concerns about the recovery and downtime rather than the implants or surgery. Plan to take several weeks off after your breast augmentation surgery so your body can recuperate.

Dr. Raj will advise you as to your specific recovery timeframe; in general, he asks patients to refrain from strenuous activity for six to eight weeks as the breasts heal. It is important to follow his recovery instructions to minimize the risk of an adverse complication. You can resume light exercise such as walking as soon as you feel ready.

When resuming your regular exercise routine or sports activities, it is quite common to experience a slight adjustment period. Your balance, range of motion and gait may be slightly different as you get used to your newly enhanced breasts. Eventually you will learn how to adapt to your enhanced breasts and they should not interfere with your hobbies or lifestyle.

For more information about breast augmentation for thin or athletic women, please request a consultation with Dr. Raj. Call or email us today to schedule your appointment.

The post Things To Know About Breast Augmentation for Thin or Athletic Women appeared first on Raj Plastic Surgery.

Dr. Joyesh Raj, one of Cleveland’s finest breast augmentation surgeons, hopes this post helps to shed some light on these concerns.

Nursing With Implants

Plastic surgeons agree that breast implants generally do not interfere with the ability to breastfeed. Although this is a common assumption, in most cases it is not true. The only reason why breast implants may affect breastfeeding is if they are placed through an incision around or under the area that causes nerve damage or impacts the viability of the milk ducts.

Furthermore, breastfeeding generally does not damage or ruin breast implants. The implants are protected by the breast tissue and, depending on how they were placed, sometimes the chest muscle. While nursing, the baby cannot bite or otherwise harm implants.

Although breastfeeding won’t change your implants, unfortunately the same is not always true for natural breast tissue and skin. The natural breast tissue enlarges during pregnancy as the breasts engorge with milk. This stretches the skin of the breasts. After pregnancy and breastfeeding, the breasts may stay the same size, or they may go back to their pre-pregnancy size. Unfortunately, in some cases where the breasts shrink, the skin has stretched too far to contract over the now-smaller breasts. The result is loose, saggy breast skin, deflated-looking breasts and low or downward-pointing nipples. Losing a significant amount of weight after pregnancy can also cause the breasts to lose fullness and further droop or sag.

In this scenario, it is common to undergo subsequent breast surgery (e.g., breast lift) to recapture a youthful and appealing breast appearance.

Every Woman Is Different

It is very difficult to determine how your breasts will change with pregnancy. Every woman is unique and even every pregnancy is unique. If, after pregnancy and breastfeeding, you are left feeling unhappy with the way your breasts look, Dr. Raj can help. He offers options to help your breasts look full, voluptuous and perky again.

Contact our Westlake office today and request a consultation to discuss your treatment options.

The post How Does Breastfeeding Affect Breast Implants? appeared first on Raj Plastic Surgery.

It’s not that all of these women regret having large implants placed in the first place. Their choice to downsize usually has something to do with changes in lifestyle since the original implants were placed. Some women have children and find their implants get in the way of their active lifestyles; other women go through menopause and want more modestly sized breasts.

Whatever the motivation, Dr. Joyesh Raj is happy to help any patient that wishes to downsize her implants; he can help her attain a breast size that is more in line with her current lifestyle and personality.

How “Downsizing” Works

Prior to removing the original implants, Dr. Raj performs a thorough clinical evaluation of the patient’s breasts, and asks her to identify her ideal breast size and shape. Based on factors such as the size of the implants and the amount of natural breast tissue, Dr. Raj may recommend replacing the implants with a smaller pair or removing them altogether (a procedure known as breast “explant” surgery) without placing a new pair.

Is Breast Lift Needed?

Depending on the degree to which the patient wants to downsize, the position of the breast implants on the chest wall, and the elasticity of the breast tissue and skin, Dr. Raj may recommend a breast lift at the time of explant surgery. Patients that have gone through menopause are likely to have some amount of breast ptosis (i.e., sag) that needs to be rectified with breast lift — whether or not they opt to have implants placed. Even in younger women, the weight of large implants can cause the breasts to sag and the skin to lose some of its elasticity.

Replacing very large implants with a much smaller pair normally requires Dr. Raj to tighten the breast tissue and reduce the pocket in which the implants are positioned; otherwise, there is too much room for the breast implants to shift or rotate within the breast tissue.

It is always possible to exchange the implants and then wait and see if the results are satisfactory. If the patient is unhappy with the way her breasts look after downsizing her implants, she can opt for a breast lift later.

Schedule a Consultation with Dr. Raj

Patients that want to learn more about replacing breast implants with a smaller size can schedule a consultation with Dr. Joyesh Raj today. If you would like to view results from previous patients, visit our downsizing breast implants before and after photo gallery.

The post What You Need to Know About Downsizing Breast Implants appeared first on Raj Plastic Surgery.

Anytime a foreign object is placed in the body, the body responds by forming a thin membrane capsule around the object. Most of the time, this capsule stays thin but in a small number of breast augmentation cases, the capsule thickens and tightens around the implant, causing distortion and discomfort. This is generally thought to happen because of the presence of bacteria on the implant surface.

Read on as Cleveland breast augmentation surgeon Joyesh Raj explains what you should know about capsular contracture.

Capsular Contracture Symptoms

Capsular contracture can affect one or both breasts. The signs and symptoms of capsular contracture may develop slowly over time. They include the following:

• Breasts that look distorted
• Breasts that take on the shape of a ball
• Breasts that feel hard, tight or painful
• Visible rippling on the breasts

Capsular contracture is normally diagnosed during a physical examination with the plastic surgeon. Doctors measure the severity of capsular contracture based on the Baker grading system:

Grade I: Soft, normal-looking breasts

Grade II: Slightly firm, normal-looking breasts

Grade III: Firm, abnormal-looking breasts

Grade IV: Painful, distorted-looking breasts

Treating Capsular Contracture

The best way to treat capsular contracture is to surgically remove the affected implant(s) and release the scar tissue. The implant(s) can be replaced if desired.

Preventing Capsular Contracture

Although there is no guaranteed method to avoid capsular contracture, plastic surgeons can use several techniques to reduce the risk of the complication. For instance, some plastic surgeons use a device called the Keller Funnel to insert the implants into the breast tissue without touching the implants; this is thought to reduce the chance of bacterial contamination.

Some surgeons also believe that placing implants under the chest muscle lowers the chances of capsular contracture, as the movement and gentle massage provided by the muscle discourages the capsule from thickening around the implant.

The most important step that you can take to reduce your risk of capsular contracture is to work with an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon that has performed hundreds or thousands of breast augmentation procedures.

To make an appointment with Dr. Raj and discuss your breast augmentation options, please contact our office today.

The post What Is Capsular Contracture? appeared first on Raj Plastic Surgery.

Dr. Raj will help you choose the best technique, but you should also do your own online research so you can be informed about your options. Read on to review the pros and cons of each approach.

Over the Muscle (Subglandular) Pros and Cons

The over the muscle approach, also known as the subglandular technique, involves placing the implant between the natural breast tissue and the chest muscle. This technique tends to be more common among women with a good amount of native breast tissue, which provides natural coverage for the implant. Subglandular placement usually produces a more pronounced rounded look, which can be appealing to some women but not others.

Pros:

• Slightly easier surgical procedure
• Slightly shorter recovery time
• Less post-operative discomfort because the chest muscle stays intact
• Larger implants can be used
• No chance of implant distortion when flexing the chest muscle

Cons:

• Not recommended for women with little natural breast tissue
• Rippling may be more visible with saline implants
• Saline implants may be more palpable

Under the Muscle (Submuscular) Pros and Cons

The under the muscle or submuscular approach involves placing the implants below the chest muscle. This is usually a good option for women with little native breast tissue, as the muscle offers greater coverage. The results tend to look more natural than breasts that are placed above the muscle.

Pros:

• More implant coverage for a more natural look and feel
• Less chance of visible implant rippling
• Slightly lower chance of capsular contracture

Cons:

• Implants may be subject to distortion when the chest muscle contracts
• Slightly longer surgery and recovery period
• Recovery may be initially more uncomfortable than after subglandular placement
• Temporary loss of chest muscle strength after surgery

Learn More about Breast Augmentation

For more information about your breast augmentation options, Dr. Raj welcomes you to book a consultation at our Cleveland plastic surgery office. Please call or email us today to make an appointment.

The post Breast Implant Placement: Over vs. Under the Muscle appeared first on Raj Plastic Surgery.

Bigger Is Better

Now more than ever, patients are seeking plastic surgery to make tweaks to their appearance rather than a dramatic change. This is evident among breast augmentation patients, many of whom are requesting a more subtle breast size increase instead of overly large implants. Ultimately, each woman’s aesthetic concerns and goals are different. A board certified and experienced breast surgeon like Dr. Raj understands that breast enhancement surgery is an individualized procedure and will work with each patient to design a treatment plan that meets their desired outcome.

Breastfeeding with Implants Is Dangerous

Breastfeeding after breast enhancement is safe. Additionally, implants can be placed in a way that minimizes the risk of interfering with the milk ducts, so you can nurse after surgery. If you are concerned about nursing after surgery, please let Dr. Raj know during your initial consultation so he can design a treatment plan that will not affect your ability to breastfeed in the future.

Breast Augmentation Can Correct Sagginess

It’s not uncommon for women who want a bigger bust size to also want perkier breasts. While breast implants can create a more attractive breast shape and correct some sagging, they are not considered a good solution for sagging breasts. In some cases, breast implants can even worsen breast sag. If you are concerned about drooping, shapeless breasts, lift surgery may be a better solution. Dr. Raj can also combine breast lift surgery with implants to resize and reshape your breasts for fuller, perkier and younger-looking results.

Results Will Look Fake

Today’s implants are made to look and feel more natural than ever before. For optimal results, you should always work with a board certified plastic surgeon who specializes in breast augmentation surgery. A trained and experienced surgeon knows how to achieve natural-looking, attractive results that each patient can enjoy.

To learn more about your breast enhancement options, please schedule a consultation with Dr. Raj. Call (440) 808-8030 today.

The post 4 Common Myths about Breast Enhancement appeared first on Raj Plastic Surgery.