FAQ's about breast augmentation

Deciding whether augmentation is right for you:

Who should not have breast enlargement?
Who is a candidate for breast enlargement?
Are there any drawbacks to having larger breasts?
Are implants safe for a woman with MS (multiple sclerosis)?
Can a woman breast-feed after breast augmentation?
Is it true that there is usually no loss of sense of touch of the nipples?
I have a nipple ring, can I still have breast implants?
Do breasts with implants feel hot or cold?
Can implants achieve some lifting of sagging breasts?
Do breasts with implants experience sagging over time?
Isn't breast enlargement just a response to male standards of beauty?
I have a navel ring, can I still have the TUBA method done?
I have an umbilical hernia, can I still have the TUBA method done?
Why is the man in my life acting strange about my wanting breast augmentation?
How do men react to implanted breasts?

Before scheduling consultation:

How can I word my Internet Forum question so as to increase the likelihood that a plastic surgeon will answer it?
Why is access to the photos on your website restricted?
Why is there a consultation fee with some surgeons?
What is the cost of breast enlargement through the navel?
What about winning breast implants as a free prize in a contest?
Should I only go to a plastic surgeon on one of those "top-doc" lists in a magazine?
What about getting insurance to pay for the breast augmentation?
What is the consultation process for patients from out-of-state?
What is the consultation process for patients from out-of-country?

About Silicone:

What is an implant made of?
Is having silicone in the body safe?
What about the really scary websites about how horrible implants are?
When did the Court determine that silicone does not cause illness?
When did the National Institute of Medicine determine that silicone does not cause illness?
If silicone does not make people ill, why do the suits continue?
Do you do silicone gel implants?

About Implants:

What are the pros and cons of saline fill vs silicone gel fill?
Can salt-water filled implants harden like the silicone-filled ones?
How long do implants last?
Do implants have to be changed every ten years?
Where does the saltwater (saline) with which the implants are filled come from?
Is it true that the salt water in the implant does not expire?
Is it true that replacement surgery is fairly minor?
Is it true that implants have a lifetime warranty?
Is it true that water can go in and out through the implant shell?
What prevents bacteria from getting into implants?
What about that negative magazine article?
Is the umbilical method safe for implants?
What about mammograms after breast augmentation?
Can implants cause breast cancer?
What about filling the implants with fat or oil?
What is a "Spectrum" implant and why would someone want one?
What are the specifications for the different implants?
I was told to ask for the written "Inserts" the manufacturer puts in the implant packages.
Why did the FDA not let the implant manufacturers recommend the transaxillary or transumbilical methods?

About the consultation:

What is involved in the consultation?
What takes place during the Nurse Consult?
What takes place during the consultation with Dr.Dowden?
Why is the choice of size emphasized so strongly?
What if I or my significant other does not feel that Dr. Dowden is not a good match for us?
Is it possible that Dr. Dowden might decline to have me as a patient?
Will Dr. Dowden agree to operate to correct what another surgeon has done?
Will Dr. Dowden point out what another surgeon did wrong?
Will Dr. Dowden testify against another surgeon?

Decisions about the procedure:

How do I keep my breast augmentation private?
How can a woman decide what size implants she wants?
What is endoscopic surgery?
How does the shape of the ribs affect augmentation decisions?
What is minimally-invasive surgery?
What are the advantages of putting the implants in through the navel?
Are the results of transumbilical augmentation the same as with other methods?
Can every woman have her breast augmentation done through the navel?
Will the veins on the breast skin become more noticeable?
What is the difference between implants in-front-of vs behind the pectoral muscle?
Can you explain about textured vs smooth implants?
What is meant by wrinkling or rippling of implants?
Is the navel a good way for a woman who already has implants to have them re-operated?
Why are some doctors critical of putting implants in via the navel?
Why do so few Plastic Surgeons know how to put implants in via the navel?
My surgeon wants to learn how to do the TUBA method, will you show him/her?
What does the term "Optimal Fill" mean?
What is meant by the term "Implant Overfill"?
What are the drawbacks of larger sized implants?
Why is there so much conflicting information from different surgeons?

Preparing for the surgery:

Can I take herbal medicines before the operation?
Do I need to remove all piercing jewelry before operation?
Why must I stop use of nicotine before the operation?

Questions about the surgery:

How are the breast implants put in?
Can there be any complications after the belly-button breast augmentation?
Could someone ever die from breast implant surgery?
What is a "drain" and when is one used?
What about doing other operations at the same time?
Why must I have an adult stay with me the first night?
What is the "Band" or "Strap" that everyone talks about wearing after operation?
What is meant by the Rapid Recovery method?

After the surgery:

How much swelling is there after operation?
Do salt-water implants make noises, slosh, squeak or gurgle?
What is the recovery time after breast enlargement through the navel?
What is a hematoma after breast enlargement?
I can feel something like cords under my skin, could those be Mondors Cords?
How soon after breast augmentation surgery can I raise my arms up over my head?
Does having implants mean limits to any activities?
Is it true that I can wear any type of bra I want?
Is there really such a thing as the "postoperative Blues"?
What is a "Breast Compression Clamp" and what is it for?
Does TUBA affect the size or contour of the abdomen?
Can TUBA leave tunnel marks on the abdomen where the tunnels were?
Can a woman with implants fly at high altitudes?
Can a woman with implants scuba dive?
How can I word questions on an internet forum so as to get an answer from a doctor?

Long-term after breast implants:

Should implant patients take antibiotics for dental cleaning?
After augmentation, will my own breast tissue change size?
After augmentation with Silicone gel implants, how often does the FDA advise an M.R.I. to check for failure?
Is it true that if you had TUBA then re-operation can be done again though the navel?
What is involved if I later want to go bigger?
What is involved if I later want to go smaller?
What are the reasons for "re-do operations"?
What is the "double-bubble" look?
What is "symmastia"?
What is "bottoming out"?
What about massage of the breasts?
What do you say when people ask if they are real or implants?