RESULTS OF DIFFERENT PATTERNS OF BREAST LIFT, MASTOPEXY OR REDUCTION. NJ Published on February 23, 2013 Dr. Rafizadeh There are several techniques in performing a breast lift (mastopexy) and breast reduction. Traditionally an anchor shape or inverted T shaped closure is used to create an ideal breast shape. Several other closure patterns have been popularized in order to limit the scaring on the breast, but it is important to understand that these techniques do not necessarily produce the same results. Shorter scars is obviously desirable and is the reason many patients may opt for these options, but it is important for the [...]

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new silicone-gel breast implant from Sientra, making it the third company to market the controversial products in the U.S. This will be the third company offering silicone breast implants in the US. The implants are approved for breast augmentation or reconstruction in women who are at least 22 years old. Breast augmentation remains very popular. According to the statistics performed by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 307,000 procedures were performed last year in the US; an increase of 3.6 % from the previous year. Is it good to have another company [...]

Does breast augmentation produce a breast lift? This is a common question from my patients in Morristown, New Jersey, but I think there is quite a bit of controversy around this subject. I was watching a video by one of the leading plastic surgeons attempting to bust some myths about breast augmentation and he mentioned that breast implants do not lift the breasts. Then I looked around on the web and noticed that it seems to be a generally accepted notion that breast implants do not lift the breasts. Through my own experience, I have to admit that I do [...]

This is fortunately not a very difficult decision to make. I prefer smooth implants and I will tell you why. I am not the only one to like smooth implants, in fact the majority of plastic surgeons like them as well. Before there was textured implants we used an implant covered with a layer of polyurethane. Those days the silicone gel wasn’t really a gel, like Jello. It was more like honey and the implant’s  membrane  was very thin. The gel used to come out of the membrane and cause irritation of the capsule, a phenomenon called gel bleed. The [...]

Silicone Or Gel Breast Implants NJ. Both implants are made of a silicone polymer membrane that holds either saline or silicone gel. When I started my practice in 1984 we only used gel filled implants. Very few plastic surgeons used saline filled implants. Then all of a sudden a media frenzy started about the silicone gel implants. It was said that they were dangerous and could cause all kinds of diseases. Every woman with a little joint pain was asked to remove her implants. The lawyers started suing the manufacturers and sometimes the doctors who put these implants in. The [...]

Breast implants in chinese patients in New Jersey. In my breast augmentation patients in Morristown New Jersey, I have noticed distinct differences between the Caucasian and oriental patients. These differences are not only anatomical, but psychological and cultural. There are also differences in style and taste. These differences affect the choice of implants as far as dimension, projection and volume. The oriental patient is more reserved and conservative, only asking for a small change in breast size. Anatomically the oriental breast is wider and has less projection, therefore my implant of choice is a wider base implant that matches the [...]

This could be a blow to medical tourism. There is apparently an unusual rate of silicone leakage from the implants made by a french firm by the name of Poly Implant Prosthese (PIP). This company was liquidated in 2010, but 300,000 implants were already sold for cosmetic breast augmentation world wide. The implants were used in Australia, South America and many European countries. The french government would pay to remove all PIP implants, but only the reconstructive patients would be eligible for replacement of their implants. The silicone in the PIP implants were of industrial grade which is not approved for [...]

Prophylactic mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction in New Jersey If you are at high risk of developing breast cancer a prophylactic (preventative) mastectomy is usually recommended. Patients with a strong family history of breast cancer and or a positive BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations are at higher risks of developing breast cancer. They may have from 35% to 85% chances of developing breast cancer by the age 70. There are other conditions like previous history of breast cancer with combined family history or history of radiation therapy before the age of 30 that increase your risks. If you are told [...]

  Quick recovery breast augmentation is a technique that I learned from Dr Tebbet years ago and have been practicing it for many years in New Jersey. It involves the use of electrocautery for dissection of the breast pocket with no blunt dissection. The bleeding is less because all blood vessels are cauterized. Recently with better lighted detractors and slightly wider incision for inserting a silicone implants, it is easier to minimize trauma to the rib cage and make the recovery less painful and quicker. The pain after breast augmentation is usually related to the trauma to the periosteum, the [...]

The FDA has required an MRI three years after a silicone breast implants and every subsequent two years. Many patients find this difficult to do and the insurance companies do not always cover the cost of the MRI that ranges between $500 to $2000. It is recommended to remove and exchange the implants, if there is evidence of rupture. I am not sure how important this kind of routine surveillance is for the overall health of my patients, but I have recommended that the patients follow the FDA guidelines and the manufacturer's requirements. I found this announcement by Dr Andrew [...]