• Breast Augmentation
• Breast Lift
• Breast Reduction
• Breast Reconstruction

Breast Augmentation

Breast Augmentation can enhance your appearance and help build your self-confidence and self esteem. The best candidates for breast augmentation are:

• Women who are looking for improvement in their figure and are bothered by feelings that their breasts are too small.
• Women who have small breasts or loss of breast volume following breast-feeding are typically good candidates for breast augmentation.
• Woman whose breasts have become smaller and lost their firmness after having children.
• Women who have one breast that is noticeably smaller than the other.
• Women whose weight loss has changed the shape and/or size of their breasts. You should be in good physical condition and have realistic expectations to be a good candidate for the procedure.

A breast implant is a silicone shell filled with a saltwater solution known as saline. If the implant leaks, the saline is absorbed into the body. This is the same as if the saline were given as an IV fluid. The method of inserting and positioning the implant depends upon factors based on the patient's anatomy that are discussed during the initial consultation with the attending physician.

The incision can be placed in a number of different locations. Every effort is made by your doctor to assure that the incision is placed so the resulting scars will be as inconspicuous as possible. After the incision is made, a pocket is created under the breast tissue or under the pectoralis muscle. This pocket is just large enough to accommodate the implant. The implant is then positioned to give the best cosmetic result.

Following surgery, detailed instructions are given to the patient as to postoperative care and activity. All information regarding implants is discussed with the patient at the time of surgery.

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Breast Lift

As time passes, pregnancy, nursing, excessive weight loss and gravity have adverse effects on women's breasts causing them to lose their elasticity, firmness, and shape. A breast lift is a procedure that corrects this condition using a combination of removing excess breast tissue and tightening the remaining skin. If desired, implants may be used to restore breasts to their natural shape and size.

The best candidates for a breast lift (Mastopexy) are healthy, emotionally stable women who are realistic about the result they would like to achieve. A breast lift can enhance your appearance and your self-confidence. The best results are achieved on women with small, sagging breasts due to loss of skin elasticity secondary to pregnancy and / or nursing, or weight loss. Those who plan to have more children may want to postpone surgery as the process of pregnancy and breast-feeding may change the final result of the surgery.

Possible complications of the surgery include bleeding and infection which may cause scars to widen, (poor healing and wider scars are common in smokers). The procedure can also leave you with differently positioned nipples or a change in feeling in the nipple or breast.

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Breast Reduction

Women with very large, sagging breasts tend to have neck, back and shoulder pain. Patients find breast reduction surgery to greatly benefit their life. Patients not only have relief from their symptoms, but also retain the ability to exercise more efficiently, wear more fitting clothing and maintain a brighter psychological outlook. Of all surgeries that plastic surgeons perform, breast reduction ranks among the highest in patient satisfaction. Patients of most any age may have breast reduction surgery, however, most surgeons recommend waiting until after breasts have fully developed. Breast reduction surgery is not recommended for those women who intend to breast-feed.

You may be a good candidate for breast reduction if you have any of the following problems:

• neck, back or shoulder pain
• shoulder notching / furrowing from your bra strap
• heavy, sagging breasts
• breasts that are too large for your body size
• irritation and rash beneath your breasts
• difficulty with exercise and physical activities due to large heavy breasts
• one breast that is larger than the other creating significant asymmetry

During Breast Reduction surgery, fatty tissue in the breast, along with glandular tissue and excess skin are removed. By removing these elements, the breast can be pulled tighter making them lighter, smaller and firmer. Breast Reduction surgery is generally performed under general anesthesia, and usually takes 2 to 4 hours to complete. After your surgery, you will be wrapped in an elastic bandage or surgical bra over gauze for 2-3 days. You may have a drain placed in to allow excess fluid and or blood to drain from the incision. You can expect a recovery period of about two weeks.

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Breast Reconstruction

A significant part of plastic surgery is dedicated to restoring patients to a more normal appearance following surgery for cancer, trauma, accidents, or birth defects.

While aesthetic surgery is aimed at improving the appearance of normal structures, reconstructive surgery focuses on rebuilding a normal structure after it has been damaged by an accident or following cancer removal. Dr. Cohen has trained under surgeons who developed many of these reconstructive procedures including the simplification of tissue transfers, microsurgery, and the extensive area of cranio-facial surgery that are now practiced worldwide.

Breast reconstruction is designed to restore a breast to its original appearance following a mastectomy for breast cancer. Although the procedure can be performed many years following breast cancer surgery, recent advancements encourage patients to undergo breast reconstruction at the time of mastectomy. Reconstructive surgery can be done using either breast implants or by transferring a patient's own tissue, most commonly from the lower abdomen or back. Dr. Cohen will help determine your best options.

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