Procedures
Breast Augmentation
Is breast augmentation right for you?
Breast augmentation is one of the most popular plastic surgeries performed today, due largely to a high rate of satisfaction with the results and increasing levels of safety and efficacy. Our patients often choose breast augmentation when they are self-conscious about their appearance because they feel that the size of their breasts does not complement the rest of their body. Augmentation enhances breast fullness and shape so patients are more comfortable with their body in different types of clothing and bathing suits. The Banff Plastic Surgery team has helped women achieve their aesthetic vision for their breasts for more than 30 years, and we enjoy working with each patient individually to ensure her results are just right for her goals, body shape and proportions.
Our clinic is widely recognized for breast augmentation, serving many women from Calgary, Edmonton, and across Alberta. We take pride in providing personalized care tailored to each patient’s unique needs and aesthetic goals. With a focus on safety, comfort, and satisfaction, our experienced team ensures that every aspect of the procedure is handled with the utmost professionalism. Many of our patients appreciate the collaborative approach we take during consultations, where we discuss their preferences and expectations in detail. Our commitment to excellence has made us a trusted choice for those seeking breast augmentation, and we are dedicated to helping women feel more confident and satisfied with their bodies.
Dr Hall-Findlay’s philosophy is to do the right thing (surgery or not) for the right patient at the right time for the right reason.
You can click on each heading below for more information.
Most patients are concerned mainly with improving the size of their breasts, but when we see a patient, we are looking at many different aspects of the breast apart from size. These include shape, chest and breast dimensions, skin quality, nipple position and areola size, level of the underwire or inframammary fold and the amount of natural tissue padding that is present to cover an implant. We have to look at your body and your breasts as a whole to make sure that an augmentation will not leave you with results that look “overdone” or unnatural.
It is important to understand that there is no one right way to perform breast augmentation. The technique your friend may have had or the results your favorite celebrity achieved may not be appropriate for you. During your in-person consultation with Dr. Elizabeth Hall-Findlay, she will review with you the various types of implants available as well as the different benefits and features of each type and style of implant. We all have different physical characteristics and we tend to view ourselves subjectively. What you see in the mirror can be very different from what we see in a photograph, so it is helpful to have an expert surgeon’s objective advice on what kind of breast shape and size might bring out the best in your body.
It is also common for our patients to experience sagging, or ptosis, of the breasts alongside dissatisfaction with their size. Our clinic is conveniently located just a short drive from Calgary, making it accessible for those seeking personalized care. While some breast implants are designed to restore a visual sense of lift to the breasts, implants alone cannot truly correct sagging skin. In this case, Dr Hall-Findlay may recommend a breast lift in conjunction with the augmentation to produce the most desirable results. To help a patient understand what the results of each of these options might look like, she will draw on your photographs to show what an implant alone would look like, what an implant and a breast lift would look like and what a breast lift alone would look like. It is her experience and her attention to detail that allow her to accurately predict the results which allow her to give you a good idea of what you could expect. She will also discuss the pros and cons of each choice to help patients make the right decision for their personal situation.
Good candidates for breast augmentation are non-smokers in good health who want to increase their breast size. Breast augmentation is a surgical procedure, so you will need to be healthy enough to heal properly and to reduce and eliminate as many surgical risks as possible. If you have medication allergies, existing health conditions that impact circulation or a history of blood clots, make sure you discuss these with us to ensure that they are accounted for during your procedure and recovery.
Additionally, if you are interested in breast enhancement but you are already happy with the volume of your breasts, then you may be more interested in a breast lift. Breast augmentation is designed to address breast size and shape rather than where it sits on your chest. A breast augmentation alone will fill up the upper pole or upper half of the breast, and fill out the breast envelope, but it will not tighten or lift the remaining skin. If you are concerned about size but you have other aesthetic goals as well, you may need an augmentation alongside another breast enhancement surgery like a breast lift.
You may be a good candidate for breast augmentation if you want to feel more confident in your physical appearance – in clothing and out of it. Perhaps no matter which brassiere you buy, you notice an empty space in the upper part of the breast. Perhaps you struggle to find tops that do not gape around your breasts, or you feel as though your breasts are not proportionate to the rest of your body These concerns can make you self-conscious in revealing clothing, in bathing suits and during intimate moments, even if you are able to camouflage the issue with specialized undergarments or tailored clothing. If you feel as though a breast augmentation would improve your happiness with your appearance, it may be time for you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Hall-Findlay.
Dr. Hall-Findlay and the Banff Plastic Surgery team can help you regain your self-confidence and discover the benefits of feeling good about your body. We believe our experience and our aesthetic appreciation will provide you with the best result possible from your breast augmentation. We will encourage good communication between us so that we can understand what is important to you and you can develop healthy, realistic expectations for the outcome of your procedure.
Being in good physical and mental health is necessary for optimal results. In some cases, it may be appropriate to hold off on your breast augmentation until the time is right. For example, if you are in the midst of a weight loss journey or you are not finished having children, you may want to wait until these phases of your life have ended to avoid having your newly augmented breasts change shape due to weight fluctuations or pregnancy.
Your schedule is an important consideration as well. Recovery from breast implant surgery is fairly easy, but you will need time to heal fully from your surgery. Some patients can return to sedentary work or daily responsibilities in a few days, but we encourage most patients to take a week off. Our patients are allowed to lift their babies and do some light physical work by this time, but you may still tire easily or experience some discomfort on a daily basis. We usually warn patients that it takes about two weeks to return to most other normal pursuits, and about four weeks to return to more strenuous exercise or heavy lifting. If you are unable to spend enough time away from these activities, you should not undergo a breast augmentation until you are sure that you can rest and start your recovery off on the right foot.
If you have more questions about breast augmentation or you want to find out if the procedure is right for you, we invite you to visit Banff Plastic Surgery for a consultation with Dr. Hall-Findlay. During this in-person meeting, we can fully evaluate your needs, your goals, your body type and your lifestyle to help you decide whether you are the right patient and it is the right time for a breast augmentation. Call us today at 403-762-2055 to learn more.
Review our footprint handout for more details.
“Breast augmentation surgery can help bring out your internal confidence. It can either give you what you never had, or after having children, it can give you back what you lost through pregnancy and breast feeding. Our focus is to give you as natural a result as possible, while taking into account your particular issues and desires. What is right for one woman may be very different from what another woman is trying to achieve. I have been in practice for over 30 years, so we have seen many different types of implants and many different approaches. We can use our experience to give you appropriate recommendations that fit with your individual circumstances. Patients often come in confused from what they have read on the internet or from what their friends are recommending. We want to work with you to determine what is best for you.”
– Dr. Hall-Findlay, plastic surgeon
Breast Augmentation FAQ
What types of breast implants are available?
We only use smooth, round cohesive gel implants for breast augmentation, because they tend to produce the best results in the large majority of our patients. Dr Hall-Findlay will occasionally recommend saline implants, especially in patients who have already had success with previous saline implants. For most patients, however, saline implants can be compared to a water bed with fluid waves and obvious ripples. Silicone gel implants feel more natural in most patients.
What are the advantages of cohesive silicone gel implants?
Silicone gel breast implants look and feel more like natural breast tissue than saline implants. They are less likely to ripple, a problem that creates visible waves or creases in the implant, particularly in the upper chest or cleavage area. Cohesive silicone gel implants can be placed either above or below the chest muscle, allowing even more versatility in customizing this procedure to the needs of each of our patients.
Are silicone implants safe?
Silicone gel implants were taken off the market from 1992 until 2002 in Canada (2006 in the USA) due to concerns that they were related to autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, and other medical problems. Since that time, multiple large studies have been done, each time concluding that there is no correlation between silicone gel implants and these diseases, and that silicone gel implants are safe to use in cosmetic and reconstructive breast surgery.
Unfortunately, a lymphoma can develop with the use of the aggressively textured (mainly the Allergan, Biocell) implants. It is very unusual that an implanted device is associated with a cancer. Dr Hall-Findlay used these implants in some patients between 2006 and 2009 because they were supposed to have a significantly lower risk of capsular contracture. Dr Hall-Findlay sent out a letter in both 2017 and 2019 to those patients with the Biocell textured implants, and she has encouraged all of them to return for follow-up. There is, however, no case reported where only a smooth walled implant was used.
What incisions are used for the surgery?
The most common incision used for breast augmentation is placed in the crease under the breast (inframammary fold, or IMF). This preserves breastfeeding potential and avoids potential interference with the nipple itself. In addition, because most women who have breast implants will eventually require some sort of additional breast surgery in the future, the IMF incision can be used for most types of revisions without making a new incision.
Other options for incisions for breast augmentation include peri-areolar (around the lower edge of the areola), trans-axillary (through the armpit) and trans-umbilical (through the belly button). We rarely use the peri-areolar approach and currently do not offer trans-axillary or trans-umbilical approaches due to their potential risks and downsides. We prefer the IMF incision for breast augmentation in the majority of cases, because it offers the most consistent, positive results for our patients.
Which is better, over or under the muscle?
The pectoralis major muscle is a flat, triangular muscle that runs from the upper arm to the breastbone. Its lower edge is usually located at approximately the level of the nipple in a small-breasted woman. Breast implants can be placed either behind the breast tissue (subglandular), or behind both breast tissue and muscle (submuscular, subpectoral, dual plane). Because the pectoralis major ends at the level of the nipple, most submuscular implants are only partially covered by muscle, and the lower half to two-thirds of the implant is actually subglandular.
We offer both approaches, but prefer the subglandular approach when appropriate. The lower incidence of rippling with today’s cohesive gel implants has allowed successful subglandular placement in many of our patients. The advantages of subglandular placement include less post-operative pain, and avoidance of animation (where the breast implants move in an unnatural way when you flex your chest muscles), and prevention of the so-called “double bubble” deformity. If you are very thin or have minimal padding in the chest area, you may choose to place your implants partially under the muscle instead. This may give you a more natural upper slope of the breast, due to the additional padding of the muscle. We will discuss your options and help you determine which placement will provide you with the most optimal results.
How do I determine the best implant size for me?
Our goal is to deliver a beautiful result that fits your body, your lifestyle, and your goals. Many of our patients are very active, and want to avoid a result that is too large or unnatural. We will go through several steps during your consultation to ensure that we recommend the best implant for you. First is a frank discussion of your goals, including what you do and don’t like in regards to breast size. A full examination with photographic analysis and measurements helps us get familiar with your anatomy. We tried 3D imaging but the results are not yet accurate with their current software.
We will also give you a chance to try on some sizers inside a bra, so that you can see and feel what having fuller breasts of various sizes might be like. We’ll talk to you about trying the rice test at home, where you can put rice in a soft plastic bag and place it in a bra to help determine size. We also like to look at photos with you, both our own patient photos, and any photos you’ve found that will give us a better idea of the results you have in mind.
How does breast augmentation affect nipple sensation?
Nipple sensation is usually well-preserved because Dr Hall-Findlay prefers the incision in the infra mammary fold (the crease under the breast). Some of our patients report some numbness on the lower part of the breast below the nipple, but this usually resolves with time. Conversely, some women actually have over-sensitive nipples after augmentation. This is also a temporary problem that will resolve without intervention.
Will I be able to breastfeed after breast augmentation?
Placing a breast implant through an inframammary fold incision keeps milk ducts leading to the nipple intact. Studies have shown that the ability to breast feed is not affected by breast augmentation alone. However, women may experience changes in breast size and shape due to pregnancy and lactation. This could alter the results of breast augmentation, requiring a revision procedure to restore the original results. A breast lift, with or without an implant, on the other hand, can reduce breast feeding potential to about 50%.
Do breast implants need to be replaced after 10 years?
The implants that we use now last far longer than 10 years and there is no specific timeline for replacement. Just like your favorite jeans, breast implants can wear with time and develop what we call “fold flaws”. We like to see and perform an examination on any patient who is experiencing changes in the breast. Diagnostic imaging such as mammography or even MRIs are not very reliable for indicating breast implant issues and we may not know for sure if there is a tear in the implant envelope unless we go back to surgery. Cohesive gel tends to stay in the implant pocket like a gummy bear, even if the implant shell breaks. Ruptured implants can be removed or replaced, depending upon the individual situation.
What is capsular contracture?
When any medical device is implanted, our body forms a thin layer of tissue around it called a capsule. In some women, for reasons we don’t completely understand, the capsule can become thicker or tighter, making the implant feel firmer than it should. Tight capsules can even become painful with time. This problem is known as capsular contracture and it can occur at any time after breast augmentation. We can take steps to lower a patient’s risk for this complication, but sometimes capsular contracture occurs despite our best efforts. Repeat surgery can sometimes help resolve the issue and restore the appearance of the breasts.
How do I know if I need a lift with my breast implants?
This is one of the most common questions we encounter. If your nipple position is low or if your breast tissue hangs below the crease under your breast, you may want to consider a lift in addition to augmentation. We will examine you in detail and discuss your goals before making a personalized treatment plan with you.
Breast augmentation boasts a high degree of patient satisfaction, particularly when it is performed by a surgeon who is well-versed in the procedure. To learn more about breast augmentation or find out if it is the right procedure for you, contact Banff Plastic Surgery today at 403-762-2055.
WHAT IS THE BREAST FOOTPRINT?
Footprint is the term we use to describe the level at which your breasts are attached to your chest wall. Some women have a high footprint (high breasted) and a relatively short distance between the collarbone and the upper border of the breast. Other women have breasts that start out much lower on the chest wall (low breasted) with a longer distance between the collarbone and the upper border of the breast. We cannot alter your breast footprint; we can only alter your breast shape within its existing position.
The addition of a breast implant will raise the upper breast border slightly and this may make a low footprint look somewhat higher. Otherwise, your existing breast footprint and shape will be similar to what you had before augmentation, but fuller, with the implant centered behind the nipple. Some patients will say that they wish that they had had larger implants because they think that larger implants will sit higher on their chest. Unfortunately, the opposite occurs: larger implants sit lower and eventually succumb to the effects of gravity.
We're Worth the Trip
To learn more about our practice or the services we offer, contact Banff Plastic Surgery today at 403-762-2055. Conveniently located just a short drive from Calgary, our clinic is dedicated to providing you with exceptional care.
Address
#217, 304 Old Canmore Road
Canmore, Alberta T1W 0L5