CosmeticSurg blog: Expert insights from Dr. Ricardo L. Rodriguez

I’m sitting here waiting for my next case, a Mini Tummy Tuck. It is a natural tendency to want maximum results for minimal effort. That is why the words “mini facelift”, mini this and that, are so popular today. The main thing to remember about these procedures is that they are limited versions of the original procedure designed for patients with a minimal defect. Be aware that mini procedures can also mean mini results. Not everybody is a candidate, but some are.

Patients who call our office looking for Breast augmentation information are usually also gathering total surgical cost prices as well as financing information. This week, our office did a little bit of secret shopping to find out what the average cost of a Breast augmentation procedure costs in Baltimore. Remember that Breast augmentation total costs depend on whether you select silicone or saline Implants. We compared costs of both.

A woman’s body goes through so many changes during and after pregnancy. Many of my patients have children and came to me looking for information about Breast augmentation. Did your breasts appear deflated after pregnancy? Did you like the look of your breasts during pregnancy? Are you wanting them to look fuller, perkier, or both? What are your options for breast augmentation after pregnancy?

In my last blog post, I went over briefly how the silicone implant moratorium came about. This week I’ll tell you why it is such a good thing that silicone implants are back as a choice for all breast augmentation patients. Remember, silicon implants weren’t really banned, as we have been using silicone implants for cancer patients, those with congenital defects, and patients needing a breast lift. Over the past 14 years they were just not available for cosmetic surgery patients. However, now all patients will have the choice to use saline or silicone implants.

Silicone breast implants are back! The truth always comes out in the end. In the case of silicone breast implants, it took 14 years! How can it be that implants are supposed to be so bad yet they’re back in the market? Well, because silicone breast implants were never really ‘bad.’

High profile breast Implants have a smaller base diameter so it preserves the appearance of a narrower chest, and you get more anterior projection from the same 400cc volume. High profile implants have a more up front look.

Most Breast augmentation patients are very focused on breast implant size. While that is important, it is only one of the 8 decisions you need to make before having a Breast augmentation procedure. I think that the choice of implant incision location is a very important decision that you should discuss with your plastic surgeon in your pre-operative appointment. In my own Baltimore practice, I always discuss the choice of incision location with patients before the procedure. The incision location is where the breast implant is inserted. Therefore, it is the location where you will have a small scar. In most cases, the scar is barely noticeable, but in any event you should KNOW where your implants will be inserted.

Breast implants, including saline and silicone options, have long been the go-to choice for achieving fuller breasts . However, fat grafting has emerged as a natural alternative that utilizes your own body’s tissues for augmentation.

If you’re on a quest for fuller breasts, the choices are breast augmentation with implants or fat grafting with your own fat.

Many times during a breast augmentation consult a patient will say to me: “I want to look proportionate.” In other words, the patient wants to make sure that a particular implant size will look right on her. The right proportion is determined by several factors. A good proportion is not only determined by the size…

A lot of patients who come in for a Breast augmentation or a Breast lift with implants consult will usually make a comment about cleavage. Some patients don’t want “that fake look,” yet others specifically ask for “a lot of cleavage.” It helps when patients bring in pictures, because cleavage is one of those words that, like “natural look,” can have different meanings to different people. In this post I will talk about cleavage, and how it is related to surgical technique and patient anatomy.The word cleavage is derived from the word cleft. According to the Merriam Webster online dictionary… cleft : usually V-shaped indented formation : a hollow between ridges or protuberances The misunderstanding between plastic surgeon and patient comes from knowing which end of the “V” we are talking about. Does the patient want upper pole fullness, which is prominent at the upper part of the breasts? Does the patient want medial cleavage, which is breasts that are close together at the midline? Or is it both upper pole fullness and medial cleavage? The surgeon has two surgical methods to improve cleavage with breast implants.

Tubular breast deformity is a condition where the breasts have the shape of cylindrical tubes. Dr. Rodriguez, a Yale trained plastic surgeon, explains how this can be corrected with a certain type of implant and incision. Read about it in his Cosmeticsurg blog.

If you are considering Breast augmentation, don’t get too focused on a particular implant size. The shape of the implant will also play a big role in your implant selection! Watch Dr. Ricardo Rodriguez explain what the difference is between a 350cc high profile implant vs. a 350cc moderate profile implant. Dr. Rodriguez is a Yale trained, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who has been in practice for over 20 years. Ask questions about implant selection at his Cosmeticsurg blog.

Most patients are often surprised by the choices and considerations they’re faced with when considering a Breast augmentation.

Looking at your breasts the way a doctor does can be an emotional event full of new information which may be hard to process. However, it is essential that you and your doctor are ‘on the same page’ regarding the type of implant and surgical approach that will be used.  

After the initial consultation, I prefer to see all of my patients one more time to be sure that we have answered all of the questions.

While the decision to augment your breast is usually an easy one, the decision to have a Breast Lift with Implants is not always so obvious. To help you better think this through, I have come up with some questions that you should think about. These questions should help you decide IF you need a lift with your Breast Augmentation.

We know cost is one of the biggest considerations for patients exploring tummy tuck surgery. Curious about how our abdominoplasty pricing compares locally, we surveyed plastic surgeons near and around our Baltimore office.

Average Tummy Tuck price in Baltimore $11,125

We called 9 board-certified plastic surgeons in Baltimore who perform tummy tucks. We asked questions like, ‘What is the cost of a tummy tuck?’ and ‘What is the cost if I add liposuction to the flanks?’ We included our own cost in the survey, to make it a total of 10 plastic surgeons.

Importantly, we confirmed what each office included in the ‘total cost’ to ensure an accurate, apples-to-apples comparison.