Member Articles on Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery:

 FOUR BREAST AUGMENTATION FAQ's
By Mark P. Solomon, M.D., F.A.C.S.

WHAT IS BREAST AUGMENTATION?
Breast ugmentation is an operation to increase the size of a woman’s breasts. It uses an implant placed underneath the breast to increase its size. The implant consists of an outer shell of silicone rubber which is filled with saline (salt water).

WHO ARE THE BEST CANDIDATES?
Women who wish to increase the size of their breasts are ideal candidates for this surgery. Generally, these are women who have breasts which they feel are disproportionately small for the rest of their body size. This most commonly occurs in two groups of women. The first is young women who have completed puberty but have had only minimal development of their breasts. The second group is those women who have had one or more pregnancies and have actually lost some of the size and shape of their breasts. Some women have lost only the shape of their breasts while maintaining the volume of their breasts. These are often women who have lost a lot of weight. While implants may help this problem, these women also need to have their breasts reshaped using a procedure known as a mastopexy.

HOW IS THE SURGERY DONE?
Breast implant surgery is performed in an outpatient setting so there is no need to stay in the hospital overnight. The surgery is usually performed under general anesthesia so there is no pain during the procedure. There are a variety of incisions which can be used for the placement of implants, including underneath the breast, around the nipple, or in the armpit. The armpit approach leaves no visible scar on your breast. The implant may then be placed on top of the chest (pectoral) muscles or beneath them. Finally, there are a variety of textures and shapes to implants. All of these issues are discussed at your consultation.

WHAT IS THE COST?
The cost of breast implant surgery includes the fees for the surgeon, the outpatient unit, the anesthesiologist, and the implants. Currently this varies from about $4000 to $6000.

Mark P. Solomon, M.D., F.A.C.S. has more than 15 years of experience in the practice of plastic and cosmetic surgery and is recognized as one of the Philadelphia area’s most prominent cosmetic surgeons. He has introduced the newest surgical and non-surgical techniques to patients in his Bala Cynwyd office, long before they were available at physician offices across the country. His innovative treatments have been featured nationally in Vogue, Fortune and Women’s World magazines; the Dallas Morning News, and on NBC and FOX network newscasts, as well as in the Philadelphia area in The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Philadelphia Daily News, NBC-10 and KYW-TV (CBS affiliate). Dr. Solomon received his medical degree from New York University School of Medicine and completed his plastic and reconstructive surgery residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He also completed a craniofacial and cosmetic surgery fellowship in Paris, France, and was chief of plastic surgery at the Medical College of Pennsylvania and Hahnemann University. He is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery. Dr. Solomon is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery. The co-editor of the first and only textbook on male cosmetic surgery in print today, Dr. Solomon has published and lectured internationally. To contact Dr. Solomon by E-mail click HERE