(763) 545-0443Breast Augmentation
For fourteen of the past 16 years (COVID and Zoom temporarily changed things), breast enlargement (augmentation mammoplasty) has been the most common surgical cosmetic operation performed in the United States [American Society of Plastic Surgeons data]. Over 280,000 women underwent breast augmentation in 2019; in 2021, over 364,000 women had breast augmentation [American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons data]. Since 2004, breast enlargement has been the most frequently performed operation at Minneapolis Plastic Surgery, Ltd.
Over the past decade, Dr. Tholen and Dr. Gervais, both American Board of Plastic Surgery-certified plastic surgeons, have performed nearly three thousand outpatient breast enlargement operations (as well as thousands of other cosmetic surgeries) in our nationally accredited (QUAD A) on-site surgical facility. Superior anesthesia care, advanced surgical techniques, and the care of our fantastic nursing and office staff at our Minnesota plastic surgery practice, allow breast augmentation patients to return to everyday activities within 24 hours, and strenuous activities within several weeks.
See Breast Augmentation before and after photos in our patient gallery!
Extraordinary Breast Enlargement Surgery
If marketing hype and “snappy” trademarked names were important, perhaps we would call our procedure the “Overnight Recovery Augmentation,” the “24-hour Recovery Breast Enlargement,” or the “Flash Recovery Breast Augmentation,” as have other doctors. Some of them have written articles in the plastic surgical literature about minimizing surgical trauma with careful surgery, and the resultant advantages of less pain and bruising, as well as improved healing and less complications. But for us, precise surgical technique and outstanding patient care leading to rapid and comfortable recovery is nothing new or something with a trademark or “special name”—this is the way we have been doing things all along.
We have chosen to elevate our care and technical details of elective breast enlargement surgery, rather than marketing or advertising a “brand-name” operation that tries to imply a “special surgical method” or unique secret that no other plastic surgeon has—some hidden talent or proprietary technique that transforms patients into someone with “more rapid” healing, “no” pain, or who can return to all activity “magically” the next day! This is pure marketing (baloney), and may be a cover for substandard or assembly-line surgical practices.
Careful tissue handling, meticulous hemostasis (control of bleeding capillaries), avoidance of rib or muscle injury, and skillful use of medications designed to keep discomfort and anesthesia side effects to an absolute minimum are what we concentrate our efforts on; this is what allows a safe, quick, and comfortable recovery, not a gimmicky procedure name.
Skilled & Qualified Plastic Surgeons
Both of our American Board of Plastic Surgery-certified plastic surgeons are breast augmentation experts who have the complete plastic surgical training, technical skills, and keen eye for aesthetics that allow them to provide their patients with incredibly natural results which achieve most patients’ goals, and even surpass some. Dr. Richard H. Tholen and Dr. Douglas L. Gervais have over 50 years of combined aesthetic plastic surgery experience. During this time they have been proud to help patients from Minneapolis / St. Paul, greater Minnesota, and throughout the country achieve outstanding results, whether it is through breast augmentation, facial cosmetic surgery, body contouring, non-surgical facial rejuvenation, or other procedures.
Minneapolis Plastic Surgery’s breast augmentation surgery patients are able to enjoy the body they have always wanted, enhancing their confidence and self-esteem. To help patients achieve optimal breast augmentation results, our plastic surgeons and their experienced team of Minnesota aesthetic plastic surgery professionals meet individually with each patient in a confidential, comprehensive, no-obligation consultation to thoroughly discuss treatment options and your cosmetic plastic surgery goals.
At Minneapolis Plastic Surgery, Ltd., thousands of women have achieved natural results that exceed their expectations, and at a cost that they find pleasantly surprising! Free consultations with Dr. Douglas L Gervais or Dr. Richard H. Tholen are available to answer all of your breast enlargement questions, or you can select the link below to continue reading, or to the left (top) for specific topics.
Breast Augmentation FAQs
We use both saline and silicone breast implants, however, most of our patients request silicone implants. As surgeons, we also prefer patients choose silicone implants. We believe the results look and feel more natural compared to saline implants.
Dr. Gervais and Dr. Tholen prefer placing breast implants below the muscle. We believe that the results are better and the long-term risk and complications are lower. There are several situations where placing the breast implant above the muscle may be a preferred approach. These situations will be discussed with you at the time of your consultation.
We prefer the infra-mammary crease incision (making an incision on the crease of the breast fold where the rib cage and the breast meet). The other incisions, including the areolar (where the surgeon makes a small incision along the edge of the areola (the dark skin around the nipple) to insert a breast implant) and axillary incisions (a technique where breast implants are inserted through an incision made in the crease of the armpit) are used in rare cases. However, we feel that the infra-mammary crease gives the most consistent results and lower complication rates.
Breast augmentation surgery typically takes approximately one hour under a general anesthetic.
Most women describe the pain as 3-4 using a 1-10 scale. Here at Minneapolis Plastic Surgery, we inject a long-acting local anesthetic (called Exparel) directly into the muscle and around the breast tissue. This provides local pain relief for up to 3 to 4 days. Most of our patients only use their narcotic pain pills for one to two days immediately after the surgery.
Most women are back to work after 2 to 3 days if they have a non-physical job. However, a workplace absence may take up to two weeks if the patient’s job is more physical.
We have our patients begin light exercise at around two weeks. They then slowly increase the level of activity from lower body to upper body over the next several weeks. We describe this as a “slow and low” approach.
You will still be able to undergo routine mammograms following a breast augmentation procedure. We advise that you inform the radiology technician that you do have breast implants. They will take appropriate measures to enable a thorough exam. You will also still be able to perform your monthly breast self exams following your procedure.
All we ask is that you keep the small incision in the infra-mammary crease clean and dry. We will remove the dressing on the small incision in approximately 5 to 7 days.
A breast augmentation with silicone implants is roughly $8,000 to $9,000, depending on the cohesivity of the implant used. Saline implants are approximately $7,000. We do not charge more or less based on the size of the implant.
FAQs Reviewed by Douglas L. Gervais, M.D., F.A.C.S.
