Breast Augmentation with Implants for the Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village Area

Full, shapely breasts can make a woman feel more feminine, beautiful and secure. Breast augmentation with breast implants has helped many women in the Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills, Westlake Village, and Simi Valley areas find a renewed sense of confidence in their self-image and the way they view their bodies.

Breast augmentation is one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures performed in the U.S. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 299,440 breast augmentation procedures were performed in 2007—a 295% increase since 1997.

With new techniques and types of breast implants available, skilled and experienced physicians, such as Kouros Azar, M.D., can perform safe and successful breast augmentation surgery.

Placing Breast Implants

Breast augmentation, as performed at our Thousand Oaks practice serving the Westlake Village, Agoura Hills, and Simi Valley areas, increases and enhances the size and shape of a woman’s breasts. During this outpatient procedure, incisions are made under the breasts, just above the natural crease, and silicone- or saline-filled breast implants are carefully inserted either under or above the pectoral muscle.

Positioning the breast implants under the chest muscle allows the muscle to act as a built-in bra. Once the breast implants are in place, the incisions are closed. To achieve maximum results, breast augmentation can be performed in combination with a breast lift. Most breast augmentation procedures take about an hour. The healing period for most patients is typically three weeks.

The end results of plastic surgery can be as dramatic or subtle as you desire. You can attain a more curvaceous bustline or a very natural, sculpted look with breast augmentation performed by accomplished cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Kouros Azar.

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Breast Implant Options

Until recently, saline-filled breast implants were the only option available to women seeking breast augmentation. However, on November 17, 2006, a 14-year virtual ban on silicone implants ended when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the approval and availability of silicone gel-filled breast implants for use in cosmetic breast augmentation surgery. Now, any woman age 22 or over may choose between saline-filled or silicone gel-filled breast implants, both approved by the FDA as safe and effective.

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Saline-Filled Breast Implants

Saline breast implants, approved by the FDA in 2000, consist of silicone shells filled with salt water. Most saline-filled breast implants have small valves that allow the size of the implant to be reduced or increased without additional surgery. For women with saline-filled implants, changing breast size involves a minimally invasive procedure during which Dr. Azar inserts a thin needle into the implant's valve to either extract or inject saline.

If a rupture occurs (a possibility with all breast implants) the saline implant visibly deflates and its salt water is harmlessly absorbed by the body. With saline-filled breast implants, a rupture can be detected, and thus treated, in a timely manner.

While there are advantages to having saline-filled breast implants, some women find they do not look and feel as natural as silicone gel-filled implants.

If you are interested in breast augmentation and would like to find out if saline breast implants are right for you, contact our Thousand Oaks cosmetic surgery practice today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Azar.

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Silicone Gel-Filled Breast Implants

Silicone, a derivative of silicon (the metal-like element found in quartz, crystal, and sand), comes in the form of a liquid, gel or rubber-like substance. Silicone is used in a number of products including soap, lotion and chewing gum. It is also the key component of many FDA-approved medical devices such as replacement heart valves, and now breast implants.

Many people agree that silicone gel-filled breast implants look and feel more like natural breast tissue than saline-filled implants do. While the FDA placed a moratorium on silicone gel implant use in 1992, a landmark study conducted by the Institute of Medicine concluded in 1999 that silicone gel implants do not cause lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or any other major health issues.

Since silicone gel-filled breast implants were approved by the FDA in November 2006, they have become the implants of choice for Dr. Azar's breast augmentation patients in the Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills, and Simi Valley areas.

The filling of the new silicone gel implants is thicker than that of implants made in 1992 and before. Today's implants are filled with what is called cohesive gel, a substance with the consistency of a jellybean's filling. Even if the implant ruptures, the gel is designed to hold together. And the shell of the new implants is also thicker to help prevent ruptures.

Unlike saline-filled breast implants, when a silicone-gel implant ruptures, the problem is not easily detected because there is no immediate deflation of the implant. Women may have a leak for some time before the rupture becomes apparent.

If a patient with silicone gel-filled implants wishes to change the size of her breasts, surgery is necessary to remove the breast implants. At our Thousand Oaks office near Westlake Village, you can discuss these and other issues with Dr. Azar, who will help you decide which type of breast implant is right for you.

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Removal of Breast Implants

Women elect to have breast implants removed for a variety of reasons. Over time, as their bodies or aesthetic values change, women sometimes decide that their implants are too large or too small. A rupture of the implant also requires breast implant removal surgery. Should you ever choose to have your breast implants removed, our Thousand Oaks surgery facility can help you achieve your goals.

Breast implant removal at our cosmetic surgery practice can also be combined with other procedures including scar tissue removal, breast lift, removal of escaped implant liquids or breast biopsy. If you are interested in the surgical removal of breast implants and live in or near the Westlake Village and Thousand Oaks areas, contact our cosmetic surgery practice today to schedule a private consultation with Dr. Azar.

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Interested in Breast Augmentation? Contact Our Office Near Simi Valley and Agoura Hills

If you are considering breast augmentation or the removal of your current breast implants, our Thousand Oaks cosmetic surgery practice can help. Dr. Azar is known in the greater Los Angles area for creating beautiful, natural-looking breasts with breast augmentation (implants). If you live in the Westlake Village, Agoura Hills, Thousand Oaks, or Simi Valley areas, contact our cosmetic surgery facility today to arrange a confidential consultation.