Breast Augmentation Options: Your Top Questions Answered


At Charlotte Plastic Surgery, we hear from many women who are curious about the breast augmentation options. Sometimes, these are moms who are simply looking to return to some of the fullness they enjoyed pre-kids, and pre-nursing. And other times, they are women who have always wanted slightly more volume or better shape to their breasts and come to us to find out what’s possible.

We’re certainly happy to help, but before we schedule a procedure, it’s important for the patient to understand all the options that are available. That’s something we’re happy to discuss one-on-one, whether in an in-person consultation or a virtual one. In the meantime, we’ll use this post to answer what are the options for breast augmentation.

What is Breast Augmentation?

Maybe it would be best, to begin with, a simple definition. Breast augmentation provides women with a unique opportunity to change the size and volume of their breasts. Specifically, breast augmentation uses implants to increase the size of the breasts and to restore some of the volume that has been lost due to age, maternity, breastfeeding, or significant weight loss.

Is Breast Augmentation the Same as a Breast Lift?

In addition to various breast augmentation surgery options, Charlotte Plastic Surgery also presents women with the option of having a breast lift. These are not the same thing. Breast augmentation is about adding volume, whereas a breast lift is a matter of changing the overall shape of the breasts. A breast lift usually involves repositioning the nipple to create a “perkier” or healthier appearance.

While these two procedures are not the same thing, it should be noted that many of our patients choose to have them done at the same time.

Who Should Get a Breast Augmentation?

Of course, one of the most frequently asked questions is simply this: Is this the right procedure for me? Or, to phrase it differently, who’s a good candidate for breast augmentation?

Generally, our providers recommend breast augmentation for women who fall into one of the following categories:

  • Women who simply aren’t happy with the size of their breasts. Maybe you compare yourself to your girlfriends, who fill out their bikinis so well, and just wish you could be a little bit bigger. That’s a perfectly valid reason to pursue a cosmetic procedure, and breast augmentation is probably the best way to go.
  • Moms who don’t think they’ll have any more children. We also recommend breast augmentation for mothers, who often lose some of their breast volumes through the processes of childbirth and then nursing. We can offer breast augmentation options to help restore you to your pre-baby fullness.

If you have any further questions about whether you’re a good candidate for breast augmentation, we’re happy to speak with you further. Reach out to Charlotte Plastic Surgery to set up a consultation.

What Are The Options For Breast Augmentation?

As you consider your breast augmentation options, one of the main things to consider is which type of implant to get.

While there are a number of options on the market today, our practice only uses round and smooth implants. In other words, we don’t use textured implants, which have recently stirred some controversy and some potential medical side effects.

Specifically, we are happy to provide our patients with fifth-generation silicone implants, which offer a much fuller and more natural-looking appearance than the old saline ones.

How Can I Tell What My Breast Augmentation Results Will Look Like?

There are a couple of things worth noting here. The first is that, at our practice, we always provide our patients with subtle, natural-looking results; we want our patients to enjoy plausible deniability, not implants that look ostentatious or fake.

Second, we offer our clients consultations that include advanced imaging, which allows us to create models of what your final results will look like. As such, we can collaborate with you and ensure we’re providing results you’ll feel really confident about.

What About Post-Surgical Downtime?

As with any surgical procedure, breast augmentation comes with a need for your body to rest and recover. Many of our patients are eager to know when their downtime will be over and when they can get back to regular exercise and physical activity.

One great thing about breast augmentation is that the downtime is pretty limited. We generally advise our patients to plan on taking three to five days off from work, but most of them don’t need much time. We do recommend that patients take four to six weeks off from strenuous exercise or heavy lifting.

During your consultation, your provider will give you additional details about the kind of downtime you can anticipate, and the limitations on your physical activity.

Will Breast Augmentation Leave Significant Scarring?

Breast augmentation does require an incision to be made, and that will result in some minor scarring. However, the placement of the incision varies, and we can talk with you about making the incision in a place where it won’t be seen.

Should I Get Breast Augmentation or a Breast Lift?

Again, we’ll emphasize that breast augmentation is primarily a matter of increasing the size of your breasts. If that’s all you’re looking to do, then augmentation is probably the right call. A breast lift has more to do with the shape of your breasts and the placement of the nipple.

We’re happy to talk with our patients about the merits of each approach. And we’ll note again that you may elect to have both procedures done at the same time.

Reach Out to Charlotte Plastic Surgery

Do you have any additional questions about breast augmentation surgery options, results, recovery, or scarring? We’re happy to answer. The next step is to contact our practice and ask to set up a consultation. To schedule a conversation with one of our providers, contact Charlotte Plastic Surgery at your next opportunity.