Breast augmentation 101: planning and preparation.

A breast augmentation can give your breasts new volume, rebalance their symmetry, or restore their youthful appearance. It’s one of the most popular surgeries we perform, and it can have a dramatic effect on patients’ lives and self-confidence. Because we know this procedure is a life-changing commitment, we work hard to answer every question our patients have as thoroughly as possible.

This blog is the first in our Breast Augmentation 101 series, where we’ll walk you through the breast augmentation process, step by step. Today, we’re answering the most common questions we receive about planning and preparing for your procedure. 

Am I a good candidate for breast augmentation?

If you have breasts that you feel are too small or that have lost volume or shape due to aging, pregnancy, or weight loss, a breast augmentation may be right for you. You should also be living a healthy lifestyle and have a clear sense of how you’d like your final results to look. 

What can I expect from my consultation?

During your consultation, our goal is to get you comfortable with our team and your surgeon and to provide a clear understanding of the procedure. You’ll meet with your surgeon in a comfortable and private office setting, followed by a focused examination and procedural planning performed in an exam room, where you’ll have an opportunity to discuss the options, details, expectations, and risks of the surgery, and visualize the possible results. 

For first-time breast augmentation consultations, we use VECTRA 3D Imaging to preview your potential results with a computer simulation. You will also have the opportunity to try on implants to get an idea of their look and feel, and your anticipated new silhouette and figure. 

After a thorough examination, your surgeon will move the discussion to their office and continue to go through surgery expectations, potential risks, and results. This is your consultation and your body, and we encourage you to ask as many questions as you can think of here. We want to ensure you are comfortable, confident, and informed as you make decisions.

From there, you meet with our Patient Care Coordinator, Vanessa. She will guide you through the administrative side of your procedure, including the cost and booking of your surgery date. 

We also currently offer virtual consultations. When you request a consultation, just let us know you’d prefer the virtual option and you will receive a personalized room link prior to your appointment. Keep in mind that you’ll still need to meet with your surgeon in person prior to your surgery.

What decisions will I have to make? 

When planning this procedure, several important decisions are made to ensure the best outcome possible. The decisions that are foremost on most patients’ minds (aside from the decision of whether to proceed or not) are which implant to choose, and what size. 

Many patients come to their consultations well prepared, and most have spent a lot of time and effort researching available options. This individual research (often facilitated by other patients’ before & after photos available online) is helpful for providing your surgeon with an idea of the results you’re seeking, but it’s important to understand that it is the clinical assessment performed by your surgeon that will be your best guide to implant selection. Each woman’s breasts are unique with respect to shape, proportion, consistency and many other factors that cannot be evaluated by photography alone. Even women with similar height, weight and cup size before surgery cannot provide an accurate comparison for how an individual will look afterwards, even using the same implant and technique.

Rest assured your surgeon will help you make the decision that is best for you alone. He or she will carefully consider factors such as size, shape, fill material, implant dimensions, projections, and patient desires. Your surgeon will also measure your chest and breast dimensions, evaluate your overall proportions, and provide you with an opportunity to try on implants to achieve an approximate idea regarding how the implants might look when your operation is complete. 

Any decisions you’re asked to make throughout the breast augmentation process will be made alongside—and with the full support of—your surgeon and the OPS team. Once the consultation process is complete, and you are confident that your desires with respect to final results have been voiced, try to avoid second-guessing your decisions based on Internet research or opinions from friends and family. This can lead to heightened anxiety, lack of confidence, and sometimes a last-minute change in implant selection that leads to disappointment. 

Can I finance my surgery? 

We know that plastic surgery can be a big financial commitment. All of the surgical procedures offered at Ottawa Plastic Surgery qualify for financing via Medicard and Credit Medical, which allows patients to break down the total cost of surgery into a series of affordable installments. Our team can assist you in applying for financing and answer any questions you may have along the way. 

Is there anything I can do to prepare for surgery?

Once you’ve decided that breast augmentation is right for you, you should arrange for 5-7 days off work following your surgery, and to have someone available to help with things around the house for several days following the procedure. We also recommend trying to complete all non-essential personal duties and responsibilities before your surgery; recovery will be far less stressful if you can get all of life’s little tasks out of the way beforehand. 

Discover what is possible. Contact us to schedule your breast augmentation consultation today.