Reasons to Consider Atlanta Breast Augmentation
Breast enlargement (augmentation) is popular among women — for a good reason. Breast enlargement is a relatively simple procedure, adds volume to the breasts and improves the breast shape and profile.
Many women feel that larger breasts help balance their bodies’ overall appearance, giving them better symmetry and a more natural, feminine look. An attractive figure contributes to a woman’s self-image and confidence. Women with limited breast development, tissue loss, or uneven development, may find it difficult to wear some clothing or to even feel good about themselves.
If you are unhappy with the size and shape of your breasts, breast augmentation can give you larger, fuller, sexier breasts. The biggest regret most women have after breast implant surgery is that they did not get breast implants sooner. For many women, breast surgery has a huge, sometimes unexpected, positive impact — transforming the way they view themselves — with more confidence and poise, changing the way others see them too.
Our breast implant patients find that they look better in and out of clothes, and that shopping for new clothes and bras can be fun, exciting, and satisfying, further assuring their confidence and self-esteem.
Women have breast augmentation for many reasons, including:
• Breasts have lost volume and begun to sag over time
• Breasts have always been small
• Breasts look too small in proportion to the rest of the body
• Breasts have lost volume after pregnancy or breastfeeding
• Weight gain in other parts of the body, giving an uneven appearance
• Asymmetrical breasts (one breast is larger than the other)
• Clothes do not fit properly
• Breasts do not fill out bras
• Lack of cleavage
• Desire to feel sexier and more feminine
• Improved self-esteem and confidence
Please view the following video to learn more about breast augmentation, options, and patient experiences. Hopefully, it also provides answers to some of the questions you may have.
You can take control of your appearance and improve your confidence by choosing double board certified Dr. Mark Mitchell Jones to use his expertise and skills to accomplish your Atlanta breast augmentation surgery.
Dr. Jones’s Innovation—Invisible Scar Technique (IST)
Dr. Jones’s advantage is his unparalleled training in world-leading research institutions and his more than 30,000 hours of hands-on surgical experience. From his twenty years of practicing Atlanta breast augmentation surgery and his extensive training, Dr. Jones has learned how to create the most natural-looking and feeling breast.
The Invisible Scar Technique breast augmentation, or IST, wasn’t the objective but instead a natural byproduct of his synthesis of techniques based on what works and what does not.
“In 85% of my cases at six months after surgery, I would not be able to detect the scar on the breast even though I knew exactly where it was,” claims Dr. Jones. He explains further: “My technique encompasses a unique, 100% muscle coverage while supporting the breast implant such that it rarely—if ever—droops or falls. This minimizes the need for touch-ups or revisions. Moreover, my technique is ‘bloodless,’ relegating contracture or hematoma complications largely to the past. Finally, unlike many other breast augmentation procedures, my approach—in most cases—does not impact any future pregnancy or breast feeding.”
Dr. Jones’ experience, training, and ability to innovate have allowed him to implement a masterful way to accomplish breast augmentation.
Common Breast Au
gmentation Approaches
To understand how Dr. Jones is able to accomplish such an exceptional outcome, it helps to understand some key choices a surgeon makes as he or she performs breast augmentation surgery. Where and how the surgeon places the breast implant determines how it will look and feel, and for how long it will look good.
The implant can be placed either on top of the breast muscle and below the skin and breast tissue (Figure 1), or behind the muscle in a pocket against the rib cage (Figure 2a for side view and 2b for frontal view).
Placing the implant on top of the muscle (Figure 1) will give a full, round look with more cleavage. However, the implant will likely sag over time as the skin stretches with no muscle support (recall that the implant is ‘on its own,’ the muscle resting behind it). Most silicone implants are placed in the pocket in front of the breast muscle.
Alternatively, when the implant is placed behind the muscle (Figures 2a and 2b), it gives the breast a more natural feel and less upper bulging. Why? Because the muscle around the implant now supports it, leaving the breast tissue untouched. This approach maintains a more natural look and feel for the patient, yet with a larger breast size. Saline implants are typically placed behind the breast muscle.
The next question beyond where to place the implant is how to get it there; in other words, where to make the incision and what pathway to use to get the implant in its place. In the first case, when the implant is placed on top of the muscle, the surgeon can make the incision in the crease fold under the breast, in the armpit, around the areola (dark area around the nipple), or in the belly button. If the incision is made in the belly button, the surgeon has to use a metal (or some other material) pipe to create a pathway to place the implant in its proper position on top of the breast muscle. Otherwise, the process is straightforward. The surgeon manually squeezes the implant through an incision in the breast area to lay it on top the breast muscle. There is no muscle cutting or resultant bleeding involved when pushing the implant through the breast tissue, or when manipulating it into its proper form inside the breast in front of the muscle. However, in the end, there is but minimal support and coverage for the implant from the skin and breast tissue.
Placing the implant behind the muscle poses further challenges. This is where an excellent surgeon rises above your average surgeon by minimizing cutting the muscle and by knowing how to manipulate the implant into its most optimal position and shape for permanence. In most cases, to place the implant behind the breast muscle, the surgeon has to cut through either the muscle fibers or the fascia that connects the muscle to the rib case (Figure 3). Why is minimizing cutting the muscle so important? First, cutting the muscle causes bleeding, which in turn results in internal scarring and potential hard spots that may look lumpy and feel painful. Second, cutting and scarring the muscle weakens it. This increases the likelihood of the implants sagging in the long run, because the weakened muscle has to support a heavier breast.
To fully appreciate Dr. Jones’s superior technique, it is important to recognize that when most surgeons talk about placing the implant behind the muscle, they are not really talking about placing the implant all the way behind the muscle, but rather i
nto a pocket created by splitting the breast muscle from the bottom attachments where the muscle tissue is the thinnest (Figure 2). As a result, the implant is supported by breast muscle on the top, the front, and the back, but the bottom—the pocket opening—leaves the implant bottom resting on a thin layer of breast tissue and skin. In the long run, gravity will naturally cause the implant—without muscle support on the bottom—to sag. Also, when creating the bottom-holed pocket for the implant, the surgeon has to cut some muscle, making some bleeding and scarring inevitable.
Invisible Scar Technique (IST)
Dr. Jones’s Invisible Scar Technique, or IST, for breast augmentation effects a puncture-like short incision at the junction of the areola near the vertical axis of the breast. This allows for a minimal transverse dissection of the breast tissues to reach towards the bloodless retro pectoral muscle plane. The small incision scar generally heals inconspicuously and is hard to detect even by Dr. Jones 6-12 months post surgery.
To get the implant behind the breast muscle, Dr. Jones does not cut into the muscle nor the fascia. Rather, he uses a special technique to temporarily relax the muscle fibers such that he can delicately spread them apart parallel to their axis. This allows him to slide the implant through the momentary opening he has created. Dr. Jones then places the implant to rest in its initial position on the pectoral plan. The bleeding is minimized because Dr. Jones does not cut into the muscle (Figure 4a for side view and 4b for frontal view).
Once the implant is in its initial place behind the breast muscle, IST allows Dr. Jones to shape the breast with precision during the procedure so that there are no surprises two weeks later. To accomplish this during the surgery, Dr. Jones places the asleep patient in the upright position on the operating table. He then manually—using his own proprietary techniques—stretches the muscle fibers and manipulates the implant into the exact position and shape desired. Dr. Jones customizes this proprietary stretching of the inner muscle and manipulation of the implant for each patient. It accomplishes an individually beautiful breast to be shaped and the two breasts to be made more symmetrical. At the same time, IST maintains the integrity of the bottom part of the breast muscle that now supports the implant.
In effect, with IST, Dr. Jones has created a semi-permanent natural breast bra (i.e. breast muscle all around the implant to support it). This built-in bra allows the patient more freedom from bras such as wearing a less supportive bra or bikini top or to going braless at times for a more natural look.
Unlike the traditional behind the muscle method, Dr. Jones’s method prevents drooping or ‘bottoming out’ of the breast. When IST is properly utilized, the breasts hold their lift much longer than the traditional muscle cutting or above the muscle breast augmentation techniques.
In conclusion, what Dr. Jones has mastered is to situate the implant all the way behind the breast muscle without cutting any of the muscle or fascia (Figure 4a for side view and 4b for frontal view). Instead of cutting through the muscle, Dr. Jones has discovered simple ways to relax certain areas of the muscle fibers so he can then confidently stretch them apart in order to press through the implant. No blood, no cutting into the muscle. Also, the implant is now set all the way behind the breast muscle, supported by the muscle from all the sides, including the bottom. This setting makes Dr. Jones’s breast augmentations essentially permanent, the muscle and the tight fascia supporting the implant do not give in like skin and breast tissue.
Summary of IST Advantages
Dr. Jones believes the following are the key advantages of his method of breast augmentation:
1. The scar is virtually invisible. Dr. Jones cannot detect the location of the incision 6-12 months post surgery in about 85% of the cases. In the remaining 15% of the cases, Dr. Jones has been able to find the scar, but it is difficult. He assigns the credit to what he has coined the Stanford stitching and the Paris trick. Stanford stitching is a special way to close the incision so that the width of the scar is minimized. He picked it up while he was a resident at Stanford University. A trick he learned in Paris allows him to remove the stitches easily and painlessly, leaving the healed wound unaffected.
2. The implant is hardly felt or seen, and the wrinkling is minimal. A boyfriend or a husband has difficulty knowing if his girlfriend or wife has implants. The implant is fully covered by the muscle and fascia, which means that feeling the implant edges when touching or gently massaging the breast is hard. While wrinkling, also called rippling, is mostly an issue with implants placed on top of the breast muscle, visible wrinkling is possible even with implants behind the breast muscle. Dr. Jones has had minimal issues with implant wrinkling and credits that to 100% muscle coverage of the implant versus the traditional 70% coverage when the implant is placed inside the back of the muscle with an opening on the bottom. What also prevents wrinkling is the way Dr. Jones manipulates the implant securely and tightly into the pocket he creates for it during the operation.
3. The breast muscle strength is not diminished. Since Dr. Jones does not damage the muscle by cutting it, its strength is retained. This is important since the muscle now acts as the internal, permanent bra for the implant. Maintaining full integrity of the breast muscle and having it surround the implant on all sides—including the bottom—allows the muscle to do its job supporting the new breast as naturally and effectively as it can.
4. Breasts do not droop or sag as fast, and hardly ever bottom out. 100% muscle support on all sides of the implant minimizes the risk of bottoming out. Also, the total muscle coverage creates an internal, built-in bra that holds the breast in a naturally elevated position, with the body’s own muscle strength. In fact, Dr. Jones has seen patients with IST implants not drooping for over 16 years even after several pregnancies and breast-feeding.
5. Breasts will maintain their smooth appearance and feel. Because Dr. Jones’s method is essentially bloodless from not cutting the muscle, there will be minimal internal scarring. Wherever a muscle is cut, a body forms a scar to repair it. Scar tissue is harder and less flexible than the muscle fiber and as it ages it tightens. When touching such an area, it feels as if there is a little nudge of something hard, not part of an optimal breast augmentation.
6. Risk of capsular contracture is minimized. Capsular contracture is the most common complication with breast implants. Dr. Jones’s approach minimizes the risk of it in several ways. By minimizing bleeding, Dr. Jones minimizes risks hematoma and scarring inside the breast. Scarring inside the breast tightens the area surrounding the implant, thus squeezing the implant and making it feel unnaturally firm. Hematoma can cause inflammatory reaction which in turn can lead to capsular contracture. By using only the safest procedures at highest levels of excellence, Dr. Jones prevents transient germ contaminations or infections, all considered major causes of capsular contracture.
7. The results are low maintenance. The patient can do regular mammograms and does not require any special X-ray regimen. Dr. Jones assures redo’s on his work are very rare (— in 30 years) and even any touch-ups are likely never needed. Neither is there a need to worry about leakage. Instead of using silicone implants, Dr. Jones chooses to use saline implants which do not leak silicon.
8. Further breast lifts are possible. With Dr. Jones approach, the patient reserves the option to do a breast lift later if she desires one. However, with Dr. Jones work, breast lift is rarely needed or desired. On the other hand, when the implant is placed above the muscle, it makes future lifts difficult and more prone to complications.
Next Steps
Dr. Jones will discuss your concerns with you and explain the details of breast augmentation cosmetic surgery, including his IST approach. There are a number of options to consider, including the breast implant type (saline or silicone gel), size and profile, implant texture, and the surgical method. Dr. Jones will work with you to determine an approach that best suits your needs to create the results that you desire.
Please call Dr. Jones to schedule a consultation or for more information about Atlanta breast enhancement cosmetic surgery.
Read More About Dr. Jones’s Innovation — The Invisible Scar Technique (IST)