Breast Augmentation
In Beverly Hills, CA
Breast augmentation surgery enhances a woman’s appearance by increasing volume and improving her shape. Dr. Linder has been performing breast enhancement procedures in Beverly Hills since 1997 and has placed over 14,000 breast implants.
If you want to counteract the damage from the rigors of pregnancy or breastfeeding, or have always been displeased with the lackluster size and shape of your breasts, breast augmentation may be appropriate for you. This customizable surgery allows you to achieve the full, shapely breast contours that you have always wanted, whether it is a subtle or more noticeable enlargement.
Women choose breast enlargement surgery for various reasons at different stages of their lives. While no two procedures are identical, many women turn to this cosmetic enhancement to address at least one of the following:
- Achieve a more balanced and proportionate body contour
- Improve breast shape
- Enhance cleavage
- Improve breast projection
- Restore lost volume due to aging, pregnancy, or weight loss
- Improve appearance in bathing suits or clothing
Table of Contents
- See the Difference: Breast Augmentation Before & After Photos
- Real Stories: Breast Augmentation Patient Reviews
- Breast Augmentation Cost in Beverly Hills & Flexible Financing Options
- Why Choose Dr. Linder for Breast Augmentation Surgery?
- Dr. Linder Has Placed Over 14,000 Breast Implants
- Schedule Your Breast Augmentation Consultation Today
- Why Do Patients Choose Breast Augmentation?
- Breast Augmentation Options
- Implant Material
- Implant Profile
- Implant Size
- Breast Augmentation Incision
- Implant Placement
- Breast Augmentation Surgery: Ideal Candidates
- What Can I Expect From the Breast Augmentation Process?
- Breast Augmentation Surgery Steps
- After Your Augmentation: What Is the Normal Recovery Time for a Breast Augmentation?
- Breast Augmentation Frequently Asked Questions
Real Stories: Breast Augmentation Patient Reviews
WOW!! JUST WOW! Dr. Linder knew exactly the size I wanted when I told him “I want something more natural and proportioned to my body.” I’m 5’8 and went with 400cc high profiled. Because of Dr. Linder’s amazing work, I get so many compliments. Post-op, Dr.Linder personally called for the follow-up and that’s what sets him and his team apart. I live 2 hrs away and if I were to do it all over again, he’d be the one I’d go to! I’m already recommending him to my sister in law and mother in law who’s been asking ! THANK YOU DR. LINDER & your amazing team!
– Realself
Dr. Linder is an expert in his craft. He took the time and listened to my vision that I had wanted. I had moved forward with 470 cc moderate profile silicone implants. I went with Dr. Linder’s precise recommendations for size and shape and I could not be happier. Dr. Linder, Adriana, and Sarai have dedicated their time and efforts making sure every question was answered quickly and effectively. I have received results nothing less than spectacular. I highly recommend moving forward with Dr. Linder and his team!
– Realself
Dr. Linder is AMAZING!!! I had tuberous breast that I had corrected as a teen. At 26, I got my breasts redone and much larger. But my surgeon at the time went TOO big and I was having issues with sagging, my nipples pointing down, and one implant was leaking (saline). I got sooo many quotes but didn’t trust the docs I saw to fix me up given my tuberous history. Dr Linder made me feel very comfortable throughout the entire process- so I booked with him. My results are AMAZING. I got a reduction, an anchor lift on both sides, and an internal bra to support my left breast. I’m SO happy with my results- and my breasts are big but an appropriate size for my frame. I can’t recommend him enough!
– Realself
Breast Augmentation Cost in Beverly Hills & Flexible Financing Options
The cost will vary per patient. The price includes the surgeon’s fee, operating room fees, implant cost, and anesthesia fees. In general, silicone implants are more expensive than saline implants.
To get a more accurate cost estimate, please contact our office for a consultation.
Now, thanks to CareCredit® and other flexible financing options, cosmetic surgery is affordable for nearly everyone. To get more information about financing, call 310-275-4513 to speak with our patient coordinator or click here to learn more.
Why Choose Dr. Linder for Breast Augmentation Surgery?
Celebrity plastic surgeon Stuart A. Linder, M.D., has over 25 years of experience performing cosmetic plastic surgeries, is located in Beverly Hills, California, and has been a board-certified plastic surgeon since March 27, 1999. Dr. Linder prides himself on educating his patients throughout the process, from the initial consultation to the final follow-up appointment.
Women from all over the world come to Beverly Hills to see Dr. Linder. Whether this is your first surgery or you’ve had a complication with a previous surgery, Dr. Linder is there to help you achieve the enhanced, comfortable bust you have always wanted. With a range of implant options and enlargement techniques, you can be assured that your augmentation is precisely tailored to your needs and goals.
With his knowledge and experience from having placed thousands of implants and authored The Beverly Hills Shape, Dr. Linder continues to contribute to discussions on plastic surgery via various media outlets.
Dr. Linder understands that patients have many questions and concerns regarding their breast augmentation. If you still have unanswered questions, please feel free to contact our Beverly Hills office. Our friendly staff will be happy to provide you with more information.
Schedule Your Breast Augmentation Consultation Today
Dr. Linder prides himself on educating his patients throughout the process, from the initial consultation to the final follow-up appointment. For your convenience, we offer one-on-one virtual consultations with Dr. Linder.
Schedule a ConsultationDr. Linder Has Placed Over 14,000 Breast Implants
Why Do Patients Choose Breast Augmentation?
Restores a Youthful Look
After pregnancy, breastfeeding, or weight loss, the breasts can appear deflated and aged. Implants restore the breast volume women may have had in their youth or during pregnancy, achieving a firmer, more youthful breast contour. This procedure can be combined with a breast lift to rejuvenate sagging breasts
Improves Balance and Shape
Augmentation surgery can improve a variety of issues, including tubular (constricted) breasts and breasts that are noticeably different sizes (asymmetrical). Implants create a rounder and more attractive bust, and implants of varying sizes can be used to correct asymmetry.
Improves Fullness (Size)
With breast augmentation, women with a naturally small chest can enhance their cleavage and fullness. Women whose breasts have deflated can also benefit from implants to fill the space beneath the skin. The ideal implant size and shape will be determined based on your physical attributes and personal goals.
The specific breast implants used depend on the amount of existing tissue and aesthetic goals a patient has for her enhanced breasts. While many women assume that size is the only differentiation between implants, it is only one factor.
The brand, shape, material, and profile determine how an implant will sit in the chest and enhance contours.
Dr. Linder prefers smooth, high-profile saline and silicone implants by Mentor® Corporation, Allergan™ Pharmaceuticals, or Sientra®. All three are FDA-approved.
Implant Material
Advancements to breast implants have improved their safety, reliability, and ability to provide stunning results.
Breast implants (of any material) are available in a wide variety of sizes and shapes, depending on your natural tissue, physical build, and aesthetic preferences.
Silicone Implants
These implants are ideal for thin-chested women and produce a more natural appearance. There is a higher risk of capsular contracture and scar tissue formation, and, because the silicone filler is cohesive, rupture can only be detected on MRI.
- Cohesive silicone implants: These implants consist of a thicker silicone gel that better maintains its shape (even in the case of an implant rupture). Cohesive silicone implants provide a smooth, natural silhouette with a soft and natural feel.
- Gummy bear implants: These teardrop-shaped implants mimic the shape and slope of a natural breast. Because these are sloped, they do not always provide as much upper-pole fullness. Gummy bear implants consist of cohesive silicone gel (to maintain shape).
- Extra-full implants: The Natrelle INSPIRA® is an extra-full profile, highly cohesive silicone implant that provides the benefits of gummy bear implants while maintaining upper-pole fullness.
- Mentor® MemoryGel® XTRA: These implants are filled with a proprietary silicone gel that is less prone to rippling, softer, and more natural-feeling.
Saline Implants
Saline implants are filled with a sterile saline solution. Rupture is immediately noticeable without diagnostic testing, and any saline filler leakage can be safely absorbed by the body. They tend to produce a more visible and less natural look, particularly with subglandular placement. These implants are available in round or contoured shapes with various profiles.
- MENTOR® Moderate Plus Profile Style 2000: This smooth implant adds dimension to the breast with more projection than previous styles.
- MENTOR® Round High Profile Style 3000: This high-profile implant provides the highest projection for petite women and those with narrow chest walls.
Traditionally, Dr. Linder will suggest saline implants for younger women who are still looking to get pregnant and breastfeed. He believes that saline implants are safer and more convenient (since silicone implants require MRI scans every three years). Women in their 30s and 40s who have already had children often choose silicone implants for their natural feel.
Implant Profile
The profile determines the correlation between the implant’s base width and height. Traditional breast implant profiles are as follows:
- Low: Useful for women desiring minimal projection (the least common options).
- Moderate: Useful for women with broad chest walls. An example of a moderate-profile implant is MENTOR® MemoryShape® (available in all profiles).
- High: Useful for patients with thin chest walls (these are the most commonly used implants). These provide upper-pole fullness throughout the implant’s lifespan. An example of a full-profile implant is the Natrelle INSPIRA™ SCF.
- Extra High: Useful for patients who desire larger implants and increased upper-pole fullness. Examples of extra-full profile implants include the Natrelle INSPIRA™ SCX implant and the Mentor® MemoryGel® XTRA High Profile.
- Mentor® MemoryGel® BOOST: Offers a BOOST effect that’s designed to last without losing its natural feel.
The chosen implant profile should take into account the size and shape of a woman’s natural breasts, as well as her physical build, such as shoulder and chest width
Implant Size
There are multiple factors that go into determining implant size. Some of these factors include your current measurements, characteristics, and chest wall size. While we often recommend implants that are in proportion to your body frame, your personal desires and goals will be taken into account.
Breast Augmentation Incision
- Inframammary incisions are made along the breast crease to create a pocket. This technique does produce visible scarring, but scars are likely to fade over time and can be concealed with clothing.
- Periareolar incisions are made along the lower portion of the areolas to allow optimal pocket creation. This technique produces scars that are easy to conceal.
- Transaxillary incisions are placed within the armpit, which leaves no visible scarring on the breasts.
- Transumbilical incisions are placed in the belly button, which leaves no visible scarring on the breasts. This technique is not commonly recommended.
Implant Placement
Women undergoing breast augmentation have two options regarding how the implant is placed in their chest. This decision will impact how the implants look and how they respond to different movements (such as contractions during exercise).
The appropriate choice will depend on the woman’s specific anatomy and will be determined by Dr. Linder during the consultation.
Subpectoral placement involves using the dual-plane technique: two-thirds under the muscle, specifically under the pectoralis major muscle, medially, and one-third over the muscle laterally. This allows coverage of the implant and reduces visibility in the sternal area and cleavage region. There is a reduced risk of capsular contracture and scar tissue formation, and it has also been shown to help mammograms and MRIs detect cancers.
This placement is ideal for women with minimal natural tissue, as placement under the muscle helps conceal the implant’s outer ridges (thereby minimizing rippling). The majority of our patients receive subpectoral implant placement.
Subglandular placement may be useful for patients with severe tubular breast deformity; however, in the majority of these cases, Dr. Linder still performs the dual-plane technique, with the last suture providing medial muscle coverage in case the patient experiences future weight loss.
The subglandular placement is often recommended for women with thick chest walls and pectoral muscles.
Breast Augmentation Surgery: Ideal Candidates
Ideal candidates do not smoke, are in good overall health, and have realistic expectations of their results. The decision to undergo breast enhancement is a deeply personal choice that you need to make for yourself. Good candidates for breast augmentation are typically unhappy with their natural breasts, desire to increase their breast size, or have lost breast volume due to pregnancy and breastfeeding.
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What Can I Expect From the Breast Augmentation Process?
Your Consultation
Your consultation is essential before your surgery. This consultation will give you a chance to meet with Dr. Linder and discuss your goals for the procedure. He will ask you about your medical history to assess your candidacy and discuss a possible treatment plan to help you achieve your goals.
You will also be able to view some of his before and after photos to help you determine the breast augmentation and breast implant options that will achieve your desired outcome. However, before scheduling a consultation, you should prepare to make the most of your appointment.
To better determine your goals and explain your expectations, ask yourself what is essential to achieve with this plastic surgery. Women who consider surgery often complain that their breasts are sagging, flattened, elongated, or asymmetrical, or that they lack adequate cleavage or volume.
Schedule a ConsultationBreast Augmentation Surgery Steps
Preoperative
The patient is started on an intravenous antibiotic prior to their surgery.
Surgery
A primary augmentation takes 45–60 minutes. Dr. Linder makes an incision in the placement that you selected during your consultation. Through the incision, he makes a small space called the implant pocket, where he will place the breast implants. Once they are in an ideal position, he will carefully close the incision with neat sutures.
Recovery Room
Patients are required by federal law to stay in the recovery room for at least an hour.
After Surgery
Patients are sent home with gauze and bias wrap in place. Avoid heavy lifting and raising your arms above your shoulders for three weeks.
Postoperative Visit
All dressings are removed, and an upper-pole compression band is placed. This band allows the implant to maintain an inferior position and soften the muscle, so that there will only be natural occurrences over the next four to six weeks. Recommendation: The Dr. LinderBra™ uses a double-clip zip mechanism, which allows easy placement with new gauze. It costs $49.95.
Day 7 Follow-Up
Breasts are examined for bleeding, infection, and implant positioning.
Days 8–14
The gauze will then be changed twice a day for the next week. Patients will do this at home.
Day 14 Follow-Up
The upper-pole band may be discarded, depending on the implant’s placement at the time. Sutures are removed. If there is any evidence of significant scabbing, patients are asked to return in five days for final suture removal.
Days 14–21
Light activities may be resumed. Incisions can get wet while showering.
After Your Augmentation: What Is the Normal Recovery Time for a Breast Augmentation?
Breast augmentation is an outpatient procedure, so you’ll be able to return home after surgery. In most cases, the normal recovery time is 4–6 weeks. Placing the implants under the muscle through the subpectoral dual plane usually takes several weeks longer to heal than when placed subglandular.
My patients are instructed to avoid any heavy lifting for the first 3 weeks and to wear a sports bra for up to 30 days. They should also wear upper-pole compression bands to help the implants settle to a normal level.
Click to learn more about the recovery time after breast augmentation.
What Types of Medications Will I Be Given After My Surgery?
The types of prescribed medications depend on the patient. Patients are given antibiotics, either Ciprofloxacin or Keflex (not recommended for patients with penicillin allergies). To manage pain, Dr. Linder may prescribe Norco or Vicodin. For muscle spasms, patients may be prescribed Flexeril, and Zofran prevents nausea and vomiting.
What Can I Do to Help Minimize Scarring After Surgery?
While breast augmentation scarring is most often concealed by clothing or bathing suits, there are ways that women can help to minimize the visibility of their scars.
Dr. Linder recommends that women:
- Avoid sun exposure on the incisions for up to one year.
- Keep the incisions clean for at least 2–3 weeks post-op to help avoid infection.
- Keep incisions dry for at least 14 days; avoid getting the incisions wet or sweating, as this can lead to bacterial infections.
Breast Augmentation Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the surgeries performed?
Dr. Linder performs most of his breast augmentation surgeries at the Summit Surgical Center in Beverly Hills, California. The surgery center is fully accredited and certified by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, Inc., and Medicare.
He also has privileges at the premier medical center, Cedars-Sinai, in Los Angeles, and has been an attending surgeon in the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery since 1997.
What type of anesthesia is used?
Breast enlargement surgery is performed under general anesthesia with a board-certified anesthesiologist. Laryngeal mask airways are used with the majority of patients. However, those who have a history of reflux or gastroesophageal disease are usually better candidates for endotracheal tube intubation.
What surgeries are performed in combination?
Breast augmentation can be performed alone or in addition to other plastic surgeries, such as:
Will I be able to breastfeed after breast augmentation?
The loss of breastfeeding occurs in approximately 5–8 percent of elective cosmetic breast augmentations by board-certified plastic surgeons throughout the United States. This is aused by disruptions to the milk ducts, inhibiting the flow of breast milk. However, the numbers increase to 12 percent to 15 percent if a breast reduction or breast lift (mastopexies) is involved.
What is a “natural breast augmentation”?
A “natural breast augmentation” is not actually an augmentation mammoplasty; rather, it uses fat grafting to minimally increase breast size. The procedure involves harvesting fat cells from one area of the body via liposuction and injecting them into the breasts. The augmented breast increases about one cup size, offering minimal volume increase as compared to breast augmentation with implants.
What if I want my old implants upgraded to a different size or implant type?
If you are ready to upgrade your breast augmentation results, you need a revision surgery called breast implant revision surgery. During the procedure, Dr. Linder removes the implants from the implant pocket and replaces them with newer ones. Many patients like to “upgrade” to a different implant size or material to better suit their lifestyle, body type, or aesthetic preferences.
How old do you have to be for breast augmentation?
Dr. Linder will not perform breast augmentation on teenagers under the age of 18. The only exception is teenagers with severe congenital deformities (such as significant asymmetry or Poland’s syndrome). Younger patients will need to provide sign-offs from their pediatrician and their parent or guardian.
Saline breast implants are FDA-approved for women over 18; silicone breast implants are FDA-approved for women over 22.
Will my implants affect mammogram tests?
Having breast implants will not prevent you from getting mammograms, but you will need to tell your technologist that you have them before your mammogram. Your silicone or saline breast implants can make it more challenging for your doctor to see all of your tissue (since the X-rays used cannot penetrate silicone or saline).
Traditionally, women with breast implants will need to have additional photos taken when the implants are pushed up against the chest wall.
Do I need to have my implants replaced in 10 years?
Contrary to popular belief, implants do not need to be replaced every 10 years. If you are free from pain and happy with how you look, there is likely no reason for breast revision; however, it is recommended to see a board-certified plastic surgeon if you have any concerns regarding the condition of your implants.
Is it normal to have numbness after breast augmentation surgery?
Yes, it is very common to have temporary numbness, tingling, or alterations in nipple sensation after breast augmentation. This happens because nerves are altered or stretched during surgery, but it should resolve on its own. Most patients experience normal breast and nipple sensation anywhere from a few weeks to a year after surgery.