Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: What is a circum vertical breast lift?
Answer: A circum vertical breast lift is a lift that places the incisions around the nipple areolar and vertically on the breast. The scar shape is like the shape of a lollipop.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: I was in a car accident a month ago and ever since one of my saline implants feels and looks like it is getting smaller. Is it possible that only one of my breast implants has a slow leak?
Answer: It is possible that you may have a ruptured breast implant and it is leaking slowly. You should make an appointment to be evaluated. Depending on what the physical examination determines I also send my patients who are concerned with implant ruptures for an MRI.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: I am a man who is in the process of becoming a woman. I am receiving hormone therapy. My breasts have grown, but I would still like them to be larger to give me a more feminine shape. I have heard that silicone breast implants look and feel more natural than saline breast implants. Am I a candidate for silicone implants?
Answer: Yes silicone breast implants are more natural looking and feeling than saline implants. You would benefit from having a silicone implant because you probably don't have a lot of natural breast tissue, unfortunately the FDA does not allow men to qualify for silicone breast implants. If you want breast implants you will have to choose from saline.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: I have heard that breast implants may interfere with mammograms. Is this true?
Answer: Yes breast implants can make it more difficult to read a mammogram. To detect breast cancer in breast implant patients I also recommend regular breast self exams and MRI's to aid in the detection of any unusual growths or cancers.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: I am a petite 5'0 100lb woman with an A cup size. I recently went on a consultation for breast implants with another surgeon in Beverly Hills. I told him that I want a small natural size breast in a B or small C cup range. He recommended a 500cc saline implant filled to 550cc's. This sounds too big. What bra size will this make me?
Answer: It is impossible to say exactly what bra size you would be with 550 cc breast implants, but one thing I can guarantee you is that you will definitely be larger than a B or C cup size. Generally, a 500cc or 550 cc will be in the D to DD size range.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: I have had capsular contracture in the past with another surgeon. Is there anything I can do as a patient or Dr. Corbin can do as a surgeon to help me from getting it again?
Answer: Capsular contracture is a frustrating situation for both the surgeon and the patient. It occurs when the patient's body heals aggressively and forms thick scarring around the breast implant. Capsular contracture can occur in one or both breasts. And the severity varies from patient to patient. Generally the longer it is left untreated the worse it becomes. Some things I do to help reduce capsular contracture is placing the breast implants sub muscular or using textured implants if the implants are placed in front of the muscle. I also have patients take Accolade after breast surgery as a preventative measure. Accolade or Singular is believed to reduce the incidents of capsular contracture

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: When was the first Saline breast implant used?
Answer: The first saline breast implants were used in 1968.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: When was the first silicone breast implant used?
Answer: The first silicone breast implant was used in 1962.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: I am considering getting breast implants, but I am very thin and afraid of rippling. What is this caused by and is there anything Dr. Corbin recommends to prevent ripples?
Answer: Rippling can occur in very thin patients, patients with little breast tissue or patients with thin skin. Generally what causes the ripple is the edge or outer shell of the breast implant. Another reason for rippling is as the breast ages and becomes ptotic and ripples may occur or become more noticeable as the skin looses its elasticity and firmness over the breast implants. Rippling generally occurs more with saline breast implants than in silicone breast implants. With the new firmer silicone breast implants ripples are almost non existent. Some basic ways I correct rippling is to use alloderm to reinforce the areas where the skin is thin and ripples many be, injecting free fat into the breast (difficult in the presence of implants) or switching the patients breast implants from saline to silicone. Some things that may help prevent rippling are: smaller breast implants, putting the breast implants behind the pectoral major muscular, as well as filling saline breas
t implants slightly more than the minimum specified by the implant manufacture. If you look at a saline breast implant like a water balloon, you want to fill it just enough to get the wrinkles out yet keep it soft and not too firm.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: Will my breast implants last forever?
Answer: Breast implants do not last forever and usually will have to be replaced at some point. The breast implant manufactures recommend replacing implants about every 10 years. Most patients who have breast implants do not replace old implants unless they have having problems like capsular contracture or a rupture. Most patient who have had breast implants for a long period of time will have additional surgery to change the size of their breast implants and or to lift their breasts as they may have changed because of gravity, childbirth, weight changes etc.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: What is a circum vertical mastopexy?
Answer: It is a type of breast lift that involves placing a scar around the nipple areolar complex and a vertical scar down the breast. This is a more advanced way of performing breast lift surgery. It does away with the old inverted T scars. And less scarring on the breasts is more aesthetically pleasing.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: Pseudoptosis. What is it?
Answer: Pseudoptosis is when breast tissue is below the inframammary crease of the breasts, but the nipples are above. Pseudoptosis can sometimes be seen after breast feeding and also weight loss.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: I am a teenager who is always getting teased because of my enormous breasts. I read on the internet that there is a new surgery where they can make the breasts smaller with liposuction. I am wondering if I would be a good candidate for this breast reduction surgery.
Answer: It sounds like you are a perfect candidate for breast reduction surgery. Patients suffering from macromastia like you often suffer both physically and emotionally due to their extra large breasts. For a young woman, breast reduction will dramatically improve your self image and make it easier for you to fit into clothing and bras. The liposuction breast reduction technique is not recommended for teens. However there are other breast reduction options for you with less scarring than the old inverted T reduction. In the past young women were afraid of all the big scars associated with breast reduction surgery, but I do a minimal scar breast reduction that limits the scar to around the nipple areolar complex and vertically down the breast. I do not place the long scars along the entire crease of the breasts like the inverted T scars. With my breast reduction surgery technique the patient will benefit from less scarring, and smaller perkier breasts that are more proporti
onate for their body. The benefits from breast reduction surgeries that I have performed on hundreds of women are both physically and emotionally rewarding for the patients. I look forward to helping you.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: What is a capsulotomy?
Answer: A capsulotomy is when the capsule surrounding the breast implant is cut

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: I have read that with the new cohesive gel implants the scar has to be 5 cm. Is this true?
Answer: Yes, this is what the implant manufactures are recommending with the newer cohesive silicone gel breast implants that the incision be at least 5cm long.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: Are silicone breast implants more expensive than saline breast implants?
Answer: Yes. Silicone breast implants cost more than saline breast implants.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: What is a Spair breast lift?
Answer: A Spair breast lift is a short scar, circumareolar inferior based pedicle mastopexy ? This is an advanced form of vertical mastopexy leaving the patient with a lollipop shaped scar instead of the old breast lift technique the inverted T where the patient has the T shaped scars that are around the nipples, vertically down the breasts and also in the contour of the breast.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: What is an inverted T breast lift?
Answer: The inverted T mastopexy is description of the appearance of the scar following the commonest and oldest form of breast lift techniques. This inverted T breast lift leaves the patient with the most scarring of all the breast lift techniques. The T shaped scar pattern goes around the nipples, vertically down the breasts and also in the contour of the breast.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: What is a Binelli breast lift? And where are the scars located on the breasts?
Answer: A Binelli is a circum areolar mastopexy as described by Dr. Binelli. The scar goes around the areolar complex.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: What is a lumpectomy?
Answer: A Lumpectomy is surgery to remove the cancerous lump and a portion of normal tissue around the breast cancer lump. The surgeon may also remove some of the lymph nodes under the arm to determine if the cancer has spread

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: What is a skin sparing mastectomy? And does Dr. Corbin recommend this surgery?
Answer: A skin sparing mastectomy is a procedure in which the skin envelope and much of the skin of the breast is preserved in order to allow for a more natural breast reconstruction. Not all patients are candidates for this procedure. The best candidates for a skin sparring mastectomy is determined by the general surgeon.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: I am in my 20's. How often should I do a self breast exam?
Answer: A BSE should be performed once a month, usually at a time other than the days before, during, or immediately after the menstrual period.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: Can a person who has a breast cyst have a breast augmentation? Sue
Answer: Yes, if the cyst is benign. Tests prior to a breast augmentation have to be done to confirm that the cyst is benign and not cancerous. After this is determined, if the benign cyst is close to where the breast implants are being put in the cyst can be removed at the same time as the breast augmentation. If a patient is concerned that the cyst will interfere with breast implants it can be removed or aspirated before the breast surgery. The surgeon can then use the scar from the cyst removal to put the breast implants in through.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: What is a tummy tuck breast reconstruction?
Answer: A tummy tuck breast reconstruction is a transverse abdominis myocutaneous flap.Skin. This breast reconstruction technique uses fat and muscle from the abdomen to create a new breast mound.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: What is a tram flap breast reconstruction?
Answer: A tram flap is a transverse abdominis myocutaneous flap or in layman's terms a 'tummy Tuck' Breast Reconstruction. This breast reconstruction uses fat and muscle from the abdomen to create a new breast mound.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: What are inverted nipples?
Answer: Inverted nipples are nipples that do not protrude above the surface and are retracted below the areola complex. Inverted nipples do not project outward above the areolar like normal nipples do.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: What is rippling?
Answer: Rippling is folds or dents in breast implants that can be seen or palpated through the skin on the breast. Ripples in breast implants are most commonly seen in saline breast implants and textured surfaced breast implants.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: What is a double bubble?
Answer: A double bubble is a condition of the breast associated with breast augmentation when either the breast implant sits noticeably above the normal breast tissue mound creating a double bubble or below the natural breast crease creating a double bubble or double crease.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: What is symastia?
Answer: Symastia is a breast deformity that causes the breasts to look like a uniboob. The medial skin on the midline of the breasts is not attached or scarred down to the chest wall. This condition can be congenital or caused by surgery. Surgical causes of symastia can happen when very large implants pull the skin away from the chest bone.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: I have had 3 botched breast surgeries. I am so frustrated! I now have a double bubble on one of my breasts. Can Dr. Corbin fix a double bubble so I can look normal again!! I feel so deformed.
Answer: Yes I can fix a double bubble breast deformity. If you look on the redo section of the breast expert website you will see some other patients with double bubble corrections these can be difficult surgeries and depending on the severity of the deformity it may require more than one surgery to correct.

Plastic Surgery Q and A

Question: I went to another plastic surgeon for a breast augmentation consultation. He recommends putting the implants in through a scar made in the breast crease. I know 2 patients of Dr. Corbin's and they both look great. One had her scars put on the nipples and the other has hers in her armpit. Why didn't Dr. Corbin put their scars under their breasts?
Answer: Today women have better choices as to where their incisions are placed. The inframammary breast augmentation is the oldest technique. Since the development of breast augmentation surgery, there have been many advances in the techniques to include, Peri areolar breast augmentation, axillary breast augmentation and the tuba breast augmentation. The best place to put the implants through varies from patient to patient. I don't believe that one approach to breast surgery is the,' Best' for every patient. Because I perform breast augmentations using all 4 options, Nipple areolar, Tuba, Axillary, or Inframammary, I carefully evaluate each patients individual needs to educate them on the best surgery approach for them. If my patient has good measurements and is selecting an average size breast implant, I prefer to let my patients have the option of deciding where they would like their small incisions placed. I tailor the surgery to suit each individual patient.