While breast augmentation has been a highly sought-after cosmetic procedure in the United States for decades, at present, the reasons some patients are choosing surgery are changing.
In popular understanding, the procedure is known for delivering larger sizing, but modern procedures prioritize the natural, balanced feeling. These patients often want an augmentation that helps them feel more at home in their body day-to-day.
Dr. Joseph Berardi is a board-certified plastic surgeon in Scottsdale who has spent 20 years helping patients to achieve their surgical goals. He is known for having a “patient first” philosophy and was voted Best Plastic Surgeon in the Valley by the Arizona Foothills Magazine’s Best of Our Valley.
His approach to breast augmentation centers on personalization, educating patients, and giving them the power to make confident decisions themselves.
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Breast Augmentation is More than Size
Dr. Berardi says, “Size is simply one aspect of the conversation.” His patients come to him saying they want to look natural or feel more balanced. He says, “What they're really looking for is that sense of being in harmony with their body itself.”
Breast augmentation can change the shape of breasts, restore volume that was lost after pregnancy or weight loss, and also alter the overall proportions.
Quite a few women also want better symmetry. It is quite common for one breast to be slightly different from the other. And breast augmentation will help build a much more symmetric appearance.
The overall goal is a slight change that makes a significant difference in how patients feel about their appearance, not to make the breasts themselves a major point of attention. It is about proportion for most patients, so that the total physique has a balanced appearance in service to an aesthetic.
Exploration of the “Natural Look” Trend in Augmentation
Modern breast augmentation is focused on proportion, selecting the best implants for shape, projection, and the way the implant balances with the patient’s body.
Berardi says, “Today's patients want subtlety themselves. They want outcomes that seem really natural but convincing.” With the advancement of surgical methods, doctors like Berardi are able to do precise planning before the operation, which may help the results move and feel more natural to patients.
This is a direct shift from previous iterations of breast augmentation that highlighted overstated results. This contemporary trend instead prioritizes the concept of improvement with effects that can often be less obvious and therefore appear more “natural”.
Understanding Implant Sizing
Every patient has a distinct chest width, chest shape, breast tissue volume, and skin elasticity. These factors can influence the implant size that would best fit a patient’s body.
On implant sizing, Berardi says, “This is one of the key elements of our consultation. I take a lot of time trying to understand what the patient wants [and] what will truly work in harmony with their body itself.”
He continues that he aims to guide patients towards options that enhance their whole body, considering the overall proportions of the patient's body, rather than only enhancing the breasts.
In addition, plastic surgeons like Berardi use visual tools and implant sizers to establish the implant volume over the course of consultations, so it can be assumed that this process is careful and planned, not a hasty, impulsive process.
This pacing and sizing process has the capacity to help patients visually compare the differences of various sizes, giving them more information to make the best decision for their goals and eliminating the guesswork.
Berardi says further, “I tell all my patients that the ultimate goal is to balance their whole body and be confident in the clothing they wear.”
What To Expect at A Consultation
“A consultation should feel like a conversation—not a sales pitch,” says Berardi. “We discuss the patient's goals, everyday life routine, and their activity levels. I also go over the various implant options, how to place them properly, and what the recovery period entails.”
There is a significant amount of information that can go into a consultation, and the process often takes more than one consultation. When patients truly understand the treatment process and have the opportunity to make informed decisions, they may have significantly more confidence in advancing their plans, so this process is imperative.
Education is an important factor in Berardi’s process, and he encourages patients to pose questions to gain a better understanding, but also because the more information he has, the more he can understand what kind of results best suit a patient.
Unexpected Parts of The Process
It is important to understand that everything from implant size, profile, firmness, incision type, and more is decided pre-surgery. However, it is the small decisions made during the surgery that will then have a noticeable impact on the final look. This is where Dr. Berardi expertise comes into play.
“Many patients are surprised at just how much preparation is involved in the procedure itself,” Berardi says. “Breast augmentation isn't a standard, one-size-fits-all surgery.”
Patients may be surprised at how natural their results appear and feel once their recovery is complete, and Dr. Berardi says this is the most common unexpected part of the process.
Recovery From Breast Augmentation
Most patients say that their recovery is smoother than they anticipated, Berardi explains. Typically, through the first few days, patients will experience discomfort and swelling, but that does not last long in Berardi’s professional opinion. He says, “Many patients are back to light activities themselves within just about a week or so.”
However, it is still advised to prioritize recovery and not confuse feeling better with being completely healed. It is Berardi’s advice to allow extra time to fully heal, as this may ensure the best long-term outcome by allowing the body to process and recover from the procedure.
Most important is to follow the doctor’s post-operative instructions, so post-operative complications can be avoided.
Dr. Berardi’s Advice for Those Considering Augmentation
Dr. Berardi advises, “First and foremost, find a plastic surgeon who is experienced and board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Think of it as having extra stars for safety and getting the outcome you want, because experience and training make a huge difference.”
His following advice to people is to think about personal goals of the surgery, what the purpose it serves in an individual’s life, which may help evaluate if breast augmentation is really a process a future patient is willing to go through.
“After all, breast augmentation is really about feeling comfortable in your own skin. When it’s planned out carefully, lots of people find it an empowering experience,” Dr. Berardi concludes.
