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  • Here's What You Need to Discuss With Your Surgeon Before Breast Augmentation
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When deciding to undergo breast augmentation, there are a lot of decisions that have to be made and it takes time to come to those conclusions and decisions. When I see my patients for breast augmentation, I typically start out with an initial consultation that takes me at least 30 minutes, but most of the time about an hour. During that time, we talk about where to put the implants, what type of implants are available, and what incisions to use. Deciding on all of those variables is very dynamic and it's based on my comfort level with the patient's body and also the patient's overall goals and desires. After the initial consultation, the next thing that we would do is see the patient back for pre-op visit. During that time between the consultation and the pre-op visit, they're doing a lot of homework. They're doing a lot of research on the Internet. They may be calling the office and checking in and asking about the different types of things. And that point it's when we really kind of solidify the plan. And the main thing that I really try to get from the patients at that second visit is kind of what their look is going to be.

Do they want to look very natural? Do they want to look augmented or do they want to look very augmented? Those are my three grades essentially. And getting that information sometimes is harder from some patients than other patients because they may say, "I want to be a C cup in my Victoria's Secret bra." Well, cup sizes are very different between different types of bras and I usually don't use that as my indicator of how to choose implants. What I do use is sometimes I'll have them bring in pictures of other patients that they know or friends that they know or models and things like that because when I see a picture of a woman wearing a bikini top and there's no padding and they have very round breasts, that's an augmented appearance. Or should I see a picture of someone wearing a dress and three's a small amount of breast up a pole show with a little bit of cleavage and that's kind of a more natural look. And those things really help me choose the implants. When patients may send a picture, show something on the Internet websites like Real Self, they may say, "What's the best implant for me?" And I can't tell patients that just by seeing a picture. The only way that I can figure that out is by an examination and talking to a patient. Thank you very much.

Here's What You Need to Discuss With Your Surgeon Before Breast Augmentation

Dr. Gaurav Bharti explains what the doctor and patient should discuss before any surgery is scheduled.