Plastic Surgery Procedures

Surgical enhancement of the size and shape of women's breasts has been steadily increasing in popularity over the years. And with the recent re-approval by the Federal Food and Drug Administration of new silicone breast implants, breast augmentation is expected to continue being pursued by many women.

In 2006, breast augmentation was found to be the number one procedure performed by plastic surgeons. The ASPS reported that 329,000 breast augmentations were done that year. Interestingly, Los Angeles breast reduction is also on the rise.

To briefly describe breast augmentation surgery, it entails a plastic surgeon making incisions under the arm, under the breasts, or under the nipples, depending on the surgical approach selected. Then implants, either saline or silicone, are inserted either beneath the breast tissues or all the way beneath the chest muscles. General anesthesia is normally required, but the surgery is almost always an outpatient procedure.