There’s no better time than now for breast augmentation. Chicago’s Dr. Iteld explains that change via breast augmentation is not only possible, but safer and with more options than ever before.
Maybe you want your tops to fit better. Maybe you lost weight and want to keep your slim figure but also want to add volume back in just the right place. Or maybe you’d like to reclaim the figure you sacrificed for so many years to pregnancy and breastfeeding. There are as many reasons to choose breast augmentation at Chicago’s Iteld Plastic Surgery as there are women who want fuller breasts (as well as terms for the procedure: boob job, breast enhancement, augmentation mammaplasty, etc.). Because every patient is different, Dr. Iteld customizes the breast augmentation procedure to provide natural results that complement each unique body type and achieve each patient’s individual aesthetic goals.
Procedure Spotlight
A vital part of any successful breast augmentation is planning. This is not a “try it and see what happens” sort of situation. Dr. Iteld works with every patient to lay out all the details in advance, including type of breast implant, size, placement, and more. A well-educated patient is far more likely to be a satisfied patient, because she knows what to expect and has an excellent idea of what her ultimate look will be. This includes Dr. Iteld answering common questions, like “How much do breast implants cost in Chicago?” and “How much is a breast augmentation in Chicago?” Patients understandably want to know what their procedure is going to cost them.
Since every breast surgery procedure is unique, breast augmentation cost—as well as other details, such as how long breast augmentation surgery takes and how long you can expect to heal after getting breast implants—will be discussed in detail at your consultation. This is also the time to get answers to other questions or concerns you may have, such as how breast implants and the COVID vaccine mix, the nature and likelihood of breast implant illness, and breast augmentation financing, which is—yes—another question about cost. Current headlines may be good at creating doubt or concern, but we’ve got good news: Dr. Iteld excels at providing honest, fact-based answers backed by years of education, research, and practical experience. In other words, he aims to be the best plastic surgeon for breast augmentation-related information you can find in the Chicago area and beyond. With him on your side, you can be sure that you will go into your breast augmentation with confidence.
Contact Us Today
Discover more about breast augmentation from Chicago board-certified plastic surgeon Lawrence Iteld, MD. Send a message online or call 312.757.4505 to discuss breast augmentation cost, results, recovery and more.
About Breast Implants
Of course, if you’re considering breast augmentation, it’s because you want one or both breasts to be bigger. How much bigger is the question. Volume increases can range from obviously enhanced to subtly boosted. Dr. Iteld will help you make your decision so it fits your anatomy, proportion, and ultimate goals.
Note that breast implant size is not the same as bra size! You don’t need to worry about converting numbers or making calculations. Dr. Iteld will handle the necessary details so you can focus on getting the look you want with minimal stress and recovery. He also uses 3D imaging to help you visualize what your appearance could be after breast augmentation surgery.
There are several manufacturers of breast implants, each of which provides a wide variety of combinations of shapes, shell, and filler. Breast implants can be round or “anatomical” (a fancy name for the organic teardrop shape of the natural breast), smooth or textured, and filled with sterile saline, silicone gel, or an even thicker silicone gel roughly the consistency of a gummy bear. Each implant used for breast augmentation has its own unique benefits.
Saline breast implants are filled with sterile liquid that gives the device a firm feel. They can be filled to a desired size after insertion, making them versatile options for women who want more volume from their breast augmentation. In the event of a rupture, the harmless liquid will simply flow out and be absorbed, leaving a deflated implant.
Unfortunately, that will also mean a deflated breast. Breast revision surgery can take care of this problem if necessary.
Silicone implants feel more like the natural breast tissue than saline implants and tend to have less rippling. For this reason, silicone breast implants are the most commonly used devices for breast augmentation. Modern silicone gel implants are made of “gummy” gel that does not leak in the same way as breast implants from 20 years ago. Although any breast implant may rupture, the thickness of the material inside means that the gel will not leak out of the pocket. Dr. Iteld recommends routine checkups to his breast augmentation patients and likes to follow all his patients in the years after surgery to see how they are doing and ensure they continue to be happy with their results.
Implants may be inserted via incisions placed in one of several locations, settling in above, below, or partially below the chest muscle. Saline implants are inserted and then filled, while silicone implants are inserted whole. Dr. Iteld is a strong believer in using a funnel technique to aid with the insertion of silicone implants for breast augmentation. He does this to reduce strain on the tissues and implants while also reducing the risk of developing scar tissue around the implants, which reduces the risk of capsular contracture.
Capsular contracture is a condition that causes the tissue around the implant to tighten, potentially squeezing the implant itself out of shape. A misshapen implant essentially makes for a breast that looks less than ideal. As with other rare, but possible complications, revision surgery will allow restoration of the beautiful shape every breast augmentation patient desires.
MeetLawrence Iteld, MD
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
RealSelf VERIFIED doctor
Lawrence Iteld, MD, is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and a highly regarded Chicago based plastic surgeon, receiving awards from Chicago Magazine’s Top Docs, and Castle Connolly Top Doctors®.
Meet Lawrence Iteld, MD
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
RealSelf VERIFIED doctor
Lawrence Iteld, MD, is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and a highly regarded Chicago based plastic surgeon, receiving awards from Chicago Magazine’s Top Docs, and Castle Connolly Top Doctors®.
10 Things You Should Know About Life With Breast Implants
Whether you’ve already had breast augmentation surgery, had a consultation with a top plastic surgeon performing breast augmentation in the Chicago area (or elsewhere), or are still thinking about whether breast implants are right for you, we have a resource we’d like to share. Click here to read a PDF of the Living With Breast Implants brochure, which can help you navigate breast health milestones, lifestyle changes, and other topics of interest associated with breast augmentation and implants. Inside the brochure, you’ll find:
- Room to record your plastic surgeon’s contact information and implant model serial numbers
- An “are you wearing the right bra size?” quiz
- Exercise recommendations
- A list of potential breast implant-related conditions
- A guide to routine MRIs and follow-up visits
- And much more!
As always, please call our office to speak to Dr. Lawrence Iteld if you have any questions.
Before & After Gallery
Meet the real patients and see their results after working with Dr. Iteld and his team at Iteld Plastic Surgery.
Breast Augmentation FAQs
Volume added to the breasts during surgery is visible right away, though there will likely be some swelling that will resolve in the days and weeks after the breast augmentation surgery. Patients will be bikini ready in about three weeks and reach their final long-term result in about three to six months.
We can give you breast augmentation recovery tips unique to your situation, but consider a few things: Have days’ worth of meals prepared in advance, line up someone to mind any kids or pets that need minding (at least for a few days), and create a clean and quiet space in your home where you can take some down time and rest as needed.
We wouldn’t be suggesting this question if it wasn’t! Dr. Iteld is a pioneer of surgical techniques that allow for narcotics-free recovery, helping patients to avoid unnecessary medications during their post-procedural healing period. By preventing pain, Dr. Iteld creates conditions that allow patients to experience a much easier recovery and overall improved experience compared to traditional approaches of chasing pain with narcotics.
Dr. Iteld applies the techniques to a range of procedures, including lifts, reductions, and—yes—breast augmentation. It is also available for tummy tucks, liposuction, body lifts, and more.
The best way to determine if breast augmentation is right for you is to contact Chicago, IL’s Iteld Plastic Surgery for a personal consultation. That said, the best candidates for the surgery tend to be women who are in generally good health and who want to enhance the size of their breasts, correct volume lost after months or years of pregnancy and breastfeeding, or balance two breasts of different sizes.
Note that breast augmentation is all about volume and nothing but volume. If sagging is the problem, a lift is a more appropriate choice.
Women who have opted for implants in the past and are not so happy with the way their enhanced breasts look today can talk to Dr. Iteld about breast revision, which can help correct cosmetic problems due to prior surgeries.
Many breast cancer patients have some or all of one or both of their breasts removed as part of the treatment process. That’s great for long-term health, but not for filling out bras and clothing. A long and healthy life is obviously the most important focus of any breast surgery, but with options available today, there’s no reason you can’t also enjoy a curvy silhouette.
Breast augmentation is a common aspect of breast reconstruction procedures, since loss of volume is a typical result of surgical cancer treatment. Women who have a significant amount of tissue remaining after their successful lumpectomy or similar surgery are good candidates for straightforward breast augmentation. Those who lack sufficient tissue can still enjoy volume-boosting results, but the process requires a little more time and effort. Don’t worry. You’re worth it.
Dr. Iteld may first need to create a pocket large enough to hold an implant in the breast tissue. Using an expander, he makes the necessary space over time. In this case, good things—and bigger breasts—come to those who wait.
What goes in can come out. Women who choose breast augmentation should know that, unlike diamonds, breast implants aren’t forever. Yes, they are long lasting, but the risk of rupture goes up by about one percent for every year they are in place. Recent headlines (from 2019, 2020, and 2021) have also put a spotlight on the fact that breast implant illness—specifically a rare form of cancer—has been associated with certain types of textured implants used in breast augmentation. Rest assured that Dr. Iteld does not use these troublesome implants.
On the whole, implants are a reliable and safe option for women looking to add volume to their breasts. As with any medical procedure, however, there is always the possibility of complications with breast augmentation. And some women eventually decide they no longer like the look or feel of their implants.
No matter the reason, breast implants can be removed in a procedure known as explantation. After this, patients can choose to go about life as normal, or have breast implants of a different size, shape, or type inserted instead via a new breast augmentation surgery.
While breast implants remain the most popular cosmetic surgical change chosen by patients across the United States each year, fat transfer breast enhancement is also possible. This technique makes use of a patient’s own harvested fat cells to provide a modest increase in volume. Breast implants and fat transfer can also be combined to create more refined results since carefully injected fat can be used to “soften” the appearance of the edges.
Think of it like this: If you put a bowl upside-down under a napkin, the lines and edges of the bowl may be visible—especially if the napkin is especially thin. This is similar to breast augmentation patients who are have relatively little “padding” to start with, often because they are on the thinner side.
Now, imagine rounding any of the bowl’s visible edges with mashed potatoes, then draping the napkin over it again. The contours will appear smoother, with no prominent or obvious lines.
For some patients, the existing fat and other tissues in the breast area will be enough to make the breast implant surgery results appear natural. Other patients might want an obviously enhanced look. The point is that Dr. Lawrence Iteld creates customized breast augmentation results to suit just about any body type.
Dr. Iteld knows that bigger is not better for many women, which is why he also offers breast reduction in addition to breast augmentation. As the name implies, this surgery involves taking volume away as opposed to adding it. By reducing the size and weight of overly large breasts, he can help women who are tired of the strain and discomfort caused by a constant pull on the chest.
For patients more concerned with the position and perkiness of their breasts, a breast lift is the ideal option. While breast augmentation increases the breasts’ projection, a lift raises them higher. This surgery can also include repositioning the nipples to address a saggy look.
Breast augmentation and lifts can be performed separately, though the procedures may also be combined to boost the breasts in both prominence and position.
Breast augmentation is frequently part of a larger package of procedures known as a Mommy Makeover. Pregnancy, childbirth, and nursing a baby can wreak havoc on the female body. Women who know this from experience also know there is not just one thing that changes. Breasts can grow, shrink, and sag—and not always both in the same way. This is in addition to physical changes also happening on the belly and farther down.
Moms are known for their multitasking abilities, and there’s no reason their amazing efficiency shouldn’t carry over to their plastic surgery procedures. If there are many areas to be addressed, they all can be worked on as part of a total-body makeover that includes breast augmentation, lifts, tucks, and whatever else is necessary to get a body back into pre-baby shape.
Honestly, they are your breasts. You tell us what you are looking for, and we will tell you what we can do to help you on your journey of personal transformation, whether that involves breast augmentation surgery or something different.