Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation is surgery that changes the size and shape of the breasts using implants. At Sauk Prairie Healthcare in Prairie du Sac, WI, it is performed by plastic surgeon Rosaline Reynolds, MD, MS, at the Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery Clinic. Women choose it for different reasons. Some want to restore fullness lost after pregnancy or weight loss. Others want to even out breasts that differ in size, or simply want a fuller shape that suits their body.

Ready to take the next step? Call 608-643-4140
to schedule a consultation.

The procedure uses either saline or silicone implants. Which one is right depends on your anatomy and on how you want the result to look and feel, and it is something you decide together with your surgeon. Implants add volume, but they do not lift the breast, so some women may need both an augmentation with a breast lift when sagging is also a concern.

Care at Sauk Prairie Healthcare begins with a consultation, where you and Dr. Reynolds review your options and decide whether the procedure is a good fit. The clinic welcomes patients from Prairie du Sac and Sauk City as well as the greater Madison area and surrounding communities. The focus is on results that look natural and suit each individual, with follow-up close to home.

Is Breast Augmentation Right for You?

Appropriate candidates for breast augmentation are adults in good general health who understand what the surgery can and cannot do. It can add volume and improve shape or symmetry, but it is not a treatment for weight loss and it will not correct significant sagging on its own. Breasts should be fully developed before surgery, which is one reason age guidelines exist. The FDA approves saline implants for cosmetic augmentation in women 18 and older, and silicone implants in women 22 and older.

Many women consider augmentation after pregnancy or breastfeeding, after weight changes, or simply because they want more fullness than they have naturally. Others are focused on a noticeable size difference between their breasts. Being a nonsmoker, or willing to stop before and after surgery, supports healing and lowers the risk of complications. Realistic expectations matter as much as physical health. A consultation brings these together, so your surgeon can give you an honest assessment based on your body and your goals. During the exam, your surgeon also looks at your skin and breast tissue, which helps show whether an implant alone will meet your goals or if adding a lift would give a better result.

Saline and Silicone Implant Options

Breast implants come in two main types, and each has a silicone outer shell. Saline implants are filled with sterile salt water, usually after they are placed. If a saline implant leaks, the breast visibly softens because the body safely absorbs the saline, so a rupture is easy to notice.

Silicone gel implants are filled with a soft gel that many people feel is closer to natural breast tissue. Because the gel stays in place if the shell is damaged, a rupture can happen without any obvious sign. For that reason, the FDA recommends periodic imaging with MRI or ultrasound to check silicone implants over time. Some silicone options use a firmer cohesive gel, sometimes called a gummy bear implant, that holds its shape well.

Beyond the fill, you and Dr. Reynolds will discuss implant size and shape, where the incision is placed, and whether the implant sits above or below the chest muscle. These choices shape both the look of the result and the recovery, and incision sites are positioned to keep scars as discreet as possible. There is no single right answer. The best choice is the one that matches your anatomy and what your surgeon determines will best match your goals.

What to Expect During Surgery

Breast augmentation is typically an outpatient procedure performed under general anesthesia, and most patients go home the same day. During surgery, the implant is placed through a small incision and positioned either under the breast tissue or beneath the chest muscle, depending on the plan you and your surgeon agreed upon. A common incision location is the crease under the breast. This approach is chosen to give good access while keeping scars easy to conceal. The incision is then closed and supported as it heals.

A few things happen before the day of surgery. The FDA requires a Patient Decision Checklist that you and your surgeon review and sign together, confirming you understand the benefits and the risks. Taking time here matters, because it is easier to feel confident about the result when the decision was made carefully and without pressure. You will also get instructions for the days beforehand, such as arranging a ride home and avoiding certain medications that can increase bleeding.

Recovery After Breast Augmentation

Recovery is different for everyone, but most people can expect soreness, swelling, and a feeling of tightness in the first several days. Prescribed medication and a supportive garment help manage this early discomfort. Many people feel ready to return to desk work and light daily activities within about a week, while strenuous exercise and heavy lifting wait several weeks, until your surgeon clears you for them. In the first week or two, it helps to sleep with your upper body slightly raised and to avoid reaching overhead, and you should not drive until you are off prescription pain medication.

The way the breasts look right after surgery is not the final result. Implants often sit high at first and settle into a more natural position over the following weeks and months as swelling fades and tissue relaxes. Scars continue to soften and lighten during this time as well. Follow-up visits let your care team check healing and answer questions as they come up, and following activity restrictions during this window protects the result even once you start feeling well enough to do more.

Caring for Breast Implants Over Time

Breast implants are not considered lifetime devices. The FDA is clear on this point: the longer implants are in place, the greater the chance of developing a complication, and some of those complications require additional surgery. Possible complications include capsular contracture, which is scar tissue tightening around an implant, along with changes in breast or nipple sensation and rupture. There is no fixed expiration date and no rule that implants must be replaced after a set number of years, but many women do have them removed or replaced at some point.

Planning for that possibility is a normal part of choosing augmentation, not a sign that something will go wrong. For silicone implants, staying current with the recommended MRI or ultrasound screening helps catch a silent rupture early. Keeping a relationship with a plastic surgeon means decisions about monitoring, revision, or removal are based on how you are actually doing rather than a guess.

Your Care Team at Sauk Prairie Healthcare

Breast augmentation at Sauk Prairie Healthcare is performed by Rosaline Reynolds, MD, MS, a female plastic surgeon who trained at the University of Wisconsin, completing an integrated plastic surgery residency at UW Hospital & Clinics in Madison. Having a female surgeon is a consideration for many patients seeking breast surgery. Her areas of interest include cosmetic and reconstructive breast surgery and body contouring, and she sees patients at the Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery Clinic in Prairie du Sac.

Getting in to see Dr. Reynolds is straightforward. No referral is required, and most patients can schedule a consultation within about two weeks. Virtual consultations are available as well, which is convenient for patients coming from the greater Madison area or the surrounding counties who want to start the conversation before making the drive to Prairie du Sac.

Our team will care for you from your initial consultation, through procedure, and follow-up. Breast augmentation is one of several cosmetic procedures offered here, and for women recovering their shape after pregnancy, it is sometimes combined with other procedures as part of a Mommy Makeover.

Deciding whether to have breast augmentation is personal, and the clearest way to understand your options is to talk with a surgeon who can examine your anatomy and listen to what you want. A consultation gives you room to ask questions, see and feel different implant types, and get answers based on your situation rather than general information.

Schedule a Breast Augmentation Consultation

To learn whether breast augmentation is right for you, call the Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery Clinic at Sauk Prairie Healthcare at 608-643-4140 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Reynolds. No referral is needed, in-person and virtual consultations are available, and most patients can be seen within about two weeks. You will talk through your goals and compare saline and silicone options, with answers specific to you. The clinic is at 250 26th Street, Suite 135, in Prairie du Sac, WI.

Frequently Asked Questions About Breast Augmentation

Ready to take the next step? Call 608-643-4140
to schedule a consultation.

________________________________

References:

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Types of Breast Implants. https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/breast-implants/types-breast-implants

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Risks and Complications of Breast Implants. https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/breast-implants/risks-and-complications-breast-implants

American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Is it time to replace your breast implants? https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/articles/is-it-time-to-replace-your-breast-implants