Everything you need to know about choosing your breast implants.
Gartner Plastic Surgery performs breast augmentation at our Paramus, New Jersey office, serving patients throughout Bergen County. This page covers the implants themselves: the types available, how profiles differ between manufacturers, pricing, and the specific techniques Dr. Gartner uses. For an overview of the procedure itself, see our breast augmentation in New Jersey page.
Breast implants come in a range of sizes, shapes, fill materials, and profiles. Which combination suits you depends on your chest measurements, how much natural tissue you have, and the result you’re after. Dr. Gartner will work through those options with you at your consultation.
Procedure
Breast augmentation is a cosmetic surgery procedure that involves the insertion of breast implants to enhance the size, shape, or fullness of your breasts. Whether you’re looking to increase your cup size, improve symmetry, or restore volume after pregnancy or weight loss, breast augmentation can help you achieve your desired look.
During the procedure, Dr. Gartner will create an incision and insert the implant either over or under the chest muscle, depending on your unique anatomy and preferences. With a variety of implant types, sizes, and shapes to choose from, you can customize your breast augmentation to best suit your needs.
Pricing
PRICES QUOTED ARE IN US DOLLARS
| Breast Augmentation General Anesthesia with Saline Implants | Avg. $9,500 |
| Breast Augmentation General Anesthesia with Silicone Implants | Avg. $10,500 |
| Breast Augmentation & Lift with Saline Implants | Avg. $12,000-$13,000 |
| Breast Augmentation & Lift with Silicone Implants | Avg. $14,000-$15,000 |
| Breast Lift General Anesthesia | Avg. $10,500-$11,500 |
* Disclaimer
Please note that the listed prices are the average cost and may be higher or lower depending on your particular treatment. The financing rates listed depend on your credit and the financing company selected.*
Ideal Candidate
Breast augmentation is the most popular cosmetic procedure performed at our surgical facility in Paramus, New Jersey. We have helped thousands of women improve their body contour and achieve highly satisfying results.
However, it is not suitable for every woman who wants it. You should consider these things to help you determine whether the surgery is right for you:
- You are generally healthy, both physically and psychologically. Some medical conditions can make the surgery unsafe. For example, you may not be a candidate if you have cancer, suffer from autoimmune disorders, or experience issues with bleeding. Women with Body Dysmorphic Disorder are also unsuitable candidates. Consultation with Dr. Gartner followed by lab work can help clarify your suitability.
- You are not pregnant or breastfeeding. For your safety and to prevent disruption of breastfeeding, breast augmentation should only be performed about 6 months or so after pregnancy and after you’ve stopped breastfeeding.
- You are having the surgery because you have made the choice to do it for your own reasons, and not for anyone else’s. Don’t let anyone force you into having the surgery because it’s your body and your health.
- You understand the risks and complications related to this cosmetic procedure. This allows you to make an informed decision on whether the surgery is right for you.
- You are at least 18 years old if you’re considering saline implants, and 22 years old if you’re considering silicone cohesive gel implants.
- You are of normal weight or close to it. Being underweight or overweight may increase surgical risks and complications. Results tend to be better when patients are of a healthy weight.
- You don’t have an infection at the time of your surgery. Having an active infection at the time of your surgery can increase the risk of complications.
- You understand that to achieve a highly satisfying surgical outcome, you should follow all pre and post-surgical care instructions as outlined by Dr. Gartner. For example, you’ll need to refrain from smoking and drinking alcohol for a couple of weeks before and after your surgery.
Why Choose Us?
Local Anesthesia
Your surgery can be performed under local anesthesia, which means you’ll be awake for the whole time. You won’t feel a thing, except for a tiny bit of pressure occasionally. Many patients talk throughout the surgery, making it a more pleasant experience. Read more about awake breast augmentation.
Pre-Emptive Anesthesia
Dr. Gartner administers pre-emptive anesthesia, which means medication is given before surgery begins rather than after it ends. This reduces post-operative pain and discomfort more effectively than treating pain once it has already started, according to the study Preemptive analgesia II: recent advances and current trends. The recovery room nurses at the university hospital where Dr. Gartner has privileges often remark that his patients have an easier recovery with less discomfort than those operated on by other surgeons. Less anesthesia is administered overall.
General Anesthesia
General anesthesia can be administered, which is what most surgeons offer. However, Dr. Gartner is one of the very few plastic surgeons in the country who can also perform your procedure under local anesthesia with some oral sedation. Because it is such a comfortable surgical experience with a faster recovery, about half of patients opt for local anesthesia. You won’t have to deal with any of the risks or side effects related to general anesthesia. Some patients have their surgery on a Thursday and are back at a desk job by Monday.
Minimizing Capsular Contracture
Dr. Gartner has refined his surgical technique to minimize the risk of capsular contracture. Strict infection control protocols, including wiping the nipples with gauze and applying nipple shields during surgery, have kept his rate of capsular contracture to a minimal margin.
Cohesive Gel Silicone Implants
Dr. Gartner has extensive knowledge of cohesive gel silicone breast implants because he participated in the investigational studies conducted before they were approved by the FDA for general use. That background helps him determine the implant size and shape most likely to achieve the result you want.
Preserving the Inframammary Fold
Lowering the inframammary fold means cutting the ligaments that support the breast from below and reattaching them further down the chest wall. This increases the risk of “bottoming out,” where the implant gradually slides too low and requires revision surgery to correct. It is one of the most common problems Dr. Gartner is asked to fix in patients whose original augmentation was performed elsewhere.
For that reason, Dr. Gartner never lowers the inframammary fold. You keep your original breast fold, which gives a more natural result and removes the need to wear a compression garment around the clock after surgery, since there is no concern about the breasts dropping too low. Much of the discomfort after breast augmentation comes from pressure on the lifted muscle, and a tight bra only adds to it. You’ll start wearing a bra once your breasts settle into position, usually two to four weeks after surgery. Our guide to breast augmentation incision options covers how this affects incision placement.
Ace Wrap Instead of a Compression Bra
Sizers are used during surgery to shape the area, which minimizes the risk of implants drifting too far to the sides. Because your inframammary fold remains intact, you won’t need a bra immediately after surgery unless advised otherwise. Instead, an ace wrap is placed over the chest and removed the next day. Once your implants have settled, usually at two to four weeks, you can start wearing a bra regularly. This spares you weeks in a constricting compression bra, which is what most surgeons advise.
Implant Profiles by Manufacturer
Profile describes how far an implant projects forward from the chest wall relative to the width of its base. Profile names are set by each manufacturer and are not standardized across the industry, which is why two implants sharing a label can differ in actual dimensions. Our guide to breast implant profiles explains how to choose one.
These are the profiles currently offered by the manufacturers Dr. Gartner works with:
MENTOR SILICONE IMPLANTS
- Moderate
- Moderate Plus
- High
- Ultra High
MENTOR SALINE IMPLANTS
- Moderate
- Moderate Plus
- High
ALLERGAN NATRELLE SILICONE IMPLANTS
- Moderate
- Moderate Plus
- High
- Extra High
NATRELLE 410 SILICONE IMPLANTS
- Moderate
- Full
ALLERGAN NATRELLE SALINE IMPLANTS
- Low
- Moderate
- High
SIENTRA SILICONE IMPLANTS
- Low
- Moderate
- High
Implant Sizing
Incision and Placement
Two further decisions shape your result: where the incision goes, and whether the implant sits above or below the chest muscle.
Dr. Gartner uses the inframammary incision, placed in the fold beneath the breast, and the periareolar incision, placed along the lower edge of the areola. When a periareolar approach is used, the nipples are sterilized and nipple shields applied, a practice shown to reduce bacterial contamination of the implant and, with it, the risk of capsular contracture. Each approach has trade-offs in scarring, access, and long-term risk, which we cover in full in breast augmentation incision options.
Implants can be placed above the chest muscle (subglandular) or partially beneath it (dual plane). Placement affects how visible the implant edge is, the risk of rippling, recovery time, and long-term support. Our guide to under the muscle vs. over the muscle implants explains which suits which patient.
Are You a Candidate for Breast Implants?
Breast augmentation appeals to a wide variety of people. But is breast enhancement surgery the best choice for you? Here’s a closer look at the factors that qualify or disqualify a person for breast implants.
Pregnancy
Dr. Gartner will advise you to wait if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant soon. The incision route you choose can be a factor for breastfeeding in the future. The natural expansion of glandular tissue during pregnancy also means your results may be altered if you become pregnant later.
Overall Health
Good candidates for any cosmetic surgery are generally healthy. Factors such as chronic disease, bleeding disorders, infection, or immunity issues can compromise healing. Dr. Gartner will ask health and lifestyle questions to ensure your safety.
Do You Need a Breast Lift?
Many patients learn at consultation that they’d benefit from a breast lift alongside implants. Augmentation mastopexy achieves a lifted, perkier breast shape along with volume enhancement.
Is This Entirely Your Choice?
People who choose to alter their bodies independently, for their own satisfaction, are generally happier with the outcomes. No one should decide to undergo a physical alteration because of the advice or pressure of another person.
Do You Understand the Risks and Limits?
Breast augmentation can achieve impressive, customized results, and the surgery carries a very high patient satisfaction rate. There are still limits and concerns to be aware of. Ask questions about safety, potential complications, and how you and your surgeon will minimize them. Your results depend somewhat on your existing anatomy, so improvement rather than perfection is the realistic goal.
Breast Development
Patients should be at least 18 to consider breast augmentation. The body is generally developed by that age and the breasts will have stopped growing. Saline implants may be selected for those under 22, and silicone cohesive gel implants for women over 22.
Bodyweight
Though there is no set weight or BMI required, Dr. Gartner will want to ensure your body weight is stable before surgery. If you plan to gain or lose significant body fat, the breasts will likely change size and shape, which can alter your results. You’ll be advised to reach your ideal weight first.
Recovery After Breast Implant Surgery
How You’ll Look While You Recover
Right after surgery your breasts will look larger than you may expect and will sit oddly. They may look flattened, the nipples may point downward, and there won’t be much fullness in the lower portion. Two things cause this: swelling, and implants that haven’t settled yet. Swelling and bruising come from the trauma of surgery and decrease with time. Your implants gradually drop into position with gravity and natural tissue expansion, over the course of a few months.
You’ll be advised to start wearing a bra two to four weeks after surgery, depending on how fast your implants settle.
Keeping Clean
You can shower the day after surgery. Remove the ace wrap, use mild soap on the incisions, wash thoroughly without rubbing, and gently pat dry. This keeps the incisions clean and reduces infection risk. Baths should wait until about two weeks after surgery.
Returning to Work and Exercise
Recovery rates vary. Most patients resume a sedentary office job in one week, with a gradual return to normal activity, and some return sooner. Physically demanding work may require a month or two, particularly if it involves heavy lifting. Recovery is typically faster with local anesthesia than general. Strenuous exercise can usually resume at four weeks, starting slowly and building intensity.
These guidelines are general. You’ll receive specific instructions for your recovery from Dr. Gartner.
Your Consultation in Paramus
Your first consultation is with Dr. Gartner, a double board-certified plastic surgeon and general surgeon, at our Paramus office. During your private appointment you’ll talk through your goals for breast size and shape.
Dr. Gartner will explain your options, including whether something beyond enlargement is needed, such as a breast lift. You’ll learn about the procedure and the recovery period, and about the risks and complications, so you can weigh benefits against risks and make an informed choice. He won’t rush you through the consultation, because he wants you to understand everything your breast augmentation entails.
We recommend bringing a list of questions so nothing gets forgotten. Part of the consultation covers your medical history and current condition, which helps Dr. Gartner determine whether breast enlargement is safe for you.
FAQ
Dr. Gartner will provide detailed post-operative instructions. You can expect some discomfort and swelling in the first few days, managed with prescribed pain medication. Because Dr. Gartner does not lower the inframammary fold, most patients wear an ace wrap removed the next day rather than a compression bra for weeks. He will advise you on activity restrictions, wound care, and follow-up appointments.
Breast implants generally do not interfere with breastfeeding. Discuss your plans for future breastfeeding with Dr. Gartner during the consultation, since incision choice can be a factor. For mammograms, implants may require additional imaging views. Dr. Gartner will collaborate with your radiologist so that specialized mammograms account for your implants.
Breast implants are not considered lifetime devices and may need to be replaced at some point, though there is no fixed expiry date. Many women keep the same implants for well over a decade. Replacement is usually driven by a specific reason such as rupture, capsular contracture, or a change in preferred size, rather than by the calendar.
Breast implants should not significantly hinder the detection of breast cancer. Dr. Gartner works closely with radiologists to ensure mammograms and other breast imaging are performed appropriately for patients with implants. Regular self-examinations and annual mammograms, as recommended by your healthcare provider, remain essential.
As with any surgical procedure, breast implant surgery carries some risks. While rare, complications such as implant rupture or capsular contracture can occur. Dr. Gartner uses strict infection control protocols, including nipple shields during surgery, specifically to reduce contracture risk. He will discuss all risks in detail at your consultation.
Yes. Whether you no longer want implants or wish to switch to a different type or size, Dr. Gartner performs breast implant removal and revision surgery. At a consultation he will discuss your concerns, explore your options, and help you make an informed decision.
It is normal for implants to sit higher on the chest at first. They gradually settle as the surrounding tissues adjust, a process known as dropping and fluffing, typically over a few weeks to a few months. Dr. Gartner will give you post-operative instructions to support that process.
Yes. Breast implant surgery can address asymmetry and produce a more balanced appearance. Dr. Gartner will assess your breast anatomy, including size, shape, and nipple position, and may use different implant sizes on each side to improve symmetry.