Sacramento Cosmetic Surgery Practice Comments on New Breast Augmentation Techniques

    FOLSOM, CA, June 20, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Just as there are always changes in the technology we use in our personal lives, there are always changes and advancements being made in plastic surgery technology and techniques - this is definitely true of breast augmentation. Dr. David Kaufman and Dr. Christa Clark of Kaufman & Clark Plastic Surgery (www.breastsmadebeautiful.com) understand the importance of staying up to speed on developments in their field so they can help their Sacramento cosmetic surgery patients make informed choices about breast augmentation.

"The media doesn't always tell the whole story when it comes to new trends in plastic surgery, so it's our job as surgeons to explain the pros and cons of new technology and techniques to our patients," says Dr. Kaufman. "There are definitely some new advances right now, for breast augmentation specifically, that are important to discuss."

The use of 3D imaging to help breast augmentation patients envision how they'll look post-augmentation is an exciting new development in breast surgery. The Axis Three Portrait 3D System, which Drs. Kaufman and Clark are now offering for women interested in breast enlargement (augmentation) in Sacramento, combines multi-angle photos taken of the patient into a 3D model. The surgeon can then adjust the model by implant type, size, projection, and placement.

"3D imaging is a powerful new tool that can help patients make decisions about breast augmentation, but it's important to remember that it is not a guarantee of results," explains Dr. Clark. "I use it more as a way to facilitate communication with my patients."

Women have also been asking Drs. Kaufman and Clark about "awake" breast augmentation. "Awake" breast augmentation is performed with only a local anesthetic and sometimes a mild sedative, which means the patient is awake, but numb throughout the procedure. Proponents have suggested several benefits to this procedure - they say it that it allows the patient to provide real-time input and it may cost less (because it avoids the expenses associated with general anesthesia). However, the supposed benefits have not been established with any degree of certainty and the procedure does have drawbacks, specifically that patients experience discomfort during their "awake" augmentation.

Fat grafting for breast augmentation is another advancement that's been getting a lot of press, but Drs. Kaufman and Clark feel that further research is necessary before they offer it to their patients. For the time being, they believe breast implants in Sacramento are still the best option for their breast augmentation patients.

"A lot of patients ask me about the possibility of using fat transferred from another part of their body as opposed to breast implants," adds Sacramento plastic surgeon Dr. Kaufman. "I'm excited about the potential of stem cell augmentation in the future, but it's too soon for fat transfer breast augmentation to be considered a safe option. My primary concern with the procedure is that it can interfere with a mammogram's ability to detect breast cancer - I don't think it's worth it for patients to take that risk when they have a safe option in implants."

"Past developments like silicone implants show that time, research, and development are key in ensuring that advancements are safe and effective," says Dr. Clark. "It's been 3 years since the FDA re-approved the use of silicone gel implants, and this new generation is definitely an improvement. I'm glad to be able to offer my patients silicone implants now because I know they're safe - and I would never offer my patients something that wasn't."

Dr. David Kaufman and Dr. Christa Clark (www.breastsmadebeautiful.com) are board-certified plastic surgeons focusing on breast augmentation in Sacramento, as well as postbariatric body contouring and other advanced plastic surgery procedures. Dr. Kaufman served as a US Navy SEAL before earning his medical doctorate from Harvard Medical School, while Dr. Christa Clark earned her medical doctorate from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit. Both Dr. Kaufman and Dr. Clark trained extensively through general and plastic surgery residencies at Stanford University.

# # #