All About Breast Augmentation

There are lots of reasons why women consider having breast augmentation surgery.  Many tell us they just want to be able to buy a bathing suit that fits!

Breast augmentation is our most popular plastic surgery procedure. We suspect it’s growing because of great results and the quick recovery time. A recent study revealed that 96% of women who had a breast enlargement surgery were either “satisfied” or “highly satisfied” with their results. We guess that’s why over 220 women chose to use Dr. Reath for their breast augmentation surgery in 2011. In fact, Dr. Reath was chosen as a "Top Doctor" for Breast Implants by RealSelf.com based on patient reviews on their site.

In fact, breast augmentation is so popular with our patients here in Knoxville, that our office staff has just published "A Girlfriend's Guide to Breast Augmentation", a 33-page ebook with everything you need to know about breast augmentation all in one place. Plus some fun stuff thrown in.

Despite some Hollywood stereotypes, the majority of women we see in our Knoxville practice increase from one to two cup sizes to obtain the flattering figure they always wanted. Some come to us after they have had children and lost their breast size after breast-feeding. Others need to have a breast lift along with the enlargement.

Breast Augmentation Cost

The cost of a breast augmentation with Dr. Reath includes both surgical and anesthesia fees, saline breast implants, post-surgical bra, our exclusive recovery kit and all follow-up visits.

Cash Discount:
Great news! For our patients who would like to pay with cash or check we offer a 5% discount.
$4,700 - ($4,465 with cash discount)

optional Silicone breast implants - $5,760 - ($5,472 with cash discount)

[Also included in the price of your surgery is a CosmetAssure policy, which protects you in the unlikely event of a complication after surgery. We are the only plastic surgeon's office in Knoxville to provide this important insurance. Read Dr. Reath's blog post where he explains why he feels so strongly about offering this extra safety net to our patients.]

Have a question about breast augmentation? Ask Dr. Reath.

Breast Augmentation: Helpful Pages On Our Site

How to Evaluate Breast Augmentation Before and After Pictures. Click Here.

Breast Augmentation Frequently Asked Questions. Click Here.

The Fun Part: Trying on Breast Implant Sizers. Click Here for Tips.

Everything You Need To Know About Silicone Breast Implants. Click Here.

Letters from Actual Breast Augmentation Patients. Click Here to Read our Inbox.

Not in Knoxville? Click Here for Help For Out of Town Patients.

Before After Breast Augmentation: She weighs 115 pounds and is 5'6". Here is a 28- year-old who had concerns regarding her breast size. She was very active and thought that her breasts were out of proportion with the rest of her figure.  Dr. Reath placed  325cc Mentor saline breast implants, which he filled to 375cc's on both sides underneath the muscle. She is thrilled with her results and now feels like she is much better proportioned. She is the patient interviewed on the "Today in Plastic Surgery" podcast produced by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons featuring Dr. Reath. 

Before After Breast Augmentation: She is 5'4" and 116 pounds. This patient is a 28-year-old who had a significant reduction in breast tissue after breastfeeding. Dr. Reath used standard profile Mentor 275cc saline breast implants filled differently because the right breast is slightly larger than the left. He placed them underneath the muscle to restore her pre-baby figure.

Before and After Breast Augmentation- She is 5'7" and weighs 130 pounds. Here is a 31-year-old athlete who wanted her breasts to be more in proportion to the rest of her figure. Since she is an active runner and weightlifter, she did not want them to interfere with her workouts. Dr. Reath performed a breast augmentation using 350cc silicone breast implants, which were placed on top of her chest muscles. She is pictured here six months later looking and feeling great.

Before After Breast Augmentation: She is 5'3" and weighs 108 pounds. Here is a 31-year-old who told us that she had recently lost weight and was no longer fitting into her bras. She had always wanted to have larger breasts so Dr. Reath used Mentor 325cc saline breast implants underneath her chest muscles and inflated them to 375cc. She is very happy and proudly wearing a D-cup bra.

Before After Breast Augmentation: She is 5'3" and weighs 108 pounds. Here is a young medical professional who came to us because she wanted larger breasts. After working with sizers, she chose 300cc moderate profile plus saline breast implants, which were then inflated to 350cc to achieve her new look.

See more before and after photos of our breast augmentation patients. We have forty more patients online!

Visit our before and after gallery of patients who used silicone breast implants or see the collection of women who chose saline breast implants.

Your Consultation With Dr. Reath

During your consultation with Dr. Reath, you'll be able to try on breast implant sizers in order for Dr. Reath to understand the results you want to achieve. Our patients say it is very helpful to them to visualize their results. He will give his professional opinion based on what is best for your goal and body type.

Many of the breast implants Dr. Reath uses are filled with a saline solution (saltwater) and can be placed either over or under the chest muscle wall. However, more and more women are asking for silicone breast implants which are now available.  Saline breast implants are FDA-approved for breast augmentation in women 18 years or older and silicone breast implants are FDA-approved for augmentation in women 22 years and older. You can read more about silicone implants on the silicone breast implant procedure page.

How to Know If You'll Need A Breast Lift

An important thing to realize about breast augmentation pricing- It is possible that during your consultation Dr. Reath may recommend a breast lift along with your augmentation to achieve a pleasing shape and perkiness. It happens most frequently with women who have had children, but not always.

Standing in front of a mirror, look at your nipples in relation to the natural crease of your breasts. If your nipples are lower than your breast crease before surgery, adding implants without removing excess skin will make them more saggy. (Sad, but true.)

If this sounds like you, you may also want to look at the breast lift procedure page for before and after photos. The pictures give you a better idea of when a breast lift is needed and the great results when performed along with a breast augmentation.

Breast Lift pricing ranges from around $6,000 to $8,500 depending on the amount of skin to be removed and the type of implant you choose.

Note: It is normal for women to have one breast that is slightly larger than the other. However there are many women who suffer from severe breast asymmetry. Finding clothes that fit is a major problem. (Imagine the difficulty picking out a wedding dress.) The good news is that breast asymmetry can be corrected. Breast augmentation on one side and/or a breast lift on the other side can be performed to even out the size and shape of the breasts. Visit the breast lift procedure page for photos of what can be done to correct breast asymmetry.

Recovery After Breast Augmentation

Helping our patients manage a speedy recovery is one of our primary missions. Most patients are up and about the day after a breast augmentation or breast lift but instructed to rest and avoid any lifting. About a week after the operation patients are seen in the office to check their surgical sites and instruct them in massage and stretching exercises. Expect the stitches to be removed in about a week.

Most women are able to return to normal activities in 7 to 10 days and usually need no more than a week off from work.

How Long Do Breast Implants Last?

Many people are under the mistaken impression that breast implants need to be replaced every so often and this is not true. The number of wrong answers on a recent Truth-O-Meter Tuesday question showed that many people are confused by this. Basically, if you are not having any problems with your implants, there is no need to replace them. Here Dr. Reath explains more:

About Breast Augmentation Surgery

The good news is that breast augmentation is an outpatient procedure and does not involve an overnight stay in the hospital. The entire operation is done under general anesthesia and takes about an hour. At the end of the operation, patients are placed in a special bra to support their breasts. After recovery from the anesthesia, they go home in the care of their family.

Recently we have gotten some questions about breast augmentation through the belly button which is known as trans-umbilical breast augmentation or "TUBA". This is a procedure that Dr. Reath does not perform or recommend. To understand why read Dr. Reath's blog post "Why I Don’t Do Trans-Umbilical Breast Augmentation (TUBA)".

Read  More Frequently Asked Questions About Breast Augmentation. Click Here.

Breast Augmentation Recovery Kits

Our Surgical Recovery Kits are a great personal touch. Patients tell us that the recovery kits we include with their surgeries are an area that really sets us apart. Each recovery kit contains items hand-picked to make your recovery faster and more pleasant. They are packaged in an attractive quilted spa bag. We put together everything you’ll need after surgery so you don’t have to. People who have had surgery with other doctors are amazed that we include these kits at no charge for all of our surgery patients.

New!  We now include medical-grade silicone shapes (which are medically proven to aid in healing and reduce the appearance of scars) in all of our breast augmentation recovery kits.

Guess which doctor the American Society of Plastic Surgeons chose to interview when they decided to produce a podcast on breast augmentation?
Dr. Reath and one of his patients!  If you or someone you know is considering breast augmentation, you'll want to hear the "Today in Plastic Surgery" podcast. Click on the podcast icon to listen.

In this twenty minute podcast:

• Dr. Reath discusses various breast augmentation options, what to expect during the consultation with your surgeon, and safety and recovery issues to consider.
• A patient of Dr. Reath's describes her reasons for having the procedure, how she prepared for her consultation, and how long it took to return to her normal daily routine.

Knoxville Breast Enlargement - Knoxville Breast Augmentation
Knoxville Breast Implants - Knoxville Breast Augmentation Lift

Injectable Wrinkle Treatments