Harrisburg, PA: (717) 728-1700
Stratis Gayner Plastic Surgery
10 Capital Drive #100
Harrisburg, PA 17110
Phone: (717) 728-1700
Tuesday, Thursday: 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
Wednesday: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m.–3 p.m.
Phones are open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. every day
Women who come to our Harrisburg plastic surgery practice from Lancaster and York, PA, for breast augmentation want fuller, more feminine breasts to boost their self-confidence. If you’ve been considering breast enhancement surgery to increase the size of your breasts or to improve their shape, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. John Stratis specializes in cosmetic breast surgery. He takes pride in creating beautiful, natural-looking results that exceed his patients’ expectations.
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Breast augmentation surgery adds volume to the breasts using silicone or saline implants. Women choose to get breast implants for various personal reasons, such as:
Breast augmentation adds fullness to the breasts but does not correct moderate to significant sagging. A breast lift removes lax skin to raise and reshape the breasts. It can also make the size of the nipples in proportion to the breasts. Women who have been pregnant, breastfed, or undergone significant weight changes often need a combination breast lift with implants.
Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. John Stratis specializes in breast and body procedures is a leader in modern body contouring methods.
Read MoreDuring your consultation, Dr. Stratis helps you understand what to expect during breast augmentation surgery. He will use VECTRA® 3D Imaging and Mentor Implant Sizers to visually simulate your possible results from breast augmentation surgery with your chosen breast implants to ensure he understands the size and shape desired.
Your decisions about implants will be pivotal to your breast augmentation. For these reasons, it is important to choose a surgeon with extensive breast augmentation experience to help you make these very important decisions. Dr. Stratis will take the time to understand your goals and desired outcome so that, together, you can determine which implant is right for you.
Drs. Stratis & Gayner are now offering Vectra® 3D Imaging, an innovative system that lets you visualize your problem areas and truly customize your cosmetic experience.
Learn MoreMost patients choose silicone gel breast implants at our Harrisburg practice, although both types have advantages.
Silicone implants have been used in breast augmentation for years and the latest generation of silicone gel implants look and feel more like natural breasts than ever before. For many, just one look and feel of silicone implants versus saline implants convinces them that silicone will produce better results for their breast augmentation. There is also generally less rippling than with saline implants.
Today, silicone implants have extensive oversight from the FDA and are only approved for breast augmentation in women over 22. It is recommended that all patients with silicone implants have an MRI scan 3 years after breast augmentation, and every 2 years thereafter. If an implant cracks or ruptures, it should be replaced.
All breast implants have the potential to eventually leak. When a saline implant leaks, your body harmlessly absorbs the leaked saltwater. The patient will also likely recognize the leak right away, as the breast will shrink. When a silicone implant leaks, however, the patient may not be able to tell. Although most silicone leaks pose no problems, some women can get small areas of inflammation called granulomas. These may present with pain or a mass.
Replacing a silicone implant is more difficult than removing a saline one. Dr. Stratis can simply slip out the leaky saline implant through the original incision that was made during your breast augmentation surgery, after which he can replace the implant with a new one. But a silicone implant needs to be removed along with the scar tissue around it to remove all the leaked silicone. This takes a larger incision and more surgery.
| Saline Breast Implants | Silicone Breast Implants |
| Patients 18 years and older | Patients 22 years and older |
| Filled with saline | Filled with silicone gel |
| May ripple | No rippling |
| More noticeable feel | Feels more natural |
| Immediately evident when ruptured | Not immediately evident when rupture occurs |
| Smaller incision | Larger incision |
Dr. Stratis suggests you do the following to help you choose your breast implant size:
These and his years of experience with breast augmentation procedures make it easy for Dr. Stratis to determine what size, shape, and style of implant can best achieve your specific goals.
Breast augmentation incision options include (see illustration):
Your choice of implants will dictate the best incision options for you; this decision also involves your personal preference.
Breast augmentation patients who want to breastfeed in the future should avoid a nipple incision. An armpit incision is concealed and avoids having incisions on the breasts. Dr. Stratis will listen to your priorities before recommending a suitable option.
The best implant placement depends on your personal anatomy, preferences, and choice of implant. Dr. Stratis will recommend one of the following placements for you:
"I had a wonderful experience at Stratis Gayner and would recommend them to anyone. I loved that the staff was friendly and made me feel comfortable in an awkward situation. I called several times with questions and never felt like I was bothering anyone. And best of all, I have an excellent result that is very natural. Thanks a bunch."
While experiences vary, most breast augmentation patients progress along the following recovery timeline:
The Stratis Gayner team carefully follows your progress for about 3 months after your breast augmentation surgery.
Although your breasts temporarily swell after surgery, you will see right away that your breasts are larger and fuller. Women who aren’t prepared for this are sometimes shocked and express concern that maybe their breasts are “too big.” However, Dr. Stratis has found that after the swelling subsides and the implants settle into place, most women are extremely happy with the choices they have made.
In terms of scarring, how noticeable any scars are will depend on the type of incision used. Dr. Stratis typically uses one of three incision patterns that leave well-concealed scars after breast augmentation is completed. Which one he chooses depends primarily on the type of implant and the woman’s body type and personal preference. If the incision is made under your breast the scar will be hidden within the breast crease. If the breast augmentation incision is made in your armpit the scar will be concealed and not on the breast itself. In some cases, the incision is made on the areolar border which produces an almost undetectable scar, particularly as it fades over time.
Dr. Stratis often combines breast augmentation with other procedures to help women attain multiple improvements within a single recovery period. Popular combinations include:
Dr. Stratis is a body-focused plastic surgeon with years of experience performing breast augmentation procedures for women from Harrisburg, Reading, and Lancaster, PA, and other surrounding communities. To learn more about breast augmentation options, send an online message to request a consultation with Dr. Stratis or call his office at (717) 728-1700.
