Breast Implants - Silicone Breast Implants & Saline Breast Implants

Breast Implants (saline breast implants or silicone breast implants), breast lift, breast reduction and breast reconstruction are popular procedures performed in our Manhattan, New York office by Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Douglas M. Senderoff, MD, FACS.

Breast implants (breast augmentation) can improve the shape and size of your breasts, restore fullness following pregnancy, or simply give you the "look" you've always wanted. There's never been a better time than now for you to consider breast augmentation with saline filled or silicone filled breast implants.

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Douglas M. Senderoff, MD, FACS, uses FDA approved saline filled breast implants. He also offers silicone breast implants to patients who are eligible to participate in our FDA monitored study. Please contact our Manhattan or Westchester, New York offices to discuss this option.

Douglas M. Senderoff, MD, FACS, will discuss which type of breast implants would be right for you during your initial free consultation.


The following information will help you better understand the breast implants operation.

There are several options that you may choose for breast implants surgery. These options include the site of the placement of the breast implants: either above or below the muscle and the choice of the incision through which the implant is placed. Breast enlargement can be accomplished through either a transaxillary (armpit) incision, inframammary (below the breast) incision or a periareolar (through the areola) incision. Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Douglas M. Senderoff, MD, FACS, will discuss all these breast implants options with you.


Your breast implant surgery will be performed in our fully accredited outpatient surgical facility in Manhattan, New York on Park Avenue South. You will most likely be back on your feet within a couple of days and back to full activities within a few weeks.

Breast Implants Choices

For breast augmentation surgery, the breast implant used is generally a sac or shell comprised of silicone, a rubber-like substance. Breast implants come in a variety of shapes, most commonly either round or contoured. The surface of the implant can vary as well, being either smooth or textured. Breast implants come in a variety of sizes as well. All of these breast implants choices will be discussed with you by Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Douglas M. Senderoff, MD, FACS during your initial complimentary consultation.

There are two basic types of breast implants and these include the following:

Saline-filled breast implants: the choice of the breast implant being used for nearly all breast augmentation surgeries. These are breast implants which are inserted and filled, typically through a valve, with a saline or salt-water solution (similar to the fluid which comprises most of the human body). The location of the valve can vary, typically on either the front or the back of the implant. There are also saline-filled adjustable breast implants which are relatively new to the market and allow the surgeon, through an additional small connector tube, to adjust the size of the breast following surgery through a simple injection. Saline fluid can either be added or drained to increase or decrease the size of the breast, possibly for up to several months following surgery.

Silicone gel-filled breast implants: These breast implant are filled with silicone gel, a soft-solid substance.

Breast Enlargement
Augmentation Mammoplasty

Indications: The modern era of breast enlargement started in 1961, when the first silicone breast implant was used to improve the appearance of the breast. Since that time, the basic breast implant has undergone many modifications and improvements. The breast implant that is most used for breast enlargement procedures now is the saline (inflatable) implant.

Many of the Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Douglas M. Senderoff, MD, FACS' breast implants' patients who desire breast enlargement are in their early twenties and thirties. Many of his patients are women who have lost breast volume due to pregnancy, and wish to return to their pre-pregnancy breast size. It is therefore not uncommon to perform breast enlargement surgery on women throughout their forties.

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Douglas M. Senderoff, MD, FACS, will discuss the goal of your proposed breast enlargement and/or breast implants surgery, and go over the entire procedure with you.

Your breast enlargement procedure is performed by Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Douglas M. Senderoff, MD, FACS, in our fully accredited outpatient surgical facility in Manhattan, New York.

The following information will help you understand the breast implants operation.

Operation: The breast-implants operation is performed in our fully accredited office surgery center in Manhattan, New York, or in the hospital as an out-patient. The breast enlargement operation itself lasts for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. You will stay in our recovery area until you feel comfortable to return home. Suture removal is usually one week after surgery.

Revision of Breast Enlargement: Because of the plastic surgeon's years of experience, he often corrects problems that have been associated with breast enlargement and breast implants surgery in the past.

Anesthesia: Patients have a choice of either a general anesthesia or intravenous sedation anesthesia. As in all of our operations, the anesthesiologist is a board-certified, and highly skilled, experienced anesthesiologist. If the breast implant is placed below the muscle, the operation is usually performed under general anesthesia.

Convalescence: After you breast implants surgery, it takes approximately one week to ten days to fell comfortable. You should refrain from athletics for three weeks after surgery.

Insurance Information: Breast enlargement and/or breast implants are rarely covered by any insurance program. However, if there is a congenital maldevelopment of one or both breasts, this may be covered, and would depend on which carrier that you might have. Some insurance companies will cover the removal of ruptured silicone implants. If you do have a ruptured breast implant, our office will contact your insurance carrier to help you determine if you are covered.

Your breast implants procedure is performed by Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Douglas M. Senderoff, MD, FACS, in our fully accredited outpatient surgical facility in Manhattan, New York.

Breast Reconstruction and Breast Implant Frequently Asked Questions & Answers

What is the importance of Federal Legislation in 1998 for women's health?
All insurance companies have to cover breast reconstruction after mastectomy. They also have to cover procedures on the opposite breast to obtain symmetry, including reduction, augmentation and mastopexy. Recently, situations have risen where coverage for opposite-breast surgery after lumpectomy may be denied by insurance companies.

Is immediate or delayed breast reconstruction surgery best for me?
Most women are candidates for some type of immediate breast reconstruction. Since reconstruction is an additional major surgery, women should be carefully evaluated to understand all the risks and benefits. Multiple studies have shown tremendous psychological benefits to women who have immediate breast reconstruction.

What surgical options are available for breast reconstruction?
Women who desire to use their own tissue generally prefer the tram flap (abdomen) or a lat. dorsi flap (back) as a secondary choice. Using tissue expanders to stretch the skin for implant use is a simple option; however, implants do get firmer and harder with time. Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Douglas M. Senderoff, MD, FAS, will discuss all your options with you.

Your breast reconstruction procedure is performed by Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Douglas M. Senderoff, MD, FACS, in our fully accredited outpatient surgical facility in Manhattan, New York.

What is a tram flap?
A Transverse Rectus Abdominus Myocutaneous (TRAM) flap involves using skin and fat from the lower abdomen to rebuild the breast. The muscle is used to carry blood supply to skin and fatty tissue so volume can be replaced to match what is removed. The abdominal closure tightens the abdominal wall similar to a tummy tuck.

Are silicone breast implants safe?
Yes, silicone breast implants are safe and Douglas Senderoff, MD, FACS, who is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, is a clinical investigator involved with the Inamed trials - he is one of a select few plastic surgeons in Manhattan, New York who can offer you the option of silicon breast implants or saline breast implants. Saline breast implants are extremely safe with very low infection or leakage rates. Soft tissue coverage over the breast implant is very important, so the implant is placed behind the chest muscle.

Does immediate breast reconstruction delay additional treatment for breast cancer?
No. The vast majority of patients who have immediate breast reconstruction can start chemotherapy within a month of the surgery. This time frame is not significantly different to women who only have a mastectomy. There is tremendous amount of plastic surgery literature that documents their benefits as well as the feeling of "wholeness" and improved psychological benefits.

If you have any questions about breast implants (silicone breast implants or saline breast implants), breast augmentation, breast lift, or any other plastic surgery procedures please feel free to contact Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Douglas M. Senderoff, MD, FACS at his Manhattan, or Westchester, New York office.

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Douglas M. Senderoff, MD, FACS surgical specialties include: Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck), Breast Augmentation, Breast Implants (Silicone Breast Implants and Saline Breast Implants), Breast Lift, Breast Reconstruction, Breast Reduction, Breast Revision, Buttock Implants, (Butt) Implants, Eyelid Surgery, Endoscopic Brow Lift, Face Lift, Liposuction, Pectoral Implants (Pec Implants), Rhinoplasty. Your surgical procedures will performed in the plastic surgeon's fully accredited outpatient surgical facility in Manhattan, New York.

The plastic surgeon's cosmetic specialties include: BOTOX®, Brazilian Bronze, Chemical Peels, Hair Restoration, Laser Hair Removal, Lip Augmentation, Microdermabrasion, and Radiance™. Your cosmetic procedures can be performed in the plastic surgeon's Westchester or Manhattan, New York office.

If you have any questions about breast implants (silicone breast implants or saline breast implants) or any of our cosmetic or plastic surgery procedures please feel free to contact Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Douglas Senderoff, MD, FACS, at his Manhattan or our Westchester, New York offices.