Breast Augmentation
Conveniently located to serve you in San Ramon, CA
Breast augmentation offers long-lasting enhancement for women who desire fuller breasts, want to correct asymmetry, or want to restore volume lost after pregnancy, nursing, or weight loss. Dr. Michelle J. Place is a board-certified plastic surgeon in San Ramon, California, with extensive experience in breast surgery, including breast augmentation with implants.
She brings advanced surgical skill and a refined aesthetic eye to every procedure and has helped hundreds of women in the San Francisco Bay Area achieve shapelier, more proportionate breasts.
Benefits of Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation surgery enhances breast shape and size to help women feel more confident in their appearance.
Breast augmentation can help:
- Create fuller, more feminine breast volume
- Enhance cleavage and improve overall breast shape
- Restore volume after pregnancy, breastfeeding, or weight loss
- Improve breast symmetry when one breast is smaller or shaped differently than the other
- Create better balance between the breasts and the rest of the body
- Improve how clothing, bras, swimsuits, and dresses fit
- Add upper-pole fullness for a rounder, more youthful breast appearance
- Provide a modest lifting effect in some patients by filling loose skin and restoring fullness
A consultation is necessary to determine whether breast augmentation is the right procedure for you. If there is significant drooping or ptosis, implants alone may not create the lift you want, and a breast lift may also be needed.
Breast Augmentation Before-and-After Results
We invite you to view our breast augmentation before-and-after photo gallery to see real results achieved by patients under Dr. Place’s care.
View Breast Augmentation Gallery
Why Choose Dr. Michelle J. Place for Breast Augmentation in San Ramon?
Choosing a breast augmentation surgeon is one of the most important parts of the process. Dr. Michelle J. Place is a board-certified plastic surgeon in San Ramon with nearly three decades in practice. She takes a personalized approach to breast surgery, helping patients choose implants that fit their body shape, proportions, and lifestyle rather than focusing on size alone.
During the consultation process, patients can try on implant sizers to see how different sizes may look on their individual body type. Dr. Place also uses the Vectra 3D imaging system to demonstrate different implant sizes and shapes, giving patients more information to help with decision-making.
Her goal is not simply to make the breasts larger, but to create results that look and feel balanced, proportionate, and natural.
Breast Implant Options: Saline vs. Silicone
Dr. Place offers saline and silicone breast implant options. The best choice for you depends on your anatomy, desired results, and preferences.
Saline Breast Implants
Saline implants consist of a silicone outer shell which is filled with sterile salt water after placement.
- May allow for a smaller incision than silicone implants
- Adjustable fill volume for minor size refinements during surgery
- Typically provide a firmer feel compared with silicone implants
- Implant rupture is usually immediately noticeable as the saline is safely absorbed by the body
- FDA-approved for patients age 18 and older
Silicone Breast Implants
Silicone implants are made of cohesive silicone gel designed to mimic breast tissue.
- Softer, more natural feel for many patients
- Often preferred by women with thinner breast tissue
- Available in a variety of shapes and projections
- Ruptures may not be immediately noticeable and may require MRI or ultrasound imaging for evaluation
- FDA-approved for patients age 22 and older
Choosing Implant Size and Shape
Choosing the right implant size and shape is crucial for natural-looking results. Dr. Place provides expert guidance to help you select the option that’s right for you.
Implant Shape Options: Round vs. Teardrop
Breast implants are available in both round and anatomical (“teardrop”) shapes, each designed to create a different aesthetic result.
- Round implants provide fuller upper-pole volume and enhanced cleavage. They are the most commonly chosen implant style and can create either subtle or more dramatic fullness depending on the implant profile and size selected.
- Teardrop implants (also called anatomical implants) are shaped to mimic the natural slope of the breast, with more fullness at the bottom and less at the top. They are often selected by patients seeking a more understated, natural-looking contour.
Implant Sizing
Implant size should not be chosen by cup size alone. Cup sizes vary between bra brands and do not reliably predict how an implant will look on your body.
Dr. Place will advise you on appropriate sizing options based on your:
- Chest width
- Existing breast tissue
- Body proportions
- Desired fullness and projection
- Lifestyle and activity level
Implant sizers and Vectra 3D imaging are available to help you envision realistic results with different sizes and shapes.
How to Prepare for Breast Augmentation Surgery
Once you decide to move forward with breast augmentation surgery, we will help you schedule a procedure date that works for you. A pre-operative appointment is typically scheduled about one week before surgery. If lab work or medical clearance is needed, instructions will be provided in advance.
Before your pre-operative visit, you will receive a detailed packet with information about your surgical plan, medications, restrictions, recovery instructions, and post-operative care. We will review this information with you during your pre-op appointment. Your arrival time, prescriptions, and day-of-surgery instructions will also be reviewed.
Anti-inflammatory medications such as aspirin, Advil, Motrin, and Naprosyn can increase the risk of bleeding and bruising and should generally be avoided for at least 10 days before and after surgery unless instructed otherwise.
Patients are instructed to wear comfortable clothing on the day of surgery, skip jewelry and makeup, and avoid eating or drinking after midnight before surgery.
What to Expect on the Day of Surgery
Breast augmentation surgery usually takes approximately 1 to 1½ hours and is performed under general anesthesia with a board-certified anesthesiologist. The procedure is performed at the San Ramon Surgery Center, a fully accredited outpatient surgery center, and patients are able to return home the same day.
You will arrive approximately 1 to 2 hours before surgery and remain in recovery for several hours after your procedure. Once you are walking, drinking fluids comfortably, and medically cleared, you will be discharged home with a responsible adult.
It is helpful to have a close friend or family member stay with you during the first day and night after surgery.
Breast Augmentation Recovery
Most patients are up and walking the day after surgery, and light activity is encouraged for the first week. You can drive once you are no longer taking pain medication, usually after 3 to 4 days. If you have a more sedentary job you can go back to work as early as a week after your surgery.
The main restrictions after breast augmentation surgery involve avoiding heavy lifting, strenuous activity, and exercise for 2 to 3 weeks. Care must be taken to avoid repetitive activity with your arms for the first week, including vacuuming, cleaning, lifting, and carrying things greater than 10 pounds.
After 3 weeks, most patients can begin light aerobic exercise. Weight training and more strenuous exercise are typically resumed gradually over the next two to three weeks.
You will also be instructed on massage of the implants at your first post-operative visit. Massage keeps the implants soft and has been shown to decrease the incidence of capsular contracture.
Breast Augmentation Cost in San Ramon, CA
The cost of breast augmentation can vary based on several factors, including:
- Implant type
- Surgical technique
- Anesthesia fees
- Surgery center fees
- Pre-operative and post-operative care
- Whether another breast procedure is needed
You will receive detailed pricing information for your customized procedure during your consultation. Financing options can also be discussed at that time.
Frequently Asked Questions About Breast Augmentation
- Naturally small breast size
- Loss of breast volume after pregnancy or nursing
- Deflation after weight loss
- Breast asymmetry
- Disproportion between the breasts and the rest of the body
Your Breast Augmentation Consultation
A consultation at our San Ramon practice is the best way to understand your options and determine whether breast augmentation is right for you.
During your visit, Dr. Place will discuss:
- Saline vs. silicone implants
- Implant size, shape, and profile
- Whether a lift may be needed
- Recovery expectations
- Surgical planning and timing
- Cost and financing questions
Dr. Place and her caring team will guide you through each step of the process and answer your questions with clarity, professionalism, and discretion.
Contact Our Office
Dr. Michelle J. Place has extensive experience performing breast augmentation surgery. If you are interested in exploring your options with breast implants in San Ramon, contact Dr. Place to schedule your consultation. Our office welcomes patients from throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.