Dr. Placik brings a unique combination of skill and passion for his work to his practice. In some cases, the most highly trained and qualified physicians can come across as aloof or unsympathetic. The discomfort a patient can feel in the presence of such a doctor can make any sort of discussion about health more stressful, but it is especially unwelcome if the subject is one’s physical appearance.

There is no doubt that Dr. Placik is among the most skilled members of his profession. He is a board-certified plastic surgeon and has received numerous awards from professional associations. He teaches plastic surgery at Northwestern University. At Chicago’s St. Joseph Hospital, he completed a fellowship focused on the treatment of severe facial deformities and he has used these skills to treat children at Chicago’s Shriners Hospital.

This skill is matched by an equal measure of compassion. Dr. Placik and his staff make it a point to listen to patients and to treat them as individuals. It is not surprising that he was named of Illinois’ favorite physicians for five consecutive years.

If you are in good general health and have a generally positive attitude about life, you are an excellent candidate for Chicago breast augmentation. If you want additional assurance, it is a good idea to educate yourself regarding the procedures that are available. This will help you develop a good understanding of what they offer and the results you can expect from the procedure you are considering.

You can gain such insight from our website (and elsewhere on the internet), but we recommend that you make an appointment and meet with the doctor. It’s best to be able to make your decision based on an expert consultation that takes into account where you are starting from as well as your personal goals for the final outcome from your surgery.

There is no single answer to this question. If you think about the people you have known in your life, you can probably recall some who seemed immune to pain and some who were unable to tolerate any amount of pain at all.

How you feel after your surgery can be influenced by the nature of the procedure you choose, the extent of the augmentation or other factors. In general, it would not be expected that you would experience significant pain. If you have had general anesthesia in the past, you may be familiar with its after effects. If you rest after your procedure and follow the guidelines the doctor gives you regarding physical exercise and exertion, you should be able to make it through the recovery period without severe discomfort.

Dr. Placik is a proficient and experienced surgeon. He is able to use whatever approach is most appropriate for your exact procedure and your aesthetic wishes. The final choice will be made in consultation with the doctor. For example:

• Around or near the areola – For patients receiving a breast lift or correcting breast asymmetry, this may be the incision site.
• Breast crease – For women who would like an approach most focused on lactation and nursing.
• Armpit – May be recommended if you have a small areola, or no breast crease, and are hoping to moderately increase your breast size.

Note: if your breasts are being augmented by fat transfer, you may require minimal or no incisions.

Each body is unique, and the “natural” appearance of breasts varies greatly. After examining you and consulting you regarding what envision as your ideal breast shape and size, Dr. Placik will be able to explain the options that are available to you. He can also discuss whether other procedures, such as a breast lift, might be advised to achieve the result you desire.

At this point, you will have a good understanding of what breast augmentation has to offer you as a specific individual. This is a well-established form of aesthetic surgery, and you should expect that you will be able to achieve the goals that you have set with the doctor.

It is also common for patients to experience renewed self-confidence and enjoyment of life as a result of addressing a body issue that has long been a source of aggravation.

Most procedures are done on an outpatient basis. You will be able to go home on the same day that you receive your surgery. You should be able to return to work within a week, and return to your customary level of physical activity within a few weeks. You can help speed this process by ensuring that you take care of yourself along the way, resting as needed, eating well and following the doctor’s recommendations regarding strenuous physical activity.

As is the case with other medical matters, any answer to this question can only be based on what has been generally observed among women who have had these procedures. According to the FDA, one in five women will need to replace breast their implants within ten years. This can be a reflection of natural changes in your body; for example, as you age the skin around your implant could become lax and lose elasticity.

Adhering to the doctor’s advised schedule of follow-up visits is a good way to stay on top of possible issues in the long term, and to help you achieve the understanding and prediction that you desire.

It is by no means a certainty that breast augmentation will cause a woman to be unable to breastfeed, but this is another question that can be best answered through consultation with the doctor. Even in the absence of any cosmetic interventions, not all women are able to produce the same quantities of breastmilk. The possibility that you will experience difficulty breastfeeding is also affected by your cosmetic goals and the specific procedure that will be needed to achieve them.