paul howard, md
Board Certified Plastic Surgery Since 1988
(205) 879-6665
Breast Augmentation, or augmentation mammoplasty, is the procedure used to increase the size of a woman’s breasts, thus perhaps enhancing the overall shape. This is accomplished by placement of a saline implant beneath the chest muscle and the existing breast tissue. These implants are actually impermeable sacks filled with saline (salt water) that are incorporated into your body, rarely causing any reaction.
Dr. Paul S. Howard performs hundreds of procedures every year on women desiring breast enhancement (augmentation). Dr. Howard was one of the early proponents of the use of endoscopic, or “minimally invasive,” techniques in transaxillary breast augmentation. As a member of the faculty of one of the first endoscopic teaching courses for plastic surgery in 1994, his videotaped surgery is one of the tapes available through the American Society of Plastic Surgeons for learning endoscopic breast techniques.
MOST COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Question: Is it more painful to have a breast augmentation with the incision in the armpit?
Answer: Absolutely not. The pain you experience for a few days following your surgery is not from the
the incision. It is from where the implant is.
Question: Is it more dangerous for the incision to be in the armpit?
Answer: Absolutely not. It is easier for an experienced surgeon and the incision is TOTALLY hidden within
a wrinkle of your armpit. The skin is thinner, and tends to heal better with minimum scar tissue.
Besides, who's looking in your armpits? And, you do not have lose of nipple sensation with this
incision or an unsightly scar under your breast where the skin is much thicker.
Question: How long should I plan to be out of work?
Answer: Expect to be off work for about 5 days.
Question: I am afraid of being too big. I only want to be a "B."
Answer: Waste of your time and money. A "B" cup isn't as big as you think. Most women who seek a
Breast Augmentation begin with "B" cups. Most women want to be a full "C" or even a small "D."
If you want to see for yourself, go to a discount store and buy a "B" cup sized bra in your dimension, and put
it on. You will see that it is a little bit larger than an "A." Most women think a "C" Cup is "huge" or "massive"
when in fact a "C" Cup is just average. Also, the average woman doesn't wear the correct bra size. Cup sizes
change with the dimension of the bra. For example:
34B = 36A
34C = 36B
34D = 36C
Most women think that cup sizes are the same. Most women wear the wrong bra size in dimension (i.e. 32
34, 36, 38 and so on). Many women also choose the wrong cup size when this discrepancy occurs as well.
Women should measure their correct bra size by measuring around their rib-cage underneath their breast. The
Fit should not be loose. Bras were not created to slide around on your chest.
Question: Do you offer "in house" patient financing?
Answer: It is not ethical for doctors to be bankers. We do work with a third party financial corporation
that can assist you: The Cosmetic Fee Plan by Capital One 1-888-440-2375 or
Question: How long has Dr. Howard been performing Breast Augmentations using the Axilla Incision?
Answer: Not only did he help invent this procedure, but he has been doing it this way for 18 years.
