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Case Studies

Male Pec Implants Atlanta

Great pecs are the sine qua non of the masculine body.  You may have the best abs, the greatest deltoids, and lats that flair like bat’s wings, but without a great chest, the centerpiece of masculinity, you just haven’t made it.  Thankfully for most, developing the pectoralis major and minor muscles that form the chest in men is usually the easiest part of physical development.  Many men will be able to develop adequate pec fullness and thickness, but developing the size and definition of their goals may be frustrated by genetics or lack of time for the gym or other situations that prevent development to their full potential.  Subpectoral implants, or simply pec implants, are available to men who are unable to develop the desired thickness of their chest.  Of all the body implants for men, these are the most successful in terms of naturalness simply because the implants are placed under the pec major muscle and what you see and feel is the person’s own pectoralis major muscle.  Pec implants in an already muscular male produce the best results since the action of the implant is to bring forward the pec major muscle creating a thicker, fuller look.  Custom designed pec implants can aid in obtaining a certain shape for the chest by either rounding the implant or more commonly creating fullness at the nipple level, a thick but flat mid-muscle and greater fullness in the upper reaches near the collarbone.  Gynecomastia correction (reduction of excess fat in the area of the breast and/or removal of excess breast tissue in men) is frequently done in conjunction with pec implants.

Before Surgery

Do your homework when seeking surgery of this kind.  Many cosmetic and general surgeons advertise their expertise in pec implants but you will do well to search out a plastic surgeon that has considerable experience in doing this surgery.  The planning that goes into determining the correct shape and size of implant to be used is as important as the surgery itself.  After all, if the implant size is incorrect or the shape is wrong, the result of even the most technically perfect surgical procedure can be a disaster because it will not satisfy the needs or desires of the patient.  Body implant surgery is definitely one area that you do not wish to have to repeat.

Patients who have no particular issues such as asymmetry or congenital or traumatic deformities will usually be able to use one of the my “stock” implants.  These are custom implants whose particular configuration is varied as needed but do not require a total customized design.  Those men who have need of totally custom implants will need to have a moulage (a mold) of the chest done so that a wax sculpture of the proposed implant can be made and then fitted to the chest before having the implants manufactured by a custom implant manufacturer.

As with all surgery, smoking, certain medicines and most supplements along with alcohol and recreational drugs must be stopped for several weeks prior to surgery.  Anabolic steroids including large-dose testosterone should be stopped at least 6 weeks or more prior to surgery.  Many drugs and supplements can cause blood not to clot leading to a number of complications.  Follow the surgeon’s orders exactly.  Be sure to ask ALL of your questions at the initial consultation. 

The Surgery

Pec implants are usually done as outpatient surgery under general anesthesia.  The average time in the operating room is about 2 hours.  An incision of about 2 inches is made in the axilla (arm pit) and a pocket to receive the implant is developed under the pectoralis major muscle.  (Be leery of any proposed incisions outside of the axilla as scars on the chest area are almost always visible.)  In most cases, the implant should fit completely under the existing muscle.  After the incision is closed with several layers of suture, long acting local anesthetic is instilled into the pocket with the implant to control pain and the patient is fitted with an elastic compression vest to minimize swelling or implant shift.  The patient is then moved to the postanesthesia recovery room for a short time before being allowed to go home. 

Post Surgery and Recovery

Outpatient surgery allows the patient to leave the surgery unit shortly after the operation is complete but that does not mean that he is free to do whatever.  At The Institute for Aesthetic Surgery, you have the option to stay in the Hospitality Suite for your recovery.  Postoperatively the patient should remain in bed for the 24 hours after surgery, getting out of bed only to use the bathroom.  Snoozing the first 24 hours is the best thing you can do as it allows the body to begin the healing process immediately and keeps the blood pressure normal so as not to produce bleeding.  Pain is to be expected as there are numerous pain fibers in muscle.  You will be prescribed something for pain, swelling, muscle spasm and antibiotics usually.  Use only as directed and do not take any other medicines or supplements not prescribed.  For the first week, you activity will be severely restricted, especially the use of your arms.  When pain, swelling and stiffness of surgery decline, your activity level will be increased.  Remember, while the incision will heal within 14 days, the area about the implant does not heal for 6 weeks.  You do not want to stress that area too early which may result in complications.  You may usually return to the gym between 4 and 6 weeks.  Complications can significantly lengthen this recovery time.  You will be seen 2-3 days after your surgery, then weekly for 2-3 times, then at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and a year postop.

Risk and Complications

Complications are possible with any surgical procedure.  And, while the complication rate with pec implants is minimal, you cannot just will them away by refusing to face the possibilities.  However, you can reduce their rate of occurrence by following the pre- and post-operative instructions exactly.  Most complications of cosmetic surgery procedures are not surgical errors but healing complications that are frequently the results of hematoma (bleeding), seroma (collection of tissue fluid), delayed wound healing, implant dislocation due to excessive early activity, or undesirable results due to miscommunication between doctor and patient (too large, too small, wrong shape). 

The Cost

When budgeting for pec implant surgery, remember there is the fee for the surgeon, the fee for the implant manufacturer, the cost of the surgery facility and the fee for the anesthesiologist.  There are miscellaneous other costs such as lab tests, medications, preop physical, etc.  If you are one that needs a fully custom implant, especially if you need to have a moulage done first, this will impact the total cost also.  Once you are seen in consult and all factors evaluated, a final cost will be quoted for you.  If you would like to get a general range of fees, please call the office at 404-252-3672 and ask for the patient coordinator as she will be able to ascertain your general needs and give you a baseline average cost.

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