Implant Breast Reconstruction
A specialized reconstructive surgery using a medical-grade implant to recreate a natural breast mound after a mastectomy or major loss of breast tissue, restoring physical symmetry and personal confidence.
A specialized reconstructive surgery using a medical-grade implant to recreate a natural breast mound after a mastectomy or major loss of breast tissue, restoring physical symmetry and personal confidence.
Implant breast reconstruction (also known as prosthetic breast reconstruction or implant-based reconstruction) is a transformative pathway chosen by women seeking to recreate a breast after a mastectomy or significant loss of breast tissue.
Most commonly performed as part of cancer-related reconstruction or for individuals taking proactive steps to prevent breast cancer, this procedure focuses on restoring physical wholeness, clothing balance, and personal comfort. At Align Plastic Surgery, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Tosan Ehanire performs implant-based breast reconstruction in Austin with deep clinical empathy and microsurgical rigor. Schedule your consultation today to learn more about your options.
Our Austin implant breast reconstruction is a specialized reconstructive surgery that utilizes medical-grade breast implants—either cohesive silicone gel or saline implants—to rebuild a new breast after natural breast tissue has been removed, typically during cancer treatment or preventative mastectomy surgery.
During your consultation, Dr. Ehanire evaluates your chest wall, remaining skin envelope, overall health, and past surgeries to design a surgical plan tailored to your body and cancer treatment timeline.
Immediate reconstruction begins at the exact same time as your mastectomy surgery, working in tandem with your breast cancer surgeon. If your oncology plan requires post-mastectomy radiation therapy or complex wound healing considerations, a delayed reconstruction (or delayed procedure) can be performed months or years after completing cancer treatment to ensure surrounding tissue has fully recovered.
This is the most common approach for implant reconstruction. During the initial stage, Dr. Ehanire places a temporary implant called a tissue expander beneath the chest muscle or skin envelope. Over several weeks, small amounts of saline solution are gradually injected through a tiny internal port to gently stretch the overlying skin and chest wall muscle. Once the desired volume and natural breast shape are created, a second surgery is performed to replace the tissue expander with a permanent implant.
In select candidates—particularly those undergoing a skin-sparing or nipple sparing mastectomy—a permanent silicone or saline implant is placed immediately during the initial mastectomy procedure, bypassing the tissue expansion phase.
To optimize soft tissue coverage, support the lower pole of the reconstructed breast, and create a natural projection, Dr. Ehanire frequently incorporates Acellular Dermal Matrix (ADM)—a specialized regenerative tissue graft that integrates into your body’s own blood supply and surrounding tissue over time.
On the day of your Implant Breast Reconstruction Austin patients will have the procedure performed in an accredited hospital or surgical suite under general anesthesia. Depending on whether you are undergoing prepectoral placement (placing the device over the chest muscle) or subpectoral placement (placing the implant underneath the pectoral muscle), the tissue expander or permanent implant is carefully positioned.
Acellular dermal matrix or supportive flaps may be secured to construct a stable pocket. Incisions are closed in meticulous, tension-free layers, and temporary surgical drains are placed to remove excess fluid. The stage-one procedure typically lasts 2 to 3 hours, after which you recover comfortably in our post-anesthesia unit.
Implant-based breast reconstruction directly addresses the physical and emotional changes resulting from breast cancer treatment and prophylactic surgery:
Recreates a soft, natural breast mound following unilateral (only one breast) or bilateral (both breasts) mastectomy.
Re-fills hollowed chest wall contours caused by extensive oncologic tissue resection.
Balances the reconstructed breast with the natural breast through targeted sizing or symmetry procedures (such as a breast lift or breast reduction on the other breast).
Restores shape and soft tissue volume to chest walls altered by radiation therapy, often supported by micro-fat grafting.
Implant breast reconstruction in Austin directly targets the entire chest wall, the pectoral muscle matrix, the remaining skin envelope, the inframammary fold crease, and—in subsequent stages—nipple reconstruction and areola restoration.
Compared to autologous tissue flap surgery (such as DIEP flap, PAP flap, or other tissue flaps that harvest tissue from the abdomen or thighs), implant-based breast reconstruction offers several different benefits:
Implant reconstruction relies entirely on high-quality prosthetics and tissue expansion, avoiding additional surgical incisions, recovery sites, or muscle disruption on other areas of your body.
Surgical duration is generally shorter than with complex autologous flap procedures, allowing patients to resume cancer recovery and daily life more rapidly.
Under the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA), health insurance plans that cover mastectomies are required by law to cover all stages of breast reconstruction, including surgery on the opposite breast to produce a symmetrical appearance, as well as treatment for complications.
Ideal candidates for implant breast reconstruction are women undergoing or recovering from mastectomy surgery who have sufficient healthy skin and tissue to support an implant pocket.
Good Candidates Include:
Who May Not Be an Ideal Candidate:
Navigating recovery after breast reconstruction requires structured support and clear aftercare guidance as your body heals. Drawing from her dedicated research background in cellular wound recovery, Dr. Ehanire provides step-by-step scar care routines to ensure surgical incisions heal as thin, flat, and discreetly as possible.
While your new breast mound is formed during stage-one surgery, final contour refinement, softness, and symmetry unfold over several months following the stage-two exchange procedure. Secondary touch-ups—such as fat grafting to smooth upper pole transitions or nipple reconstruction—complete the aesthetic transformation.
Modern implants provide durable, long-lasting structure. While implants are not lifetime devices and may eventually require maintenance or revision over your lifetime, your reconstructed breast will permanently restore your silhouette and help you feel complete in clothing, swimwear, and daily life.
Implant breast reconstruction after mastectomy requires far more than technical skill—it demands a plastic surgeon who deeply understands microsurgical mechanics, oncologic safety, and human empathy. At Align Plastic Surgery, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Tosan Ehanire approaches every reconstructive surgery with elite clinical rigor and a refined eye. She will help you explore your options with compassion as you work together to find the path on your reconstruction journey that fits your needs.
If undergoing two-stage reconstruction, tissue expansion typically takes 6 to 12 weeks following your initial surgery. Once expansion is complete and your skin envelope has rested (or after completing post-mastectomy radiation therapy), your stage-two exchange surgery to place the permanent implant is scheduled—usually 3 to 6 months after the first stage.
Capsular contracture occurs when the natural scar tissue capsule that forms around a breast implant thickens or tightens, which can cause the reconstructed breast to feel firm or look asymmetrical. Dr. Ehanire utilizes sterile surgical technique, precise pocket positioning, and supportive dermal matrices to minimize the risk of capsular contracture.
Textured implants have a slightly roughened surface designed to adhere to surrounding tissue, while smooth implants have a fluid, soft outer shell. Due to rare medical links between certain textured implants and a condition called Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), Dr. Ehanire overwhelmingly utilizes safe, smooth-shell silicone gel implants for reconstruction.
Because a mastectomy removes natural breast tissue and severs cutaneous nerves in the skin, a reconstructed breast will initially have reduced or absent skin sensation. Over time, subtle deep-pressure awareness returns. Dr. Ehanire also offers advanced nerve repair and breast resensation techniques during select procedures to help restore protective feeling.
Modern silicone gel implants use cohesive "gummy bear" gel that stays contained within the implant shell even if a silent tear occurs. Saline implants deflate safely if an implant rupture occurs, as the body absorbs the harmless sterile saline solution. Regular monitoring ensures long-term implant integrity.
Yes. Under the federal Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA), health insurance plans that cover mastectomies must also cover all stages of reconstruction, including surgery on the opposite breast to achieve symmetry, tissue expanders, permanent implants, and any necessary revision procedures.
