Breast Augmentation

New York, NY

Introduction to Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation with implants is a cosmetic procedure that increases or replaces lost volume in a woman’s bosom using saline or silicone implants. As a key procedure in plastic and reconstructive surgery, breast augmentation is performed by top plastic surgeons in New York City, recognized for their expertise and commitment to quality outcomes. Breast surgery encompasses a range of procedures, including augmentation, reconstruction, and other treatments designed to address various needs and goals.

Women can choose to get implants to accentuate their aesthetics, improve how clothes fit, or improve their self-esteem. Many women seek breast augmentation not only to enhance size but also to correct breast asymmetry, aiming for the best breast augmentation results with a natural shape and feel that closely resembles natural breasts. Breast enhancement and breast enhancement procedures are available to help improve breast size, shape, and symmetry, offering both aesthetic and emotional benefits.

The practice of Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin offers breast augmentation for all patients looking to rejuvenate their bosoms. Augmentation mammoplasty is the medical term for breast augmentation, referring to the surgical method used to enhance breast size and shape.

To learn more about breast augmentation with implants, please continue reading below.

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What is a Breast Augmentation?

One of the most popular types of cosmetic surgery, breast augmentation with either saline or silicone implants, provides a very natural look. Breast implant surgery is one of the most common cosmetic breast surgeries. Saline implants allow minimal incision breast augmentation; the scars are virtually invisible. Certain implants are adjustable following insertion, enabling fine-tuning of the look and feel. Implants can be placed either under the muscle (submuscular) or under the breast tissue (subglandular), and through incisions placed in the armpit, around the areola, in the breast fold, or even through the belly button. During breast augmentation performed by Dr. Michelle Copeland or Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin, the procedure typically involves making the chosen incision, creating a pocket for the implant, and carefully positioning the implant to achieve the desired result. The implant placement Dr. Copeland or Dr. Copeland-Halperin recommends is based on your unique anatomy and aesthetic goals, ensuring the most suitable method is selected for optimal results.

In some cases, a breast lift or fat transfer will be combined with breast augmentation. Fat grafting is a technique for natural breast enhancement that involves harvesting, refining, and transplanting fat from other areas of the body into the breasts. As with all cosmetic surgery, the practice of Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin works closely with you to determine the ideal size, shape, placement, and location of the implant.

Breast augmentations are highly customizable, offering a range of implant types and surgical techniques to suit individual needs and preferences. Choosing an implant with a natural shape, such as a teardrop or anatomically shaped implant, is important for achieving authentic, natural-looking results that complement your body type and personal goals. The popularity of the procedure continues to grow each year. Breast augmentation surgeries are among the most frequently performed cosmetic procedures.

Augmentation mammoplasty is a surgical procedure designed for breast enlargement and improved symmetry.

What Sets Us Apart as the Premier Breast Augmentation Practice in New York City?

A Rare Mother–Daughter Surgical Partnership: Top plastic surgeons Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin represent a unique, multi-generational approach to breast surgery, combining decades of experience with modern techniques. Together, they have performed thousands of successful breast procedures, offering patients the advantage of collaborative planning, meticulous execution, and highly personalized care.

National Recognition & Academic Distinction: Both surgeons are widely respected for their leadership and expertise in plastic and reconstructive surgery, with publications, podium presentations, and leadership roles in national medical societies. Their work has been featured at international conferences, and they are frequently sought out for complex breast cases requiring advanced expertise.

Elite Medical Training: Dr. Michelle Copeland is the first woman plastic surgeon with a Harvard doctorate in Medicine and Dentistry, while Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin completed advanced fellowship training at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Their academic backgrounds ensure every procedure is grounded in evidence-based medicine and refined surgical artistry.

Board Certification & Hospital Privileges: Both surgeons are board-certified and maintain active hospital privileges at leading New York institutions, including Mount Sinai, Lenox Hill Hospital, and Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital. This ensures the highest standards of safety, ethics, and surgical excellence.

A Thoughtful, Patient-Centered Breast Philosophy: Their approach to breast augmentation prioritizes proportion, longevity, and natural aesthetics. From implant selection to incision placement, every decision is made to support long-term satisfaction, breast health, and results that feel authentic to the patient’s body and lifestyle.

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Breast Augmentation Quick Facts

  • Surgery Time: Approximately 1.5–2 hours
  • Price: ~Varies based on implant type, surgical technique, and customization. For an accurate cost, please ask during your consultation.
  • Recovery: Most patients return to work within 2–5 days; full activity resumes in 4–6 weeks
  • Results: Immediate improvement with final results developing over 6–12 months

Steps of Implant Selection

There are various considerations for patients considering breast augmentation. Patients can choose from different types of breast implants (including saline, silicone gel, and gummy bear implants), each with distinct characteristics and a range of breast implant sizes to suit their individual preferences and body proportions. Both saline and silicone implants feature a durable outer silicone shell, which provides structural support, helps maintain the implant’s shape and feel, and contributes to a natural look. Saline breast implants consist of a silicone outer shell filled with sterile saline solution. In contrast, silicone implants are often referred to as ‘gummy bear‘ implants due to their cohesive gel that maintains shape. Many patients opt for implants with a natural shape, such as teardrop or anatomically shaped implants, to closely mimic the appearance and contour of natural breasts, enhancing the overall aesthetic outcome. They must choose the type of implant, the size, the implant placement technique, and even the incision placement technique they prefer.

A customized surgical plan is developed for each patient to ensure the best possible results, tailored to their unique goals and anatomy.

Type of Implant

You can choose between saline implants (filled with sterile salt water) or silicone-filled implants. Saline breast implants are known for their adjustability and require only a small incision, often less than an inch long, which can be well concealed beneath the breast. In contrast, silicone implants are filled with a cohesive gel that closely mimics the feel of natural breast tissue. The outer silicone shell of these implants provides structural support and plays a crucial role in achieving a realistic feel and appearance, closely resembling natural breasts. When comparing saline and silicone implants, saline implants may feel less natural but allow for easier detection of ruptures, while silicone gel breast implants offer a more natural feel, reduced rippling, and increased durability. Silicone gel breast implants are often preferred for their realistic texture and longevity. Cohesive gel implants, an advanced type of silicone implant, are designed to provide natural-looking results and maintain their shape even if the shell is compromised.

Implants are available in a variety of sizes and shapes. Round implants are popular for achieving fullness and volume, while anatomical (teardrop) implants are specifically designed to mimic the natural shape of the breast, resulting in a more authentic look. Smooth implants are another option, offering benefits such as a softer feel and a lower risk of certain complications compared to textured implants. The most natural breast appearance requires selecting the right implants for your body.

Incision Placement

There are several options for breast augmentation incisions, each with its own advantages and considerations regarding scar placement and healing.

  • Inframammary: This incision conceals the incision within the fold of your breast and avoids the mammary glands, minimizing the chance of infection and breast hardening.
  • Periareolar: This is often selected by women with small breasts who do not have under-breast folds. The incision is hidden within the areola, though it can lead to issues with nipple sensation, scar widening, and complexities during breastfeeding.
  • Trans-axillary: This approach hides scars in the armpits, which are sometimes almost invisible, but it is the dirtiest entry point and has the highest rate of capsular contracture.
  • Trans-umbilical breast augmentation (TUBA): This method involves making an incision through the belly button. Patients who are getting tummy tucks at the same time may opt for this incision for a convenient combined procedure.

Incision placement is finally crucial for achieving discreet results and minimizing visible scarring, so careful consideration and surgical skill are essential.

After surgery, a surgical bra is typically worn to support healing, protect the incisions, and help manage swelling and discomfort.

Implant Size

Patients need to choose their implant size, which ranges from small to very large. Selecting the right implant size is essential for achieving the desired breast volume and natural proportions. It is important to remember that a bigger size isn’t always the best choice for everyone’s profile. Your surgeon will present different cup sizes during the consultation to help you make a decision.

Implant Placement

There are three common implant placements: behind the breast tissue (known as sub-glandular), behind the breast fascia (known as sub-fascial), or behind the pectoralis chest muscles (known as sub-muscular). Most augmentations are submuscular, as they reduce the risk of implant visibility, scar tissue, and infection. Implant placement beneath the chest muscle is often recommended for patients with limited breast tissue, as it provides a more natural appearance and reduces the visibility of implant edges.

What Are the Benefits of a Breast Augmentation?

Patients who have received a breast augmentation in New York City at the practice of Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin have enjoyed long-lasting results and a boost in their self-confidence. Other benefits are listed below:

  • Added volume to small breasts
  • Better clothing fit
  • Immediate and stunning results
  • Improved breast symmetry
  • Can correct breast asymmetry caused by genetics, injury, or illness
  • Many women choose breast augmentation to restore breast volume lost due to pregnancy or weight loss
  • Provides lift after pregnancy and weight loss
  • Quick recovery

Breast augmentation offers women the opportunity to enhance their breast size, restore lost volume, and improve self-confidence.

Who Are the Best Candidates for the Breast Augmentation Procedure?

An ideal candidate for breast augmentation in the greater New York area has some of these characteristics:

  • Dissatisfied with the shape and size of the breasts
  • Done with breastfeeding
  • Done with childbearing
  • Have realistic expectations
  • No underlying medical conditions
  • Not currently pregnant or breastfeeding
  • Breasts are asymmetrical

Cosmetic breast surgery requires careful evaluation to ensure patient safety and optimal results.

Breast augmentation should only be considered after a patient’s breasts have fully developed.

Your Breast Augmentation Surgery journey

What’s the First Step?

The first step to getting a breast augmentation in New York City is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin, both active members of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS).

During your consultation, your personal surgeon will ask you questions about your health history and your desire to get a breast augmentation. It is important to provide a complete medical history to ensure your safety and allow the surgeon to tailor the procedure to your specific needs. They will consider your frame and body proportions when determining your desired implant size. This is the best setting to discuss your concerns and obtain informed answers to your questions. Several options may be available after a clinical examination and a discussion of your needs. Computer imaging can help you anticipate the outcomes of this type of surgery, including helping you decide on implant type, size, placement, and incision.

Once you decide to move forward, they will draft your surgical plan, and our expert team will provide a detailed, written quote, discuss scheduling, and review pre-operative instructions.

How Do I Prepare for My Breast Augmentation?

Preparing for breast augmentation involves both medical and lifestyle considerations to ensure a smooth surgery and recovery. Prior to your procedure, you may be asked to complete lab work or medical clearance, depending on your health history. Patients should stop smoking well in advance, avoid certain medications and supplements that increase bleeding risk, and maintain a stable weight.

You’ll receive detailed pre-operative instructions outlining when to stop eating and drinking, what to wear on surgery day, and how to prepare your home for recovery. Arranging transportation and post-operative assistance ahead of time is also essential for a safe and comfortable experience.

What to Expect on the Day of Breast Augmentation Surgery

On the day of your breast augmentation surgery at the practice of Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin, our friendly staff will welcome you to the practice, get you settled in the surgical suite, and review your surgical plan in case of any last-minute questions and/or concerns. Finally, a board-certified anesthesiologist will administer twilight IV anesthesia in our fully accredited operating room. Intravenous sedation is commonly used to ensure patient comfort during the procedure. Breast augmentation is typically an outpatient procedure, allowing patients to return home the same day.

Once you are sedated, the initial surgery phase begins. During this phase, breast augmentation is performed by making the planned incision and creating a pocket for the implant, which may be positioned either subglandularly (above the muscle) or submuscularly (below the muscle), depending on your surgical plan. The implant of choice will be inserted in the plane of choice. Your surgeon will take extra care to minimize scarring. Once the implant has been placed, she will close the incisions using layered sutures in the breast tissue to provide extra support for natural breast tissue and close the external breast skin incisions with absorbable sutures and bandages. This initial surgery phase also marks the beginning of your recovery, as bandages are applied and healing begins immediately after the procedure.

The operation should take about two hours, depending on the techniques used.

Your guide to post-breast augmentation Surgery care

Breast Augmentation Recovery

After the surgery, you will be monitored in a recovery room until the effects of anesthesia wear off. Patients are advised to have a family member or friend drive them home, as the effects of anesthesia can sometimes last longer. Before leaving the recovery facility, you will be provided with some post-operative instructions and temporary prescription pain medication to make your breast augmentation recovery more tolerable. Proper recovery is essential for achieving the best results from breast enhancement surgery. Patients are generally advised to avoid heavy lifting and intense exercise for 6 to 8 weeks after breast augmentation surgery.

After your initial surgery, we will have you return to the practice approximately 1 week later to monitor your recovery and remove any stitches and bandages, marking the start of the early recovery phase. We include a post-operative lymphatic massage treatment to help reduce swelling and promote recovery. You can expect another appointment about a month or two after surgery, followed by another three months post-surgery, and again six months later. You may also have photos taken at one of your final check-ups for comparison.

Most patients return to work after two days. The speed of recovery is influenced by many factors, including the technique used. Deeper implants, below the chest wall muscle, require a longer recovery than superficial implants. While light activity is encouraged soon after surgery, you’ll need to avoid more strenuous activity for a few weeks.

Some Tips for a Better Recovery

  • Wear your surgical bra as directed to support healing
  • Sleep on your back with your upper body slightly elevated
  • Take prescribed medications exactly as instructed
  • Avoid heavy lifting and upper-body strain during early recovery
  • Stay well hydrated and maintain a nutritious diet
  • Attend all scheduled follow-up appointments
  • Be patient as swelling subsides and implants settle naturally

Body Contouring Procedures

For many patients seeking a more dramatic transformation, combining breast augmentation surgery with body contouring procedures can deliver truly remarkable results. In New York City, it’s common for individuals to enhance their silhouette by pairing breast implants with procedures such as liposuction, tummy tucks, or thigh lifts. These body contouring procedures are designed to sculpt and refine other areas of the body, creating a more balanced and harmonious overall appearance. In addition to aesthetic enhancements, our surgeons are also highly experienced in reconstructive surgery, including procedures to repair congenital deformities or post-cancer reconstruction.

Board-certified plastic surgeons like Dr. Copeland and Dr. Copeland-Halperin are highly experienced in performing breast augmentation alongside body-contouring procedures, ensuring each patient receives a customized treatment plan tailored to their unique goals. Whether you choose saline or silicone breast implants, combining them with body contouring can help achieve a natural, proportionate look that enhances both breast size and body shape. This comprehensive approach to aesthetic plastic surgery allows patients in New York to enjoy the benefits of a more youthful, contoured figure, all under the care of leading plastic surgeons.

procedure-cost

How Much Does a Breast Augmentation Cost in New York City, NY?

The cost of a breast augmentation in New York City will vary depending on numerous factors, including the size, shape, and type of breast implants, the surgical techniques used for the implant placement, and the incision. The best way to learn how much your breast augmentation will cost is to come in for your breast augmentation consultation with your surgeon so you can develop a surgical plan, which the expert team can then use to determine a costing and pricing plan for you.

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Why Choose Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin?

The practice of Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin should be your go-to for brow lifts in New York City, as, in addition to their medical accomplishments, they are recognized as top plastic surgeons with extensive expertise in plastic and reconstructive surgery. They are known for their empathy and kindness towards their patients as they deliver their expertise in sculpting your aesthetics.

Dr. Michelle Copeland is the first woman plastic surgeon with a Harvard doctorate in Medicine and Dentistry, and she has published numerous articles and presented her techniques internationally. She is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and an attending surgeon at the Mount Sinai Medical Center.

Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin has a wealth of experience, including advanced training in microsurgery at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital with a focus on breast reconstruction. As a top plastic surgeon, she brings a humanistic dimension to plastic and reconstructive surgery and enjoys helping patients achieve their cosmetic, aesthetic, and reconstructive goals through a combination of surgical and non-surgical techniques. Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin is double board-certified and also practices at Lenox Hill Hospital and Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital, both affiliates of Northwell Health, where she teaches residents.

Both doctors work with an international clientele, drawing patients from Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Whether it’s a virtual consultation or in person, they will answer all of your questions, including options, costs, recovery, and all aspects of treatment for surgical procedures such as breast augmentation, breast reduction, liposuction, and rhinoplasty, as well as non-surgical treatments like Botox, Kybella, fillers, and other non-invasive techniques.

Long-Term Results of Breast Augmentation

The long-term results of breast augmentation surgery are often a source of great satisfaction for patients, especially when a board-certified plastic surgeon performs the procedure. With advancements in breast implants (particularly silicone gel implants), patients can enjoy a natural look and feel that lasts for many years. However, it’s important to remember that breast implants are not lifetime devices. Over time, factors such as capsular contracture, implant rupture, or changes in natural breast tissue may necessitate implant revision or replacement. Implant replacement may be necessary as implants age, so regular check-ups are important to monitor implant integrity and determine when replacement is needed.

 

Regular follow-up visits with your plastic surgeon are essential to monitor the health of your breast implants and the surrounding breast tissue. Silicone gel implants, known for their durability and realistic texture, continue to be a popular choice for those seeking long-lasting breast augmentation results. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle and adhering to your surgeon’s recommendations, you can help preserve your breast size and shape for years to come. Should any concerns arise, such as changes in breast sensation or the development of tight scar tissue, your surgeon can address them promptly to ensure your continued satisfaction and well-being.

Breast Augmentation FAQ’S

What Our Patients Are Saying

“I Could Not Be Happier!”

Dr. Copeland and Dr. Copeland-Halperin performed my breast lift last month and I could not be happier. Everyone in the office (including Nurse Lauren and Andrea) is so compassionate and calm and put me at ease going into such a significant procedure. I felt incredibly well informed during my consultation and leading up to my surgery. I’ve had several follow up appointments to check healing progress and ensure I am free of infection or wound complications. They even include a lymphatic drainage massage to help with swelling reduction. 10/10 would recommend to anyone looking to feel their best!

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If you are interested in increasing or improving your breast size and shape, please contact the practice of Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin today! You can call us directly or use our website to fill out an appointment form, and a member of our team will contact you.

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