A Self-Evaluation On How You Feel About Yourself & Your Surgery Decision

The choice to undergo breast augmentation surgery isn’t one to be taken lightly, and we admire that you’re taking the time out to do your own research! There are a lot of questions that the Internet can answer for you, but there are certain facets – such as your mindset, your unique body, your individual goals – that aren’t addressed with a simple search or even hours of digging online.

Let’s take a closer look at a few criteria to ensure you’re a good candidate for this procedure and you have full confidence before you make that next move forward. This self-reflection will help prepare you for that first call with your breast augmentation expert!

You Feel You Need A Different Shape, Size & Firmness Level

Is your confidence deflated by the feeling that your breasts are sagging, flattened or just smaller than you prefer? If so, you’re likely a strong candidate for breast augmentation surgery. This procedure can also help you readjust for weight loss, life as a mom or other lifestyle changes.

You Feel Your Breasts Are Asymmetrical

Do you feel self-conscious because one breast is smaller than the other? Is bra shopping tougher than you think it should be? Breast augmentation can help directly address the symmetry issues you are facing.

You Have Realistic Expectations

Breast augmentations are designed to magnify your natural anatomy and highlight your features. And Drs. Donaldson and Sieffert? They’re two of the best in the world at what they do. However, perfection is hard to come by, and if you already have some structural imperfections, they may still show post-surgery. Widespread nipples, stretch marks, a barrel-shaped chest – these are all features that can persist.

You Are of Age & In Good Health

Individuals should be at least 18 years old before undergoing a breast augmentation. Getting this procedure done before the breast muscles have fully matured can damage long-term results. Because we look at an overall picture of health, we do not have a specific age ceiling for our patients!

“Good health” means that you have no active infections, untreated cancer or other serious medical conditions. Women who are pregnant or nursing should wait a bit longer before going through with a breast augmentation. Ideally, you are not a smoker or someone who drinks heavily.

We also work with you directly to ensure you’re in a proper mental state to make your final decision.

You Want To Feel Empowered & Confident

This is our ultimate goal: to help you become your most confident self! It is all about how you feel. Once you have fully recovered, we want you to be proud of who are and how you look in your skin. We routinely follow up to make sure you’re satisfied with your results.

We carry elements of this philosophy with us not just when discussing your goals, but also when it comes to our before and after photos philosophy. Browsing pictures of naked bodies that look nothing like yours won’t do this artistic surgical procedure justice. During your consultation, we will find before and after pictures that look closer to your body type and your desired figure!

Remember: This Is YOUR Decision

A good breast augmentation practice will never push you down a path or pressure you to make a decision you’re not 100% comfortable with. The surgeon should discuss your personal goals with you, one-on-one, before offering a solution that will get you to where you want to be!

Opt For Donaldson Plastic Surgery If You Want To Feel Understood, Important & Completely At-Ease

One of the most common compliments we get from patients is our uniquely personable approach. From the first phone call to post-op follow-ups, we truly listen to you, the individual. Your goals. Your needs. Your job. Your relationship dynamics. Your fears and your dreams.

Dr. Donaldson and Dr. Sieffert are both board-certified plastic surgeons that are at the top of the industry and at the top of their game. They get your procedure done right and have the accolades to back up their work!

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About The Author

Jeffrey Donaldson, MD is a board-certified plastic surgeon that specializes in breast augmentation surgery. Throughout his 20+ years of experience, he has helped an incredible amount of amazing women feel comfortable in their decision to move forward with this life-changing procedure. He continues to hone his craft and learn more about every aspect of this surgery to help his patients make more informed decisions.

The Core Differences Between 2 Approaches to Breast Augmentation Surgery

Breast augmentation has always been closely associated with breast implants, but some patients opt for a different method for breast enhancement – the fat transfer breast augmentation. This technique essentially uses liposuction to remove fat from other areas in the body to inject into the breasts. While not as widely popular as traditional implants, fat transfer breast augmentation has garnered recent social media and in-office patient interest that makes it worth exploring.

Why This Matters: This means that your surgeon could transfer the exact same volume of fat into each breast in the exact same way, but the amount of fat actually retained long-term can potentially differ greatly.

How is a Fat Transfer to the Breast Performed?

To begin, you will be placed under general anesthesia and the surgical site(s) will be numbed with local anesthesia. Your surgeon will create a small incision at the site for the fat to be extracted (usually the abdomen, thigh, or buttocks), and use the liposuction cannula to remove fat from the area. The fat is then purified and prepared to be re-injected into the breasts. A tiny incision will be made either along the fold of the breast or the outside edge for the cannula to be inserted. They will apply more numbing solution, and then the fat will be injected into the breast and dispersed evenly.

Thinking of the breasts’ anatomy in terms of layers (or “planes”), the inner-most layer is the chest wall, followed by pectoral muscles, adipose tissue, and then the functional mammary glands and ducts of the breast. When the fat is transferred to the breast, it is typically placed in the sub-glandular plane, meaning it is placed behind the glands where most of the fat already resides. Your surgeon will then suture the small incision site closed.

What They’re Saying:

Reports from plastic surgery’s leading authority, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), confirm what we already know — that fat transfer breast augmentations only provide a relatively small increase in size. It is recommended primarily for individuals who prefer natural results and wish to see a subtle increase in breast size.

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Breast Implants: In Greater Detail

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About Breast Implants

Soft silicone gel implants are now an industry standard for breast augmentation surgeons across the world. Various projections, profiles, sizes and cohesivities can be combined during your breast implant selection to create a unique implant tailored to your body and personal preferences.

Consistency Matters

Not only do we mean that breast implants offer long-term dependability, but the actual consistency of the silicone gel matters, as well. This is known as the cohesivity of the implant. Depending on the cohesion of the implants, you can achieve an incredibly natural enhancement or a firmer, more augmented look. Ultimately, you have more control over the shape, size, and overall look of the breasts than you would with a fat transfer.

How is it Performed?

Both Dr. Donaldson and Dr. Sieffert perform breast augmentation using silicone implants. Once you are comfortably resting under general anesthesia, your surgeon will numb the area and carefully make an incision along the outside edge of the areola or underneath the natural fold of the breast. He or she will create a pocket beneath the breast tissue and muscular wall within which to place the implant. Remember those layers of the breast we talked about earlier?

Breast implants are usually placed under both the muscle and breast tissue using a dual-plane approach. In a Dual-Plane style breast augmentation, the upper part of the implant is placed under the muscle (which prevents rippling or implant visibility) and the lower part of the implant sits behind your natural breast tissue. Once the implant is placed, your surgeon will close up and place sutures along the incision site.

By the Numbers

For decades, breast implants have reigned as the most popular option among augmentation patients and plastic surgeons alike. According to the ASPS’ 2020 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report, 84% of total 2020 breast augmentations reported used silicone implants. Closer to home, about 90% of breast augmentation patients in our practice opt for breast implants over fat transfer to the breast.

Explore The Most Popular Breast Implants

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Which Method Should You Choose?

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Your surgeon may have a recommendation for your unique frame, or one option may be better suited for your goals than the other. However, like all of the decisions you make for your body, the choice between breast implants or a fat transfer is completely yours to make. As board-certified plastic surgeons, it is our job to educate you about your options and help you make an educated decision.  We strive to empower our patients to make the final decision for themselves.

We strongly recommend that you choose a board-certified plastic surgeon well-versed in breast augmentation surgery and with experience performing both methods if you do choose a fat transfer augmentation with another practice. It is important that you do your research on your surgeon’s credentials and technique.

Why Our Surgeons Prefer Breast Implant Surgery Over Fat Transfer 

Breast implant surgery tends to offer more consistent results in terms of volume, shape and symmetry while reducing uncertainty about how much fat will be absorbed versus preserved over time. Patients generally report higher satisfaction due to this predictability and clearer outcome expectations. Also, implants allow us to more reliably achieve larger or more noticeable enhancement when desired, something that fat transfer alone often cannot match without compromising other areas.

Main Takeaway: There are many choices involved with breast augmentation, but the first and most important decision you’ll make is to select a board-certified plastic surgeon.

Still Researching Your Options? We Can Help!

We know that the choice to receive a breast augmentation is a big decision. The research stage is important for anyone looking into a breast augmentation, and a consultation with our team can be a great way to expand your research in a fun, pressure-free way. Even if you’re not ready for surgery, you’ll leave your consultation with more information, a general surgical treatment plan and even a customized quote for your breast augmentation. You may even have additional questions you didn’t think of before — we’re here to answer those, too!

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Check out some of our other helpful breast augmentation resources:

• Breast Augmentation Patient Testimonials
• How to Choose the Right Breast Implants For You
• What is a Dual-Plane Breast Augmentation? by Dr. Jeffrey Donaldson
• Breast Augmentation Incisions
• Breast Augmentation Implants
• Breast Augmentation Position
• Dr. Donaldson Explains Scarless Breast Augmentation
• Answers About Fat Transfer
• Can You Breastfeed After Breast Augmentation?
• Does Breast Augmentation Hurt?

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About The Author

As a board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Michelle Sieffert specializes in helping patients choose the best surgical route forward based on their specific anatomy and cosmetic goals. She has performed hundreds of successful breast augmentation surgeries throughout her tenure, with an emphasis on creating natural-looking results with the safest breast implants available. 

Editor’s Note: This article was updated 9/15/2025 to reflect our change in procedures offered. 

Get to Know Our Newest Non-Surgical Provider

Treatments Paige Performs

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You may see Paige performing the following non-surgical treatments:

• Injectables:
  • Botox for wrinkles
  • Dermal fillers (Juvederm, RHA, and many others!)
  • Kybella fat reduction
• Lasers:
  • BroadBand Light (BBL)
  • Halo laser resurfacing
  • diVa vaginal rejuvenation
  • Hair reduction treatment
• Coolsculpting and Cooltone
• Microneedling
• Advanced Microneedling with PRP (commonly referred to as the “Vampire Facial”)

Paige also helps patients on the surgical Patient Care Team. She works with patients all throughout each step of their journey by answering questions and addressing concerns. You also may recognize her from:

• Virtual Consultations
• Pre-Surgical Phone Call Consultations
• Post-Op Follow Ups

“I want to do everything I can to make my patients feel good about themselves and confident. I want them to feel understood and know that we’re here for them.”

— Paige Brudzinski, RN

Paige’s Experience

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Paige has been an RN BSN for eight years. She graduated from Mount Carmel College of Nursing in 2013. Paige also worked as a nurse in the NICU and a travel nurse before joining the DPS team!

Our Aesthetic Team’s Mission:

At Donaldson Plastic Surgery, our providers have the experience and education to treat patients to fit their individual needs. Our team is here every step of the way to ensure you are seeing the quality results. Paige, along with the rest of our team, believes that patient care is built on a sense of understanding and compassion — we truly care about our patients. We are here to provide a great experience as well as great results.

Advanced Microneedling with PRP — A.K.A. the “Vampire Facial” — is a popular facial that actually lives up to its lore! If your skin is feeling dull and lifeless, then this treatment may be exactly what you need to re-vamp your natural glow. Check out everything you need to know about this newfangled approach to Microneedling!

Benefits of the Vampire Facial

Benefits of the “Vampire Facial” include reduced fine lines and wrinkles, smoother and tighter skin, improved hyperpigmentation and scarring, and improved efficacy of skin care products. Advanced Microneedling with PRP provides you with all of the benefits of microneedling while also amplifies results and lessens the amount of healing time.

How Does it Work?

This treatment, commonly referred to as the “Vampire Facial”, works by using your own blood’s healing properties in combination with medical Microneedling. In Microneedling, we create a controlled, superficial injury to the skin using tiny micro-needles, which triggers a rapid healing response to “repair the damage” & flood the area with collagen. PRP contains a high concentration of platelets, growth factors, and active proteins from your own blood. When it is added to your skin during microneedling, it kick starts the collagen production process! This treatment should both be performed in a clinical setting by a highly-trained Medical Aesthetician with experience in handling blood.

How Does It Compare To Microneedling?

Microneedling is a cosmetic treatment that uses small micro-needles to penetrate the skin. The “Vampire Facial” is a form of Advanced Microneedling that also uses an extracted component of your own blood to enhance the effects of the treatment.

It is important to know that the treatment referred to as the Vampire Facial is microneedling, but with a twist. Instead of infusing the skin with a serum, we perform the Vampire Facial to utilize your own blood cells (PRP, or platelet-rich plasma) to directly initiate tissue growth and collagen production. Both Microneedling and the Vampire are highly effective treatments for skin rejuvenation, but for different reasons.

 

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Both offer the following benefits:

• tightening and toning the skin
• reducing fine lines and wrinkles
• increasing collagen production
• increasing skin elasticity
• smoothing skin’s bumpy texture
• erasing acne scarring

 

The Vampire Facial also offers these additional benefits:

• quicker recovery period
• minimal to no downtime
• boosts collagen production further & for longer
• uses your own cells

 

Microneedling Can Make Results Last Longer

We like to think of The Vampire Facial like an all-out sprint compared to a jog — you will get to your destination, but you’ll likely get there much quicker! It is up to you and your provider during your one-on-one consultation to determine which treatment is better for you.

Curious to Learn More About the Vampire Facial?

Just give us a call! We hope to see you for your next treatment or skin care consultation at the Donaldson Plastic Surgery Medspa soon! Fangs for reading!