If you are researching breast augmentation from Green Bay, you probably have two sets of questions. The first is about the decision itself: implant type, size, and whether surgery is right for you. The second is practical: what the day of surgery looks like, how much time off you need, and when life feels normal again.
This guide walks through both, in the order you will experience them. At The Center for Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery (CAPS), board-certified plastic surgeons Dr. Todd Van Ye and Dr. Kenneth Dembny care for breast augmentation patients from Green Bay, Appleton, and across Northeast Wisconsin, with offices in Neenah, Appleton, and Plover and a private surgical center in downtown Neenah. Timelines below are general. Your surgeon will give you a plan built around your procedure and your health.
What Is Breast Augmentation?
Breast augmentation, also called augmentation mammaplasty, increases breast size or improves shape and symmetry. Most procedures use saline or silicone gel implants. Some women choose fat transfer instead, which moves a modest amount of their own fat to the breasts through liposuction.
It also helps to be clear about what augmentation does not do. Implants add volume, but they lift the breasts only slightly. If your nipples sit at or below the breast fold, a breast lift alone or combined with implants may serve you better. Your surgeon will tell you honestly which approach fits.
Why Women Choose Breast Augmentation
Women in Green Bay and the surrounding area usually come to us for one or more of these reasons:
- Restoring volume lost after pregnancy, breastfeeding, or weight loss
- Correcting noticeable asymmetry between the breasts
- Improving shape and projection for better balance with the hips
- Feeling more comfortable in clothing and swimwear
There is no right reason, only your reason. The consultation is where we make sure the plan matches it.
Am I a Good Candidate?
You may be a good candidate if you are in good general health, have fully developed breasts, and are not pregnant or breastfeeding. The FDA approves saline implants for cosmetic augmentation at age 18 and silicone gel implants at age 22. Surgeons also look for a stable weight, a willingness to stop smoking or vaping around surgery, and realistic expectations, including the understanding that implants are not lifetime devices.
If you recently finished breastfeeding, many surgeons suggest waiting until your breast size has settled for a few months, so the plan is based on your stable shape.
Step 1: Your Consultation
A Personalized Evaluation
Consultations at CAPS are complimentary, and you meet with one of our board-certified plastic surgeons, not a sales coordinator. Expect to talk through:
- The size, shape, and overall look you want
- Your lifestyle, work, and activity level
- Your medical history, medications, and any prior breast surgery
- Any questions or worries about the process
Your surgeon will then examine you and take measurements of your chest width, breast tissue, and skin. Those measurements set the range of implant sizes that will look proportionate on your frame.
Choosing the Right Implants
You will compare the main options side by side:
- Silicone gel implants: soft and natural feeling, including cohesive gel (sometimes called gummy bear) implants that hold their shape
- Saline implants: filled with sterile salt water after placement, which allows a slightly smaller incision; a leak is absorbed by the body and is easy to notice
- Round or teardrop (anatomical) shapes, depending on the look you prefer
Neither type is best for everyone. Silicone tends to feel more natural, especially in slim women. Saline makes a rupture obvious, while a silicone rupture can be silent, which is why the FDA recommends periodic ultrasound or MRI screening for silicone implants.
Placement and Incisions
Implants can sit above the chest muscle (subglandular) or partly beneath it (submuscular). Placement under the muscle adds soft tissue coverage, which helps in women with thin tissue, but the implant can move when the muscle flexes. Placement above the muscle avoids that movement and often means an easier early recovery, though implant edges may be easier to see or feel.
Incision options include the breast fold (inframammary), the edge of the areola (periareolar), and the underarm (transaxillary). Your surgeon will recommend the combination that suits your anatomy, your implant choice, and your plans, such as future breastfeeding.
Questions Worth Asking Your Surgeon
- Are you board certified in plastic surgery, and how often do you perform breast augmentation?
- Where will my surgery take place, and is the facility accredited?
- Which implant size and placement do you recommend for me, and why?
- What does recovery look like for someone with my job?
- What happens if I need a revision later?
Step 2: Preparing for Surgery
Once you choose a date, you will get written instructions. Common steps include blood work, a review of your medications, and stopping aspirin, certain anti-inflammatory drugs, and some supplements that increase bleeding. If you smoke or vape, you will be asked to stop about four to six weeks before and after surgery, because nicotine slows healing.
It also helps to prepare your home. Arrange a ride and an adult to stay with you the first night, fill prescriptions early, keep loose front-closing tops handy, and set up a comfortable spot where you can rest with your upper body slightly raised.
Step 3: Surgery Day in Neenah
Surgery takes place at our private surgical center in downtown Neenah, which Dr. Van Ye established as the region’s first surgery center dedicated solely to plastic surgery. It is fully accredited by AAAHC. For most Green Bay patients it is a straightforward drive, and you recover in a quiet, private setting rather than a busy hospital.
Breast augmentation is performed under sedation or general anesthesia. The operation commonly takes one to two hours, and most patients go home the same day. You will wake up in a surgical bra or wrap. Most women describe the feeling as tight and sore rather than sharply painful.
Step 4: Recovery, Stage by Stage
Everyone heals at a different pace. The stages below describe a typical recovery, but your surgeon’s instructions always come first.
The first few days
Expect soreness, swelling, and a feeling of tightness across the chest, especially with implants under the muscle. Prescribed or recommended pain medication keeps most patients comfortable. Short walks around the house help circulation. You will need help with lifting and household tasks.
The first week
Many patients feel noticeably better by the end of the first week. People with desk jobs often return to work within about a week, sometimes sooner. You will still avoid lifting, pushing, and reaching overhead. A follow-up visit lets your surgeon check your incisions and healing.
Weeks two through six
You will wear a support bra as directed, usually around the clock at first. Swelling continues to go down, and the implants begin to settle into a softer, more natural position. Strenuous exercise and heavy lifting usually wait until around four to six weeks, when your surgeon clears you.
After six weeks
Most patients return to full activity, including upper body workouts, with their surgeon’s approval. Incisions stay pink for a while and then gradually fade over the next year. Final shape often takes a few months to show, as the implants finish settling and swelling fully resolves.
Call your surgeon’s office right away if you notice increasing pain, redness, fever, or one breast becoming noticeably larger or firmer than the other. Our nursing team is available by phone once you are home.
Understanding the Risks
Breast augmentation is well established, but it is still surgery. Possible risks include capsular contracture (tightening scar tissue around the implant), changes in nipple or breast sensation, infection, bleeding, rippling, implant shifting, and leak or rupture. A rare lymphoma called BIA-ALCL has been linked mainly to textured implants, and some women report whole-body symptoms they attribute to implants. Your surgeon will review these risks, along with the FDA patient decision checklist, before you decide.
How Long Do Implants Last?
Implants are long lasting but not permanent. Many women will need an implant exchange or revision at some point, and your breasts will keep changing with age, weight, and hormones. Planning for that from the start is part of an honest consultation.
What Does Breast Augmentation Cost?
Cost depends on the implant type, surgical technique, anesthesia, facility fees, and whether you add a procedure such as a lift. Because cosmetic breast augmentation is not covered by insurance, you will receive a personalized quote at your consultation. Many patients spread the cost over time with one of our financing options.
Why Green Bay Patients Choose CAPS
Dr. Todd Van Ye founded CAPS and has practiced plastic surgery in the Fox Valley since 1997. He is board certified in plastic surgery, trained in general surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin, and completed his plastic surgery residency at Vanderbilt University.
Dr. Kenneth Dembny is a board-certified plastic surgeon with more than 30 years of experience. He trained in general surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin and completed a plastic surgery fellowship at The Ohio State University.
Together with an experienced surgical nursing team and an accredited private surgical center, they offer Green Bay patients a physician-led experience from the first consultation to the last follow-up. If you are weighing other procedures too, our overview of plastic surgery in Green Bay covers the options patients ask about most.
Before and After Results
Photos are one of the best ways to understand what is realistic for your body. Our breast augmentation before and after gallery shows real CAPS patients, many with notes on their starting size and implant choice. Your surgeon can show more examples at your consultation.
CALL TO ACTION
Ready to talk it through? Book a complimentary breast augmentation consultation with Dr. Van Ye or Dr. Dembny. Call (920) 725-0700 or schedule online. Serving Green Bay, Appleton, Neenah, Plover, and the Fox Valley.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long after breast augmentation can I go back to work?
Many patients with desk jobs return within about a week. Jobs that involve lifting or physical effort usually need more time. Your surgeon will give you guidance based on your work and your recovery.
Will I need to replace my implants?
Possibly. Implants are not lifetime devices, and many women have an exchange or revision at some point. There is no set expiration date, so replacement is based on changes, symptoms, or your goals.
Do I need a breast lift instead of implants?
If your main concern is sagging and your nipples sit at or below the breast fold, implants alone may not give the result you want. A lift, sometimes combined with implants, may be recommended.
Is the consultation really free?
Yes. Consultations with our surgeons are complimentary, and there is no obligation to schedule surgery.
Where does surgery take place for Green Bay patients?
At our AAAHC-accredited private surgical center, 425 S Commercial St in Neenah. We also have offices in Appleton and Plover.
