Breast Episodes

When Marissa, lead patient coordinator at LJC, moved to the beaches of San Diego from the small town of Bakersfield, she discovered her bikini top was a little less full than she’d like it to be. Starting as a small A cup, Marissa was looking for a subtle boost and nothing over-the-top. Plastic surgeon Dr. Luke Swistun recommended silicone gel implants and helped her find a size that fit her petite frame just right. Marissa candidly opens up about her entire experience, from sizing at her init...

Large breasts cause women of all ages to have back pain, difficulty exercising, and self consciousness. Dr. John Smoot’s breast reduction patients are always thrilled to get rid of the weight and improve the size and shape of their breasts. Breast reduction surgery transforms both confidence and comfort. Dr. Smoot relies on his three decades of experience helping women with this life-changing surgery to answer your biggest questions about breast reduction, including: Is there a minimum age? H...

Specializing in all things mommy makeover, Dr. Diana Breister Ghosh shares how breast lift surgery can make droopy, “deflated” breasts higher, fuller, and perkier. Dr. Breister walks us through everything to expect going into breast lift surgery, from how to prepare and how it's done to what recovery looks like and where scars will be. Find out how long it typically takes to heal enough to do the activities you love again, like exercising or picking up heavy objects (like children). A breast ...

Nicole knew she would look good after a mommy makeover with Dr. Brahme, but she had no idea it would turn out even better than her pre-baby body. After years avoiding form-fitting dresses, she now has the confidence to wear tight clothing without shapewear underneath. After having four children, Nicole worked hard trying to lose stubborn fat around her love handles and back, but nothing helped her bounce all the way back. With the goal of achieving an hourglass shape, she had an extended tummy ...

When Candy first started experiencing strange symptoms, her husband Michael thought it was just an aging thing. Even as she met with plastic surgeons doctors to discuss having her breast implants removed, he was supportive but skeptical. Since her explant surgery a year ago, he quickly noticed Candy has much more energy. Like having a “brand new wife,” she has the energy of a 20-something, both physically and mentally. At the first consultation, when they saw how much Dr. Luke Swistun genuinel...

During cosmetic surgery, the relationship with your nurse is so important because they hold your hand as you take this big step for yourself. In part two of Phoebe Davis’ series with her breast augmentation surgery team, she talks to Nurse Carmen about being by her side throughout her journey. Carmen opens up to Phoebe about her nursing history, from working with Dr. Brahme at his private practice 25 years ago, to joining the LJC team as Dr. Smoot’s nurse in 2018, to recently becoming Dr. Salaz...

Two months ago, Phoebe Davis had breast augmentation surgery with Dr. Hector Salazar. She’s back and she loves her results so much that she’s taking over the podcast to interview her favorite doctor. Phoebe hits Dr. Salazar with the tough questions to help others avoid common mistakes when getting breast augmentation, or any cosmetic surgery. She shares the best and worst things to do if you’re considering getting breast implants. Find out what made Dr. Salazar and Phoebe’s doctor-patient rela...

When it comes to breast implants, plastic surgeon Dr. John Smoot has seen it all. In practice since 1988, he studied with Houston plastic surgeon Dr. Thomas Cronin, the inventor of the breast implant. The earliest silicone implants had problems with rupture, and were connected to autoimmune diseases. When banned in 1992, surgeons specializing in breast surgery, including Dr. Smoot, pivoted to saline implants. After hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, silicone implants returned to...

Phoebe Davis is a former competitive bodybuilder, influencer, signed model, and reality TV star from the hit dating show Cosmic Love. Hear how she’s feeling just one week after her breast augmentation with LJC plastic surgeon Dr. Hector Salazar. As someone who went through a weight loss journey and became a bodybuilder, Phoebe deeply understands the pressures within the fitness industry. She shares her experience with body dysmorphia along with her concern that undergoing breast augmentation mi...

When jumping off a boat at a party ends with the demise of Tati Santiago’s left breast implant, the time for replacing her big old implants with smaller ones arrives. As the co-host of Star 94.1’s Jessie and Tati in the Morning, Tati already knew about her friend Laura Cain’s fantastic LJC experience and booked her consultation with plastic surgeon Dr. Hector Salazar immediately. Though Tati was previously hesitant to switch to silicone because of the bad rap they had in 2005, she’s so glad she...

NYC cosmetic breast specialist Dr. Anna Steve joins LJC plastic surgeon Dr. Hector Salazar to debate and discuss the similarities and differences between plastic surgery trends on the East and West Coasts. Ten years ago the trend was “go big or go home,” but today things have changed. The doctors cover the hottest topics surrounding breast surgery, from which brand of implants they prefer to use in breast augmentation to what they see for the future of breast surgery trends. Learn more about D...

Plastic surgeon Dr. Luke Swistun has helped hundreds of women with breast implant removal and is deeply experienced with breast implant illness patients. In this podcast, we talk about what you might experience immediately after surgery, how much pain to expect, how long recovery might take and how complications are handled. If you have capsular contracture, implant rupture, or malpositioned implants, you’ll feel a huge difference when the implants are out. Many patients also mention less back ...

Although rare, all surgery has risks. Dr. Hector Salazar walks us through the possible complications surrounding breast implants, including capsular contracture, implant rupture, and the need for revision surgery. Dr. Salazar shares the steps you can take to have a healthy, safe, complication-free recovery. Hint: you’ll need to ditch the treadmill and heavy weights for at least three weeks. Read our blog about why medical tourism can be risky if complications arise during surgery recovery Get...

For those considering breast augmentation, the first question is usually “what size implant is right for me?” Trends are changing again as the oversized look dwindles in popularity and the natural look is back. Dr. Salazar brings us a full rundown on all things breast augmentation, from what scars will look like and what recovery is like to how long they’ll last and how often it’s recommended to switch out your breast implants. Read more about breast augmentation and see our before and after p...

Twenty-two years ago at the age of 22, Janelle got her first set of saline breast implants and she was ecstatic. Right on schedule, ten years later she had them replaced with silicone gel. Janelle loved how she looked with breast implants, but in 2018 she began experiencing a collection of unusual symptoms including extreme fatigue, dry eyes, dry mouth, and other miserable things. Suspecting that the breast implants might be the cause, she shared her symptoms on Instagram and received a flurry ...

After losing 90 lbs, Stacy’s saggy breasts were a constant reminder that confidence was more than the number on the scale. A close friend recommended she consult with LJC plastic surgeon Dr. John Smoot. Together, Dr. Smoot and Stacy agreed the best solution was a breast reduction and augmentation followed by a revision to remove more skin. To lose weight and keep it off Stacy used OPTAVIA, a program she is now a health and wellness coach for. Her mental health has done a 180 and she’s living li...

If you’re disappointed that your breast implants are sagging or haven’t lasted as long as expected, the “internal bra” is a superb breast implant revision technique that uses GalaFLEX, a bioabsorbable mesh-like material to add support. Breast implants aren’t meant to last forever and at some point, our breasts sag. It happens to all of us, and we inevitably won’t have our 20-year-old breasts in our 50s. If you’ve had implants for a while, the internal bra can be included in revision surgery to ...

Taylor’s least favorite body part has always been her arms. Working in the medical spa at La Jolla Cosmetic, Taylor knew there were a lot of ways to approach body contouring, including those arms. She had already lost 30 lbs, and plastic surgeon Dr. Swistun motivated her to lose 15 more to ensure successful results by showing her what she might look like using special imaging software called Vectra 3D. After reaching her goal weight, Taylor moved ahead with surgery. Dr. Swistun sculpted her bod...

This year, the primary concern of women researching breast implants became safety instead of cost. LJC’s own Dr. Hector Salazar-Reyes joins us to share his thoughts on breast implant safety and walk us through the FDA’s updated labeling requirements, known as the “black box warning.” With his unique perspective as a champion of patient safety, Dr. Salazar shares the real history of how patients, doctors, and industry teamed up to drive these important changes in patient education. If you’re con...

Eight weeks after surgery, Laura Cain reflects on her breast augmentation results, her surprisingly easy recovery, and why she regrets waiting so long to move forward. In the third and final conversation of this three part series, Laura reflects on how much she’s changed throughout her breast augmentation experience at LJC. She shares how the decision to trust Dr. Swistun’s eye to choose the right size and shape for her body was the best choice she could have made, and how happy she is with the...

Lesa is a patient of La Jolla Cosmetic who had breast augmentation at the age of 57. Since then, she returns regularly for treatments and services to maintain a vibrant look that matches her spirit. Lesa takes us through her journey with La Jolla Cosmetic and how she learned to invest in herself. Lesa discusses why she chose La Jolla Cosmetic and Dr. Lori Saltz for her breast augmentation, what her consultation was like, and why she recommends you “just go for it” if you’re on the fence. With h...

Plastic surgeon Dr. Lori Saltz answers all of the questions women have about the mommy makeover including incisions, c-section scars, non-surgical alternatives, pain management, costs, and recovery. If you have breastfed for any length of time, Dr. Saltz discusses why it is almost certain that you’ll need a breast lift and why breast implants alone don’t lift the breasts. She explains why recovery is so challenging for women with young children and how long you should wait before having any kin...

Three days after surgery, we check in with Laura Cain to see how she’s feeling after her breast augmentation with Dr. Luke Swistun. Missed part 1? Listen to the first installment in Laura’s breast augmentation mini-series Listen to the Laura Cain After Dark podcast Follow Laura on Instagram See LJC’s breast augmentation before and after photos La Jolla Cosmetic is located just off the I-5 San Diego Freeway at 9850 Genesee Ave, Suite 130 in the Ximed building on the Scripps Memorial Hos...

Before padded bathing suits were invented, 15-year-old Laura Cain’s mom sewed stuffing into her swimsuit tops to give her some curves. Decades later, Laura’s about to have breast augmentation at LJC with Dr. Luke Swistun and we’re talking to her about her thoughts and feelings before surgery and what led her to finally make the decision to get breast implants. Listen to the Laura Cain After Dark podcast Follow Laura on Instagram La Jolla Cosmetic is located just off the I-5 San Diego Freewa...