Breast augmentation
Breast augmentation in Fort Myers
Fuller breasts with no scar on your breast. Your implant goes in through a hidden incision in your armpit, and the size is matched to photos you bring.
4.7 188 Google reviews
4.8 66 RealSelf reviews
- Free consultation
- Board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
What happens next
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Your consult
Free, and about 30 to 45 minutes. Bring your photos. Dr. Schneider examines you and goes over the shape, size and implants that suit you. Then you meet our office manager to go over cost and pick a date.
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Surgery day
Twilight anesthesia in our in-office surgery suite, accredited by QUAD A (formerly AAAASF): you don't feel it, you don't remember it, and you wake up without the nausea of general anesthesia. Surgery takes 45 to 60 minutes, and most patients are driven home within an hour.
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Recovery
You go home in a clear dressing with no bra or straps, and you're asked to use your arms as much as you can. Dr. Schneider finds that movement speeds recovery.
Book your free consult
Send your details and we’ll call you to find a time.
4.7 188 Google reviews
4.8 66 RealSelf reviews
We use your details only to set up your consult. We never sell them.
No scar on your breast
Dr. Schneider first presented TEBA, breast augmentation through the armpit, to plastic surgeons at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons national meeting in 1995. He has done thousands since.
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No scar on the breast
The incision sits high in a natural crease in your armpit and fades until it can barely be seen. In thousands of these surgeries, fewer than 0.02% of patients had a scar that showed much.
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Back to normal in a day or two
The incision is far from where the implant presses, so it's much less likely to open. You can be back to normal activity a day or two after surgery, and at work and the gym as soon as you feel comfortable.
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Less discomfort
In Dr. Schneider's experience, the underarm incision hurts less. A long-acting numbing medicine and a muscle relaxant keep you comfortable, and his use of that muscle relaxant is published in Aesthetic Surgery Journal.
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Any implant
Saline, gummy bear and Motiva implants can all go in through the armpit. Dr. Schneider was the first surgeon in the U.S. to place Motiva implants this way.
Breast augmentation at a glance
- Anesthesia
- Twilight (deep IV sedation)
- Surgery
- 45–60 minutes
- Going home
- Most within an hour
- Back to normal activity
- A day or two
- Work and the gym
- As soon as you feel comfortable
- Bra
- None until your implants drop, except at the gym
What it costs
$9,200
starting price, depending on the implant you choose
Free consultation · Your exact quote comes at your consult.
- Surgeon's fee
- Free consultation
- Free pre-op visit
- Surgery
- Surgical facility
- Anesthesia
- Implants
- Post-op follow-up
Your exact quote comes at your consult.
Results
Choosing your size
You don't pick a cup size or an implant size.
Cup sizes aren't exact (there's a big C and a small C), so a number won't get you the look you want. Bring before-and-after photos of breasts you like, and some you don't. Dr. Schneider uses your photos in the operating room: inflatable sizer implants go in and are filled until your breasts match your photos, and then your implants are chosen.
Your surgeon
Marc S. Schneider, MD
- Credentials
- Board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
- in Fort Myers
- Since 1991 in Fort Myers
Dr. Schneider trained in general surgery at Temple University Hospitals and in plastic surgery at the University of Kansas, then opened his Fort Myers practice in 1991. He has focused on cosmetic surgery since 1994. In 1995 he presented breast augmentation through the armpit, with no scar on the breast, to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. His work has been published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the Aesthetic Surgery Journal.
Published in
- Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
- Aesthetic Surgery Journal
- Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
- Journal of Craniofacial Surgery
- Journal of Burn Care and Rehabilitation
- Transplantation Proceedings
What patients say
4.7 188 Google reviews
4.8 66 RealSelf reviews
Was very nervous about my breast implants not looking natural/ to my liking. Dr.Schneider did an amazing job, he listened to exactly what I wanted and gave me perfect results. Definitely recommend!!!
Extremely happy with Dr. Schneider and the staff! Everyone was so friendly and the entire process from start to finish was super fast. Also priced well! I highly recommend Dr. Schneider if you're thinking about a breast augmentation!
Lizzy V. Google review I recently underwent a breast augmentation procedure performed by Dr. Schneider, who executed an exceptional job. He attentively listened to my preferences, and I am immensely pleased with my decision to consult him. I highly recommend him.
Marli S. Google review I would highly recommend coming here. The entire staff is extremely helpful, friendly and honest. Dr. Schneider did an AMAZING job on my breast augmentation surgery. My breast are the perfect size and shape and look so natural. 5 stars !
Bri Google review AMAZING doctor and staff!! I am extremely pleased and impressed with his work! I am super happy about my breast implants (Gummies). He really does care. 5 days after surgery and already to the gym and to work with no problems. Highly recommended!!
Recovery
- The next day
- Take off your dressing. You can shower 24 hours after surgery. Keep using your arms.
- The first week
- Normal activity a day or two after surgery. Back to work and the gym as soon as you feel comfortable; some patients are lifting weights by the end of the first week. Let your discomfort be your guide.
- The next few weeks
- Your implants sit high at first because of swelling and a tight chest muscle. They drop into place and your shape improves over several weeks. No bra until they've dropped, except at the gym.
We walk you through every risk, including implant illness, at your consult.
Your options
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Saline
Filled with salt water. Dr. Schneider uses saline in about 40% of his patients. It can be filled a little more for a rounder top.
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Gummy bear
A thicker silicone gel that keeps its shape, even if the shell breaks. Less likely to rupture, a little firmer, and it costs more.
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Motiva
The newest silicone implant, with a silky surface. Round adds fullness up top; Ergonomix turns teardrop-shaped when you stand. Since the practice began using Motiva in 2024, fewer than 1% have hardened.
- Natural
- A natural look keeps the slope above your breast straight or slightly curved in. A round look adds fullness at the top. A wider or higher-profile implant fills the top more.
- Under or over the muscle
- Usually under the chest muscle. You can ask for over the muscle instead; both take about the same time and heal about the same.
- Do I need a lift?
- If your nipple sits at or below the crease under your breast, a lift raises it. Dr. Schneider uses a lollipop incision, around the areola and straight down, with no scar under the breast.
- Your surgeon recommends
- "Implants are simply tools designed to enhance the breast," says Dr. Schneider. "Just like a hammer and a screwdriver are both good tools, you would not want to use a screwdriver to pound in a nail."
Questions
Don’t see your question? Call us, or ask Dr. Schneider at your free consult.
Will I have a scar on my breast?
Not with the underarm incision. The scar sits in a natural crease high in your armpit and fades until it can barely be seen. In Dr. Schneider's experience, a scar under the breast can turn wide and thick and take years to fade. An incision around the areola usually leaves a scar that's hard to see.
How soon can I go back to work and the gym?
With the underarm incision, normal activity a day or two after surgery, and work and the gym as soon as you feel comfortable. With an incision on the breast, plan on two to three weeks before normal activity, because that incision needs time to close.
Does it hurt?
In Dr. Schneider's experience, the underarm incision hurts less than an incision on the breast. A long-acting numbing medicine and a muscle relaxant keep you comfortable after surgery.
Will I be asleep?
You have twilight anesthesia, a deep IV sedation. You don't feel the surgery or remember it, and it's easy to wake up from, without the nausea of general anesthesia.
Will I be talked into more than I want?
No. "The goal is not to perform the largest operation possible. The goal is to perform the right procedure for the right patient," says Dr. Schneider. If implants alone give you the look you want, he'll say so.
Does insurance cover it?
No. We don't take insurance for cosmetic surgery, including Medicare and Medicaid, but there's financing for every procedure.
How long will my implants last?
There's no set date. It depends on the type and the maker: gummy bear implants tend to last longer than older silicone ones, and Dr. Schneider uses Mentor saline because they seem to last longer. His wife's lasted over 25 years. If you ever want new implants, the exchange can usually go through the armpit.
Will my implants ripple?
Every implant ripples a little, and silicone and gummy bear show it less than saline. What matters is how much of your own tissue covers the implant. It shows most in very thin women with little breast tissue; with enough cover, even saline may show none.
What if an implant gets hard?
Your body forms a thin layer of scar tissue around every implant. If it thickens and shrinks, the breast feels firm. That's called capsular contracture. In the practice's own patients, it happened in under 4% with saline and about 13% with gummy bear and other fifth-generation silicone implants. With Motiva, used since 2024, it's under 1%.
What is breast implant illness?
Some women with implants report symptoms like brain fog, headaches, rashes or joint and gut problems. The medical data isn't clear. Dr. Schneider has treated it since 1992, and the large majority of his patients who had their implants removed noted real relief. He goes over it with you at your consult.
Book your consult
Send your details and we’ll call you to find a time.
4.7 188 Google reviews
4.8 66 RealSelf reviews
We use your details only to set up your consult. We never sell them.
- No scar on your breast: the incision sits in a crease of your armpit.
- Back to normal activity in a day or two.
- Dr. Schneider has done thousands of these since 1995.
- A free consult with Dr. Schneider, about 30 to 45 minutes.