Breast Augmentation & some considerable facts
Breast Augmentation often called Augmentation mammoplasty is incessantly getting popular cosmetic surgery. Even the American Society of Plastic Surgeons agrees that it is the most commonly performed surgery of the last decade. This surgery is performed for aesthetic purposes and for medical reasons as well. When someone wants to increase the size, shape and volume of the breast or wants to have a balanced and even appearance then they can undergo this surgery.
Before surgery, you must have a detailed thorough discussion with your surgeon about various concerns that you have. Be prepared with your list of questions, though your first step should be — to find out the best, well-experienced surgeon (easily possible with us) who can address your expectations efficiently with his skills and abilities.
Some of the considerations you must contemplate upon, before the surgery, are
The Surgeon
Your first action is to choose a well-qualified and well-experienced surgeon whom you can rely upon. It is inevitable that your surgeon can transform your life in a positive and expected way though there are possibilities of other extreme unacceptable situations.
You must ask for: –
His credentials, experience and expertise
His clinic setting, equipments and staff
Before and after photos of the surgeries he has performed.
His patients’ experience—you may have a word with the previous patients of the doctor.
What will suit me the most either Breast implant or fat transfer?
Fat transfer can also be an option for breast augmentation. In this technique, liposuction is done and fat is extracted from some other part of the body. After this the fat is processed into a condition that is right for injecting into the breast to increase its volume. Remember—it can increase the size of the breast up to two cups only.
What type of implants do you recommend for me?
A breast implant is a medical prosthesis that is placed inside the breast to augment, reconstruct or create the physical form of the breast. There are various types of implants he can suggest such as–
Saline Solution Breast implant filled with salt water.
Silicone Gel Breast implants which are filled with gel.
Gummy Bear Breast implants which are filled with a bit thicker gel.
The Alternative Composite implants which may be filled with polypropylene string, soy oil or some other material.
You must know the type of implant he decides for you and the reasons to choose that particular type of implant for you.
How can I choose the right size of the implant?
You must ask about an accurate way that helps to decide the right size of the implant according to your body proportionate. Your surgeon may guide you to put the chosen implant into your innerwear (bra) so that you can have an outlook of the size after the surgery. Then it becomes easy for you to decide if the size is suitable or not.
What will be the incision site and placement site?
Incision site depends upon several factors such as how much enlargement is required, the type of implant and the surgeon-patient preference. It could be –-
- Inframmammary incision, done in the crease under the breast
- Transaxillary incision, in the armpit
- Peri-areolar incision, around the nipple
Transumbilical:- just above the belly button,
And then the implants are brought up with an endoscope to be placed in the breasts. The implants are then filled with saline.
Placement sites:– A submuscular placement goes under the pectoral muscle.
A submammary, or subglandular, placement goes behind the breast tissue, over the pectoral muscle.
You must be aware about both the factors and must ask the related questions that arise in your mind to your surgeon without any hesitation.
Will the procedure or recovery period be painful?
Your surgeon will perform the surgery under general or local anesthesia therefore you will not experience pain during the procedure. After that during your recovery period the surgeon will prescribe you some medication so that some obvious results like pain, swelling, bruising, tightness can be subsided within a specific period. Otherwise it depends upon how your body reacts to these medicines.
What are the potential complications?
You can ask this beforehand so that you can take every possible action and precaution to minimize the aftereffects of the surgery. Some of the possible complications are infection, pain, bleeding, poor scarring, and the formation of tight scar tissue around the implant, fluid accumulation, wrinkles over the implant, rupturing of the implant, possibility of revision surgery and sensation in the breast or nipples may change temporarily.
What about the durability or life of the implants?
You must be aware about the life of implants as it does not come with lifetime guarantee. Its average life span is 10 years. You can visit your surgeon for an annual examination to evaluate your breast health and implant integrity. If implants rupture, then you have to have them removed or replaced. Some need a breast lift or an implant exchange with the time as your breasts will change due to aging, weight fluctuations, hormonal factors and gravity. Some may need to have the implants replaced if they have complications or if the size and shape of their breast change over time in order to restore a more youthful contour.
What if the implant gets damaged inside and how will I know about the same?
If the saline implants filled with salt water rupture then the solution is safely absorbed and expelled by the body naturally. As the salty solution leaks out of the shell, it is much easier to detect if the device has ruptured. The affected breast will suddenly seem smaller than the opposite side or than the previous outlook.
If the silicone gel implants leaks, the gel may remain within the implant shell or may escape into the breast implant pocket. It may or may not collapse. In order to observe its function and its condition you need to visit your surgeon on a regular basis. An ultrasound or MRI can assess the condition. The gel does not move out so it becomes a bit difficult to know about the rupture with just the outlook.
How many additional implant-related operations or revision surgeries can I expect over my lifetime?
Breast implant rupture or deflation is not the only reason for additional implant surgery after augmentation mammoplasty. Breast revision surgery is performed due to various reasons as follows:–
- Switching from saline to silicone implants due to rippling problems or just a desire for a more softer, more natural feel
- Breast changes after pregnancy, weight gain or weight loss, or age-related changes
- Cosmetic concerns where the patient is unhappy with the result of previous surgery due to poor implant placement or other problems such as double-bubble, symmastia, or bottoming out.
What will be expected from me to get good results?
Before surgery-As a patient you must learn what to expect post-surgery and how long it will take to feel completely recovered can help you to prepare in a better way for a life-transforming experience. You must avoid smoking for at least 3 weeks before the surgery so that the healing process is not hindered.
After surgery—you will be shifted to the recovery area to monitor your condition. Then you will be discharged after two or three hours or in some cases after a day. There must be someone with you to drive you home and for other routine activities at home for some days. You can get back to your sedentary lifestyle after two—three weeks.
How natural will it appear afterwards?
You may have this question in your mind as women mostly go for this surgery to have a fuller, symmetrical and natural breast appearance. The amount of natural breast tissue that you have will greatly affect the results of your breast augmentation. If you have smaller breasts, it is recommended that you choose a silicone breast implant, which won’t ripple to the degree that saline implants can. If you have a larger amount of natural breast tissue, it’s more likely that your results will look and feel more natural.
What are the possibilities of losing the sensation of the breast?
The loss of nipple sensation after the surgery is a significant concern for many women. After all, women just do not want to look great but to feel amazing as well. Although changes in nipple sensitivity are common, they usually don’t last and experiencing a complete loss is extremely rare. The changes women experience in sensitivity are mostly due to breast tissue swelling. For some it is heightened and for others it may be temporarily dulled. It may take some time to get normal but certainly it will as swelling subsides and incisions heal.
What are the effects of implants on breastfeed or is there any harm to the produced milk?
Most women with breast implants are able to breastfeed, though there are a few exceptions. Your ability to breastfeed depends on the location and depth of incisions used during the surgery. The nerves around the nipples play an important role in breastfeeding. Incisions made under the breast or through the armpit are less likely to interfere with breastfeeding than around the areola. Implants are usually placed behind the milk glands or under the chest muscles which does not affect milk supply though it may affect the amount of milk you are able to produce. But in some cases it is also not affected.
There is no such evidence of any birth defects or any problem in the quality of milk in mothers with implants. Therefore you can relax regarding these factors.
You may also worry about the effect breastfeeding will have on your implants. It’s normal for your breasts to change in shape and size during pregnancy and after breastfeeding. Breastfeeding won’t affect your implants, but the size and shape of your breasts overall may be different.
How long will my recovery period be and what kind of help will be needed during the recovery period?
Your recovery period may vary from others as it depends upon your physical condition. First, you will experience a considerable amount of pain for one week, swelling and soreness for a few weeks. Your surgeon will prescribe some medication to resolve this and it will be subsided within a specific period. Your surgeon will recommend you to wear a surgical bra or sports bra which is specifically designed to maximize the comfort level. To resume your regular activities you must follow your surgeon’s instructions. You must limit all your strenuous activities like heavy weight lifting, upper body exercise etc. for about three to four weeks. Your scars will fade away but will not disappear completely. Sleeping on your back initially will help reduce your swelling and discomfort.
You need to have regular follow-ups with your surgeon so that he can assess your progress and recovery. While you’re healing, remember that your breasts will be sensitive to physical contact or jarring movements.
If you notice warmth and redness in your breast or you have a fever, you might have an infection. Contact your surgeon as soon as possible. Also contact your surgeon if you have shortness of breath or chest pain.
