Breast Enlargement, also known as Augmentation Mammoplasty
What You Need to Know About Breast Augmentations Plastic Surgery
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Breast Mammoplasty, also known as breast enlargement or breast augmentation plastic surgery, is one of the most common procedures performed annually by members of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Women may choose to under go breast augmentation surgery for various reasons. These personal reasons may center around breasts that are perceived to be under developed or because of differences in the sizes of the breasts or from changes after pregnancy or breast feeding. Some women may be happy with their breasts but just want them made fuller and larger.
Often after weight loss, aging or childbirth, a woman’s breast volume and shape may change. This too can lead to a woman to seek a breast augmentation or breast enlargement. Breast implant surgery performed by cosmetic plastic surgeons is the most popular way to improve breast shape and size. Breast enhancement using breast implants can give a woman more proportional shape and may improve self-esteem.
One or more of the following feelings or conditions may indicate that you are a good candidate for breast augmentation or breast enlargement plastic surgery:
• you are bothered by the feeling that your breasts are too small
• clothes that fit well around your hips are often too large at the bustline
• you feel self-conscious wearing a swimsuit or form-fitting top
• your breasts have become smaller and lost their firmness after having children
• weight loss has changed the size and shape of your breasts
• one of your breasts is noticeably smaller than the other
Every woman has particular reasons why she decides to have a breast augmentation procedure performed and it may not be listed above. This is because choosing to have a breast augmentation procedure is a personal decision and should only be made by you. You and Dr. Glassman should discuss these reasons in a private, one-on-one consulation in the comfort of his plastic surgery office.
How Breast Augmentation is Performed
Individual factors and personal preferences will help you and Dr. Glassman, plastic surgeon, to determine your appropriate breast implant size, the location of incisions, and whether the implants will be placed on top of or underneath the chest muscle.
Inframammary incision
Transaxillary incision
Periareolar incision
More about Breast Implants
Breast augmentation enlargement is designed to increase the size of small or underdeveloped breasts. Breast implant surgery can also restore and enhance your breast volume if it has decreased as a result of pregnancy and breast feeding. In addition, breast implants can serve one or more of a number of purposes; breast cancer victims can use breast implants for reconstructive purposes after mastectomy, or women with asymmetrical breasts may use a single breast implant to balance the difference in size.
The availability of FDA-approved silicone gel implants will create new options for women considering breast surgery for the first time and for those who have had previous surgeries but are seeking new replacements or revision. Now, all women over 22-years-old, seeking cosmetic breast augmentations and women seeking breast reconstruction surgery will be able to select silicone breast implants.
Types of Breast Implants used for Breast Augmentation or Breast Enlargement?
The size and type of breast implant recommended for you will be determined by your goals for breast enhancement, your existing body frame, and mass, your existing breast tissue, and the preferences you and your plastic surgeon discuss. All breast implants include a solid silicone rubber outer shell, called a lumen.
Breast implant options include:
• Saline breast implants: Filled with sterile salt water. Saline implants may be pre-filled to a predetermined size. Saline implants may also be filled at the time of surgery to allow for minor modifications in implant size.
• Silicone filled breast implants: Filled with soft, elastic gel. All silicone breast implants are pre-filled and may require a longer incision for implant placement.
New scientific data on the safety of breast implants is rapidly being collected. In the future, it is possible that additional types of filler materials may become available as advancements take place. Surgical techniques for breast augmentation and breast implants themselves are continuously being refined, increasing the safety and reliability of the procedure. Dr. Glassman will be able to provide you with the latest information about the breast implant industry.
One of the advantages of a saline-filled implant is that because it is filled with saltwater after being inserted, only a small incision is needed. Often, an incision of less than one inch is made underneath the breast, just above the crease, where it is usually quite inconspicuous.
Another possible location for the incision is around the lower edge of the areola. A third alternative for the breast implant is to make a small incision within the armpit.
Once the incision is made, the surgeon creates a pocket into which the breast implant will be inserted into the breast. This pocket is made either directly behind the breast tissue or underneath the pectoral muscle which is located between the breast tissue and chest wall.
Understanding Risks Involving Breast Implants and Breast Augmentations
Every year, many thousands of women undergo successful breast augmentation surgery; however, anyone considering surgery should be aware of both the benefits and risks.
I understand that every plastic surgical procedure has risks, but how will I learn more so that I can make an informed decision?
The subject of risks and potential complications of surgery is best discussed on a personal basis between you and Dr. Glassman, or with a staff member in your surgeon’s office.
Some of the potential complications that may be discussed with you include reactions to anesthesia, blood accumulation that may need to be drained surgically and infection. Although rare, an infection that does not subside with appropriate treatment may require temporary removal of the implant. Changes in nipple or breast sensation may result from breast augmentation surgery, although they usually are temporary.
When a breast implant is inserted, a scar capsule forms around it as part of the natural healing process. The capsule may sometimes tighten and compress the implant, causing the breast to feel firmer than normal. Capsular contracture can occur to varying degrees. If it is severe, it can cause discomfort or changes in the breast’s appearance. In such cases, more surgery may be needed to modify or remove the scar tissue, or perhaps remove or replace the implant.
Breast implants are not lifetime devices and cannot be expected to last forever. If a saline-filled implant breaks, its contents are harmlessly absorbed by the body within hours. A definite change in the size of the breast is clearly noticed. Rupture can occur as a result of trauma to the chest, but more commonly it occurs spontaneously with no apparent cause.
Surgery will be required to replace the implant, if desired.
If you are at an age when mammographic examinations should be conducted on a periodic basis, it will be important for you to select a radiology technician who is experienced in taking x-rays of augmented breasts. Additional views of your breasts will be required. Dr. Glassman, in some instances, may recommend other types of examinations such as ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging. It is possible that the presence of breast implants could delay or hinder the early detection of breast cancer.
Some women with breast implants have reported problems including certain connective tissue and immune-related diseases. Women without implants also have these disorders, so the key question is whether breast implants increase the risk of developing the conditions. Several large studies have been completed that provide reassurance that women with breast implants do not have a significantly increased risk for these diseases.
Options For Your Recovery After Undergoing Breast Augmentation :
• At Home: When discharged, you will be released to the care of a responsible adult with safe, licensed transportation home. The adult may be a family member, friend or hired caregiver and must be competent to understand your recovery instructions and to monitor your health. Your caregiver must commit to stay with you at all times for a minimum of 24 hours after surgery.
• At Licensed Recovery Facility: You will be released to the care of a licensed post-surgical recovery facility where nurses or specially trained medical professionals will monitor your health and comfort until you are able to return home and capably care for yourself.
• At Hotel or spa: You may wish to recover at a hotel or spa location, where licensed healthcare professionals will monitor your recovery around the clock as recommended by your plastic surgeon.
• At Overnight Hospital Stay: An overnight hospital stay may be offered to you or may be recommended. In this case your surgery will be performed at the hospital where you will stay overnight. You will be released from the hospital to a capable caregiver to continue your recovery at home, or to a licensed recovery facility.
You should be walking under your own strength immediately after your breast augmentation or breast enlargement plastic surgery. It is very important that you walk a few minutes every few hours to reduce the risk of blood clot formation in your legs.
The first two to five days following your breast augmentation or breast enlargement plastic surgery you may feel stiff and sore in the chest region. Any dressings will be removed within several days, and you may be instructed to wear a support bra. Your breasts may feel tight and sensitive to the touch, and your skin may feel warm or itchy. You may experience difficulty raising your arms. You should not lift, push or pull anything, or engage in any strenuous activity or twisting of the upper body. Some discoloration and swelling will occur initially, but this will disappear quickly. Most residual swelling will resolve within a month.
It is important to follow all patient care instructions as directed.
While it will take several days to return to more normal activities after your breast enlargement, it is important to your recovery that you get up and move around. After breast augmentation, it is often possible to return to work within just a few days or a week, depending on the type of activities that are required at your job.
Physical activity should be avoided for at least the first couple of weeks following surgery. After that, care must be taken to be extremely gentle with your breasts for at least the next month.
To find out more about breast augmentations or types of breast implants utilized by Dr. Glassman, contact the Glassman Plastic Surgery office today to schedule an appointment!
More Information About Breast Augmentation Surgery
Here are some helpful links to help you learn more about breast augmentation surgery:
Breast Augmentation Surgery from The American Society of Plastic Surgeons Web Site
Breast Augmentation Surgery from The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Web Site
