Breast augmentation, or breast augmentation or breast augmentation, is a surgical procedure to increase the size, shape or fullness of the breasts.
For breast augmentation, a plastic surgeon places implants filled with special silicone, saline or biocomposite material, breast implants under the pectoralis major muscle or under the breast tissue. Modern implants can serve a patient's entire life, and most manufacturers offer their implants a lifetime warranty.
Why should a woman need to enlarge her breasts?
Breast augmentation is performed for:
- Enlarge naturally small breasts
- Restores breast size and shape after pregnancy, weight loss or breastfeeding
- Restores symmetry when breasts are asymmetrical
- Breast reconstruction after breast removal surgery
Plastic surgery includes reconstructive and aesthetic surgery.
Breast reconstructive surgery is performed as part of breast cancer treatment. Cosmetic breast surgery is done to improve appearance. Breast augmentation is usually cosmetic surgery.
In 2007, a study by University of Florida researchers showed that breast augmentation through cosmetic surgery increased women's self-esteem, feelings and sexuality. It allows you to get a higher paid job, get more recognition.
What are breast implants?
A breast implant is a medical device that is placed under the breast or under the pectoralis major muscle to enlarge, reconstruct or create an aesthetic shape of the breast.
Breast implants may contain silicone, saline or other compounds.
There are three main types of breast implants:
- Saline implantsare filled with sterile saline, which is sterile saline only. The solution is inside a silicone shell. These implants can be filled with different amounts of saline. This affects the sensation felt when pressing on the mammary gland, it can be softer or harder, at the request of the patient, in addition, a different density will determine the different shape of the breast. If the saline implant is damaged and leaking, the solution will not cause any harm to the patient, as the saline solution is natural to the body, and will simply be absorbed by the body without a trace, the only drawback is that the implant will have to bechanged as breast volume decreases.
- Silicone gel implantsconsist of a silicone outer shell filled with silicone gel. If the silicone implant leaks, the gel will remain in the sheath or fall into the breast implant pocket. And it won't spread throughout the body. Modern plants, even if the shell is damaged, do not spread. These implants are most commonly used today.
- Alternative composite implantsare rarely used and can be filled with biodegradable material, soybean oil or other material.
What needs to be decided before surgery?
Breast augmentation is a surgical procedure, so patients need to carefully consider whether they really need this procedure.
- It is necessary to choose where to place the implant: under the pectoralis major muscle or under the glandular tissue. Your operating doctor will help you solve this problem. Most often, implants are placed under the muscle.
- Before the operation, the surgeon together with the patient selects the required implant size. This is done with the help of special measures that fit the bra and the patient can evaluate the size and comfort of wearing it. In addition, the patient, together with the doctor, chooses the density of the implant, its shape (round or anatomical). Implant manufacturer.
- The surgeon and patient should discuss incision options.
The following options are possible:
- Incision under the breast, made in the fold under the breast;
- Transaxillary incision in the armpit;
- Incision around the edge of the areola (periareolar) or across the areola (transareolar).
The choice of incision depends on several factors, including magnification, patient anatomy, type of implant and surgeon-patient preference.
In addition, the patient must choose the type of anesthesia, this operation is often performed under general anesthesia. But if the patient wishes, it is in principle possible under local anesthesia.
How is the operation going?
After the patient has fallen into a medical sleep, or after performing local anesthesia, the surgeon makes a skin incision in the place, according to the type of access agreed with the patient, about 4. 5 centimeters long, then, using special tools, it forms a pocket, in which an endoprosthesis is placed.
The pocket can be formed directly under the breast tissue or under the large breast muscle (this is discussed with the patient prior to surgery):
- With an axillary pocket, it is positioned under the pectoralis major muscle.
- The inframammary or subglandular pocket is simpler, with the pocket forming in the space between the mammary gland and the pectoralis major muscle.
Suture the wound
In their practice, plastic surgeons often use so-called cosmetic or, more correctly, intradermal sutures, usually several rows of threads are applied, which very often do not need to be removed, over time they dissolve on their own. Additionally, a plastic surgeon can use special surgical glue and special sterile strips to squeeze the edges of the wound so that the scar is less noticeable in the postoperative period.
The cutting lines will initially be visible, but will almost disappear over time.
Evaluation of the results
Surgery can cause edema, hematomas (bruises), but they should go away within two to four weeks. Usually, the final result is formed no earlier than 3-6 months after the operation. Therefore, the patient will be able to decide whether the procedure meets her expectations only after some time.
Recovery period
The recovery period lasts 1 month. During this period, there are some restrictions that will be communicated to the patient by the doctor and a special reminder will be issued for their exact implementation. Pain worries the patient only on the first day after the operation, in order to relieve pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used. In rare cases, narcotic analgesics. Then the pain practically disappears. A slight drawback remains. After the operation, you should not swim in open and closed waters, take a bath, sleep on your back, raise your arms high, engage in active sports and hard physical work. All these restrictions are temporary, for 1 month. So the patient can live peacefully as she lived before the operation, she can fly on a plane and dive with scuba diving. The most important thing in the postoperative period is to wear special compression underwear. Underwear must be strictly worn for 1 month after the operation, then for another 3 months when playing sports, strenuous physical activity.
The day after the surgery, the patient can leave the clinic if he wishes. The patient is monitored once a week, for the first two weeks, then after a month. Then three months later. And then an annual check.
Absorbable (absorbable) threads usually dissolve within 6 weeks. The patient will take care of the seam independently at home. It is not difficult at all.
If the patient has non-absorbable sutures, an additional visit will be required to remove them.
After the operation, the surgeon will not only tell you how to behave in the postoperative period, but will also provide you with an extract with recommendations, where it will be written:
- How to take care of your breasts after the procedure;
- How to use prescribed medications;
- When to come for the next visit;
- When to call a doctor.
You should see a doctor immediately if you experience:
- any signs of infection, such as fever above 38 degrees, fever or redness in the chest area;
- severe pain in the chest or large increase in breast size /
What are the risks of this operation?
Any surgery increases the risk of sudden death from myocardial infarction, stroke, thromboembolism during or immediately after surgery. Fortunately, such complications are extremely rare. And in modern clinics there are all the equipment for resuscitation and anesthesia that minimize these risks to almost zero.
Some of the risks and complications associated with breast augmentation:
- Painful mammary glands;
- Breast inflammation;
- Breast sensation, nipples may change temporarily or become more or less pronounced;
- Rupture of the implant;
- Bleeding;
- Accumulation of fluid (seroma).
A specific complication of this operation is capsular contracture: a thick capsule forms around the implant. Which can deform the mammary gland or make it extremely painful and dense. During the consultation, the surgeon will tell you in detail about this complication and how to avoid it.
In addition, even cosmetic spots can become red, thick and painful or flat and wide. This can lead to a second operation to remove such scars.