About breast augmentation
What is breast augmentation?
Breast augmentation, also known as a "boob job" or "breast aug" by patients, is utilising breast implants or fat transfer to enlarge your breasts. This operation can also correct natural breast size asymmetry, provide a more rounded breast shape, and restore breast volume lost due to pregnancy or weight loss.
Auxiliary mammoplasty is another name for breast augmentation. The treatment is known as fat transfer breast augmentation when fat from another area of the patient's body is used to achieve the improved breast volume.
Result of breast augmentation surgery
- More protruded and plump breast shape
- Enhance harmony between the breast and hip outlines
- Improve your confidence and self-image
What breast augmentation surgery can't fix
Severely sagging breasts cannot be corrected by breast augmentation. For sagging breasts to look bigger and raised, a breast lift may be necessary in addition to a breast augmentation.
Breast lifting is frequently performed concurrently with breast augmentation surgery or can necessitate a separate procedure. You'll get help from your plastic surgeon in making this choice.
Who is a good candidate for breast augmentation?
Breast augmentation is a very private surgery, so even if someone else has volunteered to pay for it, it's crucial that you are doing it for yourself. Particularly when they request the operation themselves, patients are more satisfied.
You may be a candidate for breast augmentation should any of the following apply to you:
- You have reasonable expectations and are in good physical health. You are not expecting or nursing.
- Your breasts are completely formed
- Your breasts seem too tiny to you, which bothers you
- You dislike how your breasts have changed in size and shape as a result of pregnancy, weight loss or aging
- You dislike how your upper breast appears to be "empty"
- Your breasts are uneven in size
- You have inadequate or elongated breast development in one or both breasts
Review breast augmentation pictures and find out what to anticipate during recovery if surgery is something you're thinking about. Patients benefit from forward planning by having realistic expectations and experiencing a quicker recovery.
What are the risks of breast augmentation?
You must carefully consider the risks and potential consequences of breast augmentation against the potential benefits in reaching your goals before deciding whether to have plastic surgery. You are the only one who can decide for yourself.
You will be required to sign consent paperwork to show that you are aware of all the risks and potential consequences associated with the treatment.
Risks associated with breast augmentation surgery include:
- Hazards of anaesthesia
- Anaplastic large cell lymphoma linked to breast implants (BIA-ALCL)
- Bleeding
- Changes in the breast or nipple sensation
- A buildup of fluid (seroma)
- Tight scar tissue growth around the implant (capsular contracture)
- Hematoma
- Rupture or leaking of an implant
- Infection
- Chronic discomfort
- Bad scarring
- Surgery revision as needed
- Skin wrinking near the implant
- Implant pllacement that is incorrect or flawed
Before you give your consent, all risks, including this ones, will be clearly disclosed. It's crucial that you ask your plastic surgeon all of your questions up front.
Safety of breast implants
Breast implants that have received FDA approval have undergone rigorous testing to show their effectiveness and safety. Most women who get breast implants don't have any significant side effects. Although there are benefits to breast implants, there are also risks. These include breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) and systemic symptoms known as breast implant illness (BII), which some patients attribute to their implants and include fatigue, and "brain fog," muscle or joint pain, and rash. Patients should speak with a board-certified plastic surgeon if complications arise so that they can be treated right away. Similarly, a patient should speak with her plastic surgeon if she plans to have her breast implants removed for any reason.
Other considerations that may be of importance:
- Breast implants are not guaranteed to last a lifetime and replacement surgery for one or both implants may be necessary in the future.
- Over the course of your lifetime, enhanced breasts may change in appearance due to pregnancy, weight loss, and menopause.
- Regular checks of your breasts' health and the state of your breats implants are necessary after breast augmentation
What should I expect during my recovery?
Your breasts will be covered in gauze dressings during your breast augmentation recovery, and an elastic bandage or support bra will help to reduce swelling and provide stability for the breasts as they heal.
You will be brought into a recovery area right after surgery for close observation. When you are stable for discharge, usually after an hour or so, you might be allowed to go home.
Before you leave, your plastic surgeon will give you detailed postoperative instructions for your breast implant recovery and a follow-up visit. Although many plastic surgeons prescribe postoperative drugs in advance, you may also obtain medication or a prescription. Painkillers and an antibiotic to treat an infection can be included in your prescription.
As directed by your plastic surgeon, wear your support item (a bra or elastic band known as a bandeau) constantly. While other surgeons may instruct their patients to keep tape or a bandage on, some may encourage patients to clean the incision sites and apply ointment. It's crucial to carefully adhere to all of your plastic surgeon's instructions because they can differ.
Take it easy for a few days until you obtain clearance to raise your activity level because it is possible to bleed into the pockets around the breast implants during this time. Acute discomfort usually goes away in one to five days, although soreness and swelling could last for a few weeks. As directed by your plastic surgeon, begin exercising and engaging in normal activity again.
What results should I expect after breast augmentation?
Even though a breast augmentation results in larger breasts right away, the full effects may not be seen for a few weeks as the skin stretches and the swelling goes down. Particularly if they have underlying asymmetry or extremely small breasts to begin with, some patients may need to wear a bandeau to assist contour their breasts. It could take several months or possibly a few years for incision lines to disappear.
Follow your surgeon's post-operative instructions and schedule follow-up appointments if you want to get the best outcomes from your breast augmentation.
Breast implant replacement
Breast implants are not thought to be permanent, and they might need to be changed. To assess the stability of your breast implants and your breast health, schedule an annual examination with your plastic surgeon.
Your breasts will alter over time as a result of gravity, ageing, weight changes, hormonal influences, and hormonal causes. Some individuals choose to get a breast lift or an implant swap as their breasts age to regain a more youthful form.