Breast augmentation, or breast augmentation or augmentation mammoplasty, 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 last a lifetime for a patient, and most manufacturers give their implants a lifetime warranty.
Why would a woman need to enlarge her breasts?
Breast augmentation is done for:
- Enlarge naturally small breasts
- Restore 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 cosmetic surgery.
Reconstructive breast surgery is done as part of breast cancer treatment. A cosmetic breast surgery is performed to improve appearance. Breast augmentation is usually cosmetic surgery.
In 2007, a study by researchers at the University of Florida found that cosmetic surgery breast augmentation increased women's self-esteem, feelings, and sexuality. It allows you to get a better paying job, achieve greater 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 can contain silicone, saline, or another compound.
There are three main types of breast implants:
- Saline implantsare filled with sterile saline, which is simply sterile salt water. The solution is inside a silicone shell. These implants can be filled with different amounts of saline solution. This affects the sensation experienced when pressing on the mammary gland, it can be softer or harder, at the request of the patient, in addition, different density will determine the different shape of the breast. If the saline implant is damaged and leaks, the solution will not cause any harm to the patient, since the saline solution is natural for the body, and it will simply be absorbed by the body without leaving a trace, the only drawback is that it will have to be changedthe implant as the volume of the breast will decrease.
- Silicone gel implantsconsist of an outer silicone covering filled with silicone gel. If the silicone implant leaks, the gel will either remain in the sheath or fall into the breast implant pocket. And it won't spread throughout the body. Modern implants, even if the shell is damaged, do not spread. These implants are used more frequently today.
- Alternative composite implantsare rarely used and can be filled with biodegradable material or soybean oil or some other material.
What should be decided before surgery?
Breast augmentation is a surgical procedure, so patients should carefully consider whether they really need this procedure.
- It is necessary to choose where the implant will be placed: under the pectoralis major muscle or under the glandular tissue. Your operating doctor will help you solve this problem. Most of the time, the 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 gauges that fit the bra, and the patient can assess 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 the patient should discuss incision options.
The following options are possible:
- Incision under the breast, made in the crease under the breast;
- Transaxillary incision in the armpit;
- Incision around the edge of the areola (periareolar) or through the areola (transareolar).
The choice of incision depends on a number of factors, including augmentation, patient anatomy, implant type, 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, in principle it is possible under local anesthesia.
How is the operation going?
After the patient falls into a medical dream, or after performing local anesthesia, the surgeon makes an incision in the skin at the site, depending on the type of access agreed with the patient, of about 4. 5centimeters long, and then with the help of special tools form a pocket, into which an endoprosthesis is placed.
The bursa can be formed directly under the breast tissue or under the large breast muscle (this is discussed with the patient before surgery):
- With an axillary pouch, it is placed under the pectoralis major muscle.
- The submammary or subglandular bursa is simpler, and the bursa forms in the space between the mammary gland and the pectoralis major muscle.
Wound suture
In their practice, plastic surgeons often use so-called cosmetic sutures or, more correctly, intradermal sutures, usually several rows of threads are applied, which most of the time do not need to be removed, over time they dissolve on their ownalone. Additionally, a plastic surgeon may use a special surgical glue and special sterile strips to tighten the wound edges so that the scar is less noticeable in the postoperative period.
The break lines will be visible at first, but over time they will almost disappear.
Evaluation of results
Surgery can cause swelling, bruising (bruising), but this should go away in 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 if the procedure meets her expectations only after a while.
Recovery period
The payback period is 1 month. During this period, there are certain restrictions that the doctor will inform the patient and a special memo 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 pain relievers. Then the pain practically disappears. A small drawback remains. After the operation, you should not swim in open and closed water, take a bath, sleep on your back, raise your arms high, play active sports and hard physical work. All these restrictions are temporary, for 1 month. Then the patient can live in peace as she lived before the operation, can fly in an airplane and dive with scuba diving. The most important thing in the postoperative period is to wear special compression underwear. Underwear should be worn strictly for 1 month after the operation, and then for another 3 months when playing sports, intense physical activity.
The day after the operation, the patient can leave the clinic if she wishes. The patient is monitored once a week, in the first two weeks, then after a month. Then three months later. And then an annual checkup.
Absorbable (absorbable) threads generally dissolve within 6 weeks. The patient will take care of the sewing independently at home. This is not difficult at all.
If the patient has nonabsorbable 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 care for your breasts after the procedure;
- How to use prescription drugs;
- When to come for the next visit;
- When to call your doctor.
You should seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- any signs of infection, such as fever over 38 degrees, fever, or redness in the chest area;
- severe chest pain or a sudden 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. But, fortunately, these complications are extremely rare. And in modern clinics there is all the resuscitation and anesthesia equipment that minimizes these risks to almost zero.
Some of the risks and complications associated with breast augmentation:
- Painful mammary glands;
- Breast swelling;
- Feeling in the breasts, the nipples may temporarily change or become more or less pronounced;
- Implant rupture;
- Bleed;
- Fluid accumulation (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 inform you in detail about this complication and how to avoid it.
Also, even cosmetic stitches can become red, thick and painful or flat and wide. This can lead to a second operation to remove those scars.