Skincare Treated

How is Breast Augmentation Performed?

Breast augmentation or augmentation mammoplasty is the most common type of plastic surgery in the United States.

Reasons for Breast Augmentation

This type of surgery is undertaken mainly for cosmetic reasons. But there are other reasons as well. For instance, individuals who have undergone a mastectomy for cancer and have lost a breast or a potion of their breast may also choose to have the surgery.

Others who have a congenital chest defect may also benefit from breast augmentation while it is commonly performed in patients who undergo a sex change.

The surgery is done to basically increase the size and volume of the breast and give it a fuller and firmer shape and feel. An implant is essentially a prosthesis that is inserted or implanted in the breast muscle and is e made of two different kinds of material.

Types of Implants

One kind of implant is made of a silicone shell and filled with saline liquid. The other kind is made of a silicone shell and filled with silicone gel.

Though breast augmentation surgery of the kind we know today is a modern procedure, women have been getting implants since the 19^th century! And some of the materials would make the 21^st century woman even baulks.

Some of these implants in earlier times were made of fat from a different area of the body itself. Doctors have even used paraffin injections, silicone injections, or even cartilage to get bigger and firmer breasts.

Other more unbelievable experiments implanted glass balls, rubber, even wool and polythene chips to get the same effect while still other choices included sponge, polyester and Teflon!

As medicine evolved, the implants were refined till silicone and saline were decided upon. The implants used in any country must be certified by the government medical authorities.

Breast Augmentation Surgery

So how exactly is breast augmentation surgery performed? The surgeon makes three basic incisions in three different places – around the edge of the areola, under the breast and in the armpit. 

Next, an incision is made to accommodate the implant. This could be in one of two places – either subglandular or under the glandular breast or submuscular or under the chest muscles themselves.

Next, the implant is inserted and the skin is sewed up. It’s not a complicated procedure and scars heal easily, especially if the doctor is highly skilled.

Post-operative care is important after breast augmentation and the kind of dressing used may make all the difference between success and failure.

Elastic dressings are recommended to support the implant and breast muscle so that it embeds itself comfortable in the chest.

Implants can also be inserted – believe it or not – endoscopically. This is done by inserting an endoscope near the naval and is used when patients are afraid that the normal procedure will leave them scarred.

In fact, scarring post-surgery is a concern for many women. If the surgery is performed purely for cosmetic reasons, anything that leaves a trace is obviously undesirable.

Patient Expectations

Patients are usually told to expect some scarring under the armpits where incisions are made to insert the implants. But these, and scars in other locations, usually heal and fade in a year’s time.

Patients of breast augmentation surgery are also advised to stay away from the sun for about 118 months as this will darken the scars.

Overambitious patients who demand rather large implants relative to their body size may end up with stretch marks around the breast.

Hence, it is important to be realistic when choosing the size and nature of the implants.

Another common complaint is numbing of the breast. Though the implants do get softer with time, they will never feel like normal tissue does.

Hence expectations from breast augmentation surgery must be realistic in their expectations.