Breast augmentation, also known as augmentation mammoplasty, is a surgical enhancement procedure to accentuate the size and shape of a woman's breasts. While breast augmentation will make the breasts larger, the surgery will not move the breasts closer together. It does little to lift sagging breasts. Breast augmentation is tremendous help to patients who desire a fuller profile, who have lost breast volume due to pregnancy or nursing, or who have undergone breast reconstruction and want to gain a more natural look again.
Reasons for Considering Breast Augmentation:
-
Enhance body shape if breasts are too small.
-
Increase breast volume after pregnancy and nursing.
-
Equalize a difference in breast size (cup size) to gain breast symmetry.
-
Reconstruct breasts following a mastectomy, large biopsy or injury.
General Procedure
Breast augmentation involves making a small incision to insert a breast implant into the breast area in order to enlarge the breast. The surgery is commonly performed on an outpatient basis at a hospital or state-of-the-art surgical unit while the patient is under a general anesthesia and asleep. There are several possible locations for the small incision that will be used for inserting the breast implant. The most frequent technique utilizes an incision made in the lower portion of the breast just above the breast crease. The best technique will be decided together between the patient and the Dr. Page during the consultation.
During surgery, the breast tissue is raised to create an open pocket under the breast tissue or beneath the chest wall muscle. Inserting an implant behind each breast can increase a woman's breast size by one or more bra cup sizes. Implants typically contain a saline solution (IV fluid) or a silicone gel. In some circumstances, particularly those in which there is breast asymmetry (uneven breast size), an inflatable implant may be used to allow the surgeon to adjust the level of inflation to attain breast symmetry and balance. Surgery typically lasts from 1 to 2 hours.
Recovery Process
Generally, post-operative instructions call for plenty of rest and limited movement of the arms in order to minimize discomfort and prevent bleeding complications. Elastic bandages are applied right after surgery to aid the healing process and to minimize movement of the breasts. Once the bandages are removed, a specialized garment will need to be worn for two weeks. Patients sometimes report minor pain associated with the surgery. This pain can be treated effectively with oral medication. While complications are rare, patients can minimize potential problems by carefully following the post operative instructions given by the physician after surgery.