15 facts you need to know before breast augmentation

Your body is your business! But when you come to a plastic surgeon with a request to enlarge your breasts, they will definitely ask you the reasons for the decision. And if it is the desire to be beautiful in a swimsuit or to fulfill your partner's dream of a big breast, you will most likely be refused.

Because the breast can only be enlarged for yourself and only if you want to feel good about your body!

Honest Information About Breast Augmentation

periareolar breast mammoplasty

Breast augmentation is a serious operation that requires an informed decision and a careful calculation of the possible risks. You have to prepare for it: get tested, take the necessary exams, finish taking certain medications in advance, lose weight if the weight exceeds the norm and stop smoking.

But even careful preparation is no guarantee of a favorable outcome. Therefore, before you decide to go under the surgeon's scalpel, find out what to expect and what can go wrong!

Before and after photos are not always informative

Today, every plastic surgery clinic has its own website, where you can view "before" and "after" photographs of a particular doctor's operations. But when considering them, the patient should take into account that her breasts may look different.

To get an idea of what the breasts will look like after surgery, a doctor of medical sciences, plastic surgeon advises evaluating the results of people with a similar body type. Such shots will give a more realistic image.

Breast augmentation is possible without surgery

Many women are tempted to enlarge their breasts without surgery in just one or two procedures. Cosmetologists and plastic surgeons can fulfill this desire by suggesting the use of fillers based on hyaluronic acid or their own fat cells.

However, it should be noted that these are temporary solutions. They have both advantages and disadvantages. And it is more difficult to predict the outcome of the intervention in this case than with surgical breast augmentation.

Correcting the shape with fat cells has a significant drawback.

the girl measures the size of the breasts with a centimeter

Not all fat cells will undergo a "transplant". According to the doctor of medical sciences,30 to 50% of fat cells die.

At the same time, no one knows which cells will survive and which will not. Therefore, your expectations regarding breast augmentation with fillers may not coincide with reality after the procedure.

The first breast surgery is unlikely to be the last

Implants are not a permanent purchase. According to the plastic surgeon, most of them need to be replaced within 12 to 15 years of surgery, and some even sooner.

The implant may start to leak or to form scar tissue around the implant, which deteriorates the shape of the breast and poses a health threat. In addition, both external and internal reasons can lead to implant replacement - weight gain or loss, breastfeeding, gravity.

The doctor recommends planning an operation only when it is certain that the budget will allow the reconstruction operation over the next 12 years.

There are several types of incisions during the operation.

Experts say that depending on the initial shape of the breast and the desired parameters, the doctor may suggest surgery with an incision in the armpit, a fold under the breast, in the areola and in some cases inthe abdomen.

The most common options are an incision in the areola and in the crease under the breast. The location of the likely incision should be discussed with your doctor.

It is not always possible to enlarge the breasts to the desired volume

If a fair sex representative by nature has a cup size of A, she will not be able to achieve DD volume in one operation. The skin of the breast, like the body, takes time to get used to the changes. Therefore, the doctor first recommends breast augmentation of 1 to 2 sizes, and then, if necessary, after a few years, to replace the implants with larger ones.

Drastic changes can be costly

breast augmentation consultation with a mammologist

"The most important thing when planning breast augmentation surgery is to find a good implant, " says MD, plastic surgeon. "By my estimate, around 30% of errors and complications in plastic surgery are due to the doctor or patient choosing the wrong implant. "

Choosing an implant that is too large for the patient can lead to thinning of the breast tissue and surrounding muscles, which is difficult to reverse. A good doctor will always tell you the maximum implant size the patient can move towards.

It takes time to recover after surgery

Both after breast augmentation and after breast reduction, the patient needs time to recover. The minimum sick leave will be 5 to 7 days. At the end of it, you can return to work, provided that it does not involve heavy physical labor.

Pain relievers work wonders today, but don't overestimate them!

Implants can be felt under the skin

There is an opinion that implants are always felt when touching a woman's breast,But this is not the case. Correctly selected and properly installed are difficult to find. Nevertheless, there is such a possibility!

Another person is more likely to suspect the presence of implants in a woman who initially had a small breast volume (and, therefore, a small amount of tissue) than a woman with a larger volume.

Some implants can be harmful to your health

how to choose implants for breast augmentation

Experts associate certain types of breast implants with an increased risk of cancer. "We are talking about a variety such as anaplastic large cell lymphoma. There is an opinion that this is somehow related to textured breast implants, as more often women with oncology are diagnosed with oncology, "warns the plastic surgeon.

Correction may affect the ability to breastfeed

"By making an incision in the breast, we disrupt the natural anatomy, reduce the amount of breast tissue that produces milk, " explains the doctor. - However, there is a good chance that you can still breastfeed. If the incision is far from the nipple, damage to the milk ducts and glands is unlikely. "

Temporary loss of nipple sensitivity after surgery

For several weeks after the operation, many patients notice a lack of breast tenderness, but in most cases this is a temporary phenomenon. Total loss of sensation is rare.

A doctor of medical sciences, a plastic surgeon says that although she has operated on thousands of patients, she has never encountered a complete loss of breast tenderness in a woman.

Surgery can affect a woman's posture

change in posture after breast augmentation

If a woman chooses a breast volume that is slightly larger than her natural data, it is unlikely that her posture will change. But when it comes to breast implants of an impressive size, their weight can be noticeable, and as a result, it will be more difficult to wear.

If there is a history of back pain, this factor should be taken into account.

Maybe breast augmentation alone won't be enough

After pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, some women dream of breast augmentation as a panacea that will solve all appearance problems. But that may not be enough.

Breast augmentation alone will not make the breasts firm and toned. In some cases, two operations are necessary at the same time: a breast augmentation and a facelift. The doctor can do them at the same time.

The surgery decision must be well balanced

Before contacting a plastic surgeon, find answers for yourself to the following questions:

  • Is my current breast volume really a problem for me?
  • Why do i need surgery?
  • Do I have an "airbag" - free funds that may be needed if something goes wrong?
  • Am I ready to accept the possible risks of breast augmentation?
  • Do i really need surgery?

The answers to these questions will help you make the right decision.

Expert commentary
Oncologist, general surgeon

Mammoplasty or breast augmentation procedure is a type of surgery that requires special preparation.

Mammoplasty is performed as part of cosmetic surgery, that is to say it is performed at the request of the patient, with the exception of breast reduction operations (reduction mammoplasty) which are often performed formedical reasons. The girl should independently assess the risks before making an appointment with a plastic surgeon.

First you need to study the contraindications to the procedure. If a woman has serious pathologies of the cardiovascular system, varicose veins, coagulation disorders and oncological diseases, then these chronic diseases will become an absolute contraindication for mammoplasty. During pregnancy and lactation, such surgical interventions are also prohibited.

Patients with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, coronary heart disease, rheumatism, mastopathy, and obesity should consult their physician before breast augmentation surgery. In addition, for the duration of the procedure, the chronic disease should be in the stage of stable remission.

The woman must also think about her future pregnancy. If after the operation the girl plans to become a mother, it is better to carry out the operation through an incision under the breast or under the armpit. Placing implants through an incision in the areola of the nipple can compromise the integrity of part of the milk ducts, which can make feeding the baby difficult.

You need to understand that a quality procedure won't come cheap. The average cost of a breast plastic surgery at a good clinic is quite high. Sign up for a consultation only with trusted specialists with extensive experience. A careful approach in choosing a doctor will reduce the risk of complications after surgery. Typically, an appointment with a plastic surgeon lasts about an hour and a half. During this time, the girl should ask the doctor about the implants, in order to determine the volume, future size and shape of the bust.

After the consultation, the date of the operation will be fixed. Preparation time is approximately two weeks. During this time, the patient undergoes the necessary tests to assess his state of health. The list of mandatory studies includes the following medical manipulations: clinical and biochemical blood tests, screening tests for HIV, syphilis, hepatitis, urinalysis, coagulogram, ECG, mammography, fluorography (X-rays), ultrasoundvascular.

The hospital stay lasts about 3 to 5 days. During this time, the main operation is carried out, monitoring the condition of the patient after the mammoplasty and the first dressing. Then the girl goes home for rehabilitation.

For a month it will be necessary to wear special compression underwear, and you also should not raise your arms above the shoulders and lift heavy objects. For two or three weeks you will have to sleep only on your back, the next 4-5 months - on your side or on your back, you can only roll over on your stomach after six months. Classes in the gym, as well as visits to public baths or sauna will have to be postponed for 2-3 months.

During the rehabilitation period, the patient will have to come to be dressed and to close himself the scars with a special silicone bandage. Recovery will take about six months, after which you can resume an active life.

Expert commentary
Plastic surgeon

All implants approved for use in our country are guaranteed for life. This means that they don't need to be medically changed over time.

There are three types of access: axillary, periareolar (along the edge of the areola) and inframammary (through the fold under the breast). In my practice, I most often use the axillary approach, because in this case the scar is practically invisible. It is located in the armpit and over time becomes like a wrinkle. There are no scars visible on the chest.

I use areola stents when axillary access does not allow a full operation. I use the inframammary access for a second operation, if the implants were previously installed in the same way. All types of access are safe if owned by the surgeon.

Implants vary in terms of gel flexibility, sheath, type and size. The surgeon can only recover them during a face-to-face consultation. All implants are of good quality, but surgeons usually have their own preferences. Therefore, focus on the work of the surgeon and correlate it with your own ideas about beauty.

As a rule of thumb, I don't use large volume implants - more than 450cc. see Large implants cause tissue atrophy and become visible over time, even if they are located axillary. That is, from above they are covered with muscle, and from below they are profiled. This happens in patients with a small amount of fiber and a narrow chest. If a woman has a large breast, larger implants can be placed. But such cases are quite rare.

Expert commentary
Plastic surgeon

Despite the fact that mammoplasty is one of the most popular plastic surgeries and has become quite a common procedure, before performing it, the patient needs to learn some nuances so that they do not come as a surprise afterwards. the operation.

  1. Nothing lasts forever and implants have their own unique lifespan. It is impossible to install them once and for all. Sooner or later they will have to be changed, because there is depreciation. And how these processes will play out in a particular case, how the tissues will behave, no one knows in advance, everything is individual. Therefore, after breast correction, all girls are advised to visit a mammologist at least once every six months, it is necessary to do an ultrasound of the breast in order to notice the changes over time and prescribe an operationto replace stents.
  2. Patients with certain chronic diseases and, in particular, a reduced immune status should inform their doctor, who will order an additional examination. And only after that will he render his own verdict on whether to install implants or not.
  3. If the breast is in ptosis, lowered down and the main part of the mammary gland is in the lower half, then it is better to install a round implant in this situation. If there is no pronounced upper pole, it still involves placing a stent under the muscle.
  4. In the event that the nipples "look" to the sides, but the patient wishes to bring them closer together, this is only possible if there is a large volume of skin and breast tissue. If it is not there, then it is impossible to bring them together and when placing the implant, the nipples will remain in their original position, while the prosthesis will be installed in the middle of the nipple.
  5. If the patient has a narrow interthoracic distance, then when installing stents, he will also remain naturally beautiful. When it is large enough, greater than 2 to 2. 5 cm, it can be reduced when placing implants. However, it is important to take into account that at this location the implant will be palpable and over time the appearance of a visual defect - what is called tearing or irregularities of theskin is not excluded.