Breast Augmentation - How Do I Know if it Is it For Me?

Breast Augmentation is a surgical procedure used to enhance the look and feel of a woman’s breasts. There are two different types of implants used for this type of enhancement: silicone and saline. Since both types of implants are common, the decision of which to choose is entirely a personal choice that can be guided by your surgeon.

Until recent years, saline implants were the most popular choice for breast augmentation. Saline is simply a salt-water solution and has long been thought to be the safest choice in case of rupture or leakage. The saline implants leave smaller scars because they are not filled until they are inserted and in place, therefore the incision can be smaller. While saline implants are a good choice, they do have a few drawbacks aesthetically. Saline implants are sometimes more noticeable visually and to the touch than their silicone counterparts.

The silicone implants in use today have the approval of the FDA and are considered safe. Silicone implants do tend to leave a little more scarring because they are pre-filled, however, a good surgeon will have options for minimizing scarring and hiding incisions. Silicone is thought to look and feel more like natural tissue, therefore it is superior when aesthetics are the primary choice for breast augmentation.

Like all surgical procedures, breast augmentation is not without risks. Every surgical experience differs, and each patient likewise. There is always the risk of something going drastically wrong in the operating room, and it is important to keep in mind that all surgery is a serious matter. The health of the patient before surgery greatly impacts the danger for infection and complications after surgery. Also, there is always the possibility of complications down the road such as deflation or infection. While these types of situation are not terribly common, they do happen and you need to be prepared for such a scenario.

Candidates for breast augmentation are healthy women who have completed their growth to adulthood. Since your body continues to change and develop, it is not wise (nor typically practiced) to perform this type of operation on a teenage girl who suffers from teasing due to her chest size. Her breasts may continue to grow and this type of procedure is not recommended to ease the typically angst of a teen. Should her desire for larger breasts continue into adulthood, she then would be a candidate if her body was healthy enough for surgery.

This type of operation is not a cure for low self-esteem or teasing. However, having this operation can provide some measure of confidence to an otherwise well-adjusted adult.