Breast Augmentation: Learn About Implants, Lifts, And Reconstruction

There are many different reasons that you may be thinking about undergoing breast augmentation. Maybe your breasts have always been small and you want to enlarge them. Pregnancy and breastfeeding can sometimes lead to sagging or loss of fullness, in which case a simple lift may be all you need. If they are asymmetrical, meaning one side is different from the other in terms of size and/or shape, reconstructive mammoplasty could be performed to reshape them. Whatever the reason, there are several procedures available to help you decide.

If you and your doctor feel augmentation is the right choice, you would undergo a complete medical history and physical examination to ensure you are a suitable candidate for the procedure. The doctor will also go over the risks and benefits of the planned procedure, which include scarring, bleeding, infection, rupture or leaking of the implant, and blood clots. The size of the implants will be discussed, which depends on your body type, skin elasticity, and the anatomy of your breasts. Sterile salt water is used for saline implants and silicone implants contain an elastic gel; the surgeon will determine which is best for you. Your postoperative recovery time will take several weeks, during which time you can expect to have significant pain and swelling.

Breast lift surgery is ideal for you if you want to increase the fullness of your breasts, especially following your childbearing years, as pregnancy and breastfeeding can certainly take their toll on your body. With this procedure, excess skin is removed, which lifts and firms the chest, and the size of the areola can be reduced at the same time. This surgery will not increase their size, but it is ideal if you are healthy with a stable weight, have saggy or flattened breasts, or have downward-pointing nipples. Complications are similar to those of implant surgery, and the recovery is also similar. You can expect it to take several weeks, during which you will have pain and swelling in the treated area.

You may have been diagnosed with asymmetry, which means one side is larger than the other or never developed at all, which means that reconstruction mammoplasty would probably be ideal. This procedure is often performed on women who have had a mastectomy, in which case it is usually covered by health insurance, but it may be considered an elective operation if done mainly to correct an asymmetry that you have had since birth. The risks and complications of surgery and recovery period are the same as those of traditional breast augmentation and lift surgeries, and most women are quite happy with the results, especially considering their alternatives.

If you need more information about any of these surgical procedures, find a plastic surgeon in your area specializing in breast augmentation or reconstructive surgery. They would likely be more than happy to offer you a free consultation to see if their services could help you. You have nothing to lose and much to gain by doing so.