Breast Augmentation
Breast Augmentation uses an implant to give the breast added volume and improved shape. Whether the reason is to regain your previous fullness or to just enhance your existing breast volume, breast augmentation can be tailored to meet your desired outcome.
Click here to view Breast Augmentation before and after examples.
Reasons to Consider Breast Augmentation
- Breasts are too small/not proportional to the rest of the body.
- Improve symmetry by resolving a difference in breast size.
- Post-mastectomy reconstruction.
Breast Augmentation FAQ
1. How will my Plastic Surgical Arts surgeon evaluate me for breast augmentation surgery?
Your surgeon will examine your breasts and perhaps take photographs for your medical record. He will consider such factors as the size and shape of your breasts, the quality of your skin and the placement of your nipples and areolas (the pigmented skin surrounding the nipples). If your breasts are sagging, a breast lift may be recommended in conjunction with augmentation.
You should come to the consultation prepared to discuss your medical history. This will include information about any medical conditions, drug allergies, medical treatments you have received, previous surgeries including breast biopsies, and medications that you currently take. You will be asked whether you have a family history of breast cancer and about results of any mammograms. It is important for you to provide complete information.
There is no scientific evidence that breast augmentation increases the risk of breast cancer. The presence of breast implants, however, makes it more technically difficult to take and read mammograms. This may be a special consideration for women who perhaps are at higher risk for breast cancer because of their family history or other reasons. Placement of the implant underneath the pectoral muscle may interfere less with mammographic examination, but other factors may also need to be considered with regard to implant placement. Your plastic surgeon will discuss this with you.
If you are planning to lose a significant amount of weight, be sure to tell your plastic surgeon. He may recommend that you stabilize your weight prior to undergoing surgery.
If you think that you may want to become pregnant in the future, you should mention this to your surgeon. Pregnancy can alter breast size in an unpredictable way and could affect the long-term results of your breast augmentation. There is no evidence that breast implants will affect pregnancy or your ability to breast-feed, but if you have questions about these matters, you should ask your surgeon.
2. What should I expect on the day of the breast implant surgery?
Your breast augmentation surgery may be performed our in-office surgical suite, the Lincoln Surgical Hospital or St. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center.
Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedure. Frequently, local anesthesia and intravenous sedation are used for patients undergoing breast augmentation, although general anesthesia may be desirable in some instances.
When surgery is completed, you will be taken to a recovery area where you will continue to be closely monitored. Your breasts will be wrapped in gauze dressings or a surgical bra.
You may be permitted to go home after a few hours, unless you and your plastic surgeon have determined that you will stay in the hospital or surgical facility overnight.
3. Are breast implants safe?
It is extremely unlikely that an implant will rupture. Should this occur, saline implants do not pose any risk to your health. The saline is absorbed by the body. Under most circumstances the manufacturer will pay for new implants and contribute toward the surgery replacement costs.
4. How will my breasts look and feel after the breast implants have been placed?
A day or two after surgery, you should be up and about. Any dressings will be removed within several days, and you may be instructed to wear a support bra. Your surgeon will probably permit you to shower between three and seven days following surgery—this will depend on the specifics of your surgery. Sutures will be removed in about a week.
Some discoloration and swelling will occur initially, but this will disappear quickly. Most residual swelling will resolve within a month.
5. When can I resume my normal activities after my breast augmentation?
After breast augmentation surgery, it is often possible to return to work within just a few days or a week, depending on your job. Vigorous activities, especially arm movement, may be restricted for two to three weeks.
Sexual activity should be avoided for at least the first week following surgery. After that, care must be taken to be extremely gentle with your breasts for at least the next month.
6. How long will the results last after a breast augmentation?
Except in the event of implant deflation requiring surgical replacement with a new implant, the results of your breast augmentation surgery will be long lasting. However, gravity and the effects of aging will eventually alter the size and shape of virtually every woman's breasts. If, after a period of years, you become dissatisfied with the appearance of your breasts, you may choose to undergo a breast lift to restore their more youthful contour.