Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation is performed to enlarge the breast. Women may consider this surgery if they have been unhappy with their breast size for many years. Some women are unhappy with volume changes post-weight loss or post-pregnancy. Many require a breast lift at the same time as augmentation. Breast augmentation may be performed through an incision around the areola, an incision in the breast crease, or an incision in the axilla.
1. Overview
2. Preoperative Considerations
Patients that are not candidates for this type of surgery include:
Patients that smoke
Patients with a BMI > 32. Click here to calculate your BMI.
3. Surgical Considerations
The surgery takes approximately 1.5 hours. All stitches placed under the skin are dissolvable. Patients return home the same day as surgery. Most patients are able to return to work after 2 weeks.
After surgery dressings are left in place until you are seen in the office one week following surgery. Patients are asked to refrain from heavy lifting and exercise for 4 weeks after surgery. Many patients are also asked to limit bra-wear for 2 weeks post-surgery to limit the amount of pressure placed on the incision.
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4. Postoperative Considerations
Movement of the implant with contraction of the pectoral muscles (for subpectoral augmentation only) (20%)
Seroma (15%)
Sensory change in the nipple (10%)
Capsular contracture (10%)
Rippling (5%)
Hematoma (5%)
Wound healing delay (5%)
Palpability of the implant (5%)
Breast asymmetry (1-5%)
DVT(0.07%-3.5%)
PE (0.09%-2%)
Nipple asymmetry (1-5%)
Infection (1%)
Areolar widening (1%)
Nipple retraction (1%)
Implant rupture (1%)
Nipple necrosis (<1%)
Implants may affect your ability to breast feed
5. Possible Complications
Many patients undergoing breast surgery with implants have questions about the safety of silicone. This has been studied since the 1980s after concerns were raised about the possibility of silicone causing systemic disease. Epidemiologic evidence does not support an association between silicone and cancer, connective tissue disease, or neurologic disease. Two studies available here provide a summary of the literature.
6. Safety of Silicone
The type of augmentation performed depends on the breast size. Implants can be placed underneath the breast gland or underneath both the breast gland and the pectoralis muscle.