1. Who is an ideal candidate for Breast Augmentation?
Women who feel their breasts are small, that as a result of gravity or childbearing their breasts have lost volume or firmness. Women who know the risks involved, and have realistic expectations on the outcome of the surgery. Women who are aware that a breast augmentation procedure will boost their self image, will restore what they've lost or will enhance their physical attributes. Women who are mature and make the decision of having cosmetic surgery by themselves, not peer pressured or motivated by third parties.
Women who have reached their full maturity development, who know that a breast augmentation will bring them better satisfaction of themselves, but not a complete unattainable perfection.
If you want to know whether you are a candidate, you can email or contact a Plastic surgeon near you.
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2. How is a Breast Augmentation performed?
The techniques depend on the desired outcome of the patient and the preferences of each plastic surgeon.
The general procedure starts with defining what type of incision both the patient and surgeon agree on: underneath the breast, just above the crease (inframammary), around the nipple area (peri-areolar), in the armpit area (transaxilary), or in the naval area (TUBA). The second step for both patient and surgeon to agree on is where the pocket will be made so that the implant can be placed, there are two major choices; under the muscle (sub-muscular) or under the gland (sub-glandular). The pocket is made and the implants are placed.
The procedure takes anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours, and is usually performed under general anesthesia.
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3. What are the risks of having Breast Implants?
The most common risks involved when having breast augmentation surgery are the following:
Capsular Contracture (cc): there are different levels. The body creates a capsule around the implant, formed by tissue. When this capsule hardens, it becomes noticeable. It pushes the implant, therefore resulting in a hardened look, visible to the eye, and eventually painful and uncomfortable for the patient. If cc is severe, corrective surgery is needed.
Infection: is rare, the percentages of infection are lower than 5%. Infection is treated with antibiotics and recovery is full. If unable to be treated with antibiotics, the implants are removed. There has been no study relating breast cancer with implants.
Deflation: rare as well, if it occurs, additional surgery is needed to replace implants.
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4. How much does a Breast Augmentation Cost?
Costs vary with every Plastic Surgeon. On average a breast augmentation will cost anywhere from the low $3,000 to the high $8,000. Take into consideration that implants alone are $1,000 or more (depending on the implant, silicone gel implants might run up to $3,000, they are the most expensive). You have to add up the operating room costs, the recovery room costs and the surgeon's fees. Beware of cheap breast augmentation procedures. You might be tempted to submit yourself to a procedure just because the costs are so low. Start by checking the surgeon's credentials, is he board certified? What are the conditions of the operating room he is performing the surgery at? What type of implants is he using?
If you want to email this questions to a plastic surgeon near you please click here.
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5. Why is it that under the muscle placement of implants is more prevalent in patients that placement under the gland?
There is a tendency in plastic surgeons around the nation to prefer under the muscle (sub-muscular) placement of the implant rather than placement under the gland (sub-glandular). They cite the result of sub-muscular is a more natural looking breast, it remains softer for a longer period of time, and results in less incidence of capsular contracture.
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6. What types of implants are used for a Breast Augmentation?
Implants used vary in shape and sizes, all of them are silicone-shelled elastomer, saline filled implants. There are two major manufacturers of implants, McGahan and Mentor. Each company manufactures implants that vary in shapes, texture and size. They can be round, or contoured (anatomical) shaped, smooth or textured, anywhere from 200cc to 400cc (bear in mind, 250cc is the contents of a soda can). There are implants that can be filled post-operatively, and silicone gel filled implants as well.
The most common implants used are the round ones, since they provide, especially if placed under the muscle, a fuller, more voluptuous result.
If you want to know more about implants please click here.
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7. Can I have a Breast Augmentation with local instead of general anesthesia?
Usually it might be possible to have local anesthesia, but if it is done this way the surgeon will rather use the sub-glandular placement of the implant. If you choose to have a sub-muscular, most surgeons will perform this procedure under general anesthesia for safety reasons.
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8. If I get a Breast Augmentation, will I be able to nurse my baby?
Yes, there is no direct correlation between inability to breastfeed and having a breast augmentation procedure.
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9. Will I loose nipple sensation if I decide to get a peri-areolar incision for my breast augmentation?
The risk of losing sensation in your nipple is a 2 to 3%, regardless of where the incision is placed. Most plastic surgeons have expressed their views that loss of nipple sensation is more directly related to the size of the implant than the actual placement of the incision.
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10. What is TUBA? What are the risks?
Trans Umbilical Breast Augmentation. This method uses an incision through the navel and places the implant behind the gland, not the muscle. There are a number of surgeons that have been able to place the implant behind the muscle, but this entails an additional incision in the axillary's area.
The benefit of this procedure, if the implants are placed sub-glandular, is that there is no actual scar in the breast area.
The down side is that if the surgeon is not an expert in this procedure, the implants can end up placed too far in the middle, creating an unnatural look.
If there are any complications such as cc, hematoma or infection, an incision will have to be placed on the breast to be able to correct any of these problems. This procedure has also left some patients with deformities in the navel area.
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11. Will I feel my implants?
It depends on the type of skin you have, on the amount of extra skin you had before the breast augmentation, and the placement and size of implant you and your surgeon decided on.
For thin- skinned women, it is advisable to go sub-muscular. This will make the implant and its edges less noticeable. If you have more extra skin, and your skin is thicker, you will have to be careful not to have your surgeon over or under fill the implant. A round smooth or textured implant under the muscle might be the option to go for a more natural look.
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