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Last Updated: Oct 23, 2019
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Do You Know These 5 Things About Breast Augmentation
Dr. Ashit GuptaCosmetic/Plastic Surgeon • 23 Years Exp.MBBS, MS - General Surgery, M.Ch - Plastic Surgery
Breast augmentation is known to be popular among women and is frequently done and shows quite satisfying results.
Breast augmentation can enhance your appearance and your self-confidence, enlarging your breasts and making them more proportional with the rest of your body. Breast augmentation can also be used to correct differences in the size of your breasts or sagging breasts, which can occur after pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- Getting the right size: choosing the right size for breast augmentation is very important. It's wrong to believe that bigger implants are not always good. The size of implant should be decided after proper assessment of the breasts. In general, size selection is made based on your natural breast size. Whether you opt for a saline implant or a silicone one, implants come in varied sizes ranging from 120 cc to 500 cc. When you choose a size for yourself, you'll have to keep in mind your body frame as well as appearance you wish to have post surgery.
- Incision options: depending on the results you expect, you'll also need to consider which incision (a surgical cut made in your skin before the operation) option you should select before undergoing surgery. Incisions can range anywhere from 1-4 inches, with their lengths increasing as the implants expand in size. There are also certain incisions, such as the belly button incisions that are really small and don't leave behind visible scar tissue.Apart from belly button incision, some of the other incision options that a surgeon may employ for breast augmentation could be:- armpit incision (incision made in the underarm area for breast implantation through the armpit)- nipple incision (incision made on the areola, which is the circular area of pigmented skin surrounding a nipple)- crease incision (incision made in the crease area below the breast for implantation).
- Picking silicone or saline implants: when it comes to implants, you have two options available - saline or silicone. Providing a uniform shape and firmness, saline implants come filled with sterile salt water. In contrast, silicone breast implants contain elastic gel, giving them the look of natural breasts. In terms of elasticity, saline implants can be adjusted more easily as you can inject or remove liquid from the implant. In contrast, silicone implants cannot be adjusted as they are already filled with the gel.
- Following the surgery, it is important to have restricted light activities, with no lifting or heavy duties for 7-10 days. Most patients may drive again and return to work within 7 days after the surgery. Heavy activities and sport should not be undertaken for 3-4 weeks following the surgery.
- Breast augmentation surgery requires a general anaesthetic, with the operation taking 1-2 hours, and is usually performed as a day-stay or overnight-stay procedure.Implants are placed either behind the breast tissue or under the pectoralis muscle on the chest wall. Breast implants placed underneath the muscle have a more natural shape, a lower chance of capsular contracture (hardening) of the implant, and it is easier for mammography.