Breast Implants
What are breast implants?
Who is a good candidate?
Preparing for breast implants
Risks
Recovery
What are breast implants?
During breast implant surgery, doctors place
sacks filled with saline behind the breast tissue
or the pectoralis (chest) muscle to enhance
or enlarge a woman's breasts. These implants
can increase breast size by one or more bra
cup sizes. If there is a significant size difference
between breasts, implants can make them equal.
Breast implants are "envelopes"
filled with saline solution. They vary in size
and shape, and the implant your plastic surgeon
recommends will depend on your anatomy and desired
results.
Your plastic surgeon may use any of a number
of surgical techniques, depending on your body
type and the desired result. He or she will
make an incision under the arm, in the crease
between the breast and the chest, or around
the areola (the darkened pigment around the
nipple), where the scar will be less conspicuous.
The doctor then inserts an implant between the
breast and the chest wall. Back to top
Who is a good candidate?
Breast implants can give you a better-proportioned
figure. You're a good candidate for breast implants
if you are healthy, your breasts are fully developed,
and you have realistic expectations about the
results. Changing your breast size will not
change your life, but it may make you feel better
about your body.
You may want to consider breast enlargement
if:
- Your breasts' size and/or shape bother
you -- and you've felt this way for a long
time.
- You've always had small breasts and want
a fuller bustline.
- Your clothing fits at the waist and hips,
but not at the bustline.
- If your breasts have lost volume, shape
or firmness due to weight loss, childbirth
or aging.
- You feel self-conscious about one breast
being noticeably smaller than the other.
Back to top
Risks
Every type of procedure has risks,
but you can usually help prevent complications
by carefully following your physician's instructions.
It's important to talk with your plastic surgeon
before a procedure to be sure you understand
the potential risks and complications. If you
don't understand something, ask!
There are a few specific risks associated
with breast implants. For instance, during the
healing process, a scar capsule begins to form
around the implant. In some cases, this capsule
tightens and compresses the implant, causing
pain and discomfort. This amount of compression
varies from woman to woman, and not all women
experience it. If the pain continues and the
breast's appearance changes, you may need more
surgery to remove the scar tissue. Sometimes
the surgeon must remove or replace the implant.
Some women experience a change in breast or
nipple sensation following surgery, but these
changes are often temporary.
While implants do not have a specific life
span, they will not last forever. Saline implants
may leak after chest trauma or sometimes even
for no apparent reason. If this happens to you,
you'll need additional surgery to replace the
implant.
Many women ask if they can still get an accurate
mammogram with breast implants. It's possible
that implants can interfere with the early breast
cancer detection if the implant is placed underneath
the breast tissue, so your plastic surgeon may
recommend that you have a mammogram, breast
ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging before
your surgery. When you make an appointment for
a mammogram after your surgery, ask if the radiologist
or radiology technician has experience with
implants. There are also breast imaging centers
with special expertise in doing mammograms for
women with implants.
There has been a good deal of public controversy
surrounding silicone gel implants, which the
Food and Drug Administration removed from the
market in 1992. These implants were filled with
a different form of silicone. A few women with
silicone gel implants reported having joint
pain or swelling, fever, fatigue, and breast
pain, symptoms which are associated with some
autoimmune diseases. In the years since, research
has not shown a link between these symptoms
and silicone gel implants. These implants are
now available only to certain women, under strict
guidelines. Back to top
Preparing for breast
implants
Before getting breast implants, talk honestly
with your surgeon about your expectations; he
or she can tell you if they're realistic.
Before surgery, ask your surgeon about the
location and size of the surgical incisions.
Your plastic surgeon and the office staff will
tell you which medications and nutritional supplements
-- including aspirin and aspirin-containing
products -- you must stop taking before surgery.
If you smoke, you should stop at least one month
before surgery. Back to top
Recovery
Unless you're having other surgery at the same
time, breast implants are usually done on an
outpatient basis. Since the surgery requires
some anesthesia, plan to have someone drive
you home after your procedure.
After surgery, you'll need to support your
breasts 24 hours a day. At first, your stitches
will be taped and bandaged. When the doctor
determines you can wear a surgical bra, follow
his or her instructions carefully. By supporting
your breasts during this period, you are more
likely to avoid pain and discomfort. And by
supporting your breasts while they settle into
place, you're more likely to get the results
you want.
After a few days, you can return to your regular
activities, except for exercise. While you're
healing, avoid vigorous movement, especially
with your arms. Over the next few months, your
breasts will heal and settle, and you'll begin
to see your body in a new light. Back to top
| 
