Breast enlargement surgery – Breast implants

Breast enlargement surgery involves putting implants behind the breasts. Breast implant options include: saline breast implants filled with sterile salt water. Saline implants may be pre-filled to a predetermined size. Saline may also be filled at the time of surgery to allow for minor modifications in implant size and silicone filled breast implants: Filled with soft, elastic gel. All silicone breast implants are pre-filled and may require a longer incision for implant placement. Women may choose to under go breast enlargement surgery for various reasons.
These personal reasons may center around breasts that are perceived to be under developed, or because of differences in the sizes of the breasts or from changes after pregnancy or breast feeding. Some women may be happy with their breasts but just want them made fuller. Often after weight loss, aging or childbirth a woman's breast volume and shape may change. This too can lead to a woman to seek a breast augmentation. Breast implant surgery performed by cosmetic plastic surgeons is the most popular way to improve breast shape and size. Breast enhancement using breast implants can give a woman more proportional shape and may improve self esteem.

Before the operation your  surgeon will discuss how to prepare for it. For example, if you smoke you may be asked to quit as smoking will increase your risk of getting a chest or wound infection and slow your recovery. 

The procedure is usually carried out under a general anaesthetic. This means you will be asleep during the operation. You will be asked not to eat or drink for about six hours before a general anaesthetic. However, some anaesthetists allow occasional sips of water until two hours beforehand. The operation usually takes one to two hours.Your surgeon will make cuts in the crease under your breast, around your nipple or towards your armpit. The implants are inserted into position beneath the breast tissue or under the chest muscle. The cuts are closed with stitches (which may be dissolvable) and your breasts are wrapped in a special supportive dressing or support bra. Breast augmentation surgery is an operation that usually takes 1.5 hours to complete using a general anaesthetic and normally includes an overnight stay at the hospital. In certain circumstances it can be performed as a day case.

Breast enlargement has also generated discussion regarding the increased risk of breast cancer - but there is no evidence to substantiate or indicate this - yet the placement of the implant may make reading mammograms technically more difficult where placement of the implant under the pectoral muscle may interfere less with mammography examinations. Should there be a problem with mammography x-rays, you could always have different types of examinations to your breast, which would include ultrasound as well as magnetic resonance imaging.