Your body is your business! But when you come to a plastic surgeon with a request to enlarge your breasts, he will definitely ask about the reasons for the decision. And if this is the desire to look beautiful in a swimsuit or to fulfill your partner's dream of big breasts, you will most likely be denied.
Because the breast can be enlarged only for yourself and only on condition that you want to feel comfortable in your body!
Honest information about breast augmentation
Breast augmentation is a serious operation that requires an informed decision and a careful calculation of the possible risks. You need to prepare for it: get tested, undergo the necessary examinations, finish taking certain medications in advance, lose weight if the weight exceeds the norm, and quit smoking.
But even careful preparation is not a guarantee of a favorable outcome. Therefore, before you decide to go under the surgeon's scalpel, find out what awaits you and what can go wrong!
Before and after photos are not always informative
Today, any plastic surgery clinic has its own website, where you can see pictures "before" and "after" the operations of a particular doctor. But considering them, the patient must take into account that his breasts may look different.
To get an idea of how the breasts will look after surgery, a doctor of medical sciences, a plastic surgeon advises evaluating the results of people with a similar body type. Such shots will give a more realistic picture.
Breast enlargement is possible without surgery
Many women are tempted to enlarge their breasts without surgery in one or two procedures. Cosmetologists and plastic surgeons can fulfill this desire by suggesting the use of fillers based on hyaluronic acid or their own fat cells.
However, it should be noted that these are temporary solutions. They have both advantages and disadvantages. And it is more difficult to predict the outcome of the procedure in this case than with surgical breast augmentation.
Correction of the shape with fat cells has a significant drawback.
Not all fat cells will undergo a "transplant". According to the doctor of medical sciences,from 30 to 50% of fat cells die.
At the same time, no one knows which cells will survive and which will not. Therefore, your expectations about breast augmentation with fillers may not coincide with reality after the procedure.
The first breast surgery is unlikely to be the last
Implants are not a permanent purchase. According to the plastic surgeon, most of them need to be replaced within 12-15 years after surgery, and some even earlier.
The implant may begin to leak or form scar tissue around the implant, which spoils the shape of the breast and poses a threat to health. In addition, external and internal reasons - weight gain or loss, breastfeeding, gravity - can push the implant replacement.
The doctor recommends planning the operation only when there is confidence that the budget will allow for the reconstruction operation over the next 12 years.
There are several types of incisions during the operation.
Experts say that depending on the initial shape of the breast and the desired parameters, the doctor may suggest surgery with an incision in the armpit, fold under the breast, in the areola and, in some cases, in the abdomen.
The most common options are an incision in the areola and in the crease under the breast. The location of the likely incision should be discussed with your doctor.
It is not always possible to enlarge breasts to the desired volume
If a representative of the fair sex by nature has a cup size A, she will not be able to obtain the DD volume in one operation. The breast skin, like the body, takes time to get used to the changes. Therefore, the doctor recommends breast augmentation first by 1-2 sizes, and then, if necessary, after a few years, change the implants to those that are larger.
Drastic changes can be costly
"The most important thing when planning a breast augmentation surgery is finding a good implant, " says MD, plastic surgeon. "According to my estimates, about 30% of errors and complications during plastic surgery are due to the fact that the doctor or patient chose the wrong implant. "
Choosing an implant that is too large for the patient can lead to thinning of the breast tissue and surrounding muscles, which is difficult to reverse. A good doctor will always tell you the maximum implant size that the patient can orientate to.
It takes time to recover after surgery
Both after breast enlargement and after breast reduction, the patient needs time to recover. The minimum sick leave will be 5-7 days. At the end of it, you can return to work, provided that it does not involve hard physical labor.
Painkillers work wonders today, but don't overestimate them!
Implants can be felt under the skin
There is an opinion that implants are always felt when touching a woman's breast,but this is not the case. Correctly selected and well installed are difficult to find. Nevertheless, there is such a possibility!
Another person is more likely to suspect the presence of implants in a woman who initially had a small breast volume (and, accordingly, a small amount of tissue) than a woman whose volume was larger.
Some implants can impair health
Experts associate some types of breast implants with an increased risk of cancer. "We are talking about such a variety as anaplastic large cell lymphoma. There is an opinion that it is somehow connected with textured breast implants, since most often women with them are diagnosed with oncology, "warns the plastic surgeon.
Correction may affect the ability to breastfeed
"By making an incision in the breast, we disrupt the natural anatomy, reduce the amount of breast tissue that produces milk, " says the doctor. - However, there is a high chance that you will still be able to breastfeed. If the incision is far from the nipple, the milk ducts and glands are unlikely to be damaged. "
Temporary loss of nipple sensitivity after surgery
For several weeks after the operation, many patients notice a lack of breast tenderness, but in most cases this is a temporary phenomenon. Complete loss of sensation is rare.
A doctor of medical sciences, a plastic surgeon says that although she has operated on thousands of patients, she has never encountered a complete loss of breast sensitivity in a woman.
Surgery can affect a woman's posture
If a woman chooses a slightly larger breast volume than her natural data, her posture is unlikely to change from this. But when it comes to breast implants of an impressive size, their weight can be perceptible, and, accordingly, it will be more difficult to wear it.
If there is a history of back pain, this factor should be taken into account.
Perhaps breast augmentation alone will not be enough
After pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, some women dream of breast augmentation as a panacea that will solve all problems with their appearance. But it may not be enough.
Breast augmentation alone will not make the breasts firm and toned. In some cases, two operations are required at once: breast augmentation and a lift. The doctor can do them at the same time.
The decision about surgery must be well balanced
Before contacting a plastic surgeon, find answers to the following questions for yourself:
- Is my current breast volume really a problem for me?
- Why do I need surgery?
- Do I have an "airbag" - free funds that may be required if something goes wrong?
- Am I ready to accept the possible risks of breast augmentation?
- Do I really need surgery?
The answers to these questions will help you make the right decision.
Expert commentary
Oncologist, general surgeonMammoplasty or breast augmentation procedure is a type of surgical intervention that requires special preparation.
Mammoplasty is performed as part of aesthetic surgery, that is, it is performed at the request of the patient, with the exception of breast reduction operations (reduction mammoplasty), which are often performed for medical reasons. The girl needs to independently assess the risks before making an appointment with a plastic surgeon.
First you need to study the contraindications for the procedure. If a woman has severe pathologies of the cardiovascular system, varicose veins, bleeding disorders and oncological diseases, then these chronic diseases will become an absolute contraindication for mammoplasty. During pregnancy and lactation, such surgical interventions are also prohibited.
Patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, coronary heart disease, rheumatism, mastopathy and obesity need to consult with their doctor before breast augmentation surgery. In addition, during the period of the procedure, the chronic disease should be in the stage of stable remission.
The woman also needs to think about future pregnancy. If after the operation the girl plans to become a mother, then it is better to carry out the operation through an incision under the breast or in the armpit. Placing implants through an incision in the areola of the nipple can compromise the integrity of part of the milk ducts, which is likely to make it difficult for the baby to feed.
You need to understand that a quality procedure will not be cheap. The average cost of mammoplasty in a good clinic is quite high. Sign up for a consultation only with trusted specialists with extensive experience. A careful approach to choosing a doctor will reduce the likelihood of complications after surgery. As a rule, an appointment with a plastic surgeon lasts about an hour and a half. During this time, the girl needs to ask the doctor about implants, to determine the volume, future size and shape of the bust.
After a consultation conversation, the date of the operation will be set. The preparation time is approximately two weeks. During this time, the patient takes the necessary tests to assess the state of health. The list of mandatory examinations includes the following medical manipulations: clinical and biochemical blood tests, tests for HIV, syphilis, hepatitis, urine analysis, coagulogram, ECG, mammography, fluorography (X-ray), vascular ultrasound.
The hospital stay lasts approximately 3-5 days. During this time, the main operation is carried out, monitoring the patient's condition after mammoplasty and the first dressing. Then the girl goes home for rehabilitation.
For a month, it will be necessary to wear special compression underwear, and you should also not raise your arms above your shoulders and lift heavy objects. For two or three weeks you will have to sleep only on your back, for the next 4-5 months - on your side or on your back, you can turn over onto your stomach only after six months. Classes in the gym, as well as trips to the bathhouse or sauna will have to be postponed for 2-3 months.
During the rehabilitation period, the patient will need to come for dressings and self-seal the scars with a special silicone plaster. Recovery will last approximately six months, after which time you can return to an active life.
Expert commentary
Plastic surgeonAll implants that are approved for use in our country have a lifetime warranty. This means that they do not need to be changed for medical reasons over time.
There are three types of access: axillary, periareolar (along the edge of the areola), and submammary (through the fold under the breast). In my practice, I most often use the axillary approach, because in this case the scar is practically invisible. It is located in the armpit and over time becomes like a wrinkle. There are no visible scars on the chest.
I use endoprosthetics through the areola when the axillary approach does not allow for a full-fledged operation. I use the submammary access for a second operation, if the implants were previously installed in the same way. All types of access are safe if the surgeon owns them.
Implants vary in gel softness, sheath, type and size. The surgeon can pick them up only at a face-to-face consultation. All implants are good in quality, but usually surgeons have their own preferences. Therefore, focus on the work of the surgeon and correlate them with your own ideas about beauty.
As a rule, I do not use large volume implants - more than 450 cc. see Large implants cause tissue atrophy and become visible over time, even if located axillary. That is, from above they are covered with muscle, and from below they are contoured. This occurs in patients with a small amount of fiber and a narrow chest. If a woman has a wide chest, then larger implants can be placed. But such cases are quite rare.
Expert commentary
Plastic surgeonDespite the fact that mammoplasty is one of the most popular plastic surgeries and has become a fairly common procedure, before implementing it, the patient needs to learn some of the nuances so that they do not come as a surprise after the operation.
- Nothing lasts forever, and implants have their own lifespan. It is impossible to install them once and for life. Sooner or later they will have to be changed, since there is such a thing as depreciation. And how these processes will take place in a particular case, how the tissues will behave, no one knows in advance, everything is individual. Therefore, after breast correction, all girls are advised to visit a mammologist at least once every six months, it is necessary to do an ultrasound scan of the breast in order to notice changes in time and prescribe an operation to replace endoprostheses.
- Patients with certain chronic diseases and, in particular, a reduced immune status should inform their doctor about this, who will order an additional examination. And only after that it will make its own verdict whether it is worth installing implants or not.
- If the breast is ptosis, lowered downward, and the main part of the mammary gland is in the lower half, then in this situation it is better to install a round implant. If there is no pronounced upper pole, then this always implies the installation of an endoprosthesis under the muscle.
- In the case when the nipples "look" to the sides, but the patient wants to bring them closer, this is possible only if there is a large volume of skin and breast tissue. If it is not there, then it is impossible to bring them closer and when installing the implant, the nipples will remain in their original position, while the prosthesis will be installed in the middle of the nipple.
- If the patient has a narrow interthoracic distance, then during the installation of endoprostheses it will remain as naturally beautiful. When it is large enough, more than 2-2. 5 cm, it can be reduced when installing implants. However, it is important to take into account the fact that in this place the implant will be palpable, and over time, the appearance of a visual defect - the so-called ripping, or skin irregularities is not excluded.