Also referred to as augmentation mammoplasty, it involves using breast implants or fat transfer to increase the size of your breasts. This procedure can also restore breast volume lost after weight reduction or pregnancy, achieve a more rounded breast shape or improve natural breast size asymmetry.
Breast reduction, also known as reduction mammaplasty, is a procedure to remove excess breast fat, glandular tissue and skin to achieve a breast size more in proportion with your body and to alleviate the discomfort associated with excessively large breasts (macromastia).
Also known as mastopexy, raises the breasts by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue to reshape and support the new breast contour.
It’s important to discuss the exact location of any scars resulting from the operation with your surgeon. During breast augmentation, the surgeon will use one of three possible incisions:
With a trans-axillary incision, the implants are inserted through an incision in the armpit.
With a peri-areolar incision, the scar will be around your areola. This incision is hidden to some extent by the color change at the edge of the areola.
With a infra-mammary incision, the scar will be located in the inframammary fold below your breast. This incision is hidden by the slight drop of the breast.
Talk to your surgeon about the precise placement of the breast implants in detail. You will want to know what choices you have available to you so that you are ultimately happier with the results. The placement of implants mostly depends on the thickness of your breast tissue. Your Surgeon and you, according to your body and expected result will choose between:
The breast implant is placed above the pectoral muscle and behind the breast tissue. It can result in a shorter recovery and shorter surgery.
Here the implant is placed below the prepectoral fascia and above the pectoral muscle. It is the most recommended for very thin and athletic patients.
The implants will be placed partially or completely below the pectoral muscle. This techique offers natural results and is generally for women with smaller breasts.
With this placement, the pectoralis muscle is cut, lifted and the implant is inserted under the muscle, this allows the breast implants to be covered by more soft tissue, making your results more natural.
You and your Surgeon have decided your anesthesia, incision, breast implants and placement before surgery.
When your surgery takes place, be sure it’s a certified hospital that has every mean to care for you in case of an emergency. It’s unlikely, but it’s better to be cautious and safe.
Once your anesthesia takes effect, your Plastic Surgeon will make the incision to place the breast implants.
Your surgeon will place and position the implants depending on the type of implant, degree of enlargement and your body type.The Surgeon will close the incisions. You will see instant results, however, the final results will set in until up to 3 months later. Remember to use a post-operative bra for your comfort.
Check out our FAQs about Aesthetic Breast Surgery
It is important to have an annual breast check-up with your doctor. In addition to this, you should regularly check for any redness or itching on the breast or any swelling or lumps (with or without pain) around your implant. Should you have any worries or concerns, consult your surgeon immediately. There is no reason for you to have a breast implant removed to prevent BIA-ALCL. The risk of BIA-ALCL is very low and no medical authority is currently recommending that implants should be removed.’
The risk of developing BIA-ALCL is extremely low. Indeed the risk of developing BIA-ALCL with GC Aesthetics® textured implants has been calculated to be 0.001% based on annual post-market data (up to the end of 2021 )and there are no reported figures for BIA-ALCL with GC Aesthetics’® smooth implants (0%)
BIA-ALCL is a very rare type of blood cancer and there is a small but increased risk of it developing in women who have received textured surface breast implants. You should regularly check for redness, itching, or any swelling or lumps (with or without pain) around the implant. While it remains unlikely that you have developed BIA-ALCL, these symptoms should always be discussed with your surgeon if you have any worries or concerns. It is important that you look after your breast health regardless of having breast implants.
Your breast implants will need to be replaced during the course of your life. Implants are not lifetime devices and are subject to wear and tear like any other implant device (e.g. tooth fillings, heart valves, hip joints).* *Cohen BE, Biggs TM, Cronin ED, Collins DR Jr. Assessment and longevity of the silicone gel breast implant. Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 1997 May:99(6):1597-601 PMID:9145128®"
It depends if you want them to! Each woman’s body is different, and before and after photos of women who have had breast implant surgery aren’t always representative of what you’ll look like. If you want natural-looking results, make it clear to your surgeon from the outset, and they’ll advise what’s possible.
Breast size and shape should be something to talk about with your surgeon. You’ll also want to discuss whether to use round or anatomical shaped implants and review the many choices of size and weight available. You’ll need to think before your consultation about the shape and overall size that you are seeking, then talk with your surgeon about which implants will get you as close to your desired shape as possible. You should be aware that if you undergo reconstruction to one breast, it will not be identical to your natural breast.
The difference between round and anatomical (teardrop-shaped) implants is that round implants add volume to the upper part of the breast giving a lifted look, while contoured (anatomical) implants give a more discreet look more in-keeping with the natural shape of the breast.
