Overview: Breast Augmentation/Enlargement

Breast enlargement is surgery that makes the breasts bigger. It is also known as enlargement mammoplasty. It refers to the placement of breast implants beneath breast tissue or pectoral muscles.

Getting breast implants can help some people feel better about their bodies. For some, it's part of rebuilding a breast because of different health problems.

If you want to get bigger breasts, you should talk to a plastic surgery. There may be risks and problems with the surgery, so make sure you know what they are. You should also know how to take care of yourself after the surgery.

How do you get breast implants?

Breast augmentation is a popular surgery that makes your breasts bigger and better-shaped. Breast augmentation can be achieved through implants or fat transfer.

What are the many types of breast augmentation?

Adding more breast size can be done in two main ways: with breast implants or fat transfer. These two groups have a lot of different choices for you based on how you want your breasts to look and feel. The FDA only lets people of certain ages get certain types of breast implants. Before you decide to get breast augmentation, you should do a lot of study, Understand the advantages and disadvantages of each option, then consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon. 

The most popular way to increase the size of your breasts is with breast implants. Some choices for breast implants are:

Saline breast implants: These are filled with saline, which is a clean salt water. But if the implant breaks inside your breast, your body will take in the saline and get rid of it on its own.

Structured saline breast implants: There is sterile saline (salt water) inside these implants, and they have a structure on the inside that makes them feel more normal.

Silicone breast implants: Gel made of silicone is used to make these devices. The gel could stay inside the implant's shell or leak into your breast if it broke. You might need to see your plastic surgeon often to make sure your silicone implants are working right if you get them.

Form-stable breast implants: People often call these implants "gummy bear" implants because even if the shell breaks, the implants will still stay in place. There is more silicone gel in them, and they are harder than regular implants. For form-stable breast implants, you need a longer cut in your skin during surgery.

Round breast implants: Most of the time, these implants make breasts look bigger. As long as the implants are round all the way around, they shouldn't change the way your breasts look if they move.

Smooth breast implants: Out of all the types of implants, these ones feel the nicest. Smooth implants look more natural when breast-moving.

Textured breast implants: These implants make scar tissue that sticks to them. This makes it less likely that they will move around inside your breast. Even though it's not common, breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) mostly affects people who have breast implants with rough surfaces.

Fat transfer breast augmentation: After liposuction, your doctor will take fat from another part of your body and put it into your breasts. This is fat transfer breast augmentation. This kind of breast enlargement is usually done by people who only want a small increase in their breast size. Most of the time, your doctor will take fat from one of these places:

Your belly.
Both sides and the back of your stomach are called wings.
Your back.
Your thighs.

The reason for the procedure

The goal of breast enlargement is to make your breasts bigger. You may also get it done to change the shape of your breasts or fix a problem you had when you were born.

If you want to get breast implants, you should talk to a plastic expert. Talk about how you want to feel and look better. Don't forget that you want to get better, not perfect.

Risks

There are dangers with breast augmentation, such as:

Breast implants get scarred, which changes their shape. Capsular contracture is the name for this disease.
Pain in the breasts.
Getting sick.
How the nipple and breast feel changes.
Moves the implant around.
Leaks or tears in the implant.
To fix these issues, it might be necessary to have more surgery to take out or replace the implants.

Procedure Details

What happens at an appointment to talk about breast augmentation?

You will consult with your plastic surgeon prior to receiving breast implants. Before this appointment, you should think about what you would like to change about your breasts. Don’t forget that you’re not trying to be great; you want to get better. Besides that, make sure your mental and physical health are both good, and that your goals are reasonable.

Your surgeon will ask you a lot of questions about your health background, such as:

which medicines you are taking.
What allergens you might have.
Your past of smoking.
Before surgeries.

Any problems you've had with your breasts in the past, like lumps or scans, and if anyone in your family has had breast problems in the past.

If you want to get breast implants, you might find it helpful to ask your expert the following questions:

Has the American Board of Plastic Surgery given you their stamp of approval?
How long have you been a plastic surgeon?
How many times a year do you do breast augmentations?
Could you show me some pictures of people before and after the breast enlargement surgeries you've done?
Should I get fat transferred or breast implants?
What are the good and bad things about the various kinds of breast implants?
If I get breast implants, will I still be able to breastfeed?
How dangerous is my type of breast enlargement surgery?
What will happen if I'm not happy with how my surgery turned out?
How do I get ready for surgery to add breasts?

Before your breast enlargement surgery, your doctor may have you do the following:

Check your blood.
Take certain medicines or change the ones you're already on.
Don't smoke.
Stay away from certain foods and drinks.
Aspirin and some other anti-inflammatory drugs should not be taken because they can make bleeding worse.
Don't use drugs for fun anymore.

Remember to do exactly what your surgeon tells you to do before the surgery. It will go more smoothly during surgery and help you heal faster if you do what they say.

A person should transport you home post-surgery and remain with you for a minimum of the initial night. Plan ahead because you will need to miss work for at least three days. If your job requires a lot of physical work, you will probably need to miss at least three weeks of work.

Setting up a healing area at home

Before you have breast enlargement surgery, you should prepare a space in your home for when you get better. Make sure you have these:

Acetaminophen and/or painkillers that your surgeon recommended.
ointment or cream for the wounds (if your surgeon tells you to).
Use clean bandages to cover the wounds.
Lots of blouses and shirts that are loose, relaxed, and button down.

Possible Complications

Although breast implant surgery is a cosmetic procedure, there are potential complications that may arise, like : 

Having breast pain
Changes in how the nipple and breast feel
The area around the implant is getting scar tissue that is getting harder.
Skin scars
Having bleeding Infection
If there are issues with the implants' size or shape, the breasts might not be even.
Anaplastic Large-Cell Lymphoma, or AALCL, is linked to rough implants, but it is rare.
(tiredness, memory loss, rash, "brain fog") after getting a breast implant

Implants can also break and leak. If saline implants break, the body will safely take in the saltwater. If silicone leaks, it could stay inside the implant shell or go outside of it. A saline implant will lose air when it breaks. But when silicone breast implants break, they might not show any clear signs. This is known as a quiet rupture.

Maintenance

Breast implants are not designed for perpetual durability.  If something goes wrong or if your breasts change shape or size over time, you may need to get new implants.

Women with silicone gel-filled breast implants should get a mammogram once a year and an MRI or ultrasound scan every two to three years after the first surgery and again five to six years later to look for signs of silent rupture. If you have any signs or aren't sure if your ultrasound results for a ruptured breast implant are correct, you should get an MRI. You will need to have your implants taken out or changed if they break.

Other things that might make it harder for you to breastfeed are breast implants.

How to Get Better After a Breast Augmentation

Recovery and care after the surgery are very important for a breast enlargement to go well. Some important parts of breast augmentation healing and follow-up care are:

Post-operative care: After surgery, patients are given clear directions on how to take care of their wounds and any pain or discomfort they may be feeling. This could mean using ice packs to reduce swelling, taking medicine as directed, and not doing any strenuous physical exercise for a while.

Incision care: Proper care of the wound site stops infections and speeds up the mending process. Patients need to keep the cuts clean and dry, and they might need to wear surgery bras or compression clothing to support their breasts while they heal.

Follow-up appointments: Patients must keep up with regular follow-ups with their surgeon(s) to see how things are going and make sure their breasts heal properly. The patient and the specifics of their procedure determine when and how often these meetings are held.

Pain management: After getting breast implants, a lot of people feel pain and soreness, and some may need to take medicine to control these symptoms. But be sure to carefully follow the surgeon's advice and not take too much pain medication.

Swelling: A breast enlargement may also cause swelling, which may not go away completely for a few weeks. People who have had surgery may need compression clothing or surgical bras to help their breasts heal and reduce swelling.

Physical activity: For a while after surgery, patients should not do anything physically demanding, like lifting big things or working out. Gradual return to physical exercise is important to make sure you heal properly and avoid problems.

Breast massage: There are some surgeons who may suggest breast massage methods to help the implants settle into place and lower the risk of capsular contracture.For a while after surgery, patients should not do anything physically demanding, like lifting big things or working out. Gradual return to physical exercise is important to make sure you heal properly and avoid problems.