All about breast augmentation

Cosmetic surgery to place a silicone prosthesis may be indicated when the woman has very small breasts, is afraid of not being able to breastfeed, noticed some reduction in her size or lost a lot of weight. But it can also be indicated when the woman has different sized breasts or has had to remove the breast or part of the breast due to cancer.

This surgery can be done from the age of 15 with parental authorization, and is done under general anesthesia, taking about 45 minutes, and can be with a short hospital stay of 1 or 2 days, or even on an outpatient basis, when he is discharged on the same day.

The most common complications are chest pain, decreased sensitivity and rejection of the silicone prosthesis, called capsular contracture, which may arise in some women. Other rarer complications are rupture due to a strong blow, hematoma and infection.

After deciding to put silicone on the breasts, the woman should seek a good plastic surgeon to perform the procedure safely, thus reducing the risks of surgery. See another surgery option that uses body fat to increase breasts in Learn all about the technique that increases breasts and butt without silicone.

How to choose the silicone prosthesis

Silicone implants must be chosen between the surgeon and the woman, and it is important to decide:

• Prosthesis shape: which can be drop-shaped, more natural, or round, more suitable for women who already have a breast. This round shape is safer because the drop shape is more likely to rotate inside the breast, becoming crooked. In the case of the round prosthesis, a natural shape can also be achieved by injecting fat around it, called lipofilling. Prosthesis profile: it can have a high, low or medium profile, the higher the profile the more upright the breast becomes, but also a more artificial result; Prosthesis size: varies according to the woman's height and physical structure, and it is common to use prostheses with 300 ml. However, prostheses over 400 ml should only be placed on tall women, with a wider chest and hip.

• Place of placement of the prosthesis: the silicone can be placed over or under the pectoral muscle. It is best to place it over the muscle when you have enough skin and fat to make it look natural, while it is recommended to place it under the muscle when you have virtually no breasts or are very thin.

In addition, the prosthesis may be silicone or saline and may have a smooth or rough texture, and it is recommended to use cohesive and textured silicone, which means that in case of rupture it does not disintegrate and reduces the risk of infection, with less chance of developing rejection, infection, and of the silicone leaving the breast. Nowadays, completely smooth or very textured prostheses seem to be the cause of a greater number of contractures or rejection. See what are the main types of silicone and how to choose.

How breast augmentation is done

In breast augmentation or plastic surgery with silicone prosthesis, a small cut is made in the two breasts around the areola, in the lower part of the breast or even in the armpit where the silicone is introduced, which increases the volume of the breast.

After the cut, the doctor gives stitches and places 2 drains through which the fluids that accumulate in the body leave to avoid complications, such as hematoma or seroma.

How to prepare for surgery

Before performing surgery for silicone placement, it is recommended:

• Do blood tests in the laboratory to confirm that it is safe to perform the surgery; ECG From 40 years of age it is recommended to perform an electrocardiogram to check that the heart is healthy; Take prophylactic antibiotics, such as Amoxicillin the day before surgery and adjust the doses of current medications according to the doctor's recommendation; Quit smoking at least 15 days before surgery; Avoid taking some medications such as aspirin, anti-inflammatories and natural medications in the previous 15 days, as they can increase bleeding, as indicated by the doctor.

Electrocardiogram

Blood test

On the day of the surgery, you should fast for about 8 hours and during hospitalization, the surgeon will be able to scratch the breasts with a pen to outline the surgery cutting points, in addition to deciding the size of the silicone prostheses.

How is recovery from surgery

The total recovery time from breast augmentation is about 1 month and the pain and discomfort will slowly decrease, and 3 weeks after the surgery you can usually work, walk and train without exercising with your arms.

During the postoperative period, you may have to keep 2 drains for about 2 days, which are containers for the excess blood accumulated in the chest to avoid complications. Some surgeons who perform infiltration with tumescent local anesthesia may not need drains. To relieve pain, analgesics and antibiotics are administered.

In addition, it is necessary to maintain some care, such as:

• Always sleep on your back during the first month, avoiding sleeping on your side or on your stomach; Wear an elastic bandage or elastic and comfortable bra to support the prosthesis for at least 3 weeks, not even taking it off to sleep; Avoid making too many movements with your arms, such as driving or doing intense exercise, for 20 days; Only take a full bath normally after 1 week or when the doctor tells you and do not wet or change the dressings at home; Remove stitches and bandages between 3 days to a week at the medical clinic.

The first results of the surgery are noticed soon after the surgery, however, the definitive result must be seen within 4 to 8 weeks, with invisible scars. Find out how you can speed up your mammoplasty recovery and what precautions you should take to avoid complications.

How is the scar

The scars vary with the places where the skin cuts were made, with small scars being frequent in the armpit, in the lower part of the breast or in the areola, however, these are usually very discreet.

Main complications

The main complications of breast augmentation are chest pain, hard breast, feeling of heaviness that causes a curved back and decreased breast tenderness.

Hematoma can also appear, which causes swelling and redness of the breast and, in more severe cases, there may be hardening around the prosthesis and rejection or rupture of the prosthesis, which leads to the need to remove the silicone. In very rare cases there may also be infection of the prosthesis. Before performing the surgery know what are your main risks of plastic surgery.

Frequently asked questions about breast augmentation

Some of the most frequent questions are:

Can I put silicone before I get pregnant?

Mammoplasty can be done before becoming pregnant, but it is common for the breast to become smaller and sag after breastfeeding, and it may be necessary to have a new surgery to repair this problem and therefore, women often choose to put silicone after breastfeeding.

Do I need to change the silicone after 10 years?

In most cases, silicone breast implants do not need to be changed, however it is essential to go to the doctor and do tests such as magnetic resonance imaging at least every 4 years to verify that the prostheses have no changes.

However, in some cases the prostheses may need to be replaced, occurring mainly 10 to 20 years after their placement.

Does silicone cause cancer?

Studies conducted around the world report that the use of silicone does not increase the chances of developing breast cancer. However, you should inform your doctor that you have a silicone prosthesis when you have a mammogram.

There is a very rare breast cancer called giant cell lymphoma of the breast that may have to do with the use of silicone prostheses, but due to the small number of cases registered in the world of this disease it is difficult to know with certainty whether this relationship exists.

In most cases, performing breast augmentation and surgery to raise the breasts brings better results, especially when the woman has a fallen breast. See how mastopexy is done and know its excellent results.