A person's appearance plays a major role in their self-image, self-esteem, and overall confidence.
Many women turn to plastic surgery to help enhance their physical appearance.
Breast augmentation is one of the more common plastic surgery procedures.
Women who seek breast augmentation do so for a variety of reasons.
Some do so for purely cosmetic purposes while some may have a medical condition, such as breast cancer, that requires breast augmentation.
Whatever the reason, any woman considering breast augmentation should consult a board certified cosmetic surgeon to discuss whether they are a candidate as well as the benefits and risks.
According to a 2008 survey, over 300,000 women had breast augmentation surgery performed as well as nearly 80,000 women who suffered from breast cancer.
It's a surgical procedure where breast implants are inserted either above the muscle or behind the tissue of the breast.
The breast implants are varied in material, size, shape, and design.
Breast implants consist of the outside layer also known as the shell, the filler, and the patch that is placed over the hole where the filler has been inserted in the shell.
Implants are either filled with saline or silicone.
The size of the implants normally ranges from 120cc to 850cc and can be either round or shaped.
Breast augmentation can be performed by your cosmetic surgeon as an outpatient procedure with local anesthesia or in the hospital with general anesthesia.
The typical time that a patient will be in surgery is between one and three hours.
During the surgery, an incision can be placed in one of four locations.
The incision will either be made under the breast, around the nipple, in the armpit or in the area of the navel.
If you decide to have the incision placed under the breast, around the nipple or in the armpit, you will be left with some form of scarring.
An incision placed in the navel area will not leave a scar around the breast.
This procedure is referred to as a TUBA incision and is a much more complicated procedure.
Because of the nature and complexity of this breast augmentation procedure, it is highly recommended that you weigh its risks and benefits.
Once the incision is made, the breast implants can be positioned and placed in one of three areas.
They can be placed above, partially behind or completely behind the pectoral muscles.
It is important to note that the type of incision and placement of the breast implants will depend upon a number of factors.
These factors are the location of the scar, the implant size/shape, the frame of your body, and the amount of breast tissue.
After breast augmentation surgery, a patient should expect to experience moderate pain and discomfort.
The breasts will be sore, swollen, and bruised post surgery.
Your cosmetic surgeon will recommend the use of a support or athletic bra until the swelling has gone away.
Your surgeon will also advise you on what activities are safe to engage in and which ones to avoid after breast augmentation surgery.
You should also expect to be off work for a least a week.
In most cases, you can resume within a few weeks your normal activity.