Breast augmentation involves the use of silicone breast implants or your own fat to enhance the size of your breasts. This procedure can enhance under-developed breasts as well as restore breast volume following weight loss or pregnancy.
Am I a good candidate for this procedure?
You may be a good candidate for breast augmentation if:
You feel that your breasts are naturally small and poorly developed
and you want larger breasts
Weight loss has changed the shape and size of your breasts
Your breasts have become smaller and lost firmness after
pregnancy
One of your breasts is noticeably smaller than the other
Breast augmentation cannot completely correct severely droopy breasts. In such cases, you may require a combination of breast augmentation and breast lift / tightening surgery if you want larger and firmer breasts. While seeking Breast surgery, it is very important to inform your qualified Aesthetic surgeon surgeon if you or anyone in your
family has had any prior history of breast cancer.
Brief information about breast
implants
All breast implants are made of an outer silicone shell. They may be of various types based on:
The substance filling the implant
Saline: silicon shell filled with saline to achieve the desired
volume.
Silicone: filled with medical grade silicone gel which feels very
natural. (Present generation implants are filled with highly cohesive
silicone gel which are extremely resistant to rupture and there is no
leakage of the silicon gel).
The shape of implant
Round: these are by far the most commonly used implants
Anatomical (tear shaped): these mimic the natural breast contour
The surface of implant
Smooth: the outer silicone shell is smooth.
Textured: The outer silicone shell is roughened and grainy. “Micro”
or “Nano”-textured implants are now available.
Poly-urethane coated: shell coated with poly-urethane foam.
Choosing the correct implant size
Breast implants are available in various sizes; from 100cc to 1000cc
(and even more but on demand). Choosing the correct size is no longer
an arbitrary process, but a detailed and scientific one.
It could depend on “what size do you want to enlarge your breasts to?”
For example, if you are presently a B cup and want to go to a C cup,
then a 175-200cc implant would be adequate.
What implant is suitable and safe for you also depends on what your
body can tolerate or accommodate. This is based on your individual
tissue factors such as your chest width, existing volume of your breast
tissue, amount of skin laxity, nipple position etc. Based on all these
factors, a qualified Aesthetic surgeon is able to discuss your concerns
and priorities with you and arrive at a mutual decision about the ideal
breast implant size for you.
What are the important things to do
before breast augmentation
surgery?
The most important thing about planning your breast augmentation
surgery is to choose the correct qualified Aesthetic plastic surgeon.
More specifically, ensure that the chosen surgeon is routinely performing
breast augmentation surgeries.
You must STOP the following medications approximately 2 weeks before
surgery – blood thinners such as ecosprin, clopidogrel, warfarin etc,
estrogen containing hormones, Vitamin E, ginseng, green tea, gingko
balboa, garlic pearls, ayurvedic supplements. It is imperative that you
completely stop smoking for a minimum of 1 week prior to your planned
date of surgery as it can significantly increase your risk for anaesthesia
as well as delay wound healing and increase your risk for post-surgery
complications.
You will be advised a set of routine pre-operative investigations to
ensure that you are fit for anaesthesia and surgery. A mammogram is
also advisable prior to surgery to rule out any existing lumps or lesions
in the breast. If you have a personal or family history of breast cancer,
then a detailed baseline mammogram is mandatory to ensure absence
of any existing lesion.