Breast Implants (Breast Augmentation) Overview

Breast implants (breast augmentation mammaplasty) is a type of cosmetic surgery that allows women to enhance their breasts by using implants. Many women are unhappy with the size or shape of their breasts and choose to undergo this procedure in order to achieve their desired profile.

Breasts can lose their fullness as a result of weight loss, breastfeeding or the aging process. Other women are simply born with smaller breasts or asymmetrical breasts. Breast implants can give you perkier, fuller, more symmetrical breasts that look and feel as natural as non-augmented breasts.

People often underestimate how the appearance of a woman’s bust feeds on a woman’s self-confidence and self-worth. For women who have been unhappy with their breasts for years, breast enhancement surgery can give them the look they have always wanted. Although breast augmentation does not promise to change you or your life, it can increase your confidence and help you to feel better about yourself. Most women are good candidates for breast augmentation but your plastic surgeon will discuss this with you further at your initial consultation.

Breast implants are one of the most common cosmetic procedures carried out in the world and the procedure has been significantly refined. Patients can choose from saline breast implants, silicone breast implants or gummy bear breast implants and select if the implants are smooth or textured. Breast implant sizes range from small to large and for those wanting something a bit different, they can choose to undergo breast augmentation via fat transfer in order to increase their bust size.

Breast augmentation preparation should include research on all the different types of implants available to you. You should also understand what the cost of breast implants includes and excludes so you can start financially preparing for your surgery.

Ultimately catering to the high demand for body contour treatments of US and Canadian medical tourists, breast implants in Mexico use the best in breast augmentation surgical techniques helping women achieve the desired size and shape of their breasts and improving their silhouette.

Breast implants in the Dominican Republic is another viable option for US patients; offering a diverse variety of breast implant types and shapes, as well as saline filled implants.

A Good Candidate for Breast Implants (Breast Augmentation)

During your initial consultation, the plastic surgeon will interchange information about your reasons for breast implants and explain how they can help you achieve the firmness or perkiness you want. Good candidates for breast implants are healthy and well-adjusted woman who are over the age of 18.

Surgeons will not operate on patients who are physically or emotionally unhealthy. Their job is to minimize the associated risks and side effects of breast implants by indicating who is a good candidate for breast augmentation and who is not. Most surgeons require that their patients are emotionally mature women whose bodies don’t need to grow or develop any further.

Teenagers are not generally regarded as good candidates for breast augmentation because it is very difficult to determine if a teenage girl needs implants. Teenagers are also likely to be unhappy with their body for other emotional reasons and these issues are often naturally resolved as they get older.

Some women lead very unhealthy lifestyles while other women are just physically unable to have surgery because they are at greater risk of complications. The plastic surgeon will try to dissuade women who are generally dissatisfied with their bodies or have been pressured into having surgery by the people around them.

It is vital for patients to understand everything that is involved with this cosmetic surgical procedure and accept both the capabilities and limitations of breast implants. To be a good candidate for breast implants, you need to closely follow your plastic surgeons pre-operative instructions during your breast implant preparation and post-operative instructions during your breast implant recovery.

Breast augmentation can greatly enhance your appearance and make you feel amazing about yourself but it will not change who you are or the life that you lead.

If you were born with small breasts yet desire a larger bust, you are likely to be a good candidate for breast implants. Many women want larger breasts so they can feel sexier about themselves and more comfortable wearing certain clothes.

A fuller, perkier profile can help to increase their confidence because they are now more aware of their appearance. Indeed, breast augmentation can change a woman’s perception of herself quite significantly. Breast asymmetry is related to both size and shape. Patients who are looking for identical breasts will be a good candidate for breast implants.

Women who have lost a significant amount of weight are generally left with droopy or sagging breasts, as well as women who have endured breastfeeding. Many older women desire breast enhancement surgery to give them back their youthful appearance.

Preparing for Breast Implants (Breast Augmentation)

Breast implant preparation is a very crucial time. This is when you will do most of your research and start to understand everything that is involved with breast augmentation. Although thousands of plastic surgery procedures are carried out every year, this process should be taken seriously. Your plastic surgeon will help explain anything that you do not understand and answer any questions you may have.

As part of your breast implant preparation you should choose a plastic surgeon you feel comfortable with. They need to be experienced and understand what you hope to achieve by undergoing breast augmentation. The communication between you and your plastic surgeon should be open and honest so that you in due course feel confident enough to turn to him or her if anything arises.

Your plastic surgeon will ask you questions about why you want to have surgery so he/she can establish whether you are a good candidate for breast implants. Use this time to ask any questions you might have about the surgery, the types and sizes of breast implants available to you, the cost of breast implants and what is involved with your breast implant recovery.

The plastic surgeon will give you a detailed list of pre-operative instructions that you need to closely follow. You may be required to take standard tests to indicate whether you are a good candidate or if you will be exposed to any breast implant risks and side effects. A medical history report will also substantiate this.

The following is an overview of the things you will need to do during your breast implant preparation:

· Take a number of tests that confirm you can withstand surgery

· Stop smoking

· Stop taking certain medications that may interfere with your recovery

· Prepare for what you will need after breast augmentation

· Prepare your recovery space so that is relaxing and stress free

· Arrange time off of work

· Research breast implants as much as you can so you understand the entire procedure

· Discuss the cost of breast implants and a payment plan best suited for you

Types and Locations of Breast Implants (Breast Augmentation)

Breast implants are inserted using one of four different types of incisions:

· Periareolar (areola or nipple incision) – incision is along the outline of the areola

· Transaxillary (transax or armpit incision) – incision is in the folds of the skin of the armpit

· Inframammary (crease or fold incision) – incision is under the breast where breast and chest meet

· Bellybutton (transumbilical, navel or TUBA incision) – incision is within the bellybutton

Breast implants are inserted in one of the following three locations:

· Subglandular Implant Placement – implant is placed above chest muscles but under breast tissue

· Partial Submuscular Implant Placement – implant is placed under breast tissue and partially under pectoral and chest muscles

· Complete Submuscular Implant Placement – implant is placed completely under pectoral and chest muscles

Breast Implant Size

The breast implant size you end up choosing will depend on your own anatomy. Some women will not be able to increase their breast size as much desired because they don’t have enough loose skin to cover the implants. Your skin will, of course, stretch naturally over the implants as time passes but larger implants require a fair amount of loose and thick skin.

The breast implant size that you think is ideal will be taken into consideration during your first consultation with a plastic surgeon. You may find it helpful to bring in pictures of breasts that you admire so that you can discuss if they are feasible for you. The plastic surgeon will need to ensure that you are a good candidate for breast implants and that you have reasonable expectations of the outcome.

Overly large breast implants may not be suitable for your lifestyle so you need to think about the consequences of your decisions. The surgeon may be able to show you a computer generated image of what you would look like with different sized breasts. It is also common for patients wear sample implants in their bras to get used to the feel and increased heaviness of breast implants.

Breast implants are not measured by cup size. They are measured in cubic centimeters because it is their volume that is ultimately taken into account. Breast implant sizes start at 120 cc's and go up to 850 cc's. If you want greater cleavage, talk to your plastic surgeon about what options are available for you because larger implants won’t necessarily give you the cleavage you desire.

Most breast implant revision surgeries are carried out on women who are unhappy with the size they chose. It is important to understand and manage your options beforehand.

Smooth and Textured Breast Implants

What is the Difference between Textured Breast Implants and Smooth Implants?

During your breast implant preparation you will have a consultation with a plastic surgeon. This consultation should be used to make important decisions regarding your breast implants. One of the questions that the surgeon will ask you is if you desire textured or smooth implants?

Breast implants range from entirely smooth to fuzzy to rough; each texture has its own unique set of advantages and disadvantages.

The idea behind textured implants is to reduce the frequency of capsular contracture (hardening of the breast tissue around the implant). Textured implants allow breast tissue to grow into the implant. Textured breast implants are slightly firmer than smooth implants and they don’t flip or move around in the implant pocket as much. Textured implants can be round or tear drop in shape.

Fat Transfer of Breast Implants (Breast Augmentation)

Fat grafting (autologous fat transfer or lipoinjection) has become increasingly popular over the last few years. Developments in both liposuction and breast augmentation surgery have allowed this enhancement procedure to be used widely.

Mainly, fat is removed from one part of your body and then transferred to your breasts. During this process it is purified so that only healthy fat cells are used in the breast implant stage. Breast implants cannot entirely rely on fat transfer so this method is just used to enhance the results of your surgery.

In the past, fat grafting was mostly employed to rejuvenate small areas of a person’s body such as their face or hands. Now that liposuction is widely popular, larger amounts of fat are being harvested from fat deposit sites and used for other purposes.

Although doctors and scientists are still researching the advantages and disadvantages of autologous fat transfer, they believe it could potentially be a safer and more cost effective type of breast enhancement.

If a woman has enough fat from an earlier liposuction procedure, she can use it to soften the lines between her implant and breast tissue. She can also choose to fix common side effects of breast implants such as rippling and wrinkling.

The actual lipoinjection process is slow and time consuming because the fat is inserted drop by drop into the breast tissue and around the breast implant. For women who want large sized breast implants, lipoinjection is not recommended because it only realistically provides less than a cup size of augmentation.

The main advantage of fat transfer in breast implants remains that there is no risk of rejection or allergic reaction to the fat because the cells come from your own body. Another advantage is that the plastic surgeon has more control over how he shapes your breasts; a significant amount more than saline breast implants, silicone breast implants or gummy bear breast implants. No major incisions are made which also reduces the risks and side effects of breast implant surgery.

The focal disadvantage of fat transfer in breast implants is that transplanted fat cells don’t typically survive long term because they may be absorbed by the body or liquefy and a loss of volume will occur. The injected fat cells may form a cyst, calcify, or produce scarring within the breast tissue which can lead to the development of lumps.

Saline Breast Implants

Saline breast implants are very popular amongst women seeking to enhance their breasts. They have a number of beneficial properties that make them appealing. There are, however, various disadvantages to using saline breast implants as opposed to silicone implants or gummy bear implants.

When you are trying to decide which type of implant is best for you, it is important to consider your desired outcome as breast implants have certain limitations. To be a good candidate for breast implants, you need to have very realistic expectations of what saline (salt solution) breast implants can and can’t afford you.

No cosmetic procedure is without possible complications and there are breast implant risks and side effects associated with all types of breast enhancement surgeries.

The outer shell of saline filled breast implants is made of a silicone rubber material. If this ruptures, the implant deflates and the saline is absorbed into the body. This becomes apparent in a saline implant rupture much sooner than silicones implant rupture.

Saline breast implants come in a large variety of shapes, sizes and profiles. They can be smooth or textured implants allowing you to choose exactly the look you want.

Saline implants require a smaller incision than silicone gel implants because they are filled after they are inserted. This allows the plastic surgeon to use a syringe to inject more liquid or take some out as desired.

For women who are worried about their body rejecting implants, saline implants have a very low infection rate. They generally cost less than silicone gel filled breast implants and this can be a final deciding factor.

Saline filled implants are usually placed under the breast tissue and partially under the pectoral and chest muscles which means that they have a greater tendency to ripple and wrinkle. When this occurs, a breast implant revision may be required.

Saline filled breast implants do not feel quite as natural as silicone gel filled implants and if this is your major concern, then silicone or gummy bear breast implants are in all probability the better choice for you.

Silicone Breast Implants

Silicone breast implants have an outer shell of silicone rubber material. This shell is three layers thick and encloses the semi-solid silicone gel. Doctors and scientists have developed this ideal number of layers because it reduces the amount of gel bleed without making the breast implants feel harder.

Silicone breast implants are very popular with women who want to enhance their breasts but don’t want to compromise the natural feel of them. The implant feels much smoother and softer than saline implants or gummy bear implants.

Silicone breast implants come in a variety of shapes, sizes and profiles and can be smooth or textured. Textured breast implants can decrease the likelihood of capsular contracture, the hardening of the breast tissue around the implant. This is one of the most common side effects of breast implants.

Silicone implants are less likely to ripple or wrinkle than their saline counterparts.

The main disadvantage of silicone gel breast implants is that there are typically no obvious symptoms if they rupture. The silicone gel may stay within the layered shell but it can also leak outside and this can be very dangerous.

A disadvantage of silicone implants is that the size of the implant cannot be changed after it has been inserted. If someone is unhappy with their implants and desires a different size, they will need to have a breast implant revision. During their revision the implants will be taken out and replaced with smaller or larger silicone implants.

Silicone implants are usually more expensive than saline implants. If cost is your main concern, you may want to consider saline implants.

Many plastic surgeons are more familiar with saline breast implants because the FDA banned silicone implants for 14 years (1992-2006). During this time, silicone breast implants were not developed as much as saline implants. Although their technology has been greatly improved since then, you still need to make sure your cosmetic surgeon has had extensive experience with silicone breast implants.

Silicone breast implants are only available to women over the age of 22 and these women are advised to have an MRI three years after their breast augmentation and every two years to make sure no ruptures have occurred.

If you are a woman with small breasts, the breast implant size will concern you the most. The choice is very personal and your plastic surgeon will discuss all your breast augmentation possibilities with you.

Gummy Bear Breast Implants

Gummy bear breast implants are a type of cohesive gel implant that combines the safety of saline filled implants with the feel of silicone gel filled implants. Gummy bear implants are filled with thicker silicone gel than regular silicone implants. This ensures that they keep their shape in an upright position.

For some women, this is a major advantage because they don’t have to worry about the implant shell collapsing or folding over. It also concludes that there is less chance of rippling. The disadvantage gummy bear implants are that they have a distinctive shape and they need to be chosen very carefully because they will impart this shape onto the breast.

Gummy bear breast implants were designed as a solution for women who wanted very natural looking and feeling implants. The purpose of them is not to enlarge the breasts as much as saline or silicone breast implants do.

As gummy bear implants are a relatively new type of breast implant, doctors and scientists are still researching them. Women who desire gummy bear implants need to either enroll in a clinical trial in the United States or go abroad to obtain them.

Gummy bear breast implants have their own unique advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages of Gummy Bear Breast Implants:

· Cohesive gel implants are not subject to gravity forces as much as saline or silicone implants

· A gummy bear implant will maintain its shape and integrity even if it ruptures

· Gummy bear implants last longer than saline or standard silicone

· The chances of capsular contracture (hardening of the breast) occurring are less likely with cohesive gel implants

Disadvantages of Gummy Bear Breast Implants:

· Gummy bear implants need a larger incision so they can be inserted

· They are very difficult to insert through an armpit or areola incision

· Gummy bear implants feel slightly firmer than standard silicone gel implants

· Cohesive gel implants cost significantly more than saline and standard silicone gel implants

Risks and Side Effects of Breast Implants (Breast Augmentation)

All cosmetic surgery procedures have risks and side effects associated with them. Breast enhancement procedures are no exception and should be taken extremely serious. Breast implant risks and side effects range from the mild to the severe and may be unique to a particular type of implant.

During your breast implant consultation, the plastic surgeon will outline what is involved with the anesthesia, during the surgery and during your breast implant recovery.

In order to ensure that you are a good candidate for breast implants, the surgeon will confirm that you are aware of these risks and side effects and that you accept them. He or she will, of course, do everything they can to minimize them.

Breast augmentation has been a very popular cosmetic procedure for many years and both the breast implants and the technology used during surgery have been refined. Fortunately, most procedures are carried out without any complications and only the expected discomfort.

SURGICAL – Breast Implant Risks and Side Effects:

Bad reaction to general anesthetic (nausea, vomiting, increased blood pressure and heart rate), Excessive bleeding, Infection, Hematoma (break in a blood vessel), Seroma (collection of fluid underneath the skin), Blood clots, Tissue death (necrosis), Implant extrusion or rejection (the body rejects the implant and pushes it out),Change in sensitivity or numbness in the nipples or breast area,Capsular contracture (breast implant hardening), Galactorrhea (production of breast milk), Unwanted scarring, Breast implant deflation, Implant rupture, Soreness and stiffness, Granulomas (occurs when silicone gel implant ruptures and leaks), and Death

COSMETIC - Breast Implant Risks and Side Effects:

Rippling, wrinkling and contour irregularities, Symmastia (breast implants end up touching each other in the middle of the chest), Bottoming Out (breast implant loses its tissue support and slips below the inframammary crease), Mondor's Cord (presence of a bulging vein under your breast lobe, on your abdomen and breast caused by inflammation of a vein), Generally unhappy with your results and desire a breast implant revision

Recovery from Breast Implants (Breast Augmentation)

Your breast implant recovery is an imperative part of the breast augmentation process. It starts as soon as your surgery is completed and may last for months afterwards.

As many breast implant risks and side effects tend to occur after the surgery, you will need to pay close attention to what is happening with your body. If any complications do arise, contact your plastic surgeon so you can deal with them quickly.

The actual breast implant surgery is an outpatient procedure which means that you will not have to stay overnight in the hospital. If you chose to general anesthetic, you may need to stay at the clinic for a few hours so that you can be monitored by the medical staff.

One of the first things that you will notice with your breast implant recovery is that your breasts feel sore and swollen. Cold compresses and ice packs can comfort this. Keeping your upper body elevated also helps to reduce swelling and pain. You will need to sleep on your back with a pillow under your head and back for a few days after your surgery.

In order to remove the excess fluid that may build up in your breasts during your breast implant recovery, the surgeon may have placed some small drains in the incisions. These thin plastic tubes will be removed at your first follow up appointment.

It is important to keep your incisions dry until they heal. Surgical tape is typically sufficient for this but be aware that you will not be able to shower until the incisions have closed. You will also not be able to raise your arms over your head during your breast implant recovery because this may challenge the stitches.

Your breast augmentation recovery is a time for you to heal and relax. Patients should not be indulging in anything strenuous that will increase blood pressure. Your plastic surgeon may have prescribed you pain medication and antibiotics to reduce the chances for infection. It is very important to stay healthy during this time.

Once you can start moving around, it is a good idea to start by walking in order to prevent blood clots. You should be able to resume your day to day activities within a week or two and it will take about one month to feel healed. The swelling and bruising may last 3-4 months but this will not be noticeable as time passes.

Regardless of whether you chose silicone breast implants, saline breast implants or gummy bear breast implants, breasts will feel firm for the first couple of weeks. They may also sit up higher on your chest than your breasts did before. This is normal and your skin will stretch to accommodate your implants. Breasts will soon soften and drop down to the correct and desired level.

Revision of Breast Implants (Breast Augmentation)

Breast augmentation revision is a common cosmetic surgery procedure. The reasons for revision can be aesthetic or medical. Some women choose to remove their breast implants entirely in a procedure called breast explantation.

This can also be for aesthetic or medical reasons. Each year, thousands of breast augmentation revisions are carried out. The most important thing is that you are healthy and happy as a result of your breast implants.

Aesthetic reasons women for breast implants revision:

· The implants are too big and you want something smaller

· The implants are too small and you want something bigger

· Different shape of breast implant (round, tear drop etc) or profile (low or high) is preferred

· Generally unhappy with the breast implants and want to go back to what they were before surgery

· You do not like the look or feel of them

· Wish to try silicone implants instead of saline implants (or vice versa)

· Desire to try textured implants instead of smooth implants (or vice versa)

Medical reasons women undergo breast implants revision:

· Capsular contracture (hardening of breast tissue around the implant)

· Consistent complications and side effects

· Implant displacement

· Rupture (silicone) or deflation (saline) and subsequent issues connected to the rupture

· Shifting, asymmetry, sagging, wrinkling or rippling

· Bad reaction to the implants (bleeding, infection)

· Necrosis (formation of dead tissue around the implant)

If a woman wishes to undergo a revision for cosmetic reasons, it is recommended that she wait 3-6 months for her body to heal and the implants to settle. Sometimes, breast implants feel strange and new and will take time getting comfortable with.

Subsequent aging, weight loss, childbirth and breastfeeding can all affect a woman’s breasts and implants are no exception. Women in this category are good candidates for breast implant revision. In some of these cases, a breast lift is combined with breast augmentation.

Breast implant revision takes place under general or local anesthetic in an outpatient clinic. The procedure takes 30-60 minutes and during this time the plastic surgeon removes the implants via an incision under the breast or through the nipple.

Saline implants may be deflated first. Breast implant revision usually costs more than the original surgery because it is generally more complicated. The recovery times will also take longer.

Cost of Breast Implants (Breast Augmentation)

At times, the deciding factor of cosmetic surgery is the final cost. Plastic surgery can be expensive depending on the locations and who your plastic surgeon is. In places like the United States and United Kingdom, the cost of breast implants is much more than what the average person can afford. That is why increasing numbers of medical tourists are traveling abroad for more affordable treatment.

Individuals are starting to realize that they can get the same high quality care as they would back home in destinations such as Turkey, Cyprus and Mexico at a fraction of the price.

In many cases, the cost of breast implants are more reasonable overseas giving patients the same opportunity to choose from the very best clinics and plastic surgeons. There is no compromise on their bodies to fit their budgets.

The best thing about traveling overseas for treatment is that you can combine the cosmetic surgery procedures you have always wanted with an amazing holiday. You can use this time to visit somewhere you have always wanted to go, explore another culture and see sites you would not otherwise have seen.

One of the most attractive places for many US and Canadian medical tourists is Dominican Republic, because of its central location between North and South America. The Dominican Republic provides affordable health care facilities and low-cost in the capital of Santo Domingo is the driving force for many plastic surgery patients who travel for plastic surgery.

During the last decade, plastic surgery in Mexico has grown becoming a thriving business, attracting hundreds of patients looking for quality, cut-rate body contour treatments.

Breast implant surgery can be used to indulge in adventures, try new cuisines, and discover a different city or visit spectacular natural parks.

While you are recovering from your breast implants, you may want to do more relaxing activities such as spending time on the beach or shopping at colorful markets. How you spend your time is completely up to you.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average cost for silicone breast implants in the United States in 2005 was just over $4,000USD. However this cost is for the procedure alone; additional costs include the anesthesiologist fee, medical facility fee, pre-op tests, and post-op care. The all-inclusive cost for breast implants in the US Is generally $7,000-10,000USD. In the UK, it is generally $4,000-5,000GBP.