Relatively recently, a new branch of medicine has emerged - aesthetic surgery, the purpose of which is breast implantation. According to statistics, most often the fair sex, dissatisfied with the size of their breasts, resort to the services of plastic surgeons. Breast augmentation operations are carried out using special implants.
Indications for it may be:
- The desire of the patient to increase the size of the breast and give it a more attractive shape.
- Breast reconstruction after radical mastectomy (removal), due to various diseases.
- Asymmetry of the mammary glands.
- Congenital anomalies and anatomical defects.
- Consequences of trauma.
When a woman decides that she needs breast augmentation surgery, she faces 3 main tasks, on which a positive result will largely depend: the choice of a clinic, a specialist surgeon and types of breast implants.
The choice of a specialist
How to choose the right clinic and plastic surgeon? In large cities, there are many clinics offering plastic surgery services. There is a fear of running into unscrupulous specialists, and then for many years to pay with their health and frayed nerves. In legal practice, there are quite a few precedents when they were held accountable and forced to pay material and moral damages.
It should be remembered that the cost of good implants and the work of a team of doctors is quite high. You should not buy into various promotions and discounts, if an operation is offered at a cost much lower than the market average, then it is better not to risk your health and refuse.
There are several criteria for a competent choice of clinic:
- The institution has permits, corresponding licenses, its specialists have undergone specialized training and present notarized copies of graduation from the university, specialization courses.
- The clinic has all the necessary equipment, including devices for resuscitation and intensive care.
- The operation is performed by a team of surgeons, resuscitators, operating nurses.
- The cost of services includes post-operative care and supervision.
- The clinic has good patient reviews and is respected in the medical community.
- The doctor talks in detail about the nuances of the operation and the service agreement, including a section on possible complications.
- The clinic carefully checks the patient's health before setting the date of the operation.
So, the clinic and the plastic surgeon who will perform the operation have been determined. It remains to choose breast implants.
Choice of implants
What are they? Breast implants are a shell filled with a certain composition.
As a filler are used:
- saline;
- gel;
- mixture of solutions.
Breast implants with saline at the present stage of development of aesthetic surgery are practically not used. They cannot provide a long-term cosmetic effect - over time, folds and tubercles appear on the surface of the breast. The gel content in the implant cannot move as freely, so it is preferred.
The latest generation of implants from leading Western manufacturers is based on a special gel that does not move when the body position changes. As a result, the breast retains its attractive shape for many years.
Gel breast implants have:
- Durable silicone fiber outer shell.
- Cohesive gel filler having a jelly consistency.
- When broken, the gel does not leak into the breast tissue, but remains inside.
It is important to choose an anatomical implant that will fit the natural shape of the patient's breasts. With a flat chest, it is recommended to install drop-shaped implants, with sagging - round. The surgeon and the patient must come to a common decision about mammoplasty and implants. In good clinics, it is proposed to create a 3D model, which makes it possible to evaluate the result of a future operation.
In addition to the shape, the size of the implants is selected. In modern models, one size corresponds to 150 ml of gel filler. If it is planned to increase the size of the breast by two sizes, implants with a volume of 300 ml are selected.
There are special cases when the surgeon injects the filler into the shell during the operation. He makes an individual decision on the amount of gel to be injected based on:
- body proportions,
- chest width,
- current breast size
- skin density.
After the implant is placed in the breast, a capsule of connective tissue is formed over time, which penetrates into its pores. The breast becomes naturally soft to the touch and does not deform over time. In some patients, a very dense capsule is created, which makes the mammary glands hard. Over time, this can cause them to lose their shape.
Location of implants
How are implants positioned during surgery? The location of implants in the breast determines the shape of the mammary glands. How quickly and well they "take root" in the body depends on his correct choice.
There are several ways to place implants:
- Above the pectoral muscle. Patients quickly and easily pass the rehabilitation period, the edema subsides in a short time. Contraction of the pectoral muscles does not cause deformation of the implant. But over time, it can grow into a dense connective capsule, which makes mammography difficult.
- Under the pectoral muscle. In this case, the implant will not interfere with mammography, does not become overgrown with a dense capsule, but may be deformed due to contraction of the mammary glands.
- Intermediate position between the fascia of the pectoral muscle and the tissues of the mammary gland. This allows you to securely fix the implant and avoid negative effects.
Breast implantation is performed in a clinic, usually under general anesthesia. The surgeon makes an incision from under the armpit under the breast crease, or around the areola. In this case, less noticeable scars remain. The duration of the operation, depending on the complexity, is 1-2 hours.
Recovery period after mammoplasty
On the first day after the operation, the patient remains under the supervision of doctors and medical staff in the clinic. With normal health, she is discharged after dressing on the second day. On the 5-7th day after the operation, control examinations are carried out and, if necessary, dressings are performed, and on the 10-14th day, the sutures are removed. The rest of the rehabilitation period in the absence of complications is carried out by the patient herself.
She must:
- wear special compression underwear prescribed by a doctor,
- limit the physical load on the shoulder girdle,
- in process of recovery to be engaged in a habitual way of life,
- protect the chest from injuries of overheating and hypothermia,
- gradually return to sports.
The entire rehabilitation period, when the edema completely disappears and the results of mammoplasty can be assessed, is 4-6 months.
Risks of Breast Augmentation Surgery
Mammoplasty belongs to the category of complex operations, after which general surgical complications may occur:
- Bleeding. The risk of bleeding is increased by poor blood clotting, sometimes an unsutured blood vessel or a torn suture can be the cause.
- Infection. The operating field for mammoplasty is extensive, an infection from the surrounding skin can get into the wound.
- The formation of dense scars. Sometimes disfiguring scars form at the site of the sutures. They are removed by excision.
In addition to general surgical complications, there are specific inherent in breast augmentation operations:
- Rupture of the implant. In rare cases, this happens due to violations of the patient's regime during the rehabilitation period or as a result of implant defects.
- Breast deformity with round implants. Occurs if the patient ignores the wearing of compression underwear, or because of the wrong tactics for installing the implant.
- Loss of sensation in the nipple and areola. The reason is a violation of the integrity of the nerve endings.
- Edema due to impaired lymphatic drainage.
- The formation of a dense capsular membrane, which can deform the breast with anatomical implants.
Alternative breast augmentation
Is there an alternative to breast augmentation surgery? The use of cosmetics - creams, gels, ointments does not give positive results. You can't enlarge your breasts this way. In addition, the hormones they contain can cause a state of imbalance that is very difficult to correct.
Lack of volume and asymmetry can be compensated by wearing a special bra. But still, only breast augmentation surgery can restore a woman's self-confidence and her attractiveness.