While breast augmentation is a fairly safe surgical procedure when performed by a skilled surgeon, it can carry some risks. These include general surgery risks and risks specific to the procedure itself.
As far as surgeries go,
breast augmentation is a fairly straightforward procedure with a low risk of side effects. With a skilled surgeon, most women can achieve the curves they are dreaming of without any real problems. Yet, complications and risks are present, and those considering this plastic surgery choice should know what they are so they can make a fully informed decision about their surgeries.
Anesthesia Risk
As with any surgical procedure, this one carries the risk associated with general anesthesia, which is the most common type of anesthesia used in this procedure. If you have ever had surgery under general anesthesia before, then you likely already know whether or not this is a factor for you. If you have an allergy to general anesthesia, which can cause potentially fatal side effects, you may have to forego surgery. There is always a slight risk of this happening, but in the average healthy woman, this risk is very small.
Risks From Surgery
Any time a surgeon cuts your body, you open yourself up to risks like infection or blood loss. These risks are greatly minimized if you choose a skilled surgeon who has a clean, sterile surgery center or performs his surgeries in a hospital. The risk of surgical complications for patients undergoing breast augmentation is not any more or less than for those seeking other surgical procedures. Be sure to discuss these risks with your doctor before you choose surgery.
Surgery Specific Complications
Breast augmentation has some complications that are specific to that particular surgical procedure. For instance, it is possible for the body to reject the implant. If this happens, the implant will be pushed out of the pocket the surgeon created, causing extrusion which is visible from the outside of the body.
Capsular contracture is another possible risk associated with this procedure. With this condition, an excessive amount of scar tissue builds up around the implant, causing the breasts to be tender and even constricting the implant enough to cause fluid to leak out.
Problems with the implants themselves can occur. For instance, implants can deflate or rupture within the body. The type of implant chosen plays a huge role in how strong this risk is, so talk to your doctor about it when you are choosing your implants.
Cosmetic Complications
Some of the complications associated with breast augmentation procedures are purely cosmetic. This means they do not put the patient at risk, but they do cause unsightly cosmetic conditions. This includes rippling or other irregularities in the contour of the breasts, bottoming out of the implant, or implants that end up touching in the middle of the chest. The skill of your surgeon will do much to eliminate these risks.
Emotional Complications
The final type of complication possible with breast augmentation is emotional in nature. You may find after your surgery that you are not happy with your results. In other words, you may feel that they did not deliver as you thought they should, providing you with emotional trauma. The best way to counter this risk is to be open and honest at all times with your surgeon, so you have realistic expectations for your potential results.
