What’s involved in breast enhancement surgery and what to expect. Read on to learn more.
Breast enhancement surgery is a surgical option for women who are
unhappy with the appearance of their breasts for a variety of reasons,
which can include the size, firmness or symmetric appearance. Breast
cancer survivors may also be viable candidates for breast enhancement
surgery to reconstruct a breast lost to cancer.
Your options for breast enhancement include either breast augmentation
to increase breast size, and/or a breast lift to help alleviate saggy
breast tissue. If you are considering breast enhancement surgery, the
first step in the process is to find a plastic surgeon that is a board
member of the American Board of Plastic Surgeons. This certification
verifies that your doctor has actual hands on experience with the
procedure and at least five years of actual surgical experience. Once
you select a surgeon you should discuss what your expectations are for
your surgical results which will vary depending on a variety of factors
including your overall health and age as well as what you want done.
If your breasts are saggy due to age, breast-feeding or childbirth, or a
combination of any of these factors, but overall you're pleased with
your breast size, you may only need to have a breast lift. This can be
done either under general or local anesthesia as an outpatient in about
two to three hours. Your doctor will reshape and lift your breasts by
making incisions where excessive skin is removed. The degree of lift
needed will dictate the length and number of incisions needed to lift
your breast. It is also possible that depending on the degree of breast
sag, your doctor may need to remove your nipple and areola and reattach
them higher up on your breast. Since this can interfere with the future
possibility of breast-feeding, it is best to wait until your done having
children and done breast-feeding.
Breast augmentation, which can also be done with or without a breast
lift, involves increasing your breast size by implanting either saline
or silicone breast implants. Each type of implant carries its own risks
and benefits that you should carefully research and you should go over
any concerns with your doctor to select the type that will be best for
you. This surgery takes one to two hours to perform and can be done
under either general or local anesthesia as an outpatient.
How long it takes to recover will depend on a few factors including how
many procedures you had done at once and how extensive the surgery was
as well as your overall health and age. Generally most patients are
advised to avoid excessive activity including sex and exercise while
they heal, but can expect to go back to normal activities including work
after about a week.
