How to Be Safe With a Breast Augmentation

Asymmetry: The best and easiest way to avoid this very common risk is to choose a breast augmentation surgeon with plenty of experience and expertise. Some women choose to undergo this type of procedure after recently losing a breast to cancer. In this case, it is particularly important for the physician to have a high degree of skill and be able to match the new breast to the existing breast size and shape. Other women have asymmetrical breasts before the procedure, but prefer to have a matching set after the operation. In this situation, the doctor must account for existing asymmetries in height, nipple position, and size and adjust the implant size and placement accordingly. A surgeon with adequate experience should be able to easily create a matching set.

Bacteria: Any increase in inflammation, redness, tenderness, swelling or pain along incision sites should be immediately reported to your surgeon. One of the most dangerous risks of breast augmentation surgery is the occurrence of bacterial infection. Infection can enter the bloodstream through an incision site that isn’t healing properly and will end up with systemic symptoms such as lethargy and fever. Bacteremia in the blood can be a dangerous cause of sepsis and should be avoided at all costs. Infection in the incisions can usually be quickly and adequately treated with a course of antibiotics.

Cigarette smoking: Your doctor will probably tell you to quit smoking at least 2 weeks before and after your breast augmentation surgery. Cigarettes constrict blood vessels, which reduces the flow of blood to the incision sites. This results in delayed delivery of healing materials that the body needs to close the incision sites and can even end up in a dramatic scenario called wound separation. When the edges of the wound separate instead of closing together, the results is less than aesthetic and may result in extensive scarring.

Death: It may sound extreme for such a common elective cosmetic procedure, but your doctor will definitely have you sign a waiver before entering the operating theater and a risk of death will be on that waiver. While the risk is small, anyone undergoing general anesthesia has a risk of a potentially lethal adverse reaction. Obviously, not many people die on the operating table with this kind of procedure, but the risk is still there and your doctor is legally obliged to inform you of it.

Euphoria: One of the most common side effects of breast augmentation is general euphoria with the results. You will be so excited about how you look in a bikini and lingerie that you will hardly want to get fully dressed to go to work in the morning. Enjoy! You have worked hard to get where you are and deserve to feel great about your body. Your cosmetic procedure gives Mother Nature a helping hand and should help you feel better about your appearance and self-esteem. This is especially true of women who have recently lost a breast to cancer and want to regain their feminine figure.