Breast enhancement surgery, otherwise called breast augmentation or breast enlargement surgery, is one of the best-known cosmetic operations by name, but there are relatively few people who are familiar with the details of the procedure. Over 350,000 breast enlargement procedures were performed in 2008 in the US alone, according to data provided by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, making it one of the top 5 most commonly performed cosmetic surgical procedures for women.
Women seek breast augmentation surgery for a number of reasons. Breast enhancement can be used in order to correct a difference in the size of the breasts, as well as to reconstruct the breasts in the event of a mastectomy or other surgical procedure; the term “breast reconstruction surgery” is generally used in cases such as these. Breast augmentation is also used to address hereditary issues involving the breasts including micromastia, a condition that results in the severe underdevelopment of the breasts, as well as other conditions involving the complete absence of one or both breasts.
Most commonly, though, most women who decide to receive breast augmentation surgery do so for purely cosmetic reasons. Detrimental effects upon the individual’s social and work life are often a result of self-consciousness about one’s appearance, and this includes the appearance of the breasts. Conversely, by achieving the type of appearance they want, individuals can improve every aspect of their lives. Knowing this, the popularity of breast enlargement is no surprise.
Breast augmentation surgery can involve any of a number of methods, which can vary with regard to their suitability to the individual dependent upon several factors including the amount of augmentation desired, physical characteristics, operations undergone previously, and others. One factor common to all breast augmentation procedures is the use of implants. There are two basic types of breast implants: silicone implants and saline implants.
Saline implants are somewhat less common than silicone implants, and are comprised of a shell made of a silicone elastomer which, after initially being implanted during the breast enhancement procedure, is filled with a a saline solution, containing water and salt. That saline implants are filled after insertion makes them slightly more adaptable in comparison to silicone implants. On the other hand, saline implants are considered to be useful only for smaller augmentation procedures. They are also somewhat susceptible to rippling, wrinkling, and other such issues, as well as being thought to be more obvious to the touch than silicone implants, although there is some debate on this point.
Conversely, silicone implants are filled with a silicone gel, while having a silicone elastomer shell not overly different from those used with saline implants. Like saline implants, silicone implants have been in production since the 1960s, but the nature of silicone implants has seen changes gradually over time. Modern silicone implants are quite different in comparison to the first generation; a semi-solid gel is now the norm, which all but completely erases the leaking issues that previous implants, with their more liquid-like gel, were known to experience.
Different techniques are used for the surgery itself. The most commonly used method for breast augmentation surgery is the inframammary incision method. This method involves the use of an incision made in the area just below the breast, called the inframammary area. The implant can be inserted through this incision. The inframammary incision technique involves perhaps the least risk of complications of any type of breast augmentation procedure, and the resulting scars are almost always completely hidden underneath the breast afterward.
An incision is made around the border of the areola in the periareolar incision method. Silicone implants cannot be used for this type of procedure, as the incision is too small to accommodate them. On the other hand, this technique does permit the surgeon to alter the position of the breast substantially, which may be requested by the patient in some cases.
In some cases, the surgeon may be required to make the incision farther away from the breast; this can also be requested by individuals who are worried about scarring appearing on or around the breast. The transumbilical incision is one made in the navel area, which can be performed simultaneously with a tummy tuck, while a transaxillary incision is an incision made in the armpit area. In both cases, the surgeon may use an endoscope in order to help in correctly placing the implant. Both of these procedures are usually only carried out with the use of saline implants.
As with any type of surgical procedure, there are some risks involved in breast augmentation surgery. Additionally, after undergoing this kind of operation, the patient will normally require at least six weeks to recover fully, and strenuous physical activity must be avoided during this time in order to make sure that the procedure is successful in the end.
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