Patients interested in breast augmentation (enlargement) should know that breast implants are not considered permanent since most
patients will require an operation in the future. Breast implants are manmade devices and typically will not last a lifetime.
However, the majority of patients are quite pleased with the results breast implants can provide.
Typical patients would simply like to have larger breasts to compliment their figure or to fill redundant skin after having
children.
Breast augmentation is performed in the office surgical suite while the patient is asleep under general anesthesia. A typical
operation takes 1 to 1.5 hours. The patient has long lasting pain medication placed into the operative site to decrease
immediate post-operative discomfort. Also oral medications are given to reduce the discomfort over the first week.
Most patients do take medication for three to four days after their procedure.
Size can be determined by the desires of the patient, to some extent. A more natural appearing augmentation result is gained
by using smaller implants in proportion to the amout of skin. The size of the implant is somewhat determined by the available
skin on the chest wall. A patient that has had children and perhaps breastfed may have much more skin and would desire a larger
implant to fill the skin. Individuals that desire extremely large breasts in proportion to their body proportion may need implants
replaced several times to increase size. There is no known difficulty associated with breast-feeding after having implants.
The patient should remember that having implants however is like having larger breasts and the breast and chest wall skin will
stretch with time in a similar fashion. Implants that are available currently in the market for most people are saline filled
implants.
The implant is constructed of silicone but this is then filled with salt water. Under certain circumstances patients may be
able to use silicone gel filled implants. This is a type of implant that has a silicone shell that is filled with a type of
silicone gel. Breast implants themselves do not restrict physical activity after complete healing.
– James Green, MD
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