Whether it is done for breast reconstruction after mastectomy or just to enhance an overall body image, it is imperative that prior to undergoing this procedure that one familiarizes herself with the many different options available and select the best one based on the following criteria …

- consultation with the surgeon,

- health history

- and individual expectations.

Once the surgery is over, the patient is probably wondering what is in store for her during recovery. Unfortunately, there are no hard and fast rules that apply in the recovery process.

Post-Operative Care

The timeline for recovery is a highly individual matter since it is based on a couple of variable factors such as the individual response to the surgery itself, as well as how invasive the actual procedure was.

The most important course of action immediately following surgery is to follow all the recommendations of your surgeon regarding post-operative care.

One also needs to consistently self-monitor body temperature and assess the suture area in order to evaluate how healing is progressing. Any elevation of temperature and/or any abnormal findings should be immediately reported to your surgeon to ensure that the proper course of treatment is implemented as quickly as possible to minimize any potential health risks that would thwart a safe and speedy recovery.

An elevated body temperature can signify an underlying infection. In that case, you will be administered antibiotics. Make sure to take them for the prescribed amount of time. (If you are given antibiotics and are currently using oral contraceptives it is advisable to use an additional form of protection during sexual intercourse. Administrations of antibiotics interfere with the efficacy of oral contraceptives.)

Swelling

One thing too for the patient to keep in mind is that post surgical swelling is inevitable, as well as the visual prominence of the incision lines. The swelling of the breast and nearby area will eventually go down, and the incision lines will also fade over time. Swelling or inflammation is the body’s normal response to injury. Surgery of any kind triggers the body to respond as if the body is injured. Breast swelling can last for up to four months.

Please note that it will take some time before you can safely resume your normal level of activity. Therefore, you need to be patient, and take on light activities in the first few days following your breast implants. It will take at least four weeks before you can introduce any type of strenuous activity.

Pain and Bruising

You will more than likely feel some discomfort after the anesthesia wears off. Depending on discomfort level the surgeon may prescribe painkillers. You may also observe some bruising after surgery and this is quite normal. It will eventually disappear once the healing process is well under way.

The amount of bruising can depend on the individual, the type of technique used for the breast implants and epinephrine levels in the body. Your surgeon may tell you to put ice packs on your breasts for 48 hours or longer. Your daily routine will be temporarily disrupted immediately after breast augmentation. Activities such as sleeping and bathing will require modifications that will be initially inconvenient.

You will need to sleep with your upper body elevated and you may have to have a prescription sleep aid or muscle relaxer to ease sore muscles. Until your incisions are completely closed and the sutures removed you will have to take a sponge bath. Also, your emotions may be of the roller coaster variety. That too is quite normal.

However, not every woman that wants these devices should get them or would be a good candidate for the surgery. Some of the factors that should be considered include age, pregnancies, history of depression, life changes, and motive.

Age

Many young ladies opt to have augmentation surgery. Some young women desire implants because their breasts never completely formed, a condition called micromastia or they have noticeably uneven breasts.

These conditions would qualify the patient as a good candidate even at their young age, but in most cases, young women in their twenties should consider waiting to have the surgery performed. This is because your breast tissue changes with age while the implants remain the same, making for an unnatural appearance.

It is also important for young women to realize that these devices don’t last forever. Implants don’t have an expiration date but they do wear out and get weaker over time. They begin to leak and in general need to be replaced after twenty years. So unless an eighteen-year-old is willing to replace her implants at least twice in her lifetime, she ought to consider waiting a few more years.

Pregnancy

When becoming pregnant, ladies notice a natural enlargement of the breasts. This is due to the hormone changes that accompany pregnancy. The body is preparing to feed the baby when it arrives, whether you plan on breastfeeding or not.

And similarly, after pregnancy and breastfeeding is finished, they notice a “deflating” of the breasts. Considering the dramatic changes that occur in the breast naturally during pregnancy it is best for women to wait until they are finished having children before opting to have a breast augmentation procedure.

Depression

Many women with a psychiatric illness or a history of depression see breast augmentation as a way to change themselves. However, these patients have unrealistic expectations of implant surgery. Although this change may improve the patients self image, it will not change the patients’ vulnerability to depression. This procedure is not a quick fix for mental illness.

Life Changes

Many plastic surgeons will not perform this procedure going through major life changes such as a divorce or coping with a death in the family. Women often use implants to mask bigger problems and opting for breast augmentation surgery is not an appropriate way to deal with those problems. Women need to realize that getting implants won’t change their lives, save their marriage, get them a new job, or help them meet someone.

Motive

Women that are seeking improved self image but whose self-esteem does not depend wholly on the appearance of their body, are good candidates for breast implant surgery. Women need to be self motivated to have the surgery in order to be satisfied with the results. Breast implant surgery should not be performed in the hopes that it will save a marriage or keep a boyfriend. Those are unrealistic expectations.

This concern is completely normal and natural as most women want to appear as feminine and attractive as they can. Our self-image and self-esteem is inextricably linked to how members of the opposite sex react to us. Breast augmentation can enhance a woman’s self-esteem and boost her confidence in dating and intimate situations.

However if you’re already in a relationship you’ll want to consult the man in your life before you take the big decision to get implants. Men are individuals with their own preferences, especially when it concerns the woman in their lives. Not all men are focused on a woman’s breasts. Some prefer other parts of the body such as hips and legs.

Some men like large-busted women, while others find smaller-chested, more athletic women attractive. Among those who find large breasts attractive, there are some who do not care whether a woman has fake boobs or real ones. Others prefer natural breasts, whether large or small, and may not be keen on you getting implants except in case of a surgical correction or reconstruction.

Many men are aware that breast augmentation has associated risks and complications. The ones who care about us will be more concerned about our health and well-being than about us having a bigger bust. However most women who get augmentation do it because they are not happy about the way they look and want to fit into clothes better.

In today’s world of pret-a-porter clothing breast size makes a difference to what clothes and sizes you can pick off the rack. Men and women are both judged on the way they look and our men would prefer that we be happy about the way we look and feel. A man will usually respect the woman’s right to get surgical enhancement just as long as it makes her happy and helps her feel better about herself.

Ultimately, both men and women want to be loved for who they are. But the reality is that men are visual creatures and that breasts are one of a woman’s most attractive features. Women have also been brought up to believe that large breasts are a measure of her femininity.

So if you ask the question, “What do men think about breast implants and the women who have them”? the answer would simply be that it depends on the man. If the man in your life is apprehensive about you going under the knife, it might help to find a competent and board-certified surgeon who will put his fears at ease.

If your man feels like he’s part of the process and feels free to ask your surgeon any questions about the fears he has, it will help him feel better and be more supportive of your decision to undergo surgery. But remember that you are the one who has to live with the changes in your body. So the decision to get breast implants must be your choice alone, and based on what makes you feel good.

The central focus of the article was a study conducted by the Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, that brought to question the validity of prior research claiming that trace amounts of silicone in a woman’s breast milk could have harmful effects on the nursing infant. According to the La Leche League, the results of the previous study were faulty for several reasons. First, the data was not collected in an adequately controlled environment; in addition, there was not enough proof linking the findings of physical problems in the infants (namely, rheumatic complaints) with the breast implants of their mothers.

La Leche League concluded that the known benefits of breastfeeding far outweigh the anecdotal evidence (or lack thereof) which suggests that breast implants might cause some harm to a nursing infant. There are multiple reasons for this assertion, but the main component is that silicone is a common, organic compound that is found in everything from the sand children play in to the cookware in which their meals are prepared. For any study to suggest that ingesting trace amounts of it could be potentially dangerous is simply overreaching.

One concern that women should take into consideration when choosing implants is the slight risk for potential damage that the surgery could cause in their milk ducts, particularly if the implant is placed above the pectoral muscle. You should discuss your options with your plastic surgeon regarding ways to conduct the breast augmentation procedure to create the least amount of potential damage to your milk ducts. Implants placed below the pectoral muscle are usually the safest way to assure that the milk ducts will not be damaged during the procedure. Also, foregoing a periareolar incision will help to ensure as little damage as possible to the milk ducts, although many women have had breast implants successfully placed over the muscle and with periareolar incisions, and were still able to breastfeed their infants.

For this reason, a woman must educate herself on breast augmentation placement options prior to surgery. The following article will outline some of the various locations as well as the pros and cons surrounding that choice.

1. Inframammary Incision-The location of this scar remains hidden under the fold at the bottom of the breast.

Pros:

* Does not interfere with breastfeeding

* Scar is completely hidden naturally by the breast

* This particular site gives the doctor extra control in the actual placement of the implant.

Cons:

* Wearing a bra can cause irritation to the scar as it rubs up against the breast. This can be painful at first and itchy as the wound start to heal.

* Might not be the best option for previously flat chested women that don’t have extra tissue to create that hidden crease.

2. Peri-Areolar Incision-This site goes around the nipple or on the outer edge of the areola.

Pros:

* This incision gives the surgeon more control in making sure the nipples are placed evenly.

* The scar eventually fades to a color close to the areola for minimal visibility.

* A good choice for people undergoing a breast lift at the same time, as a cut must be made around the nipple anyway.

Cons:

* 20% of patients report difficulty breastfeeding with this incision

* There is a small risk of losing sensation in the nipple.

* Chance of nerve damage.

3. Transaxillary Incision-This cut is actually placed in one of the crease lines of the armpit.

Pros:

* The scar remains hidden under the arm.

* Less interference with a bra and clothing during the healing process.

Cons:

* This incision carries a greater risk of uneven placement of the breasts.

* If there is a problem in the future, an addition cut may required.

* Limited to saline implants only. Silicon implants are prefilled and cannot be moved from the armpit incision area to the chest.

4. Trans-umbilical breast augmentation (TUBA)-This site is located at the navel, better known as the belly-button.

Pros:

* No scarring or chance of nerve damage in the breast.

* Patients report less recovery time with this option.

Cons:

* Limited to saline only as silicone implants are unable to move from the incision site to the chest.

* Greater chance of asymmetry as the doctor has less control of placement working from a tube inserted through the belly button.

Clearly, there are a variety of choices when it comes to breast augmentation incision options-each with valid pros and cons behind the particular technique. Therefore, to ensure a woman is making the right decision, she should speak with her doctor about her concerns and plans for her body.

Does she wish to breast feed? Is she concerned about sensation loss? Will she be undergoing additional surgeries at the same time? These are all extremely important questions that can help a woman and her surgeon decide between the breast augmentation options listed above.

There are many factors to think about when deciding whether to have breast enlargement or augmentation. The newer silicone gel breast implants have been approved by the FDA and have been available since January 2007. Many women share your concern about the safety of these new implants for breast augmentation.

My first comment is that breast augmentation or enlargement, if done on an appropriate candidate by an experienced board certified plastic surgeon should produce an equally pleasing and successful aesthetic or cosmetic result with either type of implant.

The main difference in the result of breast augmentation with saline breast implants from that with silicone gel breast implants is the feel of the implant. If there are no complications such as hardening of the implant, and the result of the surgery is satisfactory, then a silicone gel implant will feel more natural than a saline implant.

There are many factors which contribute to the different feel of the Saline implant and most of them can be predicted or managed. In very thin women with very little breast tissue to cover the implant, the saline will be more palpable. If a capsule forms around the saline implant, it will be more palpable. If the surgeon does not over fill the saline implant, palpable folds can develop.

Placing the saline breast implant beneath the chest muscle helps to prevent palpable folds in the implant and over filling the implant helps prevent folds. Meticulous surgical technique and avoidance of bleeding during surgery also helps avoid the capsule which is scar tissue which makes the implant hard.

A silicone gel breast implant which has been placed under the breast or muscle, with meticulous technique and which does not form a capsule or hardening does result in the most natural feeling breast. A “perfect result” with a silicone gel implant does feel better than a “perfect result” with a saline implant, but visually, the way they look, is about the same, in my opinion.

There are however disadvantages to silicone gel implant breast augmentation or enlargement. The new FDA guidelines require that you have frequent MRI exams to check for rupture-this is expensive. The risk of capsular contraction of the breast implant is about the same with the newer gel implants as with the saline implant-13-15%. In addition if the implant does rupture and need to be replaced, the surgery to replace a silicone gel breast implant is more complex than that for a ruptured saline breast implant.

Most women in my practice find the decision an easy one. Many patients are very health conscious and only concerned with safety, want the least risk, don’t want to bother with MRI’s, and are most concerned with how the breast looks and don’t care about a subtle difference in feel and want the least risk of firmness or capsular contraction of the breast implant. These patients are usually married, have children, and are in their late 20’s to early 40’s. They typically choose saline breast augmentation.

By far the largest group who select silicone gel breast augmentation are patients who have had a previous breast augmentation, usually with saline implants, and want a more natural feeling breast implant and choose to have replacement with silicone gel implants. The other large group of patients selecting sgel breast implants is younger women, single with no children, who have read a lot about breast augmentation and want the most natural feeling implant.

It comes down to your priorities and your situation. Silicone gel breast implants are safe and if there are no complications, they produce a beautiful natural feeling result.

If you want the peace of mind of not worrying about firmness and having to have MRI’s and worrying about the possibility of rupture and you are willing to accept the fact that the implant will be subtly palpable and MAY (many do not form folds) form palpable folds that likely only you will notice, the saline breast implants are a better choice for you.

If you want the best feeling or most natural feeling implant then silicone gel breast implant is the best choice.

The most important thing is for you to find an experienced board certified plastic surgeon who has done many breast augmentation operations and can give you an honest opinion.

In my opinion the most important factor in achieving a good result with either type of breast implant is the skill and experience of the surgeon. This operation needs to be done meticulously and carefully, and not all surgeons take this approach.

Before getting the procedure you need to understand your own feelings about your breasts and the reasons you are getting the implants. Many women simply don’t like the size of their breasts and are comparing themselves to other women who they feel have better breasts. You need to understand that there are no perfect breasts and even after the implants you may not feel they are perfect. Please make sure you aren’t getting implants out of insecurity because that same feeling may exist even after your surgery.

Consider if the implants are worth a permanent solution? Or is it enough just to wear a padded bra? Is the cost worth it to you? If you are struggling with the price of implants than you may not be the best candidate. However, if you can answer the above questions and still want to get breast implants, than you should. Many women get the procedure and are very happy with the results.

Only you can decide if breast augmentation is right for you. Take your time, ask yourself if you are getting them for the right reasons, and make sure to talk with your surgeon and get answers to all your questions before getting the procedure. Also be sure to get consultations with multiple doctors so you are comfortable with the procedure, doctor, and price.

Get financing from your plastic surgeon. Your surgeon’s office may very well have some sort of payment plan.

Get financing from a company which specializes in the financing of cosmetic procedures. Such a company is CareCredit.

Get a home equity loan, a home equity line of credit, or a cash out refinance. You can also try getting a loan through your bank.

There are many websites and even ebooks, which claim to give you the secrets of overseas plastic surgery for cheap. Although they may get you the results you want, these clinics have less quality standards. Furthermore, if you have complications, who are you going to turn to? You may get complications, which threaten your life and make you wonder why you didn’t just get a regular procedure done in the first place.

Brava Breast Enhancement is the only non-surgical alternative to a breast augmentation, which costs about $2,500. Although this sounds like the perfect cheap non-surgical method, it takes around 16 weeks to see any results.

The two options available today for breast augmentation surgery are silicon gel-filled and saline-filled implants, and they each have advantages. Silicone provides a more natural look and feel, while saline provides flexibility, thus allowing the size of the breast implant to be increased or decreased, to create a more uniform look.

The trans-umbilical breast augmentation (TUBA) procedure is one of the most popular options for breast enhancement today. An incision is made in the belly button of the patient during this procedure. With many of the other available breast enhancement surgery options, the incision is made in the armpit or bust.

The TUBA procedure is unique. Once your cosmetic surgeon makes the incision in your belly button, he or she will then tunnel up to the chest area. The surgeon feeds a deflated saline implant through the tunneled section. Once the breast implant is in position, and it can be placed either in front of or behind the muscle, it is inflated with saline solution.

After the TUBA procedure, care should include wearing a sports bra that provides extra support. You will more than likely be on light duty for a few weeks following your procedure, as strenuous physical activities can cause problems until you fully recover.

Of course, the most important part of the decision-making process when undergoing any kind of reconstructive or aesthetic plastic surgery is finding a qualified cosmetic surgeon to perform the procedure. To locate a plastic surgeon in your area who is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, you can go online at Plasticsurgery.

After you locate a doctor in your area that is certified to perform cosmetic plastic surgery, the next step is to schedule a consultation appointment with him or her to determine whether you are a good candidate for breast enhancement surgery. A good plastic surgeon will spend time with you to evaluate both your mental and physical health and give you their unbiased opinion on whether augmentation breast implants is the right choice for you. You need to know all the benefits and risks of the surgery as well as what type of post-operative care you will need.

One of the biggest advantages of the trans-umbilical breast augmentation procedure is that the recovery time is much less than other, more traditional types of breast surgery. The procedure typically results in less visible scarring on the body, less recovery pain, less post-operative care and less down time. A disadvantage of the procedure is that there is a greater chance of the implant being punctured and leaking during installation.

Some of them also suffer from serious psychological and emotional problems. They choose to overcome the problem by undergoing breast enhancement surgery. Such women can go in for female breast augmentation surgery free consultation. This service is available online. Anyone can benefit form this service.

Approaching a breast augmentation specialist can also help you correct the deformities in the breasts. You can also get all the required information related to breast enhancement online. These specialists have an in depth experience in handling such problems. They can guide you on the most suitable surgery for you. The specialists will study your case, take into consideration your physical health and suggest if you should really go in for the surgery.

Breast augmentation surgery may seem a complicated task initially. If done the right way, the patient can recover quickly. It is not that risky. The modern science has made it easy for everyone to avail this service. Anyone can get this kind of surgery performed.

It would be a wise thing to do to seek information related to breast augmentation before going in for the surgery. This will help you know the pros and cons of the surgery. You can also find about the likely expense involved in the surgery and how long it may take to recover.

Breast augmentation surgery is very popular with women. Most of the women feel it gives a boost to their self confidence. Gathering all related information on breast surgery can help one make a wise decision. It will also help one decide if one should indeed go in for the surgery.

One can also find out about breast augmentation before and after procedure. There are various experienced surgeons offering this advice. Many women have benefited from this service in the past. Consulting a breast enhancement surgeon before going in for the surgery can help one immensely. The surgeon will study your personal case in depth and suggest if you should actually go ahead with the surgery.

Many women are afraid to undergo the surgery due to the side effects involved. They fear it may affect their health adversely. The truth is not everybody faces this problem. The risk of side effect varies from one person to another. Breast enlargement surgery can also correct an uneven appearance of breast size and shape.