Breast augmentation, technically
known as breast enlargement, but also colloquially known as a boob job is a
surgical procedure to enhance the size and shape of a
woman's breast for a number of reasons.
Before
After
The Typical Breast Augmentation Patient
To enhance the body contour of a woman who, for personal reasons, feels her breast size is too small.
To correct a reduction in breast volume after pregnancy.
To balance a difference in breast size.
As a reconstructive technique following breast surgery.
By inserting an implant behind each breast, surgeons are
able to increase a woman's bustline by one or more bra
cup sizes. If you're considering breast augmentation,
this will give you a basic understanding of the
procedure--when it can help, how it's performed, and
what results you can expect. It can't answer all of your
questions, since a lot depends on your individual
circumstances. Please ask your surgeon if there is
anything you don't understand about the procedure.
The Best Candidates For Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation can enhance your appearance and your
self-confidence, but it won't necessarily change your
looks to match your ideal, or cause other people to
treat you differently. Before you decide to have
surgery, think carefully about your expectations and
discuss them with your surgeon.
The best candidates for breast augmentation are women
who are looking for improvement, not perfection, in the
way they look. If you're physically healthy and
realistic in your expectations, you may be a good
candidate.
All Breast Augmentation Surgery Carries Some Uncertainty And Risk
Breast augmentation or breast enlargement is relatively straightforward. But
as with any boob job operation, there are risks associated with
surgery and specific complications associated with this
procedure.
The most common problem, capsular contracture, occurs if
the scar or capsule around the implant begins to
tighten. This squeezing of the soft implant can cause
the breast to feel hard. Capsular contracture can be
treated in several ways, and sometimes requires either
removal or "scoring" of the scar tissue, or perhaps
removal or replacement of the implant.
As with any surgical procedure, excessive bleeding
following the breast enlargement or boob job operation may cause some swelling and
pain. If excessive bleeding continues, another operation
may be needed to control the bleeding and remove the
accumulated blood.
A small percentage of women develop an infection around
a boob job implant. This may occur at any time, but is most
often seen within a week after surgery. In some cases,
the implant may need to be removed for several months
until the infection clears. A new implant can then be
inserted.
Some women report that their nipples become
oversensitive, undersensitive, or even numb. You may
also notice small patches of numbness near your
incisions. These symptoms usually disappear within time,
but may be permanent in some patients.
There is no evidence that breast implants will affect
fertility, pregnancy, or your ability to nurse. If,
however, you have nursed a baby within the year before
augmentation, you may produce milk for a few days after
surgery. This may cause some discomfort, but can be
treated with medication prescribed by your doctor.
Occasionally, breast implants may break or leak. Rupture
can occur as a result of injury or even from the normal
compression and movement of your breast and implant,
causing the man-made shell to leak. If a saline-filled
implant breaks, the implant will deflate in a few hours
and the salt water will be harmlessly absorbed by the
body.
If a break occurs in a gel-filled implant, however, one
of two things may occur. If the shell breaks but the
scar capsule around the implant does not, you may not
detect any change. If the scar also breaks or tears,
especially following extreme pressure, silicone gel may
move into surrounding tissue. The gel may collect in the
breast and cause a new scar to form around it, or it may
migrate to another area of the body. There may be a
change in the shape or firmness of the breast. Both
types of breaks may require a second operation and
replacement of the leaking implant. In some cases, it
may not be possible to remove all of the silicone gel in
the breast tissue if a rupture should occur.
A few women with breast implants have reported symptoms
similar to diseases of the immune system, such as
scleroderma and other arthritis-like conditions. These
symptoms may include joint pain or swelling, fever,
fatigue, or breast pain. Research has found no clear
link between silicone breast implants and the symptoms
of what doctors refer to as "connective-tissue
disorders".
While there is no evidence that breast implants cause
breast cancer, they may change the way mammography is
done to detect cancer. When you request a routine
mammogram, be sure to go to a radiology center where
technicians are experienced in the special techniques
required to get a reliable x-ray of a breast with an
implant. Additional views will be required. Ultrasound
examinations may be of benefit in some women with
implants to detect breast lumps or to evaluate the
implant.
While the majority of women do not experience these
complications, you should discuss each of them with your
physician to make sure you understand the risks and
consequences of boob job surgery such as breast augmentation or breast enlargement.
