Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation operations became very popular during the 80’s. Indeed, the number of women who underwent breast surgery in the USA stood at around 90,000 during the 90’s. Since then, the number of operations increases by around 30%-40% every year. In Greece, similarly, the number of women who decide to visit a plastic surgeon and undergo surgery is increasing every year too.

When a woman is the best candidate for the procedure?

If you are considering breast augmentation you may like some questions answered. Essentially, breast augmentation is a surgical procedure to enhance the size and the shape of a woman’s breast. You may choose to undergo it for a number of reasons:

Physical appearance: small /under developed breasts

Firstly, to enhance the body contour and enlarge your breast size – Either as a result of natural development or ageing. The right pair of implants will improve the breast size and show satisfactory results for the majority of cases but if the breasts are sagging, the doctor may also recommend a breast lift to achieve a better result.

Psychological reasons

Secondly, breast augmentation procedures are taking place because of psychological reasons too. Women who wish to undergo surgery feel that their breasts are small creating doubts about their sex appeal. In most cases, this leads to lack of confidence and self-esteem. In addition, some perceive it as an obstacle in their sex life. It is amazing how a woman’s behaviour & confidence improves after the operation in relation to her partner and other people. 

The operation process includes:

• A meeting with the surgeon - At your first meeting, the surgeon will evaluate your medical records and general health including family history of any breast tumor or other disease. A medical examination is of paramount importance (blood test, chest X-ray’s etc.) following on the clinical examination. The surgeon will also need to establish if mammography is needed prior to the operation.



• The selection of the implant size and type - Many methods have been proposed in an effort to establish the size of implants needed for each case. I generally, advise on the following process which takes place at the practice: a) The insertion of sample implants into the bra until you feel comfortable and happy and b) the actual breast volume measurement that proves to be more reliable. The above combination will help significantly in deciding on the exact implant size prior to the surgical procedure.
  
  There are a number of different types of implants available such as the ones with rough or smooth surface and other materials with low or high profile. Cohesive implants are the latest development and need to prove their long-term effectives. Anatomic implants are used for more specific cases.



• The operation itself, how is performed, how long will it take etc. - Breast augmentation is usually performed under a general anaesthesia. The method of inserting and positioning your implant will depend on your anatomy and our recommendation. The most popular are the ones where the incision is made in the lower part of the breast (in the crease where the breast meets the chest), around the areola (dark skin surrounding the nipple) or in the armpit. Every detail is discussed prior to the procedure and as every case is different every effort is made so resulting scars are as inconspicuous as possible. The implant is placed under the gland or behind the chest muscle. The whole operation lasts around 1.5 hours and every case will show different results as it does depend upon one’s body anatomy and the implant used.

What can I expect after the operation - After the operation you will be given a surgical bra and you will need to wear for around 2-3 weeks. You should be able to return to your home a few hours after the operation or the following morning after the change of the first gauze bandage. We also recommend medication to control most of the natural discomfort after the operation. We advise to start a very smooth massage after the 6th day which helps to keep the pocket where the implant was placed open, and at the same time it does reduce the woman’s apprehension of feeling her new breasts.

Specific complications associated with this procedure are dealt with, while the capsular conctracture  during the 80’s rarely occurs due to the new generation of implants.

How will I feel after the operation?

For most women, undergoing this type of surgery is a satisfying and happy experience. The implants become very soon part of the body and will not be an obstacle in detecting future illnesses following regular tests such as  mammography, ultra sound tests, etc.The relationship between breast augmentation and breast cancer is not correlated as it has been confirmed by many studies. However, women with family record of breast cancer must be tested prior to the operation taking place.

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