Breast Augmentation (Enlargement)
Surgical Procedures » Breast Improvement » Breast Augmentation
For many patients the size or shape of their breasts can be a real issue influencing lifestyle, clothing styles and self-esteem. Breast augmentation has significantly helped many women improve their self-confidence by enlarging and reshaping their breasts.
Breast Implants
Breast implants can be filled with either normal saline (salt water) or silicone gel (jelly consistency). The implant's shape can be round or teardrop. The breast implants can be high profile or low profile depending on the amount of breast fullness that needs to be achieved.
The decision regarding breast implant location is based upon a number of factors such as:
- Present or desired shape and size of breast
- Amount of fatty tissue on the upper pole of the breast
- Hobbies including gym work and swimming
- Cleavage desires
- Type of implants, saline or silicone
- Future breast screening including mammography and ultrasound
- Whether a mastopexy (breast lift) is required simultaneously
The Initial Breast Augmentation Consultation
At your initial consultation a clinical examination is performed and a detailed history taken. This will establish the following information about yourself:
- Breast size, shape and symmetry
- Nipple position
- Chest shape, height and fat distribution
- Body habitus: waist, hip and shoulder dimensions
Measurements will be taken of your chest wall and breast. This will help in the decision making process regarding size, shape and location of your future breast implant. Unavoidable limitations of your existing breast and chest wall will be pointed out to you and will be documented photographically.
Dr Flood encourages patients to bring in photographs of breasts, both in and out of bra cups, which the patients like and dislike. "A picture tells a thousand words" aids with the discussion regarding the implants' size and shape. Dr Flood encourages patients to bring a larger size bra to their consultation to allow different sizes to be inserted to help with the decision making process.
The Breast Augmentation Operative Plan
At the conclusion of the initial consultation an operative plan is established. The key elements of this plan are:
- Is a breast lift required as well
- What shape implant is required, round or teardrop
- What profile of implant is required, high or medium
- What location will the implant be placed - behind or in front of the muscle or dual plane
- What will be the surface of the implant - textured or smooth
- What will be the size of the implant
- Finally, what is the correlation between the ideal implant size for this patient's breast given the dimensional analysis and the photographs the patient has provided of breasts that she likes and dislikes.
The Second Breast Augmentation Consultation
Dr Flood usually prefers that the patient have a second consultation prior to proceeding with the breast agumentation surgery. This enables him to go through with the patient the final decisions that were made regarding the breast augmentation operative plan. Dr Flood encourages patients to bring their partners with them at this consultation so that their partners can see how important the desired operation is to the patient. The consultation allows Dr Flood to clarify any questions the patient has and to assess their final expectations.
Breast Augmentation Operation
The operation is performed under an anaesthetic and takes approximately one to one and a half hours to perform. At times a disposable saline implant is used as a "sizer" to aid in the final decision on implant size during the procedure. All sutures used during the procedure to close the wounds are dissolvable saving patients the need for suture removal. No drains are required. A binder is used to keep compression around the breasts overnight. This is replaced the following morning by the patient's own sports bra.
Post-operatively there is some discomfort which lasts between 4-7 days. There is some minor bruising which usually subsides within two weeks. Swelling has usually subsided by 3-4 weeks. Swelling is often dependent on the location of the implant.
Patients are allowed to shower the next day. They can return to work after 1 week. They are required to wear their sports bra 24 hours a day, apart from showering, during the first two weeks.
Patients are allowed to return to lower body exercises after three weeks. Upper body exercises including gym work can be recommenced six weeks post-operatively.
Dr John Flood also provides the following related services:
