Characteristics of the breast implant

Relatively recently, a new branch of medicine has emerged - cosmetic surgery, the purpose of which is breast implantation. According to statistics, very often the fair sex, dissatisfied with the size of their breasts, resort to the services of plastic surgeons. Breast augmentation operations are performed using special implants.

Indications for it can be:

1. The patient's desire to increase the size of the breast and give it a more attractive shape.
2. Breast reconstruction after radical mastectomy (excision), due to various diseases.
3. Asymmetry of the mammary glands.
4. Congenital anomalies and anatomical defects.
5. Consequences of trauma.

When a woman decides that she needs breast augmentation surgery, she has to face 3 main tasks, on which a positive result will largely depend: the choice of a clinic, a specialist surgeon and the types of breast implants.

The choice of a specialist

How to choose the right clinic and plastic surgeon? In large cities, there are many clinics that offer plastic surgery services. There is a fear of running into unscrupulous specialists, and then for many years to pay with their health and frayed nerves. In legal practice, there are several precedents in which they have been held accountable and forced to pay material and moral damages.

It should be remembered that the cost of good implants and the work of a medical team is quite high. You should not buy various promotions and discounts, if an operation is offered at a cost much lower than the market average, then it is better not to risk your health and refuse.

There are several criteria for a competent choice of clinic:

1. The institution has permits, corresponding licenses, its specialists have undergone specialist training and present certified copies of the university's degree, specialization courses.
2. The clinic has all the necessary equipment, including devices for resuscitation and intensive care.
3. The operation is performed by a team of surgeons, resuscitators, operative nurses.
4. The cost of the services includes post-operative care and supervision.
5. The clinic has good patient reviews and is respected in the medical community.
6. The doctor talks in detail about the nuances of the operation and the service contract, including a section on possible complications.
7. The clinic carefully checks the patient's state of health before setting the date of the operation.

Then, the clinic and the plastic surgeon who will perform the operation have been determined. It remains to choose breast implants.

Choice of implants

Which ones are they? Breast implants are a shell filled with a certain composition.

As a filler are used:

• saline solution;
• gel;
• mixture of solutions.

Breast implants with saline in the current stage of development of cosmetic surgery are practically not used. They cannot provide a long-term cosmetic effect - over time, folds and tubercles appear on the surface of the breast. The gel content in the implant cannot move so freely, so it is preferable.

The latest generation of implants from leading Western manufacturers is based on a special gel that does not move when the position of the body changes. As a result, the breasts retain their attractive shape for many years.

Breast implants in gel have:

1. Durable silicone fiber outer shell.
2. Cohesive gel filler with a gelatinous consistency.
3. When it breaks, the gel does not leak into the breast tissue, but stays inside.

It is important to choose an anatomical implant that fits the natural shape of the patient's breast. With a flat chest, it is recommended to install teardrop-shaped implants, with sagging - round. The surgeon and the patient must make a joint decision on mammoplasty and implants. In good clinics, it is proposed to create a 3D model, which allows you to evaluate the result of a future operation.

In addition to the shape, the size of the implants is selected. In modern models, one size corresponds to 150ml of gel filler. If it is planned to increase the breast size by two sizes, then implants with a volume of 300 ml are selected.

There are special cases where the surgeon injects the filler into the shell during the operation. He makes an individual decision on the amount of gel to inject based on:

• body proportions,
• chest width,
• current breast size
• skin density.

After the implant is inserted into the breast, a connective tissue capsule forms over time and penetrates its pores. The breast naturally becomes soft to the touch and does not deform over time. In some patients, a very dense capsule is created, which makes the mammary glands hard. Over time, this can cause them to lose shape.

Location of the implants

How are implants placed during surgery? The position of the implants in the breast determines the shape of the mammary glands. How quickly and well they "take root" in the body depends on its correct choice.

There are several ways to place implants:

1. Above the pectoral muscle. Patients quickly and easily pass the rehabilitation period, edema subsides in a short time. The contraction of the pectoral muscles does not cause deformation of the implant. But over time it can turn into a dense connective capsule, which makes mammography difficult.
2. Under the pectoral muscle. In this case, the implant will not interfere with mammography, it will not be covered with a dense capsule, but it may deform due to the contraction of the mammary glands.
3. Intermediate position between the fascia of the pectoral muscle and the tissues of the mammary gland. This allows you to securely fix the implant and avoid negative effects.

Breast implantation is performed in a clinic, usually under general anesthesia. The surgeon makes an incision from the armpit under the crease of the breast or around the areola. In this case, less noticeable scars remain. The duration of the operation, depending on the complexity, is 1-2 hours.

Recovery period after mammoplasty

On the first day after the operation, the patient remains under the supervision of doctors and medical staff in the clinic. In normal health, she is discharged after getting dressed on the second day. On the 5-7th day after the operation, control examinations are performed and, if necessary, dressings are performed, and on the 10-14th day, the sutures are removed. The rest of the rehabilitation period, in the absence of complications, is carried out by the patient herself.

She must:

• wearing special compression underwear prescribed by a doctor,
• limit the physical load on the shoulder girdle,
• on the mend to engage in a habitual lifestyle,
• protect the chest from overheating injuries and hypothermia,
• gradually return to sports.

The entire rehabilitation period, when the edema disappears completely and the results of the mammoplasty can be evaluated, is 4-6 months.

Risks of breast augmentation surgery

Breast plasty belongs to the category of complex operations, after which general surgical complications can occur:

1. Bleeding. The risk of bleeding is increased by poor blood clotting, sometimes the cause can be an unsutured blood vessel or a torn suture.
2. Infection. The operating field for mammoplasty is vast, an infection of the surrounding skin can enter the wound.
3. The formation of dense scars. Sometimes disfiguring scars form at the site of the sutures. They are removed by excision.

In addition to general surgical complications, there are specifics inherent in breast augmentation operations:

1. Rupture of the implant. In rare cases, this happens due to violations of the patient's regime during the rehabilitation period or due to implant defects.
2. Breast deformity with round implants. It occurs if the patient ignores the use of compression underwear or because of improperly chosen tactics for implant installation.
3. Loss of sensation in the nipple and areola. The reason is a violation of the integrity of the nerve endings.
4. Edema due to impaired lymphatic drainage.
5. The formation of a dense capsular membrane, which can deform the breast with anatomical implants.

Breast augmentation alternative

Is there an alternative to breast augmentation surgery? The use of cosmetics - creams, gels, ointments does not give positive results. You cannot enlarge your breasts like this. Furthermore, the hormones they contain can cause an imbalance that is very difficult to correct.

The lack of volume and asymmetry can be compensated for by wearing a special bra. However, only breast augmentation surgery can restore a woman's self-confidence and attractiveness.