Many women complain that their breasts are smaller than they would like them to be, or that one is smaller than the other. Breast augmentation surgery is an operation that enables patients to enlarge their breasts by surgical means, that is, to plump and gain volume. As a result of this aesthetic operation, which has become very popular especially in recent years, a natural appearance that does not look artificial is obtained in patients.
What is Breast Augmentation Surgery?
Breast augmentation surgery, in other words augmentation plasty in medicine, is a surgical aesthetic operation performed to plump the breasts, add volume, and to restore breasts to people who have lost their breasts for various reasons.
Why is Breast Augmentation Surgery needed?
Breast augmentation surgery may be needed for many reasons. The fact that one breast is smaller than the other or both breasts are small can cause self-confidence problems in some women.
People who have a loss of self-confidence as a result of the asymmetry of the breasts or the small size of both breasts may apply to the plastic surgery department and want to have breast augmentation surgery. In addition, breast augmentation surgery can be performed on people who have lost one or both breasts as a result of breast cancer.
What is the preparation process for Breast Augmentation Surgery?
Before breast augmentation surgery, talk to the doctor about the size, feel and appearance of the desired breast. As a result, the doctor will examine the patient’s breast structure and decide which of the flat, textured, round or teardrop-shaped silicones is most suitable for the patient according to the structure. In addition, the doctor and the patient will decide together whether the implant contains salt water or silicone.
Smoker patients should stop smoking before surgery. Apart from this, blood thinners should be stopped 15 days before the operation. Food and beverage restriction should be done from 12:00 the night before the surgery.
How is Breast Augmentation Surgery performed?
Breast augmentation surgery can be performed from three different places. Breast augmentation surgery incision can be made from the fold under the breast area, the area under the arm or around the nipple. Which area to use as an incision depends entirely on the doctor.
After the incision is made, the breast tissue will be separated from the breast muscles and connective tissue, thus creating a pocket in the outermost part of the breast wall. The implant is placed in this pocket, centered behind the nipple, and after the implants are placed, the doctor completes the surgery by stitching the incision from whichever area has made the surgical incision and bandaging it with skin glue and surgical tape.
If saline implants are preferred in the surgery, these implants are placed empty and then filled with sterile saline. If the use of silicone implants is preferred, these implants are placed ready as they are filled with silicone gel beforehand.
Breast augmentation surgery is an operation that takes 1.5-2 hours on average and is performed under general anesthesia. In some cases, local anesthesia may be used in addition to general anesthesia.
What is the recovery process like after Breast Augmentation Surgery?
It is very important for the successful outcome of the surgery after breast augmentation surgery. During the recovery period, it is necessary to care for the breast area cleanly and carefully, and to perform dressings regularly. In order to support the breast tissue, sports bras or compression bandages can be used during the recovery period after surgery.
If you are not actively working in a job that will force the body, you can return to work within a few weeks after the surgery. Heavy exercises that will increase blood pressure and lifting heavy objects should be avoided. If the doctor used non-melting sutures during the surgery or if a drain was inserted in the patient, an examination should be made for these. There are risks of bleeding and infection during the recovery period after breast augmentation surgery.
In order to avoid the risk of infection, the operation area should be kept dry and clean, the antibiotics prescribed by the doctor should be used regularly, and the dressing and hygiene rules should be observed.
The risk of bleeding can be avoided by avoiding adverse movements. If the patient notices warmth, redness or fever in the chest area, experiences shortness of breath, experiences chest pain, he should definitely apply to the nearest health institution.
Who are suitable candidates for Breast Augmentation Surgery ?
Women who have breast augmentation surgery with small breasts due to developmental reasons or who want to have larger breasts, women who have breasts that have lost their volume and become hollow due to reasons such as pregnancy and breastfeeding, excessive weight gain or aging, and women who have developmentally asymmetrical breasts. It can be applied to women with breast cancer, women who have lost their breasts due to reasons such as cancer, accidents, and women who want to have their breast prostheses replaced for medical or cosmetic reasons.
Who cannot have Breast Augmentation Surgery?
Breast augmentation surgery cannot be performed on pregnant women and mothers during breastfeeding. In order for a breastfeeding mother to have breast augmentation surgery, she should wait at least six months after breastfeeding is discontinued.
Breast augmentation surgery cannot be performed on breast cancers. In addition, since silicone breast prostheses cause side effects that increase this disease in people with rheumatic diseases, breast augmentation surgery should not be performed on people with chronic rheumatic disease and collagen tissue disease.
Which surgeries can be combined with Breast Augmentation Surgery?
Breast augmentation surgery is usually performed with breast lift surgery and tummy tuck surgery or in combination with fat removal procedures.
Breast augmentation surgery and arm stretching can also be combined. At this point, it is necessary to share which applications are desired to be done in combination with the doctor and a treatment plan should be made accordingly.
The combination of breast augmentation surgery and the desired application depends on some characteristics of the patient and the decision of the doctor. In some cases, the doctor may not prefer to perform the combined procedure, which is considered risky for the patient.
Frequently asked questions about Breast Augmentation Surgery
What is the age limit for Breast Augmentation Surgery?
For breast augmentation surgery, patients must be over the age of 18 and be of legal age. Breast and body development is a process that continues until the age of 20-22 in women. Therefore, it is not recommended to be done before this age.
When will you return to social life after Breast Augmentation Surgery?
When to return to social life after breast augmentation surgery may vary depending on the patient. After the breast augmentation surgery, the patient should not stand up except for basic needs and should provide bed rest on the day of the surgery. On the next day of the surgery, he can do physical activities that are not too strenuous.
On the third day after breast augmentation surgery, light walks can be started. In this process, the patient should not tire or force himself.
What are the complications risks of Breast Augmentation Surgery?
Bleeding in the operation area after breast augmentation surgery may cause swelling in the breast. Although a drain is used to remove the bleeding from the body, in some cases the drain may not be sufficient. It is important not to use blood thinners after the surgery and not to consume excessive herbal products.
Although it is a rare situation after breast augmentation surgery, wound healing may be delayed. Although the delay in wound healing is due to diabetes and chronic diseases, it can also be experienced as a result of operations where very large prostheses are used or incorrect planning.
Although it is very rare, capsule contracture or seroma may develop after breast augmentation surgery. Capsule contracture refers to the body’s response to the prosthesis, which manifests itself with severe pain, while seroma development refers to the fluid accumulation around the breast prosthesis that the body gives as a response. In both cases, a second surgery may be needed.
