Breast augmentation, also called a “boob job,” enhances the shape and size of a patient’s breasts using implants or fat transfer.
For some patients, breast augmentation surgery is a way of improving their self-confidence. But, for others, it’s a way of reconstructing and restoring their breasts’ condition after a plastic surgery such as botched surgery.
What Can Breast Augmentation Achieve?
A breast augmentation can help you achieve instant outcomes, giving you the upper body contours you desire. Through this procedure, you can achieve these results:
Enhance Your Breast Symmetry
Sometimes, breasts appear to have different shapes, sizes, or placements. And as a result, this can affect your self-esteem and impact the way you dress. A breast augmentation surgery can be a sure way to enhance your symmetry, to give you more confidence in any clothing.
Fix Your Breast Size to the Correct Proportions
After a significant weight loss or pregnancy, your breasts’ size and shape can significantly change and become somewhat less desirable. Breast augmentation is a great fix that quickly restores your breasts to a more appealing proportion.
Correct Uneven Breasts
Breasts can become uneven following medical procedures, such as surgery, to remove cancerous breast growth. An augmentation using implants or fat transfer can correct the size and proportions to make them look and feel more natural.
What Breast Augmentation Can’t Achieve
An augmentation won’t correct severely drooping breasts and may require your surgeon to perform it alongside a breast lift to make your breasts look fuller. Your plastic surgeon can do this surgery simultaneously or separately.
Your plastic surgeon can advise you on the best procedure to fix your breasts’ feel and appearance and help you achieve a more rounded breast shape.
What Are the Types of Breast Augmentation?
Your cosmetic surgeon can perform these two main types of breast augmentation, depending on the look and feel you want.
Breast Implants
During a cosmetic or reconstructive surgical procedure, a surgeon places breast implants to restore the natural look of breasts. The types of implant options available to you include:
- Saline implants are full of sterile saline (saltwater) and safe as the saltwater can be absorbed naturally by the body if the implant accidentally breaks inside the breast.
- Structured saline implants: These implants are similar to saline breast implants but with an additional inner structure that makes them feel more natural.
- Silicone implants: These implants are full of silicone gel and have a more natural look and feel. You may need to regularly visit your surgeon to ensure there is no gel leakage.
- Form-stable implants: Also called gummy bear breast implants, they have a thicker silicone gel than traditional implants; they keep their shape in case the implant shell breaks.
- Round implants: These implants are round all over and retain their shape even if they rotate out of place, making the breasts look fuller.
- Smooth implants: These implants have the softest feel, and any breast movement appears more natural than other implants.
- Textured implants: These breast implants have textured surfaces that create scar tissue to help adhesion and minimize movement inside the breasts.
Fat Transfer Augmentation
During this cosmetic procedure, your surgeon will use liposuction to extract fat from the belly, flanks, back, or thighs and inject it into your breasts. Unlike implants that achieve a significant size increase, fat transfer results in a relatively small increase in breast size.
FAQ
Q: Who is the ideal candidate for a breast augmentation procedure?
A: Any woman that wants to correct the size, shape, and symmetry of her breasts is an ideal candidate for the surgery.
Q: Can breast augmentation improve one’s self-esteem?
A: Yes. A breast augmentation can significantly boost your self-esteem, especially after a significant weight loss or pregnancy.
Q: How popular is a breast augmentation surgical procedure?
A: About 300,000 people undergo a breast augmentation procedure in the US.
Q: How should I prepare for an augmentation surgery?
A: Before your surgery, you should avoid smoking and blood-thinning medications; take certain medications as prescribed by your doctor.
Q: Are there any side effects after a breast augmentation procedure?
A: Like any other surgical procedure, you will likely experience some bleeding, bruising and swelling, soreness, and increased sensitivity to the incision area.
Q: How long will it take to recover after a breast augmentation?
A: Full recovery will take six to eight weeks, depending on the augmentation type.
Q: When can I resume normal activities after the surgery?
A: After the first week, you can ease into your daily routine, including light exercise — and more labor-intensive activities after about three weeks.
Q: How long can breast augmentation implants last?
A: A quality implant usually lasts more than a decade and sometimes can remain in great shape for up to 20 years. The chances of the implant rupturing increase by 1% each year.