Breast augmentation surgery is soaring in popularity each year. In 2017, 300,378 women in the U.S chose to undergo this procedure, and in 2018, this number was 313,735 according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Performed using breast implants, breast enlargement in Manhattan, is an ideal option for women who want fuller breasts and improve volume and firmness lost due to excessive weight loss, pregnancy, aging, etc.
However, while its popularity continues to increase, women considering breast augmentation in NYC need to make sure that they know everything about it in order to make an informed decision. Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about breast augmentation.
- What is breast augmentation?
Breast augmentation enhances the size and contour of a woman’s breasts. Women opt to have this procedure for different reasons –
- To enhance a small bust line
- To correct breasts that differs in size and shape
- To reshape breasts that has lost volume and firmness due to excessive weight loss, pregnancy, aging, breastfeeding, or other factors
Breast enlargement is also performed to reconstruct the breast after amastectomy. By enhancing your appearance, the procedure can improve your confidence and self-esteem.
- What are the options available for breast enhancement?
There are two breast enhancement options: breast implants and composite breast augmentation
The implant procedure involves surgically inserting FDA approved breast implants to achieve the desired enhancement. Reliable plastic surgery practices offer augmentation using the following types of breast implants:
- Saline-filled implants
- Silicone gel filled implants
- Gummy bear implants
- IDEAL implant
The implants are usually placed behind the breast tissue or under the chest muscle. Breast implants come in different sizes and shapes such as tear-drop, or round and with textured and smooth surfaces to fit any woman’s breasts and body type.
The other breast enlargement option is composite breast augmentation. This procedure combines implants with fat transfer to provide a softer and more natural look and feel. It can also create a natural-appearing cleavage.
- Who is a good candidate for this breast implant surgery?
Typically, to be an ideal candidate, you should be in good health and desire an increase in breast size. Your surgeon will discuss you medical history, aesthetic desires, and many other considerations to determine your candidature for the treatment. If you have a health problem that might make it unsafe for you to undergo the procedure, the surgeon will advise against it.
- What does the procedure involve?
As a first step, anesthetics are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedure. The choices include intravenous sedation and general anesthesia, and your doctor will recommend the best option for you. After administering anesthesia, incisions will be made in inconspicuous areas to minimize visible scarring.
Plastic surgeons in NYC use different types of incisions and techniques to place implants. Considering various factors such as body type, quality and amount of natural breast tissue, breast implant type, size, and placement, and whether you need a breast lift, personal preference for scar location and your expectations, the plastic surgeon will decide on the right incision option for you. Usually, breast implants are inserted behind the breast tissue or under the chest muscle through an incision in the armpit, at the edge of the areola or under the breast. The placement will depend on the implant type and the amount of natural breast tissue present.
After inserting implants onto the incision area the incisions are closed with layered sutures in the breast tissue and with sutures, skin adhesive or surgical tape to close the skin.
- Are there any risk/complications complications assisted with this procedure?
The ASPS has stated that breast implants are safe, but that no medical device is without risks. There have been rare cases of breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), a highly treatable type of lymphoma, but ASPS notes that “decades of research have yet to establish a causal relationship between the device and systemic disease”.
- Can I breast-feed after this procedure?
Many women can successfully breastfeed their children with the implants. A professionally performed augmentation procedure will not affect the breast glands/ducts directly. To understand this better, consult a trained physician before the procedure.
- Which implant is better: silicone or saline?
According to ASPS, silicone implants were used in 88%, and saline implants in 12%, of all breast augmentations in 2018. Even though both silicone and saline implants have unique advantages and yield good results, silicone implants have less chance of rippling and wrinkling. They are available for women over 21 and provide a more natural appearance.
Saline implants are available for women 18 years and older. The main advantage of saline implants is that if they break, the saline will be absorbed by the body. Their main drawbacks is that they are more likely to ripple or fold within the implant pocket, and the edges may be visible underneath the skin’s surface, particularly in women with thin skin and / or little body fat.
A good surgeon can determine the best implant for you by evaluating factors such as your aesthetic goals, body type, age, lifestyle, and budget.
- Does breast implant surgery cause scars?
You cannot avoid scarring in breast enlargement surgery. Any scarring resulting from the surgery is permanent and cannot be removed through plastic surgery or any other means. However, most scars fade and flatten overtime.
An experienced surgeon will place the incisions in inconspicuous locations so that the scars are hardly noticeable.
- When can you return to normal activity after breast implant surgery?
You can do moderate exercises till you heal completely – nothing strenuous but just short walks that will help improve circulation and prevent blood clots. In fact, light exercise will ensure that your body heals well with reduced risk for infection, scar tissue and stretch marks.
Depending upon the type of surgery, you can gradually increase your activity level the first two weeks. Avoid arduous activities the first two weeks as it can elevate your heart rate and blood pressure and increase the risk of bleeding or swelling. At one month, most patients can resume usual exercises except heavy lifting, and generally, at six weeks, patients are healed completely and can resume all activities.
- What is the expected recovery time?
Most women return to work and light activity within one week after this procedure. For smooth recovery, follow your surgeon’s postoperative instructions and keep the scheduled follow-up appointments.
- How long implants remain safely?
There’s no such thing as an expiration date for an implant, but if a saline implant breaks, then breast size would decrease and women may opt to restore that volume for aesthetic reasons. You may be asked to take an MRI scan every few years just to ensure the implant is right in position. The FDA recommends medical imaging to verify the implant’s integrity beginning at three years and every two years after that. With an IDEAL implant, you can detect rupture by just looking in the mirror.
If you are considering breast enlargement in Manhattan, NYC, choose an AAAASF-accredited plastic surgery practice that provides service of NYC plastic surgeons who are experts in performing the procedure. In a reliable practice, you can expect end-to-end care and support all through the treatment, right from initial consultation up to full recovery.