How is breast augmentation surgery performed?

The surgeon and patient will decide which incision is to be used in the procedure. Then the surgery is done under general anesthesia. The patient's implant location will either be under or over the muscle. The doctor shall make the incision at the point requested, then he/she will make the pocket under direct vision making sure that good hemostasis{stopping any bleeding} is achieved. Then the breast is cleaned, and gloves changed, and the implant washed in antibiotics. The implants are then placed into the pockets and inflated if saline, or positioned if gels. Then, the patient while still asleep is sat upright, and symmetry, or equalness is checked. Adjustments are made to the areas of the pockets and then the patient is laid back down and the muscles are closed if under muscle, and deep tissues closed. The final incisions are closed with stitches under the skin. Steri-strips or band-aid tapes are placed and then wrapped. The doctor will change the dressing the next day.

What is breast augmentation?

The procedure for breast augmentation is one of the most popular surgeries done for women. It entails the placement of a saline filled or a gel-filled implant that can be placed under the pectoralis major muscle or on top of it. It simply enhances the beautiful shape of a breast, and enlarges it to the desired size of the patient. There are three major incisions that are mainly used. The axillary incision, or armpit, is now being abandoned because many general surgeons have concluded that the use of that incision impedes cancer diagnosis. The other two are the inframammary crease incision, at the bottom of the breast, and the peri-areolar incision which is right at the edge of the areola, the colored portion of the nipple. Both are good. Breast implants can be expected to stay intact for many years. After more than 10 years around 50% of the women who have implants can expect at least one rupture.

How should one prepare for breast augmentation surgery?

The preparation should be one of maximizing one's health. One should shower daily for at least a week, taking care to use a phisohex, or chlorhexidine soap, concentrating on cleaning the breast , nipples and skin of the axilla.One should stop all exposure to cigarettes, and also stop taking caffeine containing products for one week before and two weeks after surgery. Eat healthy, take no birth control pills or aspirin products. The accent should be on healthy living both before and after surgery.