Medical Center

breast enlargement

Breast augmentation – technically known as augmentation mammaplasty – is a surgical procedure to enhance the size and shape of a woman’s breast. You may choose to undergo it for a number of reasons:
To enhance your body contour and enlarge your breast size, To correct a reduction in breast volume after pregnancy or weight loss, To balance   a difference in your breast size, As a reconstructive technique following cancer breast surgery. The shape and size of your breasts prior to surgery will influence both the recommended treatment and the final results.  If the breasts are not the same size or shape before surgery it is unlikely that they will be completely symmetrical afterwards.

 Before committing yourself to surgery you must think carefully about your expectations. Breast augmentation may enhance your appearance and improve your self-confidence, but it won’t necessarily achieve the ideal you expect, or improve a relationship.

The best candidates for breast augmentation are women who are looking   for improvement, not perfection, in the way they look.

 WHAT IS INVOLVED IN THE OPERATION?

 Breast enlargement surgery is performed under a general anaesthetic, takes one to two hours, and usually involves an overnight stay in hospital. It is accomplished by inserting a breast implant either behind the breast tissue or under the chest muscles.  In Norwich it is now also possible to move local skin and fat from the back or from the abdomen or buttock as a “perforator flap” to increase the size of the breast. I usually do this in the context of breast reconstruction for cancer however, as this is a fairly complex operation.

Incisions are made to keep scars as inconspicuous as possible, usually under the breast, occasionally around the lower part of the areola or in the armpit.  The method of inserting and positioning breast implants will depend on your preferences, your anatomy and my recommendation.

 Patients undergoing augmentation mammaplasty surgery must consider the possibility of future reversionary surgery.  Good breast implants last ten to fifteen years and sometimes longer.

 All implants have a silicone coating – some are silicone gel filled and others saline filled. The silicone gel filled implants give a more natural appearance.  Implants come in different varieties of shaped and round versions.

 Before the operation, depending on your age and fitness, you may have to undergo some simple health checks such as blood tests and a mammogram.  If you decide on surgery you will be required to sign a consent form giving permission for the operation. This requires that you are aware of the risks and complications involved with the procedure.

 OPERATION AND RECOVERY
 The operation is performed under general anaesthetic.  You will usually have a drain, which stays in the breast one or two days.  The average stay in hospital is one or two nights after surgery.  You will have some swelling and discomfort after the operation for which you will be given painkillers.  You will have a scar under the breasts, but this normally is hidden in the crease line.  You should abstain from upper body physical activity for six weeks.  You can resume driving by agreement with your insurance company – usually two to three weeks after surgery.