- Breast Augmentation continued

Breast Surgery

How will you feel after a breast augmentation procedure and what does the recovery period entail?

Most women experience some discomfort following breast surgery and take analgesic tablets (pain killers) for up to one week following surgery. It is important to allow for a natural period of healing to take place and for women who lead busy lives to abstain from strenuous activity or from heavy lifting for six weeks following surgery.

Initially, breasts will be firm and swollen and they will take at least six weeks to soften to a more natural appearance and feel. Breast swelling will settle down completely after several months. Patients will always be advised to take a specific amount of recovery time away from work, dependant on the type of work they perform, but it is usual to take 10 to 14 days away from work to rest and recover at home following this type of procedure.

Are there any risks involved having a breast augmentation proceedure?

All surgery involves an element of risk from developing complications. However, cosmetic surgery is usually undertaken voluntarily and only when a patient is in good health. Therefore, the probability of experiencing complications from this kind of surgery are substantially lower than those who undergo surgery due to ill health. General risks such as bleeding, infection and assymetry will be discussed quite openly at consultation, as well as our scrupulous efforts to manage and minimise these risks to their lowest possible potential.

However there are also specific risks to this procedure that need to be considered, they are:

Capsular contracture (hardening) - Modern day implants have ensured that the risk of capsular contracture has never been so low; however, capsular contracture is still the most common complication experienced by women following breast augmentation. Capsular contracture occurs when the human body puts a wall of scar tissue (fibrous capsule) around an implant. This scar tissue can then thicken and shrink and is noticed by the patient as an apparent hardening of the breast implant. Where a capsular contracture becomes noticeable or unsightly to the patient, remedial surgery to correct this problem can be performed.

Rupture rates and life expectancy of breast implants - Recent advances in implant technology and manufacture mean that breast implant ruptures are highly unlikely. A true evaluation of the life expectancy of modern-day implants is difficult to predict accurately, as new implants may have the potential to last a lifetime, but they have not been in use for long enough to produce proof to substantiate such a claim. Consequently, the Department of Health asks manufacturers and plastic surgeons to advise women that they may need to consider renewing their implants after a ten-year period.

Scarring - The scars resulting from the insertion of breast implant surgery are normally small and insignificant once the healing process is complete. However, very occasionally a scar may heal abnormally and become thick, raised and painful (hypertrophic). This condition can be treated with a special dressing or with antiinflammatory injections or occasionally with corrective surgery.

Infection and rejection - Such events are extremely rare, however, it is important that all patients quickly recognise any signs of infection, such as excessive pain, fever or offensive wound discharge. Antibiotics given during your operation will help reduce this risk to a minimum, as will meticulous attention to your personal hygiene. On very rare occasions a patient's body may be unable to cope with the introduction of a foreign body (such as a breast implant) and a resulting infection may lead to a total rejection of the new breast implant.

Changes in breast sensation - It is typical for most patients to notice an alteration in breast sensation following surgery. These changes usually subside when the breast has fully recovered from surgery. Occasionally, patients report that their nipples remain either more or less sensitive in the long term following surgery.

Palpability - Women with very little natural breast tissue should be advised that the rim of the breast implant may be visible or detectable to touch (palpable). Your surgeon may recommend placing an implant behind the pectoral muscle to minimise this effect if he believes that the implant ridge would appear unsightly.

General issues

Pregnancy and breast feeding. Breast implants do not interfere with a woman's ability to breast feed. Breast cancer. There is no known association between breast cancer and breast implants. Mammography.

Women with breast implants should inform any future radiographer that they have breast implants, so that the most appropriate method of breast screening and mammography can be performed. Travelling at high altitudes. Breast implants are not subject to strain, pressure or rupture when travelling in an aircraft or at high altitudes. Smoking. Heavy smokers may be precluded from having breast implant surgery due to their increased risk of infection and rejection complications.

Whats next?

At Capio we believe that it is important for all prospective patients to have realistic expectations of the improvements that can be achieved through breast implant surgery. Your Consultant Plastic Surgeon will take into account your age, skin texture, and the existing shape and position of your breast tissue and nipples when predicting the outcome of your results.

It is therefore essential to have a thorough consultation with a surgeon who specialises in breast surgery before you make a decision to go ahead with a procedure.