Breast Augmentation Implants

Breast augmentation surgery usually takes 1.5 to 2 hours.

Plan to take off at least 7 days from work and don’t engage in strenuous physical activity. Resume strenuous activities after 4 to 6 weeks. Postpone chest exercises for 8 weeks.
Exercise should be avoided for 4 weeks and upper chest exercises are not recommended for 8 weeks. Most women can return to desk work after 7 to 10 days.
Patients generally wear a compression garment for 2 days, followed by a comfortable sports bra. Push-up and underwire bras should be avoided for 6 to 8 weeks.
Plan to take off at least 7 days from work and don’t engage in strenuous physical activity. Resume strenuous activities after 4 to 6 weeks. Postpone chest exercises for 8 weeks. Exercise should be avoided for 4 weeks and upper chest exercises are not recommended for 8 weeks. Most women can return to desk work after 7 to 10 days. Patients generally wear a compression garment for 2 days, followed by a comfortable sports bra. Push-up and underwire bras should be avoided for 6 to 8 weeks.

In breast augmentation using implants, your surgeon makes an incision, creates a pocket in the chest/breast area and places an implant in the pocket.

An additional option for breast augmentation is autologous fat transfer, a process in which your surgeon removes some of your own fat, using liposuction, from a fat-yielding body part (such as your abdomen, thighs, or flanks) processes it and then injects it into your breasts.

Multiple factors, including your anatomy and your surgeon's recommendations, will determine how your breast implant is inserted and positioned. The implant is placed in a pocket either:

• Underneath the pectoral muscle, which is located between the breast tissue and chest wall.
• Underneath the breast tissue and on top of the pectoral muscle.
• Placement of the implant underneath the pectoral muscle may interfere less with mammograms and breast-feeding.

Breast augmentation patients have a choice between saline implants and silicone implants. Choosing the type of implant typically comes down to personal preference and the surgeon’s opinion.

• Saline-filled breast implants are filled with sterile saltwater. Saline breast implants may be prefilled at a predetermined size or filled at the time of surgery to allow for minor modifications in implant size.
• Silicone gel-filled breast implants are filled with soft, elastic gel and are available in a variety of shapes and degrees of firmness. All silicone gel breast implants are pre-filled and patients may require a longer incision for larger implant placement.
• Cohesive silicone gel-filled breast implants, also known as “gummy bear” or “form-stable” implants, are filled with a cohesive gel, made of crosslinked molecules of silicone, which makes them a bit thicker and firmer than traditional silicone gel implants. This enables them to hold their shape better.
• Autologous fat transfer removes fat through liposuction from an area of your body in which there are abundant fat cells, such as your thighs, abdomen and hips. After a process of preparation, the fat cells are injected into your breast.

Risks can include scarring and issues with wound healing, discomfort, bruising, loss of sensation over the breast and, rarely, the nipples, potential breastfeeding issues, palpable or visible implant edges, sagging of the breasts, loss of cleavage, fluid accumulation around the implants, asymmetry, capsular contracture, deep vein thrombosis, and general-anaesthesia-related issues.