Victor Owodunni Omotola

Breast Augmentation: Bigger isn't always better When deciding if you are a good candidate for breast surgery, many factors need to be considered. First, consider your goals and reasons for surgery. Do you have a desire for larger breasts? Perhaps you have begun to notice sagging. Or, maybe one breast is noticeably smaller than the other. These and any number of other issues may prompt a woman to seek surgical options. Next, are you in good overall health? While some health problems won’t preclude you from breast augmentation surgery, it is important to go over any health conditions with your surgeon when deciding if surgery is right for you. Finally, the financial reality of surgery should be considered. Cosmetic surgery is growing more popular, worldwide. More than 87 percent of all plastic surgery is performed on women, and the number one is breast augmentation. In the 1940s, Japanese prostitutes would inject paraffin or sponge into their breasts to increase their bust line and attract American soldiers during World War II. Then, in 1962, the first silicone breast implantation was performed in Houston, Texas. In 2013, there were more than 23 million surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures performed worldwide and the most common, at 1.77 million, were breast implant surgeries. Breasts are a collection of fat, milk-producing lobules, lymph nodes, and connective tissues. No two are alike, even on the same person. They sit on top of pectoral muscles, over the ribs, and as you likely know, exist for breast feeding infants, but have other social purposes as well. They are continually developing until the age of 22, and their size is both genetically and environmentally determined; hormone or chemical exposure, diet and genetics will all affect their size, but in the end, some augment their breast tissue with a prosthetic implant. Silicone and saline implants are both safe and provide a natural look. The type of implant that fits your needs will depend on your goals for size, shape, and feel. Silicone was initially banned by the FDA from 1992 because of concerns over the implant rupturing, but in 2006 the ban was lifted after significant testing. There are different types of breast implant surgeries. The implant can be inserted through an incision around the areola incision to limit scar tissue, through the armpit to avoid breast scarring or damage, or even through the belly button. Once inserted, the implants are inflated with fluid and positioned. It takes time for the body to heal, and patients must essentially do physical therapy during that process. Implants are textured for a reason. If teardrop shape implant is used, then the implant needs to be textured to keep the implant in the right position. If a round implant is used, it can be textured or it can be smooth. The other thing, though, is that texturization was invented to help reduce a risk called capsular Contracture, but only when the implant is placed above the muscle. Capsular contracture is a complication where the body forms scar tissue around the implant and makes the breast feel hard. It is not actually the breast or implant that goes hard, but the scar tissue around the implant. A new method for silicone implants from the UK uses a textured surface on the exterior of the implant which mimics other surfaces in the body, but scar tissues are pretty much inevitable. Nevertheless, if both the surgeon and patient do their jobs properly, the breasts will look entirely natural. If not, capsular contracture will occur. If they do rupture, the scar tissue surrounding the implant could keep it intact for a while; saline can be absorbed by the body, and the FDA says silicone won't harm the body, cause cancer or damage tissues in any way. Either way surgery would be involved to remove the implant or replace it. People undergo breast augmentation for many reasons: post-mastectomy reconstruction, congenital deformations, uneven breast development, post-breastfeeding collapse, or simply by choice for their own positive body image, self-esteem or confidence or gender reassignment surgeries. In fact, the second most common plastic surgery in the world for men is Breast Reduction for Gynecomastia. Some men get breast augmentation too. Surgeons are trained to screen for Body Dysmorphic Disorders in their patients, and they know any procedure is part of a conversation. As with any procedure, breast augmentations and lifts do have some risks. Although complications are rare, they include infection, bleeding, scarring, loss of sensation, hardness of the breast, and leakage or rupture of an implant. Your level of risk will depend on your overall health, whether or not you smoke, follow-up care, and other factors. Most women find that they never need to have their implants replaced. However, although rare, there is the possibility of need for replacement or re-operation. Complications that could result in the need for replacement or re-operation include leakage of fluid from an implant.