Breast enlargement surgery takes between one and 1.5 hours, and is done under general anaesthetic. The operation itself involves accessing and creating the pocket under the breast into which the implant will be placed, using the inframammary insertion route: an approximately 4 – 5 cm incision will be placed on the lower outer edge of the breast-crease, making it almost invisible. Once the pocket has been created, the implant is inserted and the incision wound is stitched. The implant usually fits snugly into the implant pocket avoiding any movement or rotation of the implant. The breast is then supported with adhesive tapes, which hold the breast in shape and allow a little compression, as well as best scar healing.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS about Breast Enlargement:
If you are at an age when mammographic examinations should be conducted on a periodic basis, it will be important for you to select a radiology technician who is experienced in taking x-rays of augmented breasts. Additional views of your breasts will be required. They might, in some instances, recommend other types of examinations such as ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Interestingly, it is actually easier to detect early breast cancer IF you have a silicone implant.
It is a common misconception that once a woman has breast implants, she can’t breastfeed. Dr. Stasch has operated on many women who have gone on to successfully breastfeed their babies, with no negative effects. That said, every woman is different and it’s important that patients have enough info before they decide for or against breastfeeding their baby following a breast augmentation.
It is impossible to predict the change in augmented breasts after breastfeeding. As a rule, women with smaller breasts would generally expect less change to occur when breastfeeding, compared to those with larger breasts. In both natural and augmented breasts, genetic factors such as skin quality and elasticity are the major factors that influence whether breast shape is likely to change.
We normally recommend 6 to 12 months post-op to allow the augmented breast to completely settle before falling pregnant. Recovery time can vary from patient to patient so it is important that you are prepared to be flexible should recovery take a little longer than anticipated.
Breast augmentation will not affect a mother’s milk supply. As long as you are being operated on by a reputable surgeon likes Dr. Stasch and there has been no damage to the milk ducts or nerves during surgery. Some women find it difficult to breastfeed and a woman can have a poor milk supply regardless of whether they have implants or not.
(For the mother or the baby) A common fear among women is that their implants may “leak” and be toxic for a breastfeeding baby, however there are no known dangers to either the mother or baby when breastfeeding with implants. The implants used at Valentis Clinic are made of a cohesive silicone gel that remains within a solid membrane and does not “leak” into the body, even in the rare case of a rupture. The chances of an implant leaking or rupturing are exceptionally low.
While the implants remain unchanged with pregnancy and breast-feeding, the tissue surrounding them may change shape. Regardless of whether a woman has implants, her breast shape can change during or post pregnancy based on factors including genetics, age and skin quality. Since there is no sure way to tell whether a breast will or won’t sag following pregnancy and breast feeding, Dr. Stasch advises to delay the augmentation if a patient is concerned about this and is considering having children in the not too distant future. After the pregnancy and breast feeding, we recommend waiting for 6 months before undergoing surgery, as this will ensure that all natural breast changes have occurred.
Smokers are strongly advised to discontinue smoking several weeks prior to surgery and after the operation, as smoking increases the risks of complications and delays wound healing by altering blood circulation in the skin. You can reduce your risks of complications by closely following our instructions before and after the surgery.
The cost of breast augmentation surgery depends on your circumstances and the technique we will perform. For more information on breast augmentation costs, we invite you to book a consultation session with Dr Stasch. During this confidential appointment, we can discover more about what you would like to achieve and find out if breast augmentation surgery is right for you.
