Many women choose to have their breasts enlarged in order to satisfy their own desire for a fuller bust line. Your breasts may not have developed to a size that meets your expectations, or one breast may be significantly smaller than the other. You may have been happy with your breasts in the past but feel that they look different now. Often, after weight loss, childbirth or as a result of aging, the breasts lose volume and their shape changes. Breast augmentation can enhance your breast size and shape, and give you the more proportional figure that you always wanted.

Surgery

Currently, all women undergoing breast augmentation receive saline-filled implants which consist of a silicone shell filled with sterile saltwater. One of the advantages of a saline-filled implant is that, because it is filled with saltwater after being inserted, only a small incision is needed. Often, an incision of less than one inch is made underneath the breast, just above the crease, where it is usually quite inconspicuous. Another possible location for the incision is around the lower edge of the areola. A third alternative is to make a small incision within the armpit. Once the incision is made, the surgeon creates a pocket into which the implant will be inserted. This pocket is made either directly behind the breast tissue or underneath the pectoral muscle which is located between the breast tissue and chest wall. Some of the potential complications of breast augmentation are:

• Reactions to anesthesia, blood accumulation that may need to be drained surgically and infection. Although rare, a infection that does not subside with appropriate treatment may require temporary removal of the implant.

• Changes in nipple or breast sensation may result from breast augmentation surgery, although they usually are temporary.

• When a breast implant is inserted, a scar capsule forms around it as part of the natural healing process. The capsule may sometimes tighten and compress the implant, causing the breast to feel firmer than normal.

• If a saline-filled implant breaks, its contents are harmlessly absorbed by the body within hours. Rupture can occur as a result of trauma to the chest, but more commonly it occurs spontaneously with no apparent cause. Surgery will be required to replace the implant, if desired.

• It is possible that the presence of breast implants could delay or hinder the early detection of breast cancer.

Post surgery

A day or two after surgery, you should be up and about. Any dressings will be removed within several days, and you may be instructed to wear a support bra. Stitches will be removed in about a week. Some discoloration and swelling will occur initially, but this will disappear quickly. Most residual swelling will resolve within a month. It is often possible to return to work within a week or so, depending on your job. In many instances, you can resume most of your normal activities, including some form of mild exercise, after several weeks. You may continue to experience some mild, periodic discomfort during this time, but such feelings are normal.

Result

The results of breast augmentation surgery is normally long-lasting. However, gravity and the effects of aging will eventually alter the size and shape of virtually every woman's breasts. If, after a period of years, you become dissatisfied with the appearance of your breasts, you may choose to undergo a breast "lifting" to restore their more youthful contour.