Breast Augmentation By A Board Certified Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Breast augmentation or augmentation mammaplasty is the surgical increment of a woman’s breasts using implants. Implants are flexible shells filled with saline or silicone. The procedure is not only used for cosmetic reasons but can be used for patients who have lost one or both breasts due to injuries or diseases like cancer. The procedure is an individualized one and board-certified plastic surgeons like Dr. Bloch from Body by Bloch would require you to have a positive outlook and realistic expectations before making mind to go for the surgery.

Your breast augmentation consultation

During your breast augmentation consultation be prepared to discuss:

• • Why you want breast augmentation surgery, your expectations and the desired outcome
  • Medical conditions, drug allergies and previous medical treatments
  • Current medications, vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, tobacco and drug use
  • Family history of breast cancer and results of any mammograms or previous biopsies

Your plastic surgeon will also:

• • Evaluate your general health status and any pre-existing health conditions or risk factors
  • Examine and measure your breasts, including detailed measurements of their size and shape, skin quality, and placement of your nipples and areolas
  • Take photographs
  • Discuss your options and recommend a course of treatment
  • Discuss likely outcomes of breast augmentation and any risks or potential complications

Be sure to ask your plastic surgeon questions. To help, we have prepared a checklist of questions to ask your breast augmentation surgeon that you can take with you to your consultation.

Are you a breast augmentation candidate?

You might consider having a breast augmentation if you have these conditions:

• Physically healthy.
• Your breasts are fully developed but small.
• One or both breasts have not developed normally.
• Your breasts have lost volume due to massive weight loss, pregnancies or advanced age.
• If your breasts are not similar in shape or size.
• If you are self-conscious about your small breasts that discourage you from wearing form-fitting clothes or swim-suits.

Breast augmentation can be carried out with other cosmetic procedures like breast lift among others. Read about them at www.bodybybloch.com.

Breast augmentation steps

Augmentation mammaplasty follows several steps which include:

• Anesthesia – Dr. Bloch will give you intravenous sedation or general anesthesia for your comfort during your stay.
• Making of incisions – most professional plastic surgeons will prefer making incisions for breast implants on inconspicuous areas like under the breast crease, around your umbilical area, around the areola or in the armpit. Your doctor will discuss with you on the best type of incision to use which will be based on your physical appearance, cup-size or type of implant.
• Implant placement – breast implants can either be placed on your pectoral muscle or below the muscle.
• Incisions closure – after breast implants are well placed and positioned, muscle and skin tissue are closed up with surgical tapes, skin adhesives or sutures. Incision wounds will be dressed with bandages and you may also have drains which will be removed after a few days. A surgical bra will support breasts for quick recovery.

Implant selection is also important and your surgeon will use your preferred choice which you picked during your consultation. Read about silicone and saline implants at www.bodybybloch.com.

Augmentation mammaplasty complications

Before signing any consent forms for a breast augmentation, you should understand the procedure and the risks or complications associated with it. Dr. Bloch fully discusses the risks involved with his patients before surgery and you can direct all your questions to him during your consultation. Check out other cosmetic procedures which he performs at www.bodybybloch.com. Possible risks of augmentation mammaplasty include:

• Anesthesia effects
• Scarring
• Persistent pain
• Bleeding
• Infection
• Implant rupture or leakage
• Uneven skin over implant
• Lose of sensation in breast or nipple
• Breast asymmetry
• Scar tissue forming and hardening in around the implant (capsular contracture)
• Accumulation of fluid (seroma)
• Possibility of revisional surgery

Maintenance

Breast implants are not designed to last a lifetime. You may need to have the implants replaced if you have complications or if the size and shape of your breasts change over time.

Women who have silicone gel-filled implants will need to get an MRI scan three years after the implant surgery and then MRI scans about every two years to check for silent rupture. If your implants rupture, you will need to have them removed or replaced.

Having breast implants can make it more difficult to get a mammogram, but special X-ray views can be done. There is a chance breast implants may make you more likely to get breast cancer. Breast implants also may make it harder for you to breastfeed.