Breast augmentation surgery- procedure, cost and risks involved

Breast augmentation, also known as breast enhancement is an elective surgical procedure used to enlarge the size of a woman’s breasts. However, you cannot always get the desired breast size. Before you go ahead with the surgery, it is important to get a basic understanding of the procedure and be aware of the possible outcome of the procedure.

Consultation: The first step in breast enhancement involves consulting a good surgeon who will perform the necessary examinations to determine whether you are a good candidate for the breast augmentation or not. At this point, ask your doctor about any doubts regarding the procedure and be well informed about the procedure you are taking up.

Preparing for the surgery: your surgeon will give you certain instructions which involve preparing your body for breast augmentation. This includes guidelines on eating, smoking, drinking and intake of certain medications.

Procedure: The procedure is generally done on an outpatient basis. Some surgeries are done as an inpatient in the hospital which requires you to stay in the hospital for a day or two. General anesthesia or local anesthesia is administered before the surgery to avoid the patient form experiencing pain during the surgery.

An incision is made either in the crease where the breast meets the chest or around the areola. Typically, a saline implant or silicone implant is inserted beneath the nipples through the incision. The incisions are then closed with stitches, which is also taped for greater support. The gauze bandage applied on the breast helps in healing. The entire procedure takes one or two hours to be completed. The cost of breast augmentation varies across different cases and surgeon charges.

Recovery: The doctor would prescribe medications that reduce any pain and discomfort following surgery. You need to use a surgical bra for a few days after surgery. The stitches will come out in a week, but the swelling on the breasts may take a few weeks to heal.
Depending on the level of activity required for your job, you will be able to return to work within a couple of days. You should avoid much physical contact and sensitive stimulation to your breasts for a few days after surgery.

Risks: No surgical procedure is devoid of risks and so does breast-augmentation. Excessive bleeding following surgery may cause some swelling and pain following surgery. There is a possibility of developing infection around the implants. Some women have reported that their nipples have become oversensitive following surgery. In some cases the breast implants leak, which can lead to serious problems at times.

Though breast implants entails a certain amount of risk, women who opt for breast augmentation feel that the improvement in appearance and the confidence they get following surgery is worth some risk taking. Risk from surgery can be avoided to a large extent by being completely aware of the breast augmentation procedure, the kind of breast implants you choose and most importantly the expertise of the doctor who performs your surgery.