Breast augmentation is the single most popular plastic surgery option in the United States, with close to 300,000 patients choosing it each year. The procedure, however, entails a lot more than simply putting in an implant. Learning about these four issues involving breast augmentation surgeries will help you make a better-informed decision.
Options
There are two common types of implants used for augmentations: silicon and saline. Silicon is considered to have a more natural feel, and it's especially recommended for skinnier or smaller people. Saline is preferred by those who have concerns about ruptures, although it tends to produce a firmed and less-natural result. Regardless of the choice you make, the feel will be somewhat different from a natural breast.
There is also a non-implant option: fat transfer. This is a more involved procedure that calls for moving fat from other parts of the body, and it may not be an ideal choice for patients who have very low body fat levels.
More Than One Surgery
Very few patients will come in for a breast augmentation and end up undergoing a single procedure. Clients who have a degree of sagging will need to receive supplementary breast lifts in order to get to a satisfactory appearance. Adjustments may also need to be made if a breast implant moves more than expected. Breast implants typically have a rated service life of about 10 years, and you should expect to undergo further surgery or even receive a new implant past a decade.
Post-Operation
Following an operation, you should refrain from consuming alcohol, caffeine, or tobacco until surgical wounds have healed. You may also wish to avoid eating any spicy foods, as they can encourage inflammation at the surgical site.
Screenings
Keeping track of the condition of an implant following a breast augmentation procedure is essential. An initial MRI should be conducted three years after one has been put in, and then further ones should be performed every two years after. The goal is to check for ruptures and to ensure the implant is staying in place.
Regardless of the kind of breast augmentation you've had performed, mammography screenings will need to be more thorough. Inform the practitioner conducting your screening that you've had an implant or a fat transfer done. They will typically double the amount of imaging they do in order to account for additional materials and tissue in the area.
For more information, contact a company like Renaissance Center For Facial & Body Sculpting.
