Breast Augmentation
How Breast Augmentation is Performed
Individual factors and personal preferences will help you and your plastic surgeon to determine your appropriate breast size, the location of incisions, and whether the implants will be placed on top of or underneath the chest muscle.
Breast Implant Options for the 21st Century
Breast augmentation is designed to increase the size of small or underdeveloped breasts. Breast surgery can also restore and enhance your breast volume if it has decreased as a result of pregnancy and breast feeding. In addition, breast implants can serve one or more of a number of purposes; breast cancer victims can use breast implants for reconstructive purposes after mastectomy, or women with asymmetrical breasts may use a single breast implant to balance the difference in size.
The availability of FDA-approved silicone gel implants will create new options for women considering breast surgery for the first time and for those who have had previous surgeries but are seeking new replacements or revision. Now, all women over 22 years old seeking cosmetic breast augmentation and women seeking breast reconstruction surgery will be able to select silicone breast implants.
What type of breast implants can be used for breast augmentation?
The size and type of breast implant recommended for you will be determined by your goals for breast enhancement, your existing body frame, and mass, your existing breast tissue, and the preferences you and your plastic surgeon discuss. All breast implants include a solid silicone rubber outer shell, called a lumen.
Breast implant options include:
- Saline breast implants: Filled with sterile salt water. Saline implants may be pre-filled to a predetermined size. Saline may also be filled at the time of surgery to allow for minor modifications in implant size.
- Silicone filled breast implants: Filled with soft, elastic gel. All silicone breast implants are pre-filled and may require a longer incision for implant placement.
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The implant is placed in a pocket either directly behind the breast tissue (right) or underneath the pectoral muscle which is located between the breast tissue and chest wall. |
New scientific data on the safety of breast implants is rapidly being collected. In the future, it is possible that additional types of filler materials may become available as advancements take place. Surgical techniques for breast augmentation and breast implants themselves are continuously being refined, increasing the safety and reliability of the procedure. Your plastic surgeon will be able to provide you with the latest information.
