Reasons for surgery
My breasts are small
Many women with small breasts seek augmentation that will allow them to fill out their clothing and appear more proportionate. Other women want to have a voluptuous appearance to allow their breasts to be a “feature” of their bodies. Others want to keep a small, athletic breast, but are still looking for a more feminine shape. Breast augmentation with silicone implants can give each woman the shape she expects.
I don’t like the shape of my breasts
Although there are different breast sizes, some women hope to improve their shape. Other women have significant asymmetry and would like their breasts to look similar. Options may include the use of drop-shaped or round implants, with or without a breast lift if the natural breast tissue is too sagging.
I was a mom and my breasts changed
Even women who have been happy with their breasts before pregnancy often face changes in size or shape after having children. The hormones of pregnancy with or without lactation often cause breast tissue to deflate, with volume loss in the upper part of the breast and sometimes sagging of the tissue in the lower part of the breast. Breast implants alone are usually enough to improve this situation, but sometimes a breast lift may be necessary to provide an optimal result.
My breast surgery needs a revision
When previous surgeries left a malposition, hardening, or rupture of the implant, surgical correction can restore a natural appearance again.
How do we do it?
The method of implant placement depends on individual factors and the personal preferences of the patient. Together we will determine the most suitable implant volume for you. Surgery under general anesthesia lasts approximately 1 hour. Through an incision in the submammary or periareolar fold, I create symmetrical pockets in the retroglandular or retromuscular plane. Then I proceed to place the selected implants. I do not leave drains nor do I have to remove stitches because I use absorbable sutures to close the incisions. I place adhesives over the incisions to improve healing. We left a surgical bra to reduce swelling.
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FREQUENT QUESTIONS
The surgery is not painful. The anesthesiologist, through general anesthesia, uses pain medication, in addition, long-lasting local anesthetics are placed and the patient takes common analgesics to minimize postoperative discomfort.
I perform the surgery in approximately 60 minutes, although the process from the arrival of the patient to the operating room, the surgery itself, and leaving for the room, generally takes approximately 2 hours in total.
In general, it will depend on the criteria of my criteria and the anesthesia team. Anesthesia must be adapted to the type of procedure to be performed. The most important thing is to operate in an institution with adequate technology and infrastructure and trained professionals.
Rest is relative, you don’t need to be in bed. Normal daily activity resumes in 2 to 3 days. You can bathe the day after surgery. Work activity and driving can be resumed after the third day. For 1 month you cannot do strength or physical exercises. Postoperative controls are the day after surgery, a week, 15 days, a month, 3 months, 6 months, once a year with ultrasound control and eventually a mammogram.
Breast prostheses cause absolutely no inconvenience in getting pregnant or breastfeeding. The placement of the prosthesis in front of or behind the muscle does not have a negative influence either. It is not necessary to wait to have the last child.
The choice of breast implant is very personal. There is an implant tester with different volumes, profiles, and shapes. Together in front of the mirror we will choose the most suitable implant for you.
Implants basically add volume. The shape to choose will depend a lot on the pre-existing anatomy. Anatomical prostheses are used for cases of post mastectomy breast reconstruction. In general, round implants are the most used for cosmetic surgery.
The most commonly used prostheses today are the smooth ones, since it has been proven that they have less possibility of capsular contracture placed behind the muscle. In any case, the rough ones can be used when they are placed in front of the muscle.
This decision is analyzed from an anatomical and aesthetic criteria, together we will arrive at the best option.
I often perform another procedure along with the breast implant surgery. As long as the patient is healthy and the combination of procedures does not take too long, combined surgeries can be performed. Your safety, of course, is the most important thing.
Over time, prostheses suffer wear and tear, just like the body in general. For this reason, manufacturers recommend changing them every 10 years. There are no definitive prostheses, but there are different qualities of implants.
The hardening of breast implants is called capsular contracture. Although worldwide rates of this contracture may exceed 10%, retromuscular techniques have resulted in rates of less than 3%. The use of meticulous technique, special incisions and new technology in breast implants have been keys to success.
While there is no risk of breast cancer after receiving breast implants, recent studies have reported a negligible risk for a very rare lymphoma more commonly associated with textured breast implants. This is one of the reasons why I most often choose the smooth implant.
Augmentation surgery can potentially affect the sensation of the nipple. Permanent losses are very rare, although it can occur temporarily which recovers in a few weeks.
We must know that implants add volume, but they do not lift or support the breast. The appropriate procedure to lift sagging breasts is “mastopexy”, which removes excess skin and accommodates the gland, giving it a better shape. Implants are used only if, in addition to lifting the breast, you want to add volume.
Shape-Based Implants Anatomical Silicone Implants:
The newest option, this implant is made of a highly cohesive gel giving it a firmer feel and more natural shape. These implants are narrower at the top and produce a natural slope towards the lower pole of the breast. However, it requires a larger incision for placement. On the other hand, this implant is rough, firm and made so that it does not move once it is placed, if the implant rotates inside the pocket, the shape of the breast will be altered.
Round silicone implants:
At present they are the most used implants and the ones preferred by women. This implant has a round shape. It is designed to create a smooth, round look with a fuller contour in the upper breast area. It is considered to be softer to the touch than anatomical implants and is made of a cohesive silicone gel which allows for a smaller skin incision. This type of implant can come in a moderate, high and ultra-high profile (the profile indicates the forward projection of the implant)
Implants according to their texture:
Smooth implants have the advantage of being smoother and move within the breast pocket like natural breasts do in different positions. They feel more natural and are therefore more difficult to detect in women for whom discretion is more important. Classically they are placed behind the muscle and have the lowest rate of capsular contracture. Textured implants have greater adhesion capacity to internal tissues, are firmer and more stable. As a general rule, textured prostheses are mostly placed in front of the muscle since they present a lower rate of capsular contracture in that plane.
Dentures can be broken by a sudden blow. Spontaneous ruptures were also seen, but infrequently. However, this is not an alarm or disease situation. Current prostheses have evolved in their manufacture, being made with stronger outer layers and filled with cohesive gels. These situations do not constitute an emergency, but an implant replacement must be scheduled, without any fear that this situation will generate any type of negative consequence for the body.