After Breast Augmentation Complications

Complications can occur after any surgery. Breast augmentation is no exception. Knowing what to expect before you undergo any surgical procedure can help relieve some stress and nervousness. It also helps prevent the shock and disappointment that may occur if post-surgical complications do arise.

Some complications that commonly arise immediately after breast implant surgery include post-operative bleeding (hematoma), fluid collection (seroma), and infection at the site of the surgical incision. Later complications may include chronic breast pain, alterations in breast and nipple sensitivity, and interference with breast feeding,

Feelings in the breast and nipple can change after the implant surgery has been completed. These changes may include increased sensitivity, chronic pain and lack of feeling in the breast or nipple for several months or even years following the implant surgery. Within the first few years, 2-8% of breast augmentation patients report experiencing chronic breast pain.

Another 1-2% report breast sensitivity changes, and 3-10% experience nipple complications like losing sensations within that area. These reports are generally the same for both silicone gel and saline implants.

But long term data does indicate that 17% of women experience after-surgery breast pain within five years of saline implants. This change in sensitivity is usually either temporary or permanent. It may also have an affect on sexual response and the ability to breast feed a baby.

Being aware of these and other possible complications will help you make an informed decision and may aid in long term satisfaction with your breast augmentation. Read more...

Repair or Revision Surgery

Breast implants don't last forever. Implant manufacturers are required to tell women that the implants they supply aren't permanent. The most common implant repair or replacement surgeries are due to the implant itself either rupturing or deflating.

Whatever type of breast implant you choose, the chances are good you'll need corrective surgery in your lifetime. The most common reason for additional surgery is complications. These could be miner or major complications which can occur after any surgery. Other things which require additional surgery include capsular constracture treatment and to repair any ripples or wrinkles in the implant that might show.

Breast reconstruction has a higher frequency of additional surgeries. Mastectcomy results in such drastic changes in the soft tissue and anatomical borders, multiple surgeries are often the only choice. It's also common for breast cancer patients to undergo several surgeries. Procedures to reconstruct the nipple-areola complex and to achieve symmetry with the remaining breast are done in planned stages

In cosmetic implants, additional surgeries can be drastically reduced by making the correct choices before surgery. Matching the size and type of implant with the patient's soft-tissue characteristics provides more successful results. These results provide the most aesthetically pleasing appearance and reduces the chances of ripples and wrinkles in the implant showing.

Choosing the breast implant that's best suited to your physical needs as well as choosing the best surgical procedure will reduce the occurrences of additional surgeries and result in the maximum satisfaction with your implants. Read more...

Saline or Silicone, Whats The Difference

Saline implants are just empty shells. They're surgically placed then filled with a salt water solution. Since this implant is so small when it's placed, the incision can also be quite small. This small incision leaves a much smaller scar. The silicone implant is a cover or envelope containing a silicone substance. This implant requires a larger incision for placement.

The United States places restrictions on silicone implants. Even though these restrictions have been considerably lessened in the past few years, the saline implant is still the most common implant used in America. Quality results can be expected from saline implants, but they can be more likely to suffer from cosmetic problems. Women with thin breast tissue may have the most problems.

Rippling and wrinkling of the implant may be seen. There's also the possibility of noticing the implant itself, either by sight or by touch. Women with more breast tissue don't generally have this issue. It's for this reason that most surgeons prefer the silicone implant for post-mastectomy reconstruction.

Silicone implants are more widely used outside the United States than saline. They're considered by most surgeons to be more realistic in appearance. Methods have been developed to hide the scar left by the large incision the silicone implant requires. The newest version has shown the potential for significant improvements over the older products. Even though the leaked silicone hasn't been shown to cause health problems, the possibility of leakage is still a concern.
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