Before After Breast Augmentation

Before After Breast Augmentation - Capsular Contracture

When a foreign object inters our body, our immune system tries to either destroy it or contain it. Some immune systems interpret a breast implant as a foreign object. Since the immune system can't destroy an implant, it tries to contain it. It attempts to build a 'wall' around the intruder to keep it from spreading to the rest of the body. The wall around the implant is called a capsule.

When the capsule tightens around the implant it's called capsular contracture. The squeezing can be painful and can change the shape of the breast. The changed shape can affect the appearance of the breast as well.

The severity of the capsular contracture varies between cases. With the mildest case, the breast looks normal and still feels soft. This is classified as grade 1. Grade 2 still looks normal, but the breast is a little firm. At grade 3, the breast is firm and the appearance is considered abnormal. Grade 4 is the most severe and the most painful. The breast looks abnormal and is hard.

You may have to have another operation to fix capsular contracture. The capsule has to be removed, and sometimes the implant has to be replaced. But there are cases where successful treatments have been achieved without any additional surgery.

It's not known exactly what causes the body's immune system to behave abnormally towards an implant, but capsular contracture can happen after any implant or implant repair surgery. Not just breast implants. Read more...

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...