Surgical Procedure
Breast augmentation surgery is usually done as an outpatient procedure, meaning the patient will be sent home right after surgery. The surgery will take between 1 and 3 hours, depending on complexity. Factors can include the technique used, the size and placement of the implants, the patient's anatomy and the kind of anesthesia used for the procedure.
The procedure starts with the surgeon making an incision and creating a pocket where the breast implant will be placed. Incisions can be made around the areola, under the armpit or in the crease below the breast. In some cases, the incision can be made through the navel. Implants are placed either under or above the chest muscle directly under the breasts.
Types of Implants
Breast implants can either be made of a soft, pliable bag filled with silicone or with a saline, or salt water, solution. The type of implant used will depend on many factors, including patient physiology and the desired effect of the breast augmentation.
Saline implants were first developed in the early 1960s. The goal of saline implants was a device that could be put in place through a smaller incision. Saline implants were the most common implant in the United States due to a silicone implant restriction. Good results can be obtained with saline implants, but they are more prone to being noticeable to the eye, to ripping and to wrinkling.
Silicone gel implants were developed several years before saline implants. Silicone implants have gone through many versions. Early silicone implants were deemed too hard and not lifelike, which led to the development of implants with thinner walls and a thinner, more watery silicone filling. These were prone to rupture and leakage and were later replaced with implants using thicker, more robust shells that were filled with a thicker, more cohesive gel. Silicone implants are sometimes said to be associated with a range of systemic illnesses, including rheumatism and neurological problems; however, no studies have been able to prove a direct link between these diseases and silicone implants.
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