Augmentation
mammaplasty is performed under a general anesthetic depending upon the
surgical technique and your anesthesia preference. This will be decided
by you and your doctor.
A small incision about two inches in length is made either in the fold
beneath the breast, around
the lower half of the areola (dark skin around the nipple), or in the
underarm area. Next, the
surgeon creates a pocket either directly under the breast tissue or
underneath the chest wall
muscle, depending on the surgeon's technique and the patient's anatomy.
Then an implant or
prosthesis is inserted into this pocket. As your body heals, it forms
a membrane of scar tissue
around the device to hold it in place. Several sutures are necessary
to close the incisions. The
procedure may take from one to two hours.
Questions about the technique and the type of implant to be used, as
well as any concerns
about the safety and present status of breast implants will be thoroughly
discussed during
consultation with your surgeon.
Following surgery, a dressing and elastic bandage is applied for about
one week. You can be up
and about within a day, but strenuous activity and heavy lifting should
be avoided for around four
to six weeks. Your breasts may be discolored or swollen after the operation.
Bruising will
disappear within a few weeks and swelling after a few months. You also
may experience some
degree of firmness in the breasts for a few weeks following surgery.
This, too, should diminish
with time. Additional surgery may be required to soften breasts that
become too firm due to
excessively tight scar formation, a process called capsular contracture.
