What is Breast Implant?
Breast implant or breast augmentation is a surgery to increase breast size. It’s also called augmentation mammoplasty . It involves placing breast implants under breast tissue or chest muscles.
For some people, breast augmentation is a way to feel better about themselves. For others, it’s part of rebuilding a breast for various conditions.
If you’re thinking of having breast augmentation, talk with a plastic surgeon. Make sure you know what the surgery involves, including possible risks and complications, as well as how to take care of yourself after surgery.
What are breast implants?
Breast implants are artificial devices (prostheses) surgically inserted into your breasts. Implants are silicone shells filled with either silicone gel or saline (sterile salt water).
Doctors called plastic surgeons insert implants. You may choose to receive implants following the loss of a breast to cancer. You may be a healthy person who wishes to change the shape or size of your breasts. Breast reconstruction is when a patient who has had breast cancer gets implants. Breast augmentation is when a healthy person receives implants to change the shape or size of their breasts. Breast augmentation is also known as a boob job.
Who gets breast implants?
Getting implants is a personal decision. Pursuing your wants and desires for your body can be very empowering.
To be considered for implants, you should:
- Be finished developing.
- Be in good physical health.
- Have realistic expectations.
Many people who get implants wish to make the size of their breasts larger. You may want to enlarge the size of your breasts for many reasons, including:
Restoring a previous breast size. Breasts can decrease in size after pregnancy, weight loss or aging.
Correcting asymmetrical (different size or shape) breasts. Breast asymmetry is common, but it may be more prominent if you experience damage to the tissue in one of your breasts before you go through puberty.
Restoring breasts after a mastectomy (breast removal). In women who have had their breasts removed because of cancer or any other serious health condition, implants restore feminine features and help them feel complete.
Affirming your gender. Breasts can help you accurately express your gender identity.
Boosting confidence. Implants can help improve your self-esteem and body image.
How you prepare
Before surgery, at IRANHEALTH you talk with a plastic surgeon about what size breasts you want and how you want your breasts to look and feel. The surgeon talks with you about the types of implants and surgical choices available to you. Implant types include smooth or textured, round or shaped like a teardrop, and saline or silicone.
Read all the information you receive, such as patient information from the maker of the implant you choose. Keep copies for your records.
Healthcare professionals need to review the FDA’s Patient Decision Checklist with anyone who wants a implant. This is to make sure that people who get implants know what implants can do and what the risks are.
Before you decide to have surgery, think about the following:
- Breast implants won’t keep your breasts from sagging. Your plastic surgeon may suggest a breast lift as well as breast augmentation to correct sagging breasts.
- Breast implants don’t last a lifetime. Implants last about 10 years. Your breasts and body keep aging. Weight gain or weight loss might change the way your breasts look. Also, implants can tear. Implant tears also are called ruptures. These issues can lead to a need for more surgery.
- Mammograms will need more views. If you have implants, mammograms involve getting more views of the breast to see all the way around the implant.
- Breast implants might affect breastfeeding. Some people can breastfeed after breast augmentation. But for others, breastfeeding is a challenge.
- Insurance doesn’t cover implants. This is true unless the surgery is needed medically, such as after a mastectomy for breast cancer. Be ready to cover all the bills, including related surgeries or future imaging tests.
- You might need more surgery after implant removal. If you decide to have your implants removed, you might want a breast lift or other surgery to make your breasts look better.
- It’s best to be screened for silicone implant rupture. The FDA suggests breast imaging 5 to 6 years after you have silicone implants put in. This is to check for implant rupture. Then, breast imaging is suggested every 2 to 3 years after that. Talk with your plastic surgeon about the type of imaging you’ll need after you have your implants put in.
You may need a mammogram before surgery. This is called a baseline mammogram. Your healthcare professional might adjust certain medicines before the surgery too. For example, you may be told not to take aspirin or other medicines that can increase bleeding.
If you smoke, your surgeon will ask you to stop smoking for a time before and after the surgery. This may be for 4 to 6 weeks.
Get someone to drive you home after the surgery and stay with you for at least the first night.
