WHAT DO YOU NEED?

Who can have breast augmentation surgery?

Breast augmentation surgery is particularly aimed at women with a small bust in relation to their constitution. Any woman with one breast noticeably smaller than the other or who have lost volume or shape due to ageing, drastic weight loss or pregnancy might also benefit from breast augmentation surgery.

The end result of augmentation mammoplasty surgery is a natural, proportionate, attractive and voluminous breast.

Breast augmentation implants

State-of-the-art implants are used -high quality cohesive silicone gel-, which are currently the safest in the market. There are different types of breast implant that will determine the volume, profile and projection, etc. of the end result. Your plastic surgeon will advise you on all these aspects for a more attractive, natural result. You will find more information on breast implants in this article.

Methods of inserting breast augmentation implants

There are three basic methods for inserting breast implants: submammary (making a small incision in the mammary fold), the transareolar method (the incision is made around the areola), and the transaxillary method (where the breast implant is inserted through the armpit). The plastic surgeon must be extremely familiar with these surgeries to select the best one for each patient.

Wherever possible, IM CLINIC chooses the transaxillary method because it is the only one in which the mammary gland does not have to be touched to insert the breast implant.

In breast augmentation surgery, does the implant go in front of or behind the muscle?

The breast implant can be placed within the retropectoral (behind the muscle) or retroglandular plane (behind the mammary gland). There are other positions, but these are the two most common.

At IM CLINIC we prefer to place the breast implant behind the muscle because this makes mammographic control of the breast easier. As well as this, the breast implant is partly supported by the muscle, whereas it is the skin that supports the weight in retroglandular placement, and this ages very quickly as a result of this weight. Retropectoral placement also allows for breastfeeding with complete normality.

Duration, anaesthesia and hospitalisation for breast augmentation

Augmentation mammoplasty is a relatively short surgery. It normally takes from one and a half to two hours. The anaesthesia used in breast augmentation surgery might be local or general anaesthesia, depending on each specific case. One overnight stay in the clinic is normally sufficient.

The results of breast augmentation surgery

Once the swelling has gone down, the breast will begin to look more natural after around one week. Stitches will be removed eight to ten days after the operation. After this, the healing process normally takes three to six months, depending on each patient and on the incision selected.

The small incision required for breast implant placement will leave a scar that will become invisible after a short time, thus avoiding any type of mark.

Recommendations after breast augmentation

You will have drainage for the first 48 hours. This drainage is used to reduce swelling and any postoperative discomfort. It is normally removed during the first check-up visit, but this will depend on your progress.

You will wear a band and a special bra (similar to those used for sports) for the month following surgery.

After your first check-up with the doctor, postoperative massages and lymphatic drainage is recommended that will help in reducing swelling and in recovery after surgery.

You can resume your social life a few days after surgery. Returning to work will depend on the type of job you do.

POSTOPERATIVE CARE: AFTER BREAST AUGMENTATION SURGERY

You should wait between 10 and 15 days before starting to drive again. This will depend on the patient’s mobility, however, depending on her progress.

You must sleep on your front for at least the first month after breast augmentation surgery. This, however, will depend on the recovery of each individual patient.

You will be wearing a special bra after breast augmentation surgery, which you must wear with a band during the first month after surgery. This will depend on your recovery.

The initial visit to check the drainage will take place 48 hours after breast augmentation surgery. The doctor will assess your case and decide whether to remove it or wait a few more days. Drainage can be left in place for up to 5 days after the operation.

If you smoke, you should try to stop before your breast augmentation surgery. This will improve your health and your healing capacity.

What discomfort will I notice after my breast augmentation?

You might feel some discomfort, such as tightness of the breast skin, during the first 48 hours.

When does the breast start to change after surgery?

The patient’s recovery is much quicker once the drainage has been removed. The swelling will start to go down 10 days after breast augmentation surgery. You will start to see the results of the operation within one month, when the bands and the bra are removed. However, you will not see the full end result until 6 months later.

Is swelling and bruising normal after breast augmentation surgery?

This procedure is entirely normal and may last for up to one month post-surgery.

It is possible for one breast to recover before the other?

In breast augmentation, recovery is not necessarily the same for each breast. It is very likely for one breast to be more swollen than the other, with more bruising than the other or for discomfort to last for longer in one breast than the other. This is normal procedure.

Sensitivity, shape, different size, and pain?

The breast will be relatively insensitive for a while after breast augmentation surgery. A different size of the breasts, swelling and pain are completely normal and will depend on each patient, as will the shape of the breast. The breasts will initially look rounder and will be swollen. After a few months, the breasts will recover and have a natural appearance and feel.

Do you know what IM Care is?

IM Care is the commitment of IM CLINIC to care for you for the first year after your breast augmentation surgery. You will have a 24-hour hotline for your peace of mind, and our medical team will visit you regularly to ensure the results are as expected.