What is Breast Augmentation?

Breast augmentation is basically a surgical procedure used to increase various qualities (size, shape and fullness) of a woman's breast. Breast augmentation, which is one of the most frequently performed aesthetic operations worldwide, is also the operation with the most successful results among plastic surgery operations.

Breast augmentation, also known as mammoplasty, can be performed for reasons such as enlarging the breasts of women, changing their shape or increasing their fullness. Breast augmentation is performed by placing silicone, prosthesis, saline or other alternative implants into the breast muscles or directly into the breast tissue.

Although its main function is to breastfeed and symbolize femininity, the breast is the most important image element in women's physique and has a prominent place in women's beauty. While the breast, which is an erogenous organ, directly affects women's self-confidence, women who do not find their breasts beautiful may feel incomplete. As a result, women's self-confidence can be damaged. In this case, breast augmentation can be applied.

Thanks to the developing technology and medical applications that are renewed every day, breast augmentation is performed very easily and reliably today.

Preparations Before Breast Augmentation

Although breast augmentation is an exciting procedure, it is also a stressful process. With the precautions to be taken and what needs to be done beforehand, the operation and the post-operative period can be made more comfortable. The pre-operative process basically starts with the patient's notification of the operation request to the physician.

The most principal issues that come up in the next process are:

Surgeon selection

Since breast augmentation surgery is a meticulous procedure, experienced surgeons should perform it to obtain a successful result and to prevent unnecessary correction operations. You can also get information about the technique to be used by interviewing your doctor before the operation.

Things to pay attention

In this process, there are some rules recommended by your doctor, which you must fulfill and follow. These are:

Do not consume anything, including water, the night before the surgery.
If you smoke, you should stop or reduce smoking a while before the surgery by consulting your doctor.
Pay attention to a healthy diet and not to consume alcohol in the last week before the operation.
Inform your physician of the medicines, herbs and supplements you have been using recently. For example, some drugs (such as aspirin) may cause post-operative bleeding. For this reason, you should strictly follow your doctor's recommendations.
Heavy exercises should not be done the day before the augmentation procedure.
Clean the areas to be operated with an antibacterial soap the night before the operation. Do not use make-up products such as oil, cream or deodorant after bathing.
For the application of anesthesia, at least your nails should not have nail polish.
Take care to brush your teeth without swallowing any water on the day of surgery. If you need to drink a medicine recommended by your doctor, do so by drinking a minimum of water.
Wearing wide and comfortable clothes and shoes on the day of breast augmentation will allow you to have a more comfortable post-operative period.

Extra precautions

You may need to be accompanied by a relative or friend who will stay with you for the first 24 hours after the surgery and drive for you.

You may need to minimize your responsibilities at home and at work. For this, you can prepare a meal in advance, complete your heavy work (e.g., cleaning chores) a few days in advance, or ask someone close to you to help for a brief time.

You can make a small list in advance of what you may need extra on the day of surgery. Entering the surgery by providing all of them will facilitate the post-operative process.

How Long Does Breast Augmentation Surgery Take?

Breast augmentation surgery is completed in an average of 40-45 minutes.

After Breast Augmentation What to Do After the Surgery

Recovery time after breast augmentation surgery varies depending on the person and the type of surgery. Although the recovery time of the patients after the operation depends on the technique applied by the surgeon (placement of the breast implants on or under the muscle tissue or where the surgical incision is made) and how qualified your surgeon is, the postoperative actions of the patients have a significant impact on this process.

Here are some recommendations for patients who want to recover in a brief time and continue their daily lives:

What to Do After the Surgery

Listen carefully to the advice your doctor will give you. Instructions about your recovery process are explained in detail by your doctor. Your doctor will tell you what is inconvenient for you to do for a few weeks after the surgery, depending on your age, health status and physical characteristics.
Be careful not to lift heavy objects, jump or bounce, or do any activity that requires excessive force or movement. This is especially important because you should not force or put pressure on your newly sealed implants or surgical incisions.
Take the healing and pain relief medications that your doctor will prescribe for you after the surgery, that you can apply directly to the wounds or take by mouth. In addition, thanks to these drugs, the chance of infection in your breasts will decrease. Rub the medicine into your wounds and chest. This will help the healing of the breast tissue and surgical wounds from the outside. Other than that, some medications can have effects such as helping to numb the pain from the surgery. It is important to use your doctor's prescription oral medication to heal the breast tissue from within and thereby relieve pain.
After breast augmentation surgery, your breasts may look red and shiny due to the new stretching of the skin. You can prevent stretch marks on the skin by applying moisturizers containing shea butter to your breasts.
It is recommended to wear a supportive bra that will restrict the movement of your breasts. The more you keep your enlarged breasts still, the faster your recovery will be. Using a bra that does not provide the necessary support will put too much strain on your new implants. Sports bras are the best option for restricting movement.
Lying on your breasts and applying pressure to them can cause surgical wounds to open, causing chest pain or needing doctor's appointments for correction. Therefore, avoid lying on your back for 10 days after surgery.

Breast Augmentation Results

After breast augmentation surgery, you will have the breasts that make you happy, increase your self-confidence and have the breasts you dream of.

In Which Situations Can Breast Augmentation Be Performed?

Naturally enlarging small breasts.
To restore breasts that have lost their shape and size due to pregnancy, weight loss or breastfeeding.
Correcting the asymmetry between the breasts.
To treat conditions caused by cancer treatment, surgery or similar reasons.
Changing breast implants (prosthesis) placed for medical or cosmetic reasons due to aging and losing their properties or causing a problem in that area.

Who Can Have Breast Augmentation?

Breast augmentation is one of the most performed surgical operations in the world, especially for the reasons mentioned above.

It can be applied to all patients over the age of eighteen, women, who have aesthetic concerns, who have functional disorders along with aesthetics and who have functional problems.

Who Cannot Have Breast Augmentation?

People who continue cancer treatment,
People who use or must use blood thinners,
Persons with a pacemaker,
People with diabetes.

Breast augmentation is not recommended for those who has these conditions.

Is There an Age Limit for Breast Augmentation?

Breast augmentation surgery is not considered appropriate for patients younger than 18 years of age due to the ongoing developmental period.

Will There Be Any Scars in Breast Augmentation Surgery?

Unfortunately, it is not possible to perform a breast implant without a scar on the breast. Although hidden, the cuts are still found. Different shaped incisions are used in the placement of breast implants.

These cuts may be in the following areas:

In the fold under the breast
Around the nipple
Above the nipple
Under arm
In the belly button

The cut under the breast is compatible with the natural fold under the breast and unlike other parts of the body, there is no enlargement or slippage in the cut mark here. After the operation, all the structures that go to the nipple (milk tract, vessels, nerves, etc.) remain unchanged and do not cause any harm to the breastfeeding functions of the breast. The cut mark can only be seen when naked and viewed from below. Except for the incision in the inframammary fold (IMF), the incisions in breast implant surgeries are not reopened after they are healed. This incision is used if there is a situation that requires re-operation (such as replacement or removal of the implant) after the implant is placed.

What Are the Types of Implants Used in Breast Augmentation?

There are two options for breast implants. There are certain differences between the implant filled with saline liquid (a salt-water solution like body fluid) and the more popular implant filled with silicone gel.

What is the difference between saline and silicone breast implants?

There is a silicone outer shell used in both implants. The reason for this is that silicone has a soft and durable structure, and it is like the breast structure. Although this silicone balloon remains the same in different implants, the different physical and viscous properties of the materials filled separate them from each other.

Saline breast implants: In these implants, a sterile saline solution is filled into the silicone balloon. After the implant balloon is placed in the chest, the balloon is filled with this solution. You can change the dimensions of this implant by having new saline solution added and removed by talking to your doctor within 6 months after the surgery.

Women who will be using saline implants in breast augmentation surgery should be over the age of eighteen. It can be used at any age for those who want reconstruction or reconstruction surgery.

Silicone breast implants: In these implants, the inside of the silicone balloon is filled with a durable, sticky and more reliable silicone gel. These implants are filled before the silicone balloon is placed. Silicone gel, which is like the characteristics of human adipose tissue due to its more fluid and dense structure, is preferred by many women for both its appearance and feelings.

The minimum age suitable for breast augmentation surgeries where silicone implants will be used is twenty-two. It can be used at any age for those who want reconstruction or reconstruction surgery.

If you want to have breast augmentation surgery or to get information about the mammoplasty process, you can consult your doctor and get an opinion from your doctor about the surgery by passing the examination.