Breast

Breast augmentation, sometimes referred to as a "breast aug" or "boob job" by patients, involves using breast implants or fat transfer to increase the size of your breasts. This procedure can also restore breast volume lost after weight reduction or pregnancy, achieve a more rounded breast shape or improve natural breast size asymmetry.

Breast augmentation is also referred to as augmentation mammoplasty. When fat from another part of the patient's body is used to create the improved breast volume, the procedure is referred to as fat transfer breast augmentation.

Breast augmentation surgery can:

• Increase fullness and projection of your breasts
• Improve balance of breast and hip contours
• Enhance your self-image and self-confidence
• Breast implants may also be used for breast reconstruction after mastectomy or injury.

Breast augmentation surgery can't:

• Correct severely drooping breasts. A breast lift may be required along with a breast augmentation for sagging breasts to look fuller and lifted.
• Breast lifting can often be done at the same time as your augmentation, or may require a separate operation.

The goal of breast implant removal surgery is to remove breast implants from breast augmentation or breast reconstruction patients. During these procedures, the surgeon may also remove silicone material from implant leaks and the breast capsule, which is the scar tissue that forms after the placement of a breast implant.

Often, the scar tissue that forms after the placement of an implant is soft and does not need to be removed, but it may harden, causing pain and discomfort. This is often a reason to have the implants and scar tissue removed.

Breast implants are not lifelong devices and it is important to have them exchanged or removed approximately every 10-15 years. This decision is typically based on the individual and the patient's needs and desires.

In some cases, the outside shell of the implant breaks down, causing silicone to leak and the scar tissue around the implant to harden. It is important to understand that your implants should be removed for this reason.

A breast lift, also known as mastopexy, raises the breasts by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue to reshape and support the new breast contour.

Sometimes the areola becomes enlarged over time, and a breast lift will reduce this as well.

A breast lift can rejuvenate your figure with a breast profile that is more youthful and uplifted. A woman's breasts often change over time, losing their youthful shape and firmness. These changes and loss of skin elasticity can result from:

• Pregnancy
• Breastfeeding
• Weight fluctuations
• Aging
• Gravity
• Heredity

Breast lift surgery can't:

• Significantly change the size of your breasts or round out the upper part of your breast. If you want your breasts to look fuller, consider breast lift and breast augmentation surgery.
• If you want smaller breasts, consider combining breast lift and breast reduction surgery.

The goal of breast reconstruction is to restore one or both breasts to near normal shape, appearance, symmetry and size following mastectomy, lumpectomy or congenital deformities.

Breast reconstruction often involves multiple procedures performed in stages and can either begin at the time of mastectomy or be delayed until a later date.

Breast reconstruction generally falls into two categories: implant-based reconstruction or flap reconstruction. Implant reconstruction relies on breast implants to help form a new breast mound. Flap (or autologous) reconstruction uses the patient's own tissue from another part of the body to form a new breast.

There are a number of factors that should be taken into consideration when choosing which option is best:

• Type of mastectomy
• Cancer treatments
• Patient's body type

If only one breast is affected, it alone may be reconstructed. In addition, a breast lift, breast reduction or breast augmentation may be recommended for the opposite breast to improve symmetry of the size, shape and position of both breasts.

Breast reduction, also known as reduction mammaplasty, is a procedure to remove excess breast fat, glandular tissue and skin to achieve a breast size more in proportion with your body and to alleviate the discomfort associated with excessively large breasts (macromastia).

Disproportionately large breasts can cause both physical and emotional distress for patients. Patients with macromastia may experience physical discomfort resulting from the weight of their breasts. The resulting pain can make it challenging for some patients to perform common physical activities. Along with the physical ailments of macromastia, some patients may suffer from emotional distress or more significant mental health problems as a result of their large breasts.

Although breast reduction is often performed to address medical issues, patients who do not have the symptoms of macromastia but are unhappy with the size of their breasts can still pursue breast reduction as an aesthetic procedure. Patients choosing to undergo breast reduction surgery for cosmetic reasons may cite any number of factors, including social stigmas and wardrobe concerns.

The goal of breast implant revision surgery is to replace old breast implants with new implants. Often the goal is also to change or improve the appearance of the breasts while updating the implant material, which could include:

• A concurrent breast lift or reduction
• Reshaping the breast implant pocket to reposition the implant on the chest
• Either increasing or decreasing the size, shape or style of the breast implant

The desire to have breast implant revision surgery can be because of any of the following reasons:

• Desire to change the size of the breasts
• Pain from capsular contracture
• Concern about rupture or migration of implant
• Change from saline to silicone or different style of implant

Over time, breast implants can change shape or size, and the overlying breast tissue can also change, creating an appearance or feel to the breast that is less desirable than the original result. Also, many breast implants have a lifetime warranty on the actual implant device, but after ten years the costs associated with having surgery to replace the implants are no longer covered. Because of this, many women will elect to replace or update their breast implants at or around the 10-year time frame.