Breast augmentation is the name given to the process of bringing the breasts of women with small breasts to the desired size with the help of prostheses, also called silicone implants, or fat injection, and the surgery performed for this purpose.
Every woman wants to be beautiful, and a woman who does not want to have beautiful breasts is unthinkable. Sometimes, as a result of double or unilateral development defects of the breasts or due to weight gain and loss after pregnancy, breast tissue may lose its volume and become smaller than normal. In these and similar cases, breast augmentation surgery should be performed to obtain larger, fuller, larger, more aesthetically beautiful breasts. It should not be forgotten that every woman deserves a beautiful pair of breasts. It is possible to have beautiful breasts with breast aesthetics.
IN WHICH CASES IS BREAST AUGMENTATION SURGERY PERFORMED?
In women who think that their breasts are small, breast augmentation surgery is performed to correct the disproportion in body lines, especially the hip-chest ratio.
To correct the loss of breast volume after pregnancy (In some cases, the breasts may sag. In this case, it may also be necessary to perform breast lift-collection surgery).
Breast augmentation surgery to achieve symmetry in breast size: In most women, breasts are not symmetrical. If this is very pronounced, the breast should be enlarged.
To reconstruct the breast in various situations (e.g. after breast cancer surgery, congenital absence of breast …)
Breast implants (prostheses) placed for medical or cosmetic reasons need to be replaced because they wear out, lose their properties or create a problem in that area
BREAST AUGMENTATION FOR PROPORTIONATE BODY CONTOURS
The perception of beauty has changed over the ages. If you look at paintings from 100 years ago, you will see pictures of plump and naked women. In those years, a slightly thin woman was considered ugly and sickly. In fact, the size zero, which everyone adores today, was considered almost dead.
Today, however, the phenomenon and perception of beauty is completely different. I don’t need to describe today’s understanding of beauty, it is known by everyone. What I really want to focus on is proportional body lines. As you know, we have a little hip structure due to our genes. We are not very rich in terms of height. In this case, the situation that occurs or rather felt in women with small breasts is the deterioration in favor of the hips in the ratio of shoulders, chest and hips. The phenomenon of not feeling beautiful when looking in the mirror. However, every woman wants to feel beautiful. Moreover, this is her right. It is possible to correct this ratio by balancing it with breast augmentation surgery. Many women undergo breast augmentation surgery to achieve the charm of a slim waist glass with a breast prosthesis suitable for hip and shoulder dimensions.
Breast augmentation surgery is not a mandatory operation in terms of health. However, if we examine the definition of health; we come across the phrase that it is a state of complete well-being not only physically but also spiritually and socially. We can say that the definition of health is not fully fulfilled in people who feel spiritually incomplete and socially restrict themselves by obsessing about small breasts. In this case, a compulsory surgery can be accepted in terms of health. But in the end, it is not essential in terms of physical health.
What are the types of silicone breast implants?
Breast prostheses used for breast augmentation, also known as breast silicone, are subject to some distinctions in terms of shape, content and surface structure. We can list them as follows.
A) IN TERMS OF SHAPE:
Drop (anatomical) prosthesis
Round denture
The horizontal and vertical base diameters of round dentures are equal. In drop dentures, the vertical diameter is slightly longer than the horizontal diameter and the height of the denture is higher at the lower pole than the upper pole. The reason why it is called anatomical is because it is more similar to the shape of the breast.
B) IN TERMS OF CONTENT:
Silicone content
Saline containing saline (saline)
Depending on the content, there are prostheses filled with silicone gel and prostheses filled with physiological serum, i.e. physiological saline. These contain silicone gel or physiologic serum inside a solid envelope of silicone.
C) IN TERMS OF SURFACE STRUCTURE
Rough surface
Flat Surface
Regarding the surface structure, the prostheses are divided into two groups as smooth and rough surface prostheses. It has been found that capsule formation around dentures with rough surfaces is less than those with smooth surfaces.
ARE THE IMPLANTS USED IN BREAST AUGMENTATION SURGERY SAFE?
Most recently, the FDA has determined that breast implants containing silicone do not cause any disease or cancer after intensive clinical studies. As of November 17, 2006, it has announced to the whole world that it can be used in all kinds of aesthetic interventions and its free use has caused the prejudices of patients who want to have breast augmentation against silicone implants to disappear.
In patients with breast prosthesis, breast tissue can be examined with breast ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging instead of mammography and suspicious lesions can be detected. Since the number of women with breast prostheses is increasing today, some radiology centers can also perform mammography on silicone breasts.
IS THERE AN ALLERGY TO BREAST SILICONE?
Breast silicone is found in many substances that we use in daily life such as polishes, sun and hand creams, antiperspirant deodorants, soaps, processed foods, waterproof coatings and chewing gum. It is a widely used substance in the cosmetics and food industry. Breast silicone is one of the most adaptable substances to the body. Therefore, allergy to this substance is extremely rare.
WHERE IS THE BREAST IMPLANT PLACED?
For breast augmentation (breast) surgery, we have 4 different incision site options for implant placement. These are underarm, around the nipple, under the breast and belly incisions. Each incision has its own advantages and weak points. The incision around the nipple heals with a very small scar around the brown part called the areola, but technically the milk ducts may need to be cut. In the sub-mammary incision, there is no damage to the mammary gland and milk ducts; healing takes place with a vague scar that fits into the sub-mammary groove. If there is an anomaly in the attachment of the breast to the chest wall, this can be easily corrected in this procedure.
In the underarm incision, there is no incision on the breast and the intervention is performed under the armpit. Prosthesis is usually placed endoscopically through the armpit and umbilical incisions. Although the scars are slightly red and prominent in the early period after breast surgery, they gradually fade and become indistinct over time. Through these incisions, a pocket of appropriate size is prepared in the planes under the mammary gland or chest muscle and the prosthesis is placed in this pocket.
HOW IS BREAST PROSTHESIS SIZE DECIDED?
The size of the prosthesis to be placed is decided by taking into account the height, shoulder width, sagging rate, if any, the width of the rib cage and the patient’s request. During the breast augmentation surgery, the size of the permanent prosthesis is decided by comparing with the impression prostheses of various sizes. In fact, the most important criterion in deciding the size of the prosthesis is the patient’s request.
CAN YOU TELL IF THE BREAST IS SILICONE OR NOT?
It is not easy to understand whether the breast is silicone or not. Because especially the latest silicones are almost the consistency of breast tissue, someone who does not know cannot distinguish silicone by touching it. When breast augmentation is done, it is also not understood by looking, as the majority wants it to come to natural sizes. However, if there are those who want a large silicone in proportion to their body and want it to be obvious, it may be suspicious. That is when you wear a bikini.
RECOVERY PROCESS AFTER SILICONE SURGERY
Silicone surgery takes approximately 1 hour. On the day of surgery or the next day, you will be discharged and allowed to go home. The first two days should generally be spent resting. During this period, you may have different complaints depending on whether the prosthesis is placed behind or in front of the muscle. There is not much pain, but the feeling of fullness may bother you for a few days. There is some swelling in the first two days, and it starts to decrease from the third day. We call this edema after breast aesthetics. In prostheses placed behind the muscle, pain increases with arm movements. This is limited to the first days. Edema (swelling) after breast surgery, which gradually increases in the first two days, starts to decrease from the third day. The arm and torso relax. The day after your surgery, a flesh-colored band is left only where the silicone is placed. No other dressing is applied. You wear a sports bra directly over this. On the third day, you can take a shower without removing this band. On the 14th day, we remove this band under your control. Then we start scar treatment. The breast is shaped with a sports bra to be used for a month after the operation.
WHAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AFTER BREAST PROSTHESIS (BREAST SILICONE) SURGERY?
Activities should be strictly restricted for the first three weeks after breast prosthesis (breast silicone implant) applications and should be gradually increased after this period. Games with high arm movement such as tennis and heavy sports are not allowed before the first month. Sauna, solarium and steam bath should be avoided within 6-8 weeks following breast augmentation surgery.
WHAT IS THE LIFESPAN OF THE PROSTHESIS USED IN BREAST AUGMENTATION?
The prostheses used in breast augmentation are called lifelong according to the statements of the manufacturers. However, sometimes they may need to be replaced after 15-20 years. Theoretically, the life of the prosthesis is longer than human life. However, the appearance of the breasts may deteriorate due to loosening and sagging of the skin and subcutaneous tissues with aging. Or, as a result of capsular contracture, the prosthesis may need to be replaced with a new surgery or the prosthesis pockets may need to be corrected.
CAN A MOTHER WITH BREAST IMPLANTS BREASTFEED HER BABY?
In breast augmentation surgery, the breast implant is placed under the breast tissue. Therefore, the implant does not damage the breast tissue or milk ducts. In addition, some studies have been conducted regarding the passage of silicone into milk, and in these studies, it has been determined that there is more silicone in cow’s milk and baby foods available on the market than in the milk of women with breast implants.
CAN SAGGING BREASTS BE LIFTED WITH PROSTHESIS?
If the sagging in the breast is small, it can be corrected by using a prosthesis large enough to fill the breast volume. If the sagging in the breast is excessive (tissue loss called atrophy occurs in the breasts of breastfeeding women and the breasts sag as if they are empty), it may be necessary to perform a lifting surgery with prosthesis placement.
HOW ARE BREASTS WITH SILICONE IMPLANTS AFFECTED BY PREGNANCY?
Silicone does not affect pregnancy. Normally, breasts will grow during pregnancy anyway, so they look even bigger with silicone. The amount of growth varies from woman to woman and the size of the silicone implants also plays a role in this growth. When the pregnancy is over, it decreases to its normal size.
CAN THE SILICONE PROSTHESIS BE FELT IN CONTACT WITH THE HAND, CHANGE SHAPE WITH PRESSURE OR BURST?
New generation silicone prostheses are not felt if they are placed at the appropriate size. In addition, since the latest technology has softened the silicone consistency, it is very difficult to feel them, especially when they are placed under the muscle. It is also unlikely to burst unless there is a very severe impact such as a traffic accident or stabbing.
