All There Is to Know about Breast Implants

It is very common for women to be insecure about their breasts. Many women feel that their breasts are inadequate, resulting in self-confidence issues. Thankfully, there are many ways to restore your confidence. One of them is breast augmentation.

What Is Breast Augmentation?

Breast augmentation is the process of surgically enhancing the shape and size of your breasts. There are several different procedures that you can choose from, including:

• Breast Augmentation: a procedure that can enlarge your breasts, work on enhancing the symmetry of your breasts, and eliminate sagging
• Breast Lift: corrects sagging caused by aging
• Breast Reduction: reduces the size and weight of breasts that are too large
• Breast Implant Removal or Replacement: for women who have decided they would like to get their breast implants removed or resized
• Areola Reduction: corrects the size of areolas after pregnancy
• Nipple Reduction: corrects the size of your nipples
• Inverted Nipple Correction: restores the shape of inverted nipples

If you want to change the size or shape of your breasts, consult a specialist like Dr. Rifai from the Birmingham Cosmetic Surgery Clinic to see which method would work best for you.

What Types of Implants Are There?

While there are many different types of breast implants available, the major implant types fall into two main groups: saline implants and silicone implants.

Saline implants are filled with a saltwater solution after being implanted. Because of this, the incisions needed to place them are smaller and will heal more quickly. These implants are often recommended to women who have uneven breasts, because they can be easily adjusted.

Silicone implants are much larger and require a bigger incision before they can be placed properly. However, many women and cosmetic surgeons feel that these implants look more “real” than their saline counterparts, which is why they are so popular.

How Do I Know if They’re Right for Me?

To receive a breast augmentation, you must:

• Be over the age of 18, and finished having children and breastfeeding
• Make sure that you are of infection, as this could cause complications with the surgery
• Try to stop smoking at least four weeks before your procedure is scheduled. Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen in your body and constricts your veins, making it difficult to recover properly.

If you are worried about these issues, talk to a specialist like Dr. Rifai about your concerns during your consultation time.

What Should I Expect?

The level of pain varies by patient, but you will be able to alleviate the pain with medicine provided by your doctors. Some women report that they do not need prescription medication, and that the use of Tylenol or ibuprofen is enough to ease the discomfort.

It is also likely that you’ll experience swelling to some degree. Your breasts will appear bigger than they are designed to be, and may also sit higher for a short period of time. This is in part due to muscle contraction, which will relax in time. These symptoms should disappear within three to six weeks.