- Change in mammary glands
The size of the mammary glands varies monthly and throughout the life of a woman. Changes in the hormonal background that occur during the menstrual cycle and pregnancy cause fluctuations in the intensity of the blood supply to the mammary glands, as a result of which their size changes. Mammary glands significantly increase during breastfeeding due to the development of glandular tissue and fat storage. After weaning the baby from the breast, they return to their previous size, although they may become less elastic. With age, the glandular tissue becomes smaller, the skin loses its elasticity, and the ligaments supporting the breast become weaker. The method of surgical intervention for breast augmentation, through which the wishes of the patient will be satisfied, is discussed with the plastic surgeon. The patient should be ready for significant changes in her appearance after the operation. Breast augmentation is indicated for young women with really flat breasts, as well as for women whose breasts have decreased after pregnancy or have sagged with age. However, the need to use the implant is not always justified, especially if beautiful before, the chest has sagged and become flat as a result of losing weight. In this case, a suitable operation is mastopexy (breast lift), in which the appearance of the bust is improved by removing excess skin. In plastic surgery, there is a rule: if the nipples are below the level of the fold formed at the point of attachment of the mammary glands to the chest, breast enlargement can be started only after mastopexy.
- Implants
For surgical breast augmentation implants are used, which are an elastic silicone capsule filled with silicone gel or physiological saline solution. They are placed under the gland tissue. Such an operation is called mammoplasty, or augmentation, and is performed under local or general anesthesia. The purpose of this surgical intervention is to enlarge the breast in such a way that it has the most natural appearance with inconspicuous or almost invisible sutures. The postoperative period should pass with minimal discomfort and with little or no pain.
• Usually, the implants are a silicone capsule filled with silicone gel or saline. The aim of the operation is to give the breast a natural appearance. The safety of silicone implants for a long time was the subject of discussions. To date, their long-term effects, such as the effect of silicone on the development of diseases of the immune system, are being studied. In the meantime, implants from other materials are appearing and are finding increasing use. Silicone implants prevent passage
- Sensitivity
After surgery, a woman can note a change in the sensitivity of the breast. In rare cases, the sensitivity of the nipple may be reduced or even completely lost.
- Side effects
One of the side effects of mammoplasty is the formation of a connective tissue capsule around one or both implants, which can cause unnatural sensations in the chest and even lead to deformation and densification. In such cases, a surgical opening of the formed capsule is required, sometimes - the removal or replacement of the implant. Other possible side effects are the leakage of the chemical contents of the implant in the tissue, the development of infection, as well as the difficulty in carrying out mammography (x-ray examination of the mammary glands).
- Preparation
Women who are thinking about mammoplasty should discuss with the surgeon the possible side effects and make sure that the potential risk of the operation does not outweigh its benefits. It is also important to remember that, like any other plastic surgery, mammoplasty changes the appearance of the body - the patient should be ready for such changes. However, most women have no side effects, and the results of the operation are usually good enough and persist for a long time. If the operation is done correctly, the implant is under the mammary gland, and the woman can not worry about not being able to breast-feed after the operation.