Forget the false information you have about breast surgeries, including augmentation to reduction. Read these 8 facts for correct information about breast surgeries.

 

Breast augmentation and reduction

Many females prefer aesthetic operations due to changes in their breasts after birth and end of lactation. Some females become uncertain about what to believe due to urban legends regarding aesthetic breast surgery and keep the idea of surgery at arm’s length. Here are the false facts about aesthetic breast surgery.

 

Incorrect: Silicone prosthetics should be replaced with new ones after 10 years.

 

CORRECT: 5^th generation prosthetics are used in breast augmentation surgeries. In these last generation prosthetics, the gel layer inside the breast prosthesis maintains the shape. Disfiguration of the breast and silicone leakage due to deformation of the prosthetic is much less likely for the prosthetics which preserve their shape. Hence, an expiry date due to “completion of prosthetic’s life span” does not apply to the operations where last generation prosthetics are implanted.

 

Incorrect: I cannot breastfeed after aesthetic breast surgery

 

CORRECT: Implants are placed beneath breast glands, where milk ducts are present, in breast augmentation surgeries; in some cases, these are placed beneath the pectoral muscle under the gland or the membrane which covers the muscle. Therefore, no obstacles occur before breast feeding. Mastopexy is performed by using the breast tissue for females who have appropriate breast size. Breast prosthetics are placed for smaller breasts and mastopexy is performed over these implants. Both situations do not hinder breastfeeding. Milk glands are preserved in most cases of breast reduction surgeries; reduction technique is selected such that milk glands are conserved. Most of these females are able to breastfeed after the surgery. However, the connection between the nipple and milk glands can be impaired in rare occasions where the breasts are oversized. These females lose the ability to breastfeed.

 

Incorrect: Breast reduction surgeries cause severe scarring.

 

CORRECT: The priority of the breast reduction surgery is to achieve a breast size that is proportional to the body size. Postoperative scars of the reduction surgery can be minimized using various creams and silicone gels. The scar is a vertical line on periphery of the nipple and it extends towards the infra-mammary fold. This scar may fade in time. People presenting for breast reduction form the group of patients who are most satisfied with results of aesthetic surgeries.

 

Incorrect: Mammography for breast cancer screening is unnecessary before aesthetic breast surgery

 

CORRECT: Contrary to popular belief, all women who wish to have an aesthetic breast surgery should be discussed about family history of breast cancer. Mammography is requested preoperatively for women older than 35. The advantage of this test is the ability to compare preoperative and postoperative mammography findings. Moreover; preoperative mammography prevents the risk of missing a cancer that can be incidentally detected. We recommended that all patients are evaluated by a general surgeon who specializes in breast conditions, if family history is notable for breast cancer in 1^st degree relatives especially such as mother, sister or aunt, even if the patient is younger than 35. On the other hand, we act in the light of mammography results for those over 35 years of age. Breast prosthetics do not delay or prevent the diagnosis of breast cancer. Mammography and sonography can be scanned in women who undergo this surgery.

 

Incorrect: Leakage occurs in breast prosthetics in time.

 

CORRECT: Incidence of leakage was much higher in prosthetics filled with saline which were almost completely discontinued 10-15 years ago in comparison to silicone prosthetics used today. Asymmetry was more prominently observed after leakage due to fluid contents. These old prosthetics, if still present, can be surgically replaced with last generation silicone gel implants. Leakage can still occur in the 5^th generation implants which are in use currently, albeit rare. However, even if a leakage occurs, it can be identified in the form of “silent rupture” which stays in the outer capsule due to more durable capsule of implants. It rarely advances through this capsule and oozes into the breast.

 

Incorrect: I can choose shape of my silicone implant

 

CORRECT: Shape of the prosthetic should be determined by the plastic surgeon depending on the breast size, breast shape, structure of the chest wall, life style, and whether the woman is a professional athlete or not. Shape and size of the implant which will be implanted to a woman with sagging due to breastfeeding should be different from a breast prosthesis that will be implanted to a woman who had never breastfed.

 

Incorrect: I can have breasts similar to the woman I saw in a photograph.

 

CORRECT: Aesthetic surgeries or interventions should be planned with due consideration to the face or body in all women. Therefore, size of a prosthetic which will be implanted to 1.45-meter tall woman cannot be same with the one to be implanted to a women with height = 180 cm. Surgical intervention is planned while paying attention to shape of the breast, family history of breast disease, body composition and the history of delivery.

 

Incorrect: I had a breast augmentation surgery; thus, my breast will not sag in the future.

 

CORRECT: Even if the prosthetic does not transpose, breast tissue can sag over the implant due to aging in women with B "cup" or larger breasts, as they still have a certain amount of breast tissue. Sagging may not be likely in women with smaller breasts. Mastopexy becomes necessary in case of sagging.

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*Aim of the information in our website is not directing individuals to diagnosis and treatment. Do not perform procedures regarding diagnosis and treatment without approval of your physician. Contents do not include information regarding curative healthcare services of Lowcostmed.