Breast augmentation: procedure, risks, price and everything you need to know

Breast augmentation surgery is one of the most performed procedures in the world of an aesthetic-constructive nature. So much so that, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in 400 women have a breast implant around the world.

There is usually a certain stigma in the face of this type of intervention, since various sectors of the population are inclined to think that "the best thing is to accept oneself as it is. Here a thousand and one ethical dilemmas come into play, because why not change something that displeases the individual if the means exist to do so?

The human being is no longer limited to the physiology with which he is born, and therefore, preference reigns in the world of aesthetics. Beyond ethical considerations and possible moral debates, each individual is the boss over his own body and destiny, and therefore, a breast augmentation surgery is as valid as any other medical procedure. Once this meaning is made, we will tell you everything you need to know about it.

• If you're interested: "10 risks of having surgery to get more chest"

The importance of this surgery in the world

Before immersing ourselves fully in the procedure and considerations of breast augmentation, we see it necessary to throw a series of relevant data about this surgery. Of course, this is a much more common surgical procedure than most people think:

• According to the WHO, about 10 million women undergo this procedure annually.
• One in 400 women has breast implants.
• Mammoplasty has grown 213% in the United States in recent times.
• 55% of women operated on are between 19 and 34 years old.

As we can see, we are facing a safe and widespread surgical process worldwide. Physiological limits at birth are no longer part of our being if we are not happy with them, and for that reason (as long as it is done with head), this procedure does not suppose a danger. Now, it is time to fully enter the pre- and post-operative process. Let's go there.

First steps

First, the initial consultation will consist of an anamnesis process and a physical examination. During the anamnesis, the professional seeks to ask open questions to the patient: goals, expectations, causal reasons and possible expected results. It is not about making a value judgment about the individual but simply the person's future hopes match the procedure To make.

Second, the person undergoing the operation will be evaluated through a physical exam. At this point, physical pathologies can be diagnosed, such as breast asymmetries, amastias (total lack of breasts) or hypomastias. Clearly, any atypical condition will vary the procedure to be followed.

Implant selection

The implant will be selected according to various methods, which will vary between patients. In general, we can list some types for you in a few lines:

• Smooth external coverage.
• Textured outer covering.
• Made of polyurethane.

Today, the implants are made of silicone filled with a highly cohesive gel. We are facing an organic polymer made up of dimethylsiloxane monomers, which, depending on their degree of polymerization and branching, acquire different physical characteristics. These implants can be injectable or require a larger excision, both options with advantages and disadvantages that the professional must confirm to the patient.

Different techniques can be performed when placing the implant that we have described in previous lines, but, in general, we can divide them into two groups.

1. Submuscular placement

This is, under the pectoral muscle that supports the breast. This procedure can prevent implants from showing through the skin and scar tissue from hardening. In addition, it facilitates breast imaging with mammograms and other exploratory procedures in routine clinical tests. As a drawback, this variant is more invasive and the patient recovery time is longer.

2. Subglandular placement

As the implant is located under the mammary gland and over the pectoral muscle, the intervention and recovery times are shorter. It is a less invasive technique but, as a drawback, the edges of the implant are more noticeable through the skin and this can make it difficult to explore the breast at a later time.

In addition to deciding where the implant will be placed, it is equally important to define how it will be done. There are several ways in which this material can be introduced into the breast:

• Submammary route: through the lower sulcus of the breast. It allows a broader view of the plane on which you proceed, but leaves a scar.
• Periareolar route: on the perimeter of the areola. It leaves a minimal scar, but it can cause problems in future periods of breastfeeding.
• Axillary route: under the armpit. As an advantage, it leaves a scar away from the breast and hidden in the armpit, but it is a more complex and laborious procedure.
• Umbilical route: in the umbilical perimeter. For implants filled with saline solutions and very specific conditions.

Postoperative and complications

Depending on the place of implant placement, the postoperative period will be more or less painful for the patient. In general, the person who has undergone the operation usually spends the first night in the hospital, and you will be prescribed multiple pain relievers to cope with possible aches and pains. In most cases, women describe a feeling of "tightness" when moving the upper trunk and some pain when moving the arms after the first days.

During the first stages after the operation, it is recommended that the patient rest, be careful with the efforts, wear a sports bra, sleep on your back and strictly follow the professionals who have advised you throughout moment. It is of the utmost importance to avoid subjecting the pectoral muscles to forces, as they are in a delicate moment.

When it comes to complications, various studies show that they are not very common. In general, local hematomas may appear in up to 0.5% of patients, infections up to 2%, galactorrhea (atypical leakage of milk in the breasts) in less than 1% and capsular contracture in up to 5% of cases. Undoubtedly, infection is the biggest problem to avoid, since systemic complications that involve physiological disorders in other organs can appear. Anyway, the statistics show us that any complication is very rare.

Cost

The average price of a breast implant in the United States is about $ 4,000 if the process is simple, which can be as high as $ 10,000 for more complex interventions or with specific patient needs. Keep in mind that only the price of implants is around $ 1,000, so lowering this price is very complex.

The person who is to undergo the operation should also take into account that it is a lifelong physiological modification, and therefore, skimping on expenses is usually never a good option. Health is priceless, which is why safe intervention without risk of infection is above all.

Resume

As we have seen, a breast augmentation operation is a procedure that must be considered, since requires a considerable monetary investment and the patient will go through a long recovery period and expensive. Despite all these considerations, it is a safe process that does not put the patient's life at risk (almost in any case).

We live in a changing world, and as we said at the beginning, the physical constrictions with which we are born no longer define us as individuals. We are what we feel we are inside, which is why showing ourselves physically how we conceive ourselves should not be stigmatized under any circumstances. As long as it does not transform into a pathology or a psychological condition (a fact that is explored in the anamnesis described above), this type of procedure will always be lawful.

Bibliographic references

• Calderón, J. M., & Carriquiry, C. (2016). News in augmentation mammoplasty. Medical Horizon (Lima), 16 (2), 54-62.
• Breast Augmentation Surgery, Elsevier Magazine. Picked up on October 27 in https://www.elsevier.es/es-revista-revista-medica-clinica-las-condes-202-articulo-cirugia-aumento-mamario-S0716864010705125
• Percentage distribution of the number of augmentation mammoplasties performed worldwide in 2017, by age group, Statista. Picked up on October 27 in https://es.statista.com/estadisticas/813094/porcentaje-de-aumentos-de-pecho-realizados-a-nivel-mundial-por-edad/
• Durán, L. TO. A., Ñañez, Z. AND. C., López, M. Y. C., & Da Graca, N. C. H. (2013). Augmentation mammoplasty: meaning attributed to it by university students. Wimb lu, 8 (1), 7-34.
• Post-operative breast augmentation, dorsia.es. Picked up on October 27 in https://www.dorsia.es/postoperatorio-aumento-mamas/
• Preciosusa.com. How much does a breast augmentation surgery cost in the USA. Picked up on October 27 in https://preciosusa.com/cuanto-cuesta-una-cirugia-de-senos-en-usa/