Breast Augmentation

The decision to have breast surgery is a personal one that should not be made lightly. Before undergoing any type of breast surgery, you should do proper research and make sure you are armed with all of the facts necessary to make an informed decision. Here are some vital facts every woman should know before having breast surgery:

• The average cost of a breast augmentation surgery is $3708 according to a report in 2014 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). On the other hand, breast reduction can cost anywhere from $5000-$10,000 since the procedure takes longer than an augmentation. You also need to factor in the facility fee and anesthesia costs.
• The downtime from work will be about 5-7 days for both breast augmentation and breast reduction. This time frame applies to people with jobs that mainly involve sitting behind a desk. If you job involves manual labor and/or a lot of bending and lifting, you will need more downtime in order to have a complete recovery. Most people have to restrict their exercise to light cardio for up to 12 weeks after a procedure.
• The first breast implant surgery you undergo will more than likely not be your last breast augmentation surgery. Much like anything else in life, breast implants don’t last forever. Some of the factors that can cause a change in the implants include pregnancy, weight loss, implant leaking and a desire to change the size of the implants by the patient.
• It’s important to make sure that the surgeon performing the procedure is board certified. Any surgeon performing a breast surgery should be experienced and certified as a member of the American Board of Plastic Surgery and/or the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. A surgeon should also be able to show you examples of past work on patients with “before and after” photos.
• Schedule a consultation to set realistic expectations for the results of the surgery. Don’t expect to go from a small cup to a much larger size during one surgery. The body needs time to adjust to radical changes and the skin needs time to adjust as well since it will be stretched further than in the past. Most surgeons will suggest increasing the cup size a little bit at a time so multiple surgeries might be required to achieve the size you desire.
• There might be some loss of feeling in the nipples following the surgery. This is true of both breast augmentation and breast reduction procedures. Although they will still respond to stimulation, your ability to feel it might be affected.
• Your overall health might be a factor that limits your ability to have breast surgery. Smoking or drinking heavily, as well as a family history of breast cancer, might make you a less than ideal candidate for breast surgery.
• The two main choices for implants are silicone and saline. Saline implants can exhibit ripples while silicone implants feel and look more natural. However, it’s harder to detect if silicone implants have ruptured thanks to their gel-like nature while the water-like filling in saline implants show visible changes if they rupture.
• There is no minimum size restriction for a breast reduction procedure. Most women who choose to have a breast reduction procedure make the decision due to personal preference. Having breast reduction surgery is not a decision to be taken lightly and you can benefit from consulting with a doctor about your personal situation and goals.
• Breast augmentation can change your posture much like natural breast weight does on a daily basis. Choosing an implant size that is in proportion to your frame will not cause much of a change in your posture. Larger implants will weigh a bit more and can cause changes in the posture thanks to the extra weight.
• Make sure that the reasons you want to have breast augmentation or reduction are based on your own desires. The overall look of your body is a personal matter and you should not let others dictate how you feel about your appearance. Ask yourself how much you do or don’t like your current breast size and then make the decision to have a procedure based on your desire to make a change rather than trying to make others happy.