The Need
Women undergo breast augmentation for various reasons, the most common ones being:
- The desire to have big and attractive breasts, which may be for personal or professional requirements.
- Improve the size, unevenness and/or shape of one breast in comparison to the other breast.
- Correct or rebuild the size and fullness of the breasts which may have been damaged by accidents, injury, and medical condition of the patient, surgeries or even post pregnancy adjustments.
- In many cases, women have always wanted bigger breasts to boost their self-confidence.
The Solution
Breast augmentation or augmentation mammoplasty refers to a type of plastic surgery wherein the breast size of the patient is increased by placing breast implants underneath the chest muscles or breast tissue. The implant placement may be:
- Sub muscular or ‘pocket’ implant i.e., under the pectoral muscle. Such a surgery mandates a longer period of recovery and pain medication. Since muscles are better at concealing the implants, breasts can sustain a natural appearance.
- Sub mammary or Sub glandular. This essential means that it occurs behind the breast tissue but over or above the pectoral muscle. Despite quick recovery, concealment of implants is not as effective as that by muscles and the breasts may reveal implants, their edges and ripples in certain conditions
Since it is a surgery, women are advised to seek cosmetic surgeons with credible experience and the surgical expertise that can achieve a satisfactory outcome.
The Choices: Silicone Or Saline
Breast implants have been categorized into two types on the basis of their filling.
Saline breast implants
When breast augmentation first came into commercial practice, this was the only option for patients. A Saline implant is a silicone shell that is filled with sterile salt water. The cosmetic surgeon has the liberty to:
- Insert pre-filled implants if the patient has decided upon the shape and size.
- Or insert empty shells and fill them during the surgical procedure to arrive at a customized shape and size.
Saline breast implants can be availed by women as young as 18 years of age for breast augmentation and to patients of any age for the purpose of breast reconstruction. The only advantage of saline implants is the freedom to customize aesthetics, beyond the limitations of standard pre-filled implants.
Silicone Breast Implants
In the quest of working towards the look and feel of natural breasts, silicone implants were developed as an alternative to saline implants. Pre-filled with silicone gel, these implants have a supple natural feel, and women patients have often found them to be no different from their natural breasts.
The silicone gel is a thick, sticky fluid that can seamlessly mimic the touch and feel of natural human fat. Silicone breast implants can be availed by women as young as 22 years for breast augmentation and patients of any age for breast reconstruction.
