All About Breast ImplantsA Guide through the Breast Augmentation Maze of Fact & FictionThinking about treating yourself to "new and improved" breasts? Good for you! But ... Brace yourself! There's no escaping the sad reality that many people considering the procedure become an instant target for a tidal wave of misinformation, tasteless jokes, and worse. There's absolutely no excuse for it ... except that many people are shockingly misinformed (and don't take the time to seek out the truth before closing their minds).
One blogger wrote: "There is this all-to-common misconception that women who have breast implants are insecure about their bodies. Hello? I am here to tell you this is FALSE. Tons and tons of women have breast implants and I feel it would be safe to say that the majority that have undergone the procedure have a million other reasons that do not include insecurity as one of them. People that have not been directly involved in a situation will believe whatever they want to, but this is a perfect example of stereotyping and it just is not right or fair!" Not right. Not fair. How right she is! Yet it's just one of the many myths surrounding this procedure. Our purpose here is to explain breast augmentation clearly and fully – and to de-bunk the myriad myths about it so you can make an informed choice about whether its right for you. Since the Blogger quoted above brought it up, let's tackle the self-esteem issue, first. Is it true that women who opt for breast augmentation surgery all hate and are embarrassed by and ashamed of their bodies? Well, to state the obvious: No, of course not! There are many legitimate reasons - having nothing to do with vanity - for women elect to have breast augmentation surgery. While it's true that enhanced esteem about body shape is one predictable and desirable result of the procedure, it doesn't therefore follow that they hated their bodies, before. (Talk about faulty logic! As if having the desire to better something that's already okay somehow implies shame about the original. That assumption is simply ludicrous.) Some women elect to have the procedure because pregnancy has altered the shape of their breasts in a way that doesn't please them ... some, with naturally small, undeveloped breasts, don't like having to wear padded bras all the time, or the way their clothes fit, without that padding ... others are having reconstructive surgery in celebration, after successfully beating cancer ... and many women come to us with some combination of these reasons plus some unique to themselves. If you are considering implants, the first thing you need to do is to tune out the uneducated nay-sayers and learn the facts. You can start by reading this article, then go forward by discussing your issues and questions with an experienced, skilled physician who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, such as Dr. Elizabeth Kinsley. Dr. Kinsley performs several hundred procedures per year and specializes in breast enhancement surgery, so you can be assured that she's up on all the latest techniques and choices. That's the kind of surgeon you want to be in charge of your procedure. What exactly is a breast implant? Breast implants are medical devices that are implanted either under breast tissue or under the chest muscle for breast augmentation or reconstruction. There are two major types: saline-filled and silicone gel-filled. Saline-filled breast implants are silicone shells that are either pre-filled or filled with saline during surgery, and some of these allow for volume adjustments of the filler after surgery. Silicone gel-filled breast implants are silicone shells pre-filled with silicone gel. Breast implants vary in profile, size, and shell surface (smooth or textured). Where do I start finding out more about them? First of all, be aware that a woman must be at least 18 years of age to have a breast augmentation (22, for a silicone implant). Assuming you're of age and now want to explore the possibility of breast implants, your first focus should be considering size for breast augmentation for the shape of your body. It's one of the most important decisions you'll make, since changing implant sizes after augmentation is one of the main reasons women undergo additional surgery on their breasts (which you, naturally, want to avoid). Considering how important the selection of breast implants size is, it's astonishing how carelessly some treat it. For instance:
For examples of some of these "Do it yourself" methods, click here. None of the above methods are particularly useful to determine implant sizes – and, in fact, easily could lead to terrible disappointment. The decision about size and shape is so important that Dr. Kinsley developed a system that closely approximates the final result of surgery on your individual body and allows you to test several different breast implant sizes in the privacy of your home, before you make any decision about going ahead with the procedure. The Envision Breast Implant Sizing System includes
The system can't show you the exact way you will look after the surgery, but it does give you the closest possible version of your final appearance.
Breast implants come in a variety of shapes and surface textures and
may vary in shell surface (smooth or textured), shape (round or
shaped), profile (how far it protrudes), volume (size), and shell
thickness. They basically consist of nothing more than a shell (known
as the envelope or lumen) and filler (saline or silicone).
Textures were introduced with the expectation that texture would lessen the chance of capsular contracture
, but current data shows no difference or reduction in the likelihood
of developing capsular contracture with textured breast implants
compared to smooth surfaced breast implants.
Dr. Kinsley believes that round, smooth implants are best, for several
reasons. First, they feel and move more naturally than textured
implants, which are thicker and cause more rippling. As for anatomical
(teardrop-shaped) implants ... they are much more expensive than round
implants and once inside the body, contoured breast implants tend to
become round so there is no difference in shape; the expense isn't
worth it.
Saline or Silicone?
Both are government approved by the FDA. In most cases, however, saline
implants are the best choice. They have the advantages of creating a
shorter scar than silicone implants, pose fewer problems in the
unlikely event of rupture or leakage, and some doctors believe they
have a lower rate of capsular contracture .
Silicone
does have some advantages that make it appealing to some patients and
physicians – primarily it's less prone to rippling or producing edges
discernable to the touch. It's also a bit lighter than saline implants,
with a tendency to feel more natural. However, silicone implants are
suspected to be more prone to capsular contracture and create a more noticeable scar.
In 1992, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) greatly restricted
the use of breast implants filled with silicone gel pending more
information on their physiological effects. In 2006, after extensive
testing and review, the FDA again approved the marketing of silicone
gel-filled breast implants made by two specific companies (Allergan
Corp. and Mentor Corp.) but with a number of conditions, including
requiring each company to: conduct a large post approval study;
continue its core study through 10 years; conduct a focus group study
of the patient labeling; continue laboratory studies to further
characterize types of device failure; and track each implant in the
event, for example, that health professionals and patients need to be
notified of updated product information.
What is the actual surgery like?
The surgery, itself, usually takes just under one hour; prep time
before surgery also takes about an hour (determining the location for
the incision and of implant placement and whether a lift is needed);
time in the recovery room is anywhere from one to two hours -- so the
entire procedure takes about four to five hours.
The incision will be:
Care is taken to place the incision so that scars will be as small and
as inconspicuous as possible. There is no "best" incision, and no
specific incision that will increase or prevent loss of nipple or other
sensation. Loss of sensation has much more to do with implant size and
surgical technique, which is why it is so very important to select a
size proper for your body and find an experienced, talented surgeon.
The
location of the implant will depend on your surgeon's beliefs and
technique, in concert with your individual physical situation.
In Dr. Kinsley's practice, the surgery is done on an outpatient basis,
under general anesthesia, and takes about 45 minutes. The incisions are
usually in the armpit, and are less than an inch long, so that once
healed, you can wear a bathing suit or sleeveless top without a visible
scar. (Occasionally other incisions are used if the patient's personal
physiology makes that advisable.) The implant is placed behind the
chest wall muscle to reduce the chance of hardening of the implant and
to give a more natural look and feel. When you wake up in the recovery
room, you will be wearing a bra and will have two small Band-Aids over
the incisions.
What's recovery like – and how long does it take?
[Note: Taken from Dr. Kinsley's page: http://www.doctorkinsley.com/breast_plastic_surgery_augmentation.html ]
You
should avoid heavy lifting or strenuous activity for the first week.
During the second week, you may resume light activity or exercise
(treadmill, etc.), and should be back to normal by the third week.
Bleeding and infection can occur with any surgery, and every precaution
is taken to minimize these risks. You should not take any aspirin or
anti-inflammatory medicine for two weeks prior to surgery and for one
week following surgery in order to reduce the risk of bleeding. If an
infection occurs, the implant is removed and then replaced after 3 to 6
months. The risk of infection may seem alarming, but fortunately it is
extremely uncommon.
Contracture, or
hardening of the implants is the most common complication of implant
surgery. Placing the implant behind the muscle and manipulating the
implant starting a few days after surgery greatly reduces the risk of
contracture.
Nipple sensation,
either increased or decreased, may be altered after surgery but should
return to normal after a few months. Breast-feeding should not be
affected by implants, but you should consult with your obstetrician.
The implants can rupture, although this is extremely rare. If a rupture
occurs, your body will absorb the saline, a completely safe and natural
alternative to silicone; the implant will go flat, and you will need to
have the implant replaced (a relatively minor procedure, and the major
manufacturers offer lifetime replacement warranties).
Rumors...
There are persistent rumors floating around that breast implants
increase the risk of breast cancer and that having implants will
prevent an early diagnosis of cancer. Neither rumor is true.
All
current research data regarding breast implants shows neither an
association with cancer nor that the implants will create cancer.
Conversely, one very large study concluded that women who have had
implants experienced a significantly lower than expected risk of breast
cancer, and there was no delay reported in breast cancer detection
after an average 14.4 years of monitoring.
Regarding detection – Because implants may obscure the breast gland by
20-60% (the greatest obstruction occurring if the implant is placed
above the muscle than below), special mammography views must be taken
to allow visualization of both the breast tissue and the implant. For
this reason, diagnostic mammography is usually performed on patients
with breast implants. Studies that involved a comparison – between
women that had augmentation and those that did not – found that by
using diagnostic mammography in those with implants, "There was no
significant difference between groups in terms of tumor size, tumor
stage, or axillary node involvement." Women with implants still need to
have routine breast exams and mammography and there should be no
difference in tumor stage or degree of advancement.
There's another rumor that specifically targets silicone implants as
causing cancer and/or connective tissue disease; here's what the FDA
has to say about that, in a press release issued November 17, 2006:
In the past decade, a number of independent studies have examined whether silicone gel-filled breast implants are associated with connective tissue disease or cancer. The studies, including a report by the Institute of Medicine, have concluded there is no convincing evidence that breast implants are associated with either of these diseases.
Finally
– even if the facts offered here have eased your mind – by all means
thoroughly discuss any and all concerns you may have, about cancer,
appearance, or anything else, with your surgeon prior to making a final
decision about the procedure.
We at
Envision sincerely hope that this article has helped you understand the
facts about breast augmentation ... and that it has helped you decide
whether breast augmentation is for you.
##### For a series of articles on general topics of interest to women considering breast augmentation we recommend you visit Breast Implants USA. Breast Implants USA is a portal and directory with a wealth of great information and a very patient-focused view.
Some (but not all) sources used in this article: |
"I had been contemplating this procedure for a long time and Dr. Kinsley was very sensitive, informative, and honest about the benefits and risks of this surgery. Throughout the entire process, she and her staff were fabulous! I could not have chosen a more conscientious and caring office. I carefully followed all of the doctor's instructions, which made my recovery easier than I imagined. I am so happy with the outcome. I have never looked better or felt better about myself."
Kelly R.Patient of Dr. Kinsley
Covington, LA
Contact Us
Elizabeth A. Kinsley, MD
call us at 866.625.6837