Breast augmentation—mammoplasty—is a surgical procedure in which the size and shape of a woman's breasts is increased and accentuated. Many women with small breasts are comfortable and happy with their size, but many women aren't, and would like to do something about it.
Augmentation is carried out for a variety of reasons. For many women it's simply about increasing the size of their breasts to enhance their body shape, and general appearance. For others, breast augmentation is a way of correcting a more specific issue.
- Pregnancy and nursing can cause breast tissue to reduce in volume, causing breasts to appear flatter and less full than they once were. Augmentation is carried out to restore the breasts to their pre-pregnancy size and fullness.
- Some women have breasts of two markedly different sizes; an augmentation procedure on the smaller breast is carried out for a more symmetrical appearance.
- Breast reconstruction after a mastectomy or breast injury.
About the Breast Augmentation Procedure
Breast augmentation is an outpatient procedure performed under general anesthesia, which usually takes about one hour. The general technique used in breast augmentation procedures is the same for most patients, but there are some differences with how it's carried out. One important difference is the type of implant that's used to augment the breasts. The most common options are silicone gel and saline.Another difference is the location where incisions are made for the placement of breast implants.
The most common site is the lower part of the breast, but there are other options, such as in the areola of the breast, or in the armpit or bellybutton area. Which option a woman chooses is often about personal preference, and in each case, the choice is made collectively by the woman and her surgeon.
