Nowadays, breast augmentation is among the most popular procedures of plastic surgery.
The breasts have always been considered as one of the stronger elements of femininity. Therefore, women who do not have the appropriate breast size for any reason may feel less favoured compared to other women in terms of femininity and might develop feelings of intense inferiority that may reflect on their overall behaviour and personality. These women may have small or aplastic breasts, breast asymmetry or may have undergone a mastectomy. We can help these women through a breast augmentation procedure.
Which breast augmentation techniques are applied in modern plastic surgery?
- Non touch - No pain Technique
- Dual plane technique
- Subfascial technique
What can we promise? What are our goals?
The goal is to increase the breast's volume using silicon implants in such a way as to obtain a natural result in harmony with the patient's body characteristics.
However, the new techniques introduced in breast augmentation and proposed by us for achieving the most natural results are: the subfascial technique where the implant is placed under a thin membrane that covers the muscle and is called fascia and the Two Level technique where the implant is found half under the muscle and half under the muscle fascia.
Careful planning as to the type and volume of the implant, before surgery. The plastic surgeon performs 5 important measurements of the patient's chest. The patient then tries on the silicon implants. This is very important since the patient will be able to have a good idea of what her breast will look like after surgery. Therefore, the patient's will in combination with the measurements of her chest define the type of implant and, most of all, its size.
A number of lab tests are performed before the procedure, usually including the following: full blood count, coagulation test and heart examination, chest X-ray and mammography, if the patient is older than 35. However, in case of specific problems based on the patient's medical history a relevant examination must be carried out before surgery. In general, patients are advised to stop taking any vitamins, refrain from smoking and alcohol and avoid aspirin for 1-2 weeks before the procedure as well as after. A healthy diet and everyday habits without exaggerating practices may contribute to a better and faster recovery.
Type of anaesthesia
The most popular type of anaesthesia is general anaesthesia, however, especially in new techniques mentioned above may also be carried out with local anaesthesia with or without a sedation combination.
How long does the breast augmentation procedure last?
The procedure lasts approximately 1 hour and overnight stay at the hospital is not usually necessary.
Recovery time
Surgery is followed by a mild oedema that subsides after 3-10 days.. The patient may resume her daily activities almost immediately except intense exercise and weight lifting. Depending on the type of work, the patient may go back to work in 7-10 days.
Due to the atraumatic technique no breast drains (tubes) are required, or compression garments around the chest. No compression garments around the chest; no restrictions in arm movements. Patients shall be well able to raise their hands high immediately after surgery.
All this combined with perfect anaesthesia result to minimum feeling of nausea or vomiting after surgery.
Scars
As mentioned above, incisions may be made either under the breast or the armpit, or around the nipple. If everything goes well during recovery and in a period of 6-12 months incisions shall appear as thin lines almost invisible.
Duration of result (e.g. 5-8 years, life etc.) Implant manufacturers give implants 15-20 years of useful life. However, in practice, we have seen implants that last much longer than 20 years.
Possible complications
A candidate patient must be informed about implications even if these are rare. More specifically, there is a <1% chance of haematoma or inflammation, while a capsular contracture is between 1-5%. There is also a slight chance of alteration of the nipple appearance which shall return to normal after approximately one year.