If you are considering a breast augmentation surgery, it is important to fully understand all aspects of the procedure before deciding whether it is the right choice for your aesthetic needs.
Breast augmentation is one of the most popular and frequently performed aesthetic procedures in Canada.
Unlike a breast lift or mastopexy, which reshape drooping breasts, a breast augmentation involves the use of breast implants to increase breast size or restore breast volume due to weight loss or pregnancy.
Your Guide To Breast Augmentation Surgery
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Who Is a Candidate for Breast Augmentation?
Besides improving self-esteem, confidence and overall body image, some of the most common reasons patients seek this procedure include:
- Small or asymmetrical breasts
- Drooping or sagging breasts after pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Changes in breast size/shape due to weight loss
- Breast reconstruction after surgery to treat breast cancer
However, breast augmentation IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR patients who:
- Are under the age of 18 years old
- Do not have realistic expectations of their surgical outcome
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding
- Have had previous radiation therapy
Your plastic surgeon will be able to assess the current appearance of your breasts, your reasons for wanting the surgery and your aesthetic expectations to help determine the best way forward for you.
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What Type of Implant Is Best For Me?
Choosing between silicone or saline implants is one of the most important decisions to make before a breast augmentation surgery.
- Saline Implants: These are filled with sterile salt water. They may be pre-filled at a predetermined size or filled at the time of surgery to allow for minor modifications in implant size.
- Silicone Implants: These are filled with a soft, elastic gel and are available in a variety of shapes. All silicone implants are pre-filled.
Saline Implant
PROS:
- Only a small incision is required to insert saline implants
- They can be filled to the right amount to fit your unique profile
- If they rupture, they pose no threat to your health and will alter the shape of your breast so you will know immediately.
- Saline implants tend to be cheaper than silicone implants.
- Saline implants do not look or feel as natural as silicone ones.
- They tend to give the breast an obvious ‘round’ shape
- You may notice a visible ripple effect around the edges of the implant.
- Silicone Implant
Silicone Implant
PROS:
- Silicone implants are filled with a gel that tends to imitate the look & feel of breast tissue more closely than saline.
- Comes in a variety of shapes and are less likely to ripple.
- If the implant ruptures, you will be less likely to notice it.
- A ruptured silicone implant can cause breast pain and if left undetected, lead to health issues such as breast cancer or connective tissue disease.
- Are only FDA approved for women over the age of 22
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Pros and Cons of Breast Augmentation
Before embarking on any plastic surgery it is important to weigh the pros and cons of the procedure. This will allow you to make a fully-informed decision and have realistic expectations of your surgical outcomes.
PROS:
- Long-lasting results: Breast augmentation is an effective, long-term solution for achieving your ideal figure.
- Better-fitting clothes: After the surgery, the fitting of clothes may improve
- Safe & Effective: When carried out by a board-certified plastic surgeon, breast augmentation is safe & effective procedure that yields natural, long-lasting results
CONS:
- Change in breast appearance/sensation: A breast augmentation can cause a loss of sensation in the breast and nipple and may sometimes result in excessive scarring or rippling.
- Surgical complications: Like any other plastic surgery, breast augmentation can pose risks such as surgical infections, bleeding and swelling
- Other issues: Breast implants can make certain activities such as breastfeeding difficult and can also interfere with the accuracy of mammograms that screen for breast cancer.
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Breast Augmentation Mastopexy
While a breast augmentation can increase the size of your breasts it will not correct severely drooping breasts. If you want your breasts to look fuller or be lifted due to sagging, then a breast lift may be required along with the augmentation.
This may be done at the same time as your breast augmentation or may require a separate operation. Your plastic surgeon can best advise you on which option is right for you.
Learn More
To learn more about the costs and benefits of breast augmentation surgery or to book a consultation, contact Dr. Ladak today at (780) 407-6691.
Dr. Adil Ladak is a board-certified plastic surgeon based in Edmonton, Alberta and specializes in a variety of cosmetic surgical and non-surgical procedures.
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