Every woman wants to have a pair of pert breasts. Those who don’t often choose breast augmentation surgery.

Also known as ‘augmentation mammoplasty’, it is a procedure that involves surgically increasing the size of the breasts. It is usually done by placing implants under the breast (inside the tissues) or the chest muscles.

Breast augmentation is done to increase the size of the breasts for aesthetic purposes. Some women feel underconfident about their bodies owing to the small size of their breasts. In other cases, it is a necessary procedure for rebuilding the breast tissue for women who have undergone breast removal for cancer, or who have unequal sized breasts, or who have faced tissue scarring abnormalities.

Who should opt for it?

As explained above, the surgery for breast augmentation may be done for both medical and cosmetic reasons. You can opt for it if you are unhappy with the size and/or shape of your breasts. Most women who choose it want bigger breasts. Sometimes, some medical conditions may give you uneven breasts, or you may naturally have them. This does not look good in certain clothing, and also hampers the fit of your bra. The surgery increases self confidence and is good for altering how your body looks and feels.

Also, those with medical conditions necessitating the surgery can opt for it upon a doctor’s advice.

Are there any risks involved?

Though breast augmentation is a relatively safe procedure, there are certain risks involved. These include:

• Pain at the site of the incision
• Infection at the site of the incision
• Infection inside the breast where the implant is placed
• Scar tissue that impacts the shape of the breast implant
• Over-sensitive nipples or breast
• Change in the appearance of the nipple
• Leakage or rupturing of the implant
• Shifting of the implant inside the breast

How is it done?

Before you undergo the surgery, your doctor should explain the process fully, including the types of implants, placement of the implant and depth and length of incision. The doctor will decide all three factors based on the size of breast you desire. You must have the following information:

* Types of implants: There are three types of implants commonly used for breast augmentation surgery. These are silicone implants (round and tear drop shape to give a natural look), which give the most realistic appearance and feel just like real breasts; saline implants which are silicone shells filled with salt water and which are filled after insertion to cause minimal scarring; and fat grafting in which fat is taken from another part of the body through liposuction and inserted into the targeted area of the breast as per desired volume and shape. The last one works best for minor enlargement to increase the bra cup size by one unit.

* Placement of implant: There are three kinds of implant placements. These are retromuscular placement, in which the implant is put under the chest muscle and completely covered by the muscle; partial submuscular in which the upper portion of the implant is placed under the pecs and the lower part sits under the breast tissue so that the implant sits naturally without shifting; subglandular implant which is placed on top of the chest muscle and under the breast glands for the fastest recovery time.

* Type of incision: There are three types of incisions for this surgery. They are made below the breast fold line (submammary incision) for the simplest cut to make and heal; perioareolar incision made below the areola for women who have large areolas; and in the umbilical area though this is the least used or recommended because it leaves scarring.

What you should know about getting the procedure

Do you have questions about how your breasts will feel and perform post-surgery? We state some important facts about the procedure:

• The surgery will result in some pain or discomfort for a few days. However, the feeling goes away after a while.
• The implants cannot stop breast sagging, which occurs with weight gain and age. However, you may undergo corrective surgery for the same.
• The implants do not last for a lifetime. Taking a review every five years is recommended, with special tests to check if they have ruptured. Some implants do rupture but you may not notice anything untoward unless the rupture causes an infection and results in pain, dizziness, change in colour or shape of the breast, etc.
• You can still breast feed but some women report difficulty in doing so. The difficulty arises from the placement of the implant and the type of incision made.
• If you undergo mammograms, you might need deeper scans and MRIs because the implants might restrict full visibility of the breast.
• If the surgery does not go as planned, you may need corrective surgery to either remove the implants or shift them internally.
• Some women choose to have their implants removed after a few years. If you do, you must undergo corrective surgery to lift the breasts or reduce the sagging.
• Your health insurance does not cover cosmetic breast augmentation. It may cover corrective procedures deemed medically necessary to improve quality of life. Your health insurance provider can appraise you of whether the procedure you wish to undergo (and the reasons thereof, backed by a doctor’s certificate) will be covered by the policy.