Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I am a good candidate for breast implant surgery?
The best candidates for breast augmentation are women who are looking for improvement in the way they look, while still maintaining a natural feminine proportion. It can enhance your appearance but it won't necessarily change your looks to match your ideal or cause other people to treat you differently.
If certain chronic conditions, such as hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, obesity or respiratory illnesses are poorly controlled, or you are immunocompromised, or require anti-coagulants (blood thinners), you may not be a safe candidate for this procedure. See also: Smoking and BMI.
What kind of scars will I have and where will they be located?
Incisions will be located under the breasts or at the junction of the areola and breast skin.
Your scars will initially be red and a little raised, but over three to six months they usually get lighter in colour and flatten out although they will never disappear completely. They may remain the same size for several months, or even widen.
How long is the operation?
The actual surgical time varies depending on the amount of surgery necessary for each patient, but usually is about 2 hours.
How long is the hospital stay?
Breast augmentation is an outpatient procedure, meaning you can go home the same day once you have recovered from the anaesthetic.
How much pain should I expect?
This is a difficult question to answer definitively. Every patient has a different pain tolerance. However, we will prescribe sufficient pain medication throughout your recovery period to ensure the discomfort you feel is manageable.
Most people feel tender and bruised after surgery, but are not in a great deal of pain.
What happens after the surgery?
You're likely to feel tired and sore for a few days following your surgery, but you'll be up and around in 24 to 48 hours. Most of your discomfort will be controlled by the medication we prescribe for you.
The dressings we use allow you to have a light shower starting 48 hours after your procedure. At your first post operative visit, we will remove your dressings.
You may experience a burning sensation in your nipples for about two weeks, but this will subside as bruising fades. The swelling in your breasts may take several months to disappear. Your breasts will probably be sensitive to direct stimulation for two to three weeks, so you should avoid much physical contact. After that, breast contact is fine once your breasts are no longer sore, usually three to four weeks after surgery.
Will I have drains?
Drains to remove excess fluid are rarely used. If they are used, they will be removed within two or three days.
When will I be able to go back to work and resume my normal activities?
You should plan to be off work for 5-7 days. Mild exercise may be resumed after two to three weeks, but strenuous exercise (for example, upper body weight training) should not be started before six weeks.
We encourage you to start walking almost immediately after your surgery to diminish the risk of blood clots in your legs, as a result of immobilization from the anaesthetic. Even while you are resting, you should be moving your feet and ankles frequently to promote circulation in your legs. In our experience, this will help you will recover much faster, and with fewer complications.
Will I need to wear a support bra after my surgery?
Your surgical support bra will be placed on immediately after your surgery. You will need to wear one continuously for four weeks; thereafter, during the daytime for another two weeks.
What happens if my implant breaks?
Occasionally, breast implants may break or leak. Rupture can occur as a result of injury or even from the normal compression and movement of your breast and implant, causing the shell to leak. If a saline-filled implant breaks, the implant will deflate over a period ranging from a few hours to several days. The salt water will be harmlessly absorbed by the body.
If a break occurs in a gel-filled implant, however, one of two things may occur. If the shell breaks but the scar capsule around the implant does not, you may not detect any change. If the scar also breaks or tears, especially following extreme pressure, silicone gel may move into surrounding tissue. The gel may collect in the breast and cause a new scar to form around it, or it may migrate to another area of the body. There may be a change in the shape or firmness of the breast.
Both types of breaks may require a second operation and replacement of the leaking implant. In some cases, it may not be possible to remove all of the silicone gel in the breast tissue if a rupture should occur. It has not been proven that silicone causes any health problems.
Do implants cause disease?
A few women with breast implants have reported symptoms similar to diseases of the immune system, such as scleroderma and other arthritis-like conditions. These symptoms may include joint pain or swelling, fever, fatigue or breast pain. Research has found no clear link between silicone breast implants and the symptoms of what doctors refer to as "connective-tissue disorders," but the FDA has requested further study.
How long will my breast implants last?
There is no definite lifespan of a breast implant, so it is impossible to say how long your implants will last. Some people need no replacement at all. Others need replacements after ten years or even sooner. As these are a medical device, it is safest to assume that they have a limited lifespan.
Implants tend to remain in a stable position on the chest wall. If your natural breast tissue droops over time, your implant may become more noticeable. Should this occur, you may require a breast lift (mastopexy). This may or may not involve replacement of your implants.
We will show you special breast massage exercises which you should continue indefinitely to keep your breasts soft and help prevent excessive hardness (scar capsule) from developing.
What about mammograms?
Routine mammograms should be continued after breast augmentation for women in the appropriate age group.
While there is no evidence that breast implants cause breast cancer, they may change the way mammography is done to detect cancer. When you request a routine mammogram, be sure to go to a radiology center where technicians are experienced in the special techniques required to get a reliable x-ray of a breast with an implant. Additional views may be required. Ultrasound examinations may be of benefit in some women with implants to detect breast lumps or to evaluate the implant.
How do breast implants affect fertility, pregnancy and nursing?
There is no evidence that breast implants affect fertility, pregnancy or your ability to nurse. If, however, you have nursed a baby within the year before augmentation, you may produce milk for a few days after surgery. This may cause some discomfort, but can be treated with medication prescribed by your doctor.
