In women who think that their breasts are small, breast augmentation surgery is performed to correct the disproportionate body lines, especially the hip-chest ratio.
To correct the loss of breast volume after pregnancy (In some cases, sagging of the breasts may occur. In this case, breast lifting-collecting surgery may also be required.)
Breast augmentation surgery to ensure symmetry in breast size: In most women, the breasts are not symmetrical. If this is very evident, the breast should be enlarged.
To reconstruct the breast in various situations (For example, after breast cancer surgery, congenital absence of breast…)
Since breast implants (prostheses) placed for medical or cosmetic reasons need to be replaced due to aging, losing their properties or causing a problem in that area
Breast prostheses used for breast augmentation, also known as breast silicone, are subject to some distinctions in terms of shape, content and surface structure. We can list them as follows.
A) In terms of shape:
•Drop (anatomical) prosthesis
•Round prosthesis
Horizontal and vertical base diameters of round prostheses are equal to each other. In drop prostheses, the vertical diameter is slightly longer than the horizontal diameter, and the height of the prosthesis is higher at the lower pole than the upper pole. The reason why it is called anatomical is that it is more similar to the shape of the breast.
B) In terms of content:
•Silicon-containing
•Contains physiological saline (saline)
According to their content, there are prostheses filled with silicone gel and prostheses filled with physiological saline, that is, physiological saline. In these, there is a silicone gel or physiological serum inside the solid envelope made of silicone.
C) In terms of surface structure
•Rough surface
•Flat Surface
When we look at the surface structure, the prostheses are divided into two groups as flat and rough prostheses. It was determined that the formation of capsules around rough-surfaced prostheses was less than those of smooth-surfaced ones.
From which area is the breast prosthesis placed?
We have 4 different incision site options for the placement of prosthesis for breast augmentation (breast) surgery. These are armpit, nipple circumference, inframammary and navel incisions. Each has its own advantages and weak points. Although the incision made around the nipple heals with a very small scar around the brown part called areola, there is a risk of damage to the milk ducts since it is technically the area close to the milk ducts. In the incision under the breast, there is no damage to the mammary gland and milk channels; Healing occurs with an indistinct scar that sits in the submammary groove. If there is an anomaly in the attachment of the breast to the chest wall, this can be easily corrected with this intervention.
In the armpit incision, there is no incision on the breast and the intervention is made under the armpit. A prosthesis is usually placed endoscopically through the armpit and belly incisions. Although the scars are slightly reddened in the early period after breast surgery, they gradually fade and become indistinct over time. Through these incisions, a pocket of appropriate size is prepared in the planes under the mammary gland or chest muscle, and the prosthesis is placed in this pocket.
Today, various studies and information sharing are carried out in order to increase the success and reduce the problems after breast augmentation surgeries. According to the latest data, it is currently finding more and more supporters that the healthiest entry point for the placement of the breast prosthesis is the inframammary line. Since bacterial settlement is more in the armpit and nipple regions, it is less preferred to place the prosthesis in these regions. Since the scar that will form at the entrance from the under-breast line will remain in the natural fold of the breast, it is less obvious and can be hidden. Correction of inequalities in the breasts and adjustment of the prosthesis level are made easier in the inframammary entrance. In addition, the possibility of surgically damaging the breast tissue with the inframammary entrance is very, very low.
How is Breast Prosthesis Size Decided?The size of the prosthesis to be placed is decided by taking into account the patient's height, shoulder width, sagging rate if any, rib cage width and the patient's request. During breast augmentation surgery, the dimensions of the permanent prosthesis are decided by comparing with the impression prostheses of various sizes. In fact, the most important criterion when deciding on the size of the prosthesis is the patient's request.
Silicone surgery takes about 1-1.5 hours. You will be allowed to go home on the day of surgery or the next day after your discharge procedures. The first four days should usually be spent resting. During this period, you may have different complaints depending on whether the prosthesis is placed behind the muscle or in front of the muscle. The pain is not much, but the feeling of fullness may bother you for a few days. There is some swelling in the first three days, and it starts to decrease from the fourth day. We call this edema after breast aesthetics. After prosthesis surgeries placed under the breast or under the chest muscle fascia, the discomfort caused by arm movements is less. After the prosthesis placed under the muscle, the discomfort caused by arm movements is more. In order to reduce this discomfort, not keeping the arms still and continuing with non-heavy daily activities (such as dressing, undressing, combing hair, personal care) lead to a decrease in the feeling of discomfort. These complaints are reduced by a massage after the bath, which is usually done on the third day. Depending on the skin and muscle quality of the person, the process of decreasing the complaints may vary.
On the next day of your surgery, only a skin-colored band is left where the silicone is placed. No other dressing is done. On top of that, you put on the sports bra directly. On the third day, you can take a shower without removing this tape. On the 14th day, we remove this tape under your control. Then we start the scar treatment. The breast is shaped with a sports bra to be used for one month after the surgery.
After breast prosthesis (breast silicone) applications, activities that require intensive use of the chest muscle and arms should be strictly limited for the first three weeks and gradually increased after this period. Before the first month, games with a lot of arm movement such as tennis and heavy sports are not allowed. Sauna, pool, solarium and steam bath should be avoided within 6-8 weeks following breast augmentation surgery.
Prostheses used in breast augmentation are said to be for a lifetime, according to the statements of the manufacturers. But sometimes they may need to be replaced after 15-20 years. the life of the prosthesis is longer than the human life. However, the appearance of the breasts may deteriorate due to aging, weight gain, pregnancy, chronic diseases, and loosening and sagging of the skin and subcutaneous tissues. Once a year, the condition of the breast tissue, prosthesis and pocket should be checked with a breast ultrasound performed by the same doctor, if possible. Or, as a result of capsular contracture, it may be necessary to replace the prostheses with a new surgery or correct the prosthesis pockets.