Breast procedures: Which one is for you?

Many women undergo breast surgery to enhance the appearance of their breasts for a variety of reasons. For most of them, their breast implants are not just a medical device; they are a unique part of their body, which has provided many positive life-changing effects. In this blog, we look at the different types of breast surgery procedures and why women choose to have them.

Breast Augmentation surgery:

For many women, their breasts are a symbol of femininity, in which the appearance of their breasts plays a significant role in their self-image and sense of self. However, this image is negatively affected in some women due to severe breast asymmetry, generic chest disorders, underdeveloped breasts, or breast volume loss due to breastfeeding or weight loss. All of which can have a negative effect on their daily lives, from the clothes they wear to avoiding social situations and impacting personal relationships. For this reason, many women decide to undergo breast augmentation to build a healthy relationship with their bodies and feel confident and comfortable in their skin. The breasts can either be augmented using a breast implant or a combination of breast implant and fat grafting.

Breast Reconstruction Surgery:

Breast reconstruction surgery is for women who have either had breast cancer or are at risk of breast cancer. In some cases, the breast may also need reconstructing following trauma or anatomical disorders. Reconstruction surgery aims to restore the breast that nature gave, but disease or trauma took away. Reconstruction surgery can be either immediate, at the time of the mastectomy surgery or months or even years later (delayed reconstruction). There are several options for women undergoing reconstruction surgery, including breast implants alone, a tissue expander followed by a breast implant, an autogulous flap (using the bodies’ own tissues), fat transfer, or a combination. Many women have reported a feeling of loss after their mastectomy, in which breast reconstruction has helped them feel whole again.

Revision Surgery:

Revision surgery is a procedure to remove or replace breast implants after previous surgery. Many women undertake secondary surgery for a myriad of reasons. In some cases, women undergo secondary surgery for aesthetic reasons; either they are unhappy about the size or shape of their breast implants due to initial implant choice, or their implants have started to sag and droop due to the effects of aging, weight loss, pregnancy or gravity. While other women have experienced a device complication or surgical asymmetry requiring correction and breast implant replacement. Finally, there is a portion of women who recognizes that their breast implants are not lifetime devices and want to replace their old breast implants with new advanced breast implants inserted using modern surgical techniques to improve the safety and aesthetic profile of their breasts. 

Which one of these categories do you fall in? Remember to read our blog on breast implant safety before you make any important decisions!

_{*The content provided herein is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice or as substitute for a consultation with a physician.}

Sources

A. Richards H. Dafydd Key Notes of Plastic Surgery [s.l.]: Wiley Blackwell, 2015. – Second Edition: pp. 269-308.

American Society of Plastic Surgeons (2020) Breast implant Revision [online] available at: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/breast-implant-revision Accessed August 2020.

American Society of Plastic Surgeons (2020) Breast Reconstruction Techniques [online] available at:- https://www.plasticsurgery.org/reconstructive-procedures/breast-reconstruction/techniques Accessed August 2020.

Cancer Research UK (2017) Treatment options for breast cancer | Cancer Research UK [online] Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/breast-cancer/treatment/treatment-decisions. Accessed August 2020.

Jeffery J (2014) Essentals of Plastic Surgery [s.l.], second edition QMP/CRC Press.

Manne S. L., Topham, N., Kirstein, L., Virtue, S. M., Brill, K., Devine, K. A., Sorice, K (2016) Attitudes and Decisional Conflict Regarding Breast Reconstruction Among Breast Cancer Patients , Cancer Nursing Journal: [s.n.], 2016, Vol. 39 (6) – pp. 427–436.

Neligan.P.C, Buck II, D.W (2014) Core Procedures in Plastic Surgery [Book]. – [s.l.]: Elsevier Saunders.