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Archive for the ‘After Breast Augmentation’ Category

Symmastia: One Breast

January 3rd, 2011 by alissa

One risk of breast augmentation is symmastia. Symmastia means one breast, which is why it may also be referred to informally as a unibreast or breadloafing. This happens when tissue that normally sits upon the sternum to form the cleavage lifts up. Without this “wall”, the implants slowly drift towards each other, forming the appearance of a single breast. Implants that are placed too close together, with little space between them, can also cause milder forms of symmastia. This can occur when the surgeon attempts to achieve a desirable amount of cleavage, but overdoes it.

Symmastia varies in severity, depending on the amount of space between the implants. It also depends on the perception of the patient.

The placement of the implants (submuscular or subglandular) determines the suitable method of treatment, but normally involves corrective surgery to reattach tissue in order to create a wider space between the breasts. Usually, all stitches are placed underneath the skin to prevent visible scarring and improve the chances of successful recovery. A specially designed bra with additional support between the breasts is worn to facilitate recovery (aka thong bra).

Symmastia can also occur from birth, where a woman’s own natural breast soft tissue grows together.

Hard Breasts After Breast Augmentation Surgery

July 14th, 2010 by alissa

I had breast augmentation over a year ago. My breasts look nice, but they feel quite hard. They weren’t so hard a couple of months ago. Is this normal?

It’s not just appearance that is important. Today’s breast implants are designed to mimic as closely as possible the natural feel of real breast tissue as much as possible. For this reason, your breasts shouldn’t be so hard that they feel unnatural. They also shouldn’t be becoming harder as time progresses. We recommend you see your doctor to make sure that the hardening of your breasts is not serious, since it may be related to capsular contracture.

Capsular contracture is one of the most common negative side effects of breast augmentation. It is normal for the body to surround the breast implant with tissue (known as a “capsule”). However, when this lining abnormally tightens, it can squeeze the implant and thus make it firmer. This is capsular contracture and can vary in severity, as outlined by a scale known as the Baker Grade. The milder case, Baker Grade I, involves just a hardening of the implant, while the worst case, Baker Grade IV, is often accompanied with pain, discomfort and a distortion in appearance.

Breast Implants and Galactorrhea

June 25th, 2010 by alissa

Galactorrhea is a very rare complication that follows breast augmentation. To date very few women have experienced galactorrhea as a side effect of surgery, however the risk of it occurring should still be expressed to individuals interested in undergoing breast augmentation.

Galactorrhea refers to the production of breast milk, beginning rather spontaneously following surgery. Women who have had children and produced breast milk are more likely to be at risk. Two common ways to treat galactorrhea are medication and to undergo another surgery to remove the breast implants (which means that you may not be compatible with breast augmentation or will have to wait to see if aging or other factors allows you to undergo surgery again at a later time). Usually, however, the condition corrects itself over time.

New Technology May Help Fight Capsular Contracture

June 11th, 2010 by alissa

A new product may help prevent the formation of capsular contracture, a risk of breast augmentation that affects thousands of women across North America every year. The product, AIGISRx, helps by reducing inflammation and infection, thereby preventing the complication from happening.

One primary cause of capsular contracture is believed to be related to harmful bacteria forming biofilms inside the breast pocket, where the breast implant is located. Clinical trials conducted on animals showed that wrapping a breast implant with AIGISRx, a biodegradable antibiotic-impregnated sleeve, prior to placing it inside the body effectively treated all bacteria commonly linked with breast implant surgery – even more so than standard irrigation procedures. The product remains effective for about a month following surgery and it biodegrades safely within 3 months.

The breast implant may be placed completely inside the AIGISRx sleeve or placed on top if the implant is textured. The sleeve is a tyrosine-based polymer that has tetracycline- and rifamycin-derivative antibiotics.

Dr. William P. Adams Jr., a professor of plastic surgery at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, leads the research and is currently seeking approval for AIGISRx from the FDA.

“We hope to make big progress with breast implant capsular contracture. This new technology will provide patients and surgeons with far better bacteria and biofilm coverage, and all one needs to do is simply place the product in the pocket and it is taken care of.”

Fixing Double Bubble

June 2nd, 2010 by alissa

You’ve just had a boob job and after a couple days, you notice something strange. Really strange…

It looks like you have four breasts!

Also known as double bubble or bottoming out, this undesirable contour is definitely a problem that has to be corrected. Double bubble can happen for a variety of reasons:

A breast implant placed submuscularly may be set firmly in place, however the patient’s own natural breast tissue may sag below it, creating a bottoming out effect. This can gradually correct itself, however it usually takes (precious) time.

An inframammary fold (the crease where the breast meets the rest of the body) that does not modify itself to accommodate the breast implant. The original inframammary fold will then remain while a new one forms for the breast implant. To correct this problem, surgery may be necessary.

Breast implants that are placed poorly.

Double bubble can happen to one or both of the breasts. If you don’t like how your post-breast augmentation breasts look, contact your surgeon asap!

Help After Surgery

May 25th, 2010 by alissa

One of the most important things to do before breast augmentation surgery is preparing for your recovery. You don’t want to be left scrambling for meds, food and suitable clothing that will fit your new curves and be comfortable at the same time, all while you’re just beginning to heal. Plus, you’ll most likely have limited physical capability.

So what do you need the most after surgery? Someone you can trust to help you.

The time immediately following surgery can be the most difficult part of the healing process. You’ll be groggy, uncomfortable, most likely in pain (although pain medication can help a great deal) and not in the right physical and mental state to deal with such things as washing your support bra and preparing food. Finding help may not be a problem in the first few hours, since you’ll most likely be kept under observation at the place where you had the surgery where nurses, and possibly doctors, will be able to assist you. However, you will need to have an able bodied person help you once you’ve been discharged with your postsurgical care instructions as outlined by your doctor.

Most women have a close family member help them, such as a mother, sister, or husband. They can provide invaluable support during this time, preparing food as well as helping you tend to your dressings and bathe once you’re able to do so. They can also help you walk around, something you need to do to keep the blood circulating and reduce the risk of blood clots from forming.

Make sure you have someone help you in the days following surgery. If you don’t have anyone you can rely on, contact an organization that can provide post-surgical care in your home. Some clinics can also provide a registered nurse to perform such duties.

Compression Garments and Breast Enlargement

April 5th, 2010 by alissa

Immediately after a breast enlargement procedure, a patient is required to wear a compression garment. Compression garments include bras with plenty of support, bands, wraps, and vests. Each item is designed to help the healing process, functioning to assist in the following:

keep swelling to a minimum
improve blood circulation
improve the elimination of toxins and fluids that may be trapped
keep the breast implants in place correctly
provide ample support at a crucial time, particularly when new scars can be worsened without it (stretching skin can adversely affect scars, making them appear worse)
allow the skin to more easily adapt to the added volume the implants bring
ease overall discomfort to some degree

All of these are vital in facilitating the healing process, helping the body to heal properly and the results to appear faster. They should be worn for the length of time as advised by your plastic surgeon in post operative care instructions, only taking it off when bathing. Since incisions may weep fluid (a natural process of elimination that occurs following surgery), it’s best to have two or more compression garments so that you can wash one while wearing the other.

Most of the time, the place where you get your breast enlargement will offer you compression garments, to be purchased or included in the price of your surgery.

Getting Mammograms with Implants

March 18th, 2010 by alissa

All women can benefit from getting regularly scheduled mammograms (or other similar diagnostic tests for breast cancer), and that includes women with breast implants.

It is highly recommended that before you schedule your breast augmentation, a mammogram is performed to ensure that your breasts are healthy. You should have another mammogram done within a year following surgery, and every year thereafter unless otherwise recommended by your physician, informing the technician of your breast augmentation so that they may adapt the procedure to accommodate the implants. You may even want to choose a technician/clinic that has experience dealing with implants.

The screening tends to be more difficult when implants are present, since the technician will have to modify techniques to examine breast tissue, making sure to check areas that can be partially hidden. Adjustments will also protect the implants themselves from being ruptured while compressed during examination. This can involve a longer period exposed to the radiation delivered during a mammogram, however the benefits of diagnosis certainly outweigh the risks.

A risk of breast augmentation is the formation of calcium deposits in the breasts, which can be detected by mammograms. To ensure that these calcium deposits are not cancerous, biopsy may be required.