Breast augmentation, also called augmentation mammaplasty, involves surgical placement of an implant behind each breast to increase its volume and enhance its shape. Breast implants may be placed through different approaches, including through a cut under the breast, around the nipple or through the armpit. Breast implants may be positioned either above the chest muscles (pectorals) or in a pocket underneath them.
Breast augmentation can be performed at any age after the breasts are fully developed. Women who are small breasted or those who have lost breast size and shape after pregnancy and weight loss are candidates for breast augmentation. The operation is performed under general anaesthesia and the procedure requires hospital stay. The patient might experience moderate pain and tingling in the first 24 to 48 hours of surgery. This usually settles down and can be controlled with common painkillers. Nipple hypersensitivity or numbness is commonly seen after the operation, but usually settles within a few weeks. The patient is normally able to resume social and other activities within a couple of weeks after the operation.
Breast augmentation is a surgical procedure and might involve some side effects. The most commonly reported are capsular contracture (hardening), which can occur after any sort of implant, and haematoma (collection of blood around the implant), which is rare and usually occurs within the first few hours of surgery. Some patients with mild veins on their breasts may find these to become more prominent after the operation. Finally, wrinkling and rippling may be seen with the round silicone or hydrogel implants and is more common in women with saggy and "empty" breasts.
