Am I a Good Candidate For Breast Augmentation?

According the the more recent statistics, breast augmentation is the third most performed cosmetic surgery in the United States. Having a major operation done on a person’s body would surely put some questions in mind. It is a decision with consequences a person will have to live with his or her entire lifetime. Self-esteem would be the biggest issue to tackle. Getting a bigger cup size will surely boost a person’s self-esteem, as having a bigger cup size is often associated with aesthetics. Anybody with a few thousand dollars will enable him or her to have the operation. There are 50 states in the United States where the issue of breast augmentation can be widely heard, especially in the Big Apple. Having a reputable surgeon to perform breast enlargement in New York would not be hard since they are everywhere.

What exactly is Breast Augmentation?

It is a widely practiced type of cosmetic surgery that is used to enlarge the breast of a woman. Some people have this solely for cosmetic purposes, but some use it to reconstruct their breasts after a mastectomy while others to correct genetic deformities. A small incision will be made through the woman’s skin and a soft silicone bladder will be inserted. The surgeon, depending on what will result in an aesthetically pleasing augmentation to the real breast volume, estimates the exact amount of fluid to be used for the implant. The procedure is done in the confines of a surgical suite with, more often than not, an anaesthesiologist present to administer anaesthesia. Breast implant surgery is performed in a sterile field in which all instruments, drapes and implants are sterilized to put the possibility of infection into an irreducible minimum.

Saline or Silicone Implants

The type of breast implants, whether they are saline-filled or silicone-filled is the patient’s prerogative, but surgeons often offer their suggestions with regards to this matter. Both implants have undergone extensive research and have been proven to be safe. What you can do is solicit advice from friends, relatives or colleagues who have had breast augmentation and conduct your own survey. This is just to satisfy your personal ambivalence.

Factors that Affect a Person’s Decision in Undergoing Breast Augmentation

Cost. Yes, breast augmentation has become available all over the United States and there are many people who think they need to have this procedure, perhaps to improve their self-esteem. But the question, “how much will it cost?”, remains. On the average, the cost for breast implants and the surgeon's professional fee is more or less $3500. Aside from that, you should also consider the fees that will be spent for the laboratory tests, surgical suite and other medical materials that are going to be used.

Reason. The most promising candidates for this procedure are women who, due to pregnancy or weight loss, have lost breast volume or symmetry. Restoring normal body proportions can also have an uplifting effect on a woman's identity and self-esteem. For every good reason for undergoing cosmetic surgery, a woman can be motivated by an equally superficial or misguided one. Women will be disappointed with the results of any cosmetic procedure if it is done to gain attention or love from someone. Spending thousands in the futile hope that enlarging one's breasts will bring happiness occurs all too often. Women who are already blessed with a great feminine body may want to consider non-surgical procedures to enhance or accentuate their breasts.

Lifespan of Breast Augmentation Surgery. One of the factors that may influence the decision to undergo breast augmentation surgery is the fact that the procedure is not permanent. For so many reasons, including rupture on the implants, the procedure may need to be repeated within an expected range of seven to ten years, or sooner. Those women who want to enjoy the benefits of breast enlargement must be ready to accept this fact. Replacement or removal of the implant or implants is usually a simple procedure involving less discomfort and a shorter recovery than it took for the initial insertion.

Possible Side Effects. The other effects are sometimes under weighed, having a bigger bust line via the operation will leave scars no matter what, it is an operation involving the use of a scalpel and wounds will leave scars. Medication is also necessary. A person who just had the operation will have to be put under maintenance drugs for as long as it takes. Drugs are required to keep the implants in place. It is also worth noting that tens of thousands of people in the United States have had breast reduction procedures, the opposite of breast augmentation, in the recent years. It can be an indication that some operations might have been harmful to the patients and the operation might have taken some unwarranted consequences that were unseen or under weighed prior to the operation.

Other possible side effects of breast implants include:

• Infection around the implant or implants
• Calcium deposits in the breast tissue around the implant or implants
• Delay in healing
• Hematoma or seroma (blood or fluid trapped in the wound)
• Shifting of implant (further surgery may be necessary)
• Temporary or permanent changes in the feeling of the nipple or breast