Breast augmentation is a surgery that needs to be taken seriously. Though most breast augmentations go smoothly and without any complications, it's important to know what to expect after breast augmentation surgery, including what kind of complications could possibly arise.
Recovery after Breast Augmentation Surgery
For the first few days after breast augmentation surgery, it will be advised to take it easy and not move around excessively. There will be some swelling and bruising which is completely normal and may last for a few months. Putting arms up over the head will be absolutely out of the question for a few days so it may be helpful to have somebody at home that can help when it’s needed.
Always follow the directions given to you by the nurse(s) and plastic surgeon to have the smoothest recovery possible.
Potential Complications of Breast Implants
After breast augmentation surgery, it's important that patients are aware of potential complications. Also, knowing what to look for can help with early detection of any complications, such as the following, that may arise.
Capsular Contracture: This condition is caused by the formation of scar tissue surrounding the implant during the natural healing process that squeezes and puts pressure on the implant. Capsular contracture occurs in less than 5% of patients. The Baker Scale measures the different grades of capsular contracture which is as follows:
- Grade I: the breast is normally soft and looks natural
- Grade II: the breast is a little firm but looks normal
- Grade III: the breast is firm and looks abnormal (visible distortion)
- Grade IV: the breast is hard, painful, and looks abnormal (greater distortion)
Bleeding: Excessive bleeding can occur both during and/or after breast augmentation surgery. Sometimes an additional surgery will need to be performed to go in and remove the blood that has been collecting.
Infection: If the area becomes infected, the breast implants will need to be removed in order to prevent any further damage and health risks. In general, infection occurs in less than 2% of all breast augmentation patients but it is a possible complication.
Rupture: Ruptures can happen at any time. They are always the result of either injury or just general wear and tear. It’s important for people to know that breast implants should not be expected to last forever. It’s likely that one will need at least one other breast augmentation with a new set of implants at some point.
Reactions to Anesthesia: Breast augmentation is performed using a general anesthetic in most cases and some people may have a bad reaction or be allergic to the anesthetic.
Maintenance after Breast Augmentation Surgery
Breast implants aren’t something that one can just set and forget. The longer they remain in the body, the higher the risk goes for complications because of normal wear and tear. The most popular type of complication in aging breast implants is rupturing.
With saline implants, the saline solution will just be dissolved by the body and the implant will deflate, resulting in a definite change in breast size. Silicone implants aren’t as noticeable when they rupture because the rupture and the resulting leak of the silicone gel tends to be very slow and may not be noticed for a period of several months or longer.
Before making the decision to go with breast implants, one should look ahead to the future and decide if money needs to be set aside to pay for further breast augmentation surgeries.
Source:
The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery: Breast Augmentation (accessed January 28, 2009).
2 comments:
As women we are concern about how we look. We even feel the pressure when we are lacking something. I think this is an eye opener which should be accepted by people. Like what my cosmetic surgery in Philippines surgeon told me, everyone can look pretty but only those who have the money can assure the perfect beauty they want.
Sure there are lots of things to consider when having a breast implant, safety and satisfaction should be the major priority. To achieve such safe and satisfaction Aesthetic Institute of the Philippines has all the services to achieve fulfillment on all those aspects.
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