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What is Breast Augmentation?
Breast enlargement also known as Breast Augmentation is an elective procedure where a woman has breast surgery to enhance the aesthetic size and shape of her breasts. The procedure is designed to enhance the patients breasts and boost body confidence. There are various reasons why women may choose to have a breast augmentation and a consultation with a qualified surgeon registered with the GMC would take place. During the consultation the surgeon will discuss and understand what a patients desires and wishes are in terms of outcomes post augmentation, and suitability for the procedure.
Women’s’ breasts are all shapes and sizes and some women considering a breast augmentation may feel unhappy as their breasts have not developed during adolescence, creating an undesirable shape, for example flat, uneven or smaller breasts than they would have liked.
Some women are unhappy with their breasts as they may have changed shape following weight loss or being pregnant. A breast augmentation procedure can improve the shape and volume of the breast in these situations.
A breast augmentation procedure involves a general anaesthetic as it is an invasive procedure. The procedure is often done as a day case procedure however some patients will require an overnight stay in hospital.
During the Breast Augmentation procedure, the specialist breast surgeon will make a small incision in the natural crease under the breast – the infra mammary fold- where an artificial implant will be inserted either directly behind the breast itself, or beneath the muscle behind the breast. The implant may also be inserted under the arm pit or in around the areola( the nipple area) The implants are made out of silicone or saline. There are many companies on the market manufacturing and supplying breast implants to surgeons and hospitals. The type of implant offered could be a round shape or anatomical shape ( tear drop shape ) with a range of sizes ( volume ). The surgeon who you will consult with will provide their recommendation based on your desired outcomes.
How do I choose a surgeon and a clinic/hospital for my procedure?
Generally a patient requiring a breast reduction will approach their GP in the first instance. An initial appointment will help establish the suitability of the patient for the procedure before being referred to a consultant/breast surgeon. There are a range of societies for breast surgeons including BAAPS, British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons www.baaps.co.uk , and the ABS ,www.abs.co.uk Association of Breast Surgeons. All surgeons should hold a Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons and should be registered with the GMC (general medical council) and BAAPS.
The ABS and BAAPS will have a list of recommended surgeons qualified in breast surgery. Breast Surgery is a highly skilled and professional role and it is always best to check your surgeon is well qualified to perform your procedure. You can research your surgeon on either the BAAPS or ABS website. Additional questions patients could ask are:-
1) How many operations has the surgeon performed?
2) Is he/she an NHS consultant in Breast Surgery?
3) Can I visit the hospital before my operation?
The breast surgery clinic or hospital will have been checked by the CQC- the Care Quality Commission. The CQC has a list of clinics on its web page and a quality clinic will be registered with the CQC. This allows the patient to see that their chosen place for their procedure has passed strict criteria and has reached a required standard to be able to perform surgery.
Your appointment with the surgeon.
Once the patient has been deemed suitable for a breast augmentation procedure, then the surgeon will discuss how the procedure will take place and what type of implant the patient would suit.
Implants come in all shapes and sizes and the surgeon is the expert on choosing the anatomical (tear drop shape) or the round implant for the patient. The height, weight and projection of the implant will be discussed.
Exact resultant cup sizes following a patients augmentation are not usually discussed in detail, only that the breasts will fall into a certain range of cup sizes.
What should I ask the surgeon about my breast augmentation surgery?
A few appropriate questions patients may ask surgeons are as follows:-
1) Do you think breast reduction is a good option for me? Why?
2) Am I a suitable patient for the procedure?
3) How long will my procedure take and are their any complications I should be aware of?
4) Are their any risks to the operation?
5) what can I expect after the operation? (What will the level of pain and swelling be, for example)
6) Will the surgical procedure produce long lasting results?
7) What is the recovery period and how can I help improve my recovery?
8) Who would I talk to if I am concerned? Are there any other patients who have had this operation I could chat to before I make my decision?
9) How much does the procedure cost?
10) What can I expect after the surgery? What is the post-surgical care like?
Recovery and post – operative complications.
BAAPS is the British association of breast surgeons and their website recommends and describes the breast augmentation procedure in detail and discusses complications which may occur with the Breast augentation procedure- visit their site:-
Post operative support Bra’s
Flexfit B15 Medasun Marena Bra with implant stabiliser band
To assist with post-operative healing it is highly recommended that a surgical support bra is worn during the recovery period ( up to 6 weeks post operatively) This should be a medical grade bra ( with no underwiring in the cups). The post operative bra will be recommended or selected by the surgeon or nurse based on the type of breast surgery that has been performed the cup size is not a primary factor in bra selection post augmentation as the breast size and shape will have changed. The Bra should be selected on comfort, support, softness and its ability to adjust during the healing process so as swelling goes down the bra still provides support during the healing process.
The post-surgical bra is chosen as a patients recovery period could be 4 – 6 weeks. The bra should be worn 24/7 during this period to help reduce pain and improve scar healing. The healing procedure is most important and patients should not be overly concerned with the cup size of the bra.
The overall appearance of the breast, and the end result, not the cup size, is most important for the surgeon and the patient, following a breast augmentation.
Recovery and post-operative complications.
BAAPS is the British association of breast surgeons and their website recommends and describes the breast augmentation procedure in detail and complications which may occur- visit their site:-
Post-Surgical Bras for Augmentation procedures
The Medasun Marena B/ISB bra and the B15 seamless cup bras both have implant stabiliser bands attached to the bra. The ISB Implant stabiliser band is to just do what it says, keep the implant in place and stop it moving around after surgery. This is important for the overall aesthetic result and comfort of the patient.
The Medasun bras for Augmentation are unique and made from patented Triflex material, only used by Marena. This material is breathable, soft and durable, enabling the bras to provide compression where it is required around the incision areas following surgery, to help decrease fluid accumulation and pain. The new Flexfit B15 bras have a longer under-bust band to provide more comfort for the patient.
Marena have provide thousands of bras for post surgery annually, and they are designed to help the patient heal. Front fastenings using 3 row hook and eye fastenings, allow the patient to easily adjust the bra when swelling occurs or reduce the size when swelling reduces. Hook and eye shoulder straps also enable full adjustability of the bras post-surgery.
As the bras have to be worn during the day and night, comfort is a priority and the softness of the bra material and the stretch together with its Coolmax rating enable the patient to sleep in the confidence that the bra will be supporting them through their recovery period.
Medasun recommend one bra to wear and one to wash throughout the recovery period. The bras can be washed and will maintain their shape and therefore compression ability throughout the recovery period, essential for effective healing of the patient.
Sizing is important and the size charts on the Medasun website are designed to give patients the right bra for their procedure.
Bras can be purchased from www.medasun.co.uk
Medasun wish patients every success on their procedure and also to keep safe and well during the COVID pandemic.
Medasun Ltd disclaimer – Medasun Ltd is a medical distribution company, we supply the private healthcare sector and NHS with a range of post -operative compression garments and post -operative support Bra’s that are designed to assist with patient recovery and healing. We have been providing surgeons and patients compression garments for more almost 15 years and where we have extensive experience in the application and benefits of compression this is general information document about Breast Augmentation. It is not exhaustive or to be used as a sole means of information, Medasun is not claiming or purporting to be an expert on breast surgery or surgical techniques which evolve and may change over time. These FAQ’s are designed to help with general questions patient’s may have about their breast procedure. We would always advise seeking the advice of a surgeon or medical expert Medasun is not claiming to being in any way a clinical expert on breast surgery, and always recommend the patient, in the first instance, to contact their Breast surgeon or nurse for specific questions on their individual surgery.
