Breast Augmentation with Implants in Salem

Under mammoplasty come several procedures: augmentation (increasing volume using implants), reduction (excess tissue and skin removal), mastopexy (lifting for sagging), reconstruction (after mastectomy) and correcting asymmetry. The surgeon's advice and your wishes guide an individual choice of the best method.

Following all recommendations makes complications rare. Still, they may involve hematoma or seroma, infection of the wound, decreased or increased nipple sensitivity, capsular contracture, aesthetic asymmetry, wound separation and tissue necrosis.

You can expect a long-lasting mammoplasty result: about 10–15 years after augmentation (until the implants are replaced) and 5–10 years after a lift or reduction. How long it lasts is affected by weight, pregnancy, skin aging and gravity. Wear supportive underwear and control your weight to keep it.

Whether you can breastfeed after mammoplasty depends on the kind of surgery. After augmentation via an under-breast or armpit incision with the implant placed under the muscle, lactation is usually preserved, since the glandular tissue is not damaged. A lift or reduction carries a higher risk because ducts may be cut. Talk this over with your surgeon beforehand.

The choice of implant looks at material (silicone looks most natural, while saline is used less often), shape (round or anatomical teardrop), surface (smooth or textured), size and profile. The surgeon will choose what works best for your anatomy and wishes.

General anesthesia is used for the surgery itself, so there is no sensation. In the first 1–3 days you may feel moderate discomfort, which painkillers relieve. Pain subsides significantly by day 5–7 and discomfort is gone by weeks 2–3. If pain becomes severe, inform your doctor right away.

Most patients return to work (without physical exertion) after 7–14 days. Light walks are fine after 1–2 weeks. Fitness and swimming come after 4–6 weeks, strength training after 3 months, pool and sea after 4–6 weeks. Compression garments are worn for 4–6 weeks. Exact timing depends on your recovery.

Science has found no evidence that mammoplasty increases the risk of breast cancer. Implants are not a cause of cancer. After the procedure, go on with regular screening, including self-exams, mammography and ultrasound, and always tell the examining doctor about the implants.

You can have mammoplasty after a C-section, though your body needs to recover completely first. Wait a minimum of 6–12 months after childbirth and the end of breastfeeding. Before surgery, a surgeon's consultation and examination are mandatory.

Mammoplasty does leave scars, but with a skilled surgeon they are minimal. Incisions are made in hidden areas — under the breast, around the areola or in the armpit. In the first months scars are reddish, but within 6–12 months they fade and become almost invisible.

Slight asymmetry in the first weeks after surgery is normal: it is caused by swelling and uneven healing. If a difference in shape or size persists after 3–6 months, see your surgeon for an examination to find the cause.

After mammoplasty, nipple and breast sensitivity may change temporarily — decrease or increase. The cause is irritation of nerve endings. In most cases sensitivity returns within 3–12 months. If there is no improvement after a year, see your surgeon.

Hormonal drugs (contraceptives, hormone replacement therapy) do not affect implants themselves, but they can cause swelling or a change in breast tissue volume that alters the appearance for a time. Always inform your surgeon about them ahead of surgery.