Breast surgery|Time of breast surgery

Does the surgery hurt?

Some discomfort may be experienced over the breast and the front of the armpit for approximately 3 to 4 days. 

This discomfort gradually subsides.  By the seventh day most discomfort disappears, although occasional shooting pains may be felt in the breast area. 

This might occur for up to 6 months following surgery, but the frequency gradually decreases as the breasts heal.

Are there any complications with breast augmentations?

All surgery has potential complications.  The degree of risk must be weighed with the desired outcome.  A breast augmentation can cause the following problems:

Breast Hematoma: 

When blood collects in the implant pocket is called a hematoma.  One or both breasts swell and marked pain and tightness is felt as well. 

Any suspicion of a hematoma, even if small, should be investigated by the surgeon.  If a hematoma is present, the pocket of the breast is reopened and the blood is drained. 

As drainage occurs the breast becomes soft again. If a hematoma remains untreated, a capsular contracture that hardens the breast will almost invariably occur in Breast care treatments. 

The implant may be placed under the breast tissue (subglandular augmentation mammoplasty) or under the muscle (submuscular augmentation mammoplasty).

Breast surgery and the submuscular technique involves the insertion of an implant into a pocket created under the muscle over which the breast sits and has been the preferred technique for a number of years.

The submuscular technique tends to be more popular because the breasts look and feel more natural, have natural cleavage, and the incidence of subsequent breast hardening is dramatically reduced as compared to the subglandular approach in Breast care treatments.

Breast surgery and the submuscular implant, however, has drawbacks as well. There tends to be more surgery.

On contraction of the chest wall muscle (pectoralis major), the implant underneath the muscle is squeezed flat and pushed sideways. Some women find this unattractive.

Submuscular implants affect the performance of such athletes as competitive swimmers and professional weight trainers, who depend on the pectoralis major muscle in Breast care treatments.

 

	Augmentation	Reduction	Lift
Description	Enlarging the breast with implants either below or above the muscle tissue to improve breast posture	Breast tissue and excess skin removed and nipple raised.  Visible scar.	Excess skin removed and nipple is raised.  No breast tissue removed.  Inverted T-Scar.
Condition Treated	Too much breast skin. Loss of breast volume. Drooping breasts if the nipple is above the inframammary fold.	Excess breast skin. Excess breast volume. Large, over-developed breasts. Functional problems such as backaches.	Excess breast skin. Drooping breasts where the nipple hangs below the inframammary fold.
Procedure	1 to 1 ½ hours. General anesthetic. Out-patient basis. Recovery: 1 to 2 weeks.	2 to 3 hours. General anesthetic Out-patient basis. Recovery: 2 to 3 weeks.	1 to 1 ½ hours Local anesthetic and intravenous sedation Out-patient basis. Recovery: 2 to 3 weeks.
Potential Complications (excessive scarring, bleeding and reaction to the anesthetic are rare.)	Encapsulation of implant with scar: hard breast (5%). Potential of human adjuvant disease is yet not clear.	Sensation in nipple lost or altered. Inability to breast-feed (50%)	Sensation in nipple lost or altered.
Cost	$1,500 to $4,000	$1,500 to $4,000	$1,500 to $4,000

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