“Breast augmentation is one of the most popular elective surgical procedures throughout much of the world, yet it remains a very personal choice and path.”
In this way, Dr. Ridwan T Lembong at BIMC Hospital’s Cosmedic Centres, tells his prospective patients to think long and hard before deciding to get what in the field is called mammoplasty, the implantation of medical devices to increase breast size. This surgery is mainly performed for cosmetic reasons but also may be a procedure for post-mastectomy breast reconstruction and for correcting congenital defects and deformities of the chest wall.
“Nowadays, plastic surgery has made it possible for anyone to transform just about every part of their body to suit their preference,” Dr. Ridwan says. “Even though sports and a healthy diet are still the most popular ways to get the desired body shape, in many cases more is needed and plastic surgery often comes up as a quick solution.”
The Promise
Breast augmentation can increase fullness and projection of your breasts, improving the balance or your figure while enhancing your self-image and self-confidence.
You will be offered choices. Both silicone and saline implants have silicone shells and while it’s generally believed that those with silicone look and feel more realistic, it’s also harder to detect if there are leaks. Similarly, placement beneath the chest muscle produces a somewhat more realistic feel to the new breast contour, but initially it may be more uncomfortable.
You can try on different devices before deciding, using a bead-filled neoprene sack that is stuffed into your bra before making a choice of size.
Or, instead of an implant, you may qualify for what is called a “fat transfer,” were unwanted fat is move from elsewhere in the body. This is considered a more “natural” choice.
The silicone or saline procedure, under general anesthesia, normally takes between one and two hours and the recovery period is almost always brief and trouble-free. Figure on about a week off work. You won’t feel back to normal yet. It also will be a while before you adapt completely to the added volume, which at first may seem a slight burden.
Dr. Ridwan says, “All women should ask themselves and answer honestly, ‘Why do I want this procedure? How much does the way I look now bother me?’”
The Delivery
As with any invasive surgical procedure, there are risks for some, possibly including pain, infection, changes in nipple and breast sensation (usually temporary), implant leakage or rupture, and scarring than can distort the shape of the implant. It’s a pretty scary list, but that’s the downside at its worst.
There are social consequences, as well—how others perceive and react to your change in appearance and, simultaneously, your own shift in attitude, usually to a position of increased self-worth. You may further additions to your wardrobe and as Dolly Parton told her fans, “If you want to look like me, darlin’, God bless, but you’ll never sleep on your stomach again.”
Most patients can also count on having more surgery. “Breast implants are not designed to last a lifetime,” says Dr. Ridwan “If the size and shape of the augmented breasts change over time, or if there are complications, the implants may have to be replaced. It is recommended to get regular check-ups after a surgery.”
