Tag: Saline Implants

After Breast Augmentation Complications

Complications can occur after any surgery. Breast augmentation is no exception. Knowing what to expect before you undergo any surgical procedure can help relieve some stress and nervousness. It also helps prevent the shock and disappointment that may occur if post-surgical complications do arise.

Some complications that commonly arise immediately after breast implant surgery include post-operative bleeding (hematoma), fluid collection (seroma), and infection at the site of the surgical incision. Later complications may include chronic breast pain, alterations in breast and nipple sensitivity, and interference with breast feeding,

Feelings in the breast and nipple can change after the implant surgery has been completed. These changes may include increased sensitivity, chronic pain and lack of feeling in the breast or nipple for several months or even years following the implant surgery. Within the first few years, 2-8% of breast augmentation patients report experiencing chronic breast pain.

Another 1-2% report breast sensitivity changes, and 3-10% experience nipple complications like losing sensations within that area. These reports are generally the same for both silicone gel and saline implants.

But long term data does indicate that 17% of women experience after-surgery breast pain within five years of saline implants. This change in sensitivity is usually either temporary or permanent. It may also have an affect on sexual response and the ability to breast feed a baby.

Being aware of these and other possible complications will help you make an informed decision and may aid in long term satisfaction with your breast augmentation.

What Is Breast Augmentation?

Women have been trying to improve on what nature provided them for as long as men have noticed. The early methods consisted of padding inside the clothing. This only worked as long as the clothes remained on.

In 1895 the first implant was performed. The substances used for these early implants left much to be desired. It wasnt until 1961 that silicone implants were developed. The saline implants followed in 1964. There have been other substances developed, but none as common today as saline and silicone.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, breast augmentations are the most common type of cosmetic surgery performed in America. 329,000 breast augmentations were done in 2006.

The breast augmentation surgery typically lasts one to two hours. The visits between patient and surgeon before the surgery are usually spent discussing the type of procedure which will be used. The differences are in the type of implant, the incision thats required and where it will be placed. Also discussed is where the placement of the actual implant will be made. These factors have an impact on the final appearance as well as possible complications.

Within a week of the surgery, normal work or school routines are able to be resumed by most implant patients. Of course this does somewhat depend on the level of activity these routines require. The incision scar from the surgery will probably last six weeks or longer. The scars should start fading within a few months.

Saline or Silicone, Whats The Difference

Saline implants are just empty shells. Theyre surgically placed then filled with a salt water solution. Since this implant is so small when its placed, the incision can also be quite small. This small incision leaves a much smaller scar. The silicone implant is a cover or envelope containing a silicone substance. This implant requires a larger incision for placement.

The United States places restrictions on silicone implants. Even though these restrictions have been considerably lessened in the past few years, the saline implant is still the most common implant used in America. Quality results can be expected from saline implants, but they can be more likely to suffer from cosmetic problems. Women with thin breast tissue may have the most problems.

Rippling and wrinkling of the implant may be seen. Theres also the possibility of noticing the implant itself, either by sight or by touch. Women with more breast tissue dont generally have this issue. Its for this reason that most surgeons prefer the silicone implant for post-mastectomy reconstruction.

Silicone implants are more widely used outside the United States than saline. Theyre considered by most surgeons to be more realistic in appearance. Methods have been developed to hide the scar left by the large incision the silicone implant requires. The newest version has shown the potential for significant improvements over the older products. Even though the leaked silicone hasnt been shown to cause health problems, the possibility of leakage is still a concern.