Breast implants can make a woman more confident and improve the quality of life. However, they do not guarantee a greater sense of self-esteem and can also have unpleasant consequences. Whether a breast implant is the most suitable solution depends on your personal situation, for example your age and various physical aspects such as:
- the current shape of your breasts;
- the position of your nipples;
- the condition of your skin;
- Your general health.
In breast reconstruction, any previous operations, for example for breast cancer, and their effects are also important. Radiation therapy can also have an effect. The possible complications of an implant, for example capsular contracture (see the heading ‘Risks of silicone breast implants’), are closely related to this. Therefore, consult your Chicago Breast Implant Surgeon (and possibly your breast cancer nurse) and experts with experience about the options and risks. Also keep in mind general surgical complications such as bleeding, infections and consequences of the anesthesia.
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Why a breast implant?
Most women (seventy-five percent) choose a breast implant because they want bigger breasts. Reasons for this include:
- dissatisfaction with the size and shape of breasts;
- Wanting to return to the original breast size, for example after a pregnancy, correction of uneven breasts.
- The other twenty-five percent have breast reconstruction as their goal. This usually concerns women who:
- One or both breasts are missing after breast cancer, women who have one or both breasts removed because of mastopathy (many lumps in the breast);
- Women who have had one or both breasts removed preventively because they are carriers of a gene for breast cancer.
Lift-Up
After a pregnancy, if you have lost weight or simply because you are a bit older: breasts can sag for all kinds of reasons. Often the filling also disappears at the top. With Chicago Breast Lift we bring your breasts back to the place where they used to be. And if you want, an implant can provide extra volume.
The treatment
Before the treatment, we take photos for your medical file. Then the surgeon will mark on your breasts where the incisions will be and where the nipple will be placed. A breast lift takes place under anesthesia. Clinic uses special anesthetics that prevent you from being nauseous when you wake up.
The surgeon will reduce the size of the breasts by removing skin and glandular tissue at the bottom and moving the nipple upwards. A breast lift can be performed in different ways:
– through an incision around the areola (with a small lift of no more than two centimeters)
– through an incision around the areola and straight down into the breast fold (for a moderate sag or flaccidity)
– through an anchor-shaped incision (for an extended lift if your breasts are very saggy or sagging).
When implants are placed, the surgeon will first do the breast lift and then place the implants. Usually drains are applied to drain the excess wound fluid, which are removed the day after the treatment.
