Breast Enlargement

Breast Augmentation is one of the most common and self satisfying aesthetic procedure done throughout the world. It improves self-esteem, makes a person more presentable and greatly enhances the outlook to life.

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Over the past decade the procedure has been perfected to a fine art of aesthetically pleasing surgery.

What is a Breast Implant

A breast implant consists of silicone elastomer casing or envelope that these days is usually filled with silicone gel or with a soft cohesive silicone gel that has a shape retaining memory. Implants can also be filled with a saline solution. Silicone gel and the saline (salt-water) solution are the best-known and most extensively researched fillers. In addition to these fillers, alternative fillers such as soya oil, PVP and Hydrogel have also been experimented with. Your doctor can tell you more about each filler.

Not only are there choices in fillers, but the casing that houses the implant can also vary. The surface may be rough or smooth, and interact differently with the tissue around the implant. Capsule formation is a normal body reaction which occurs around any non-bodily tissue, such as a hip prosthesis, an artificial heart valve or even a splinter in the skin. With breast implants the capsule sometimes contracts after it forms, resulting in a hard and painful breast. The rough surface feature allows some tissue adherence into the surface, which has been associated with a reduced risk of capsular contracture. A smooth-surfaced implant lacks this feature, and may be associated with a greater risk of capsular contracture.

Silicons and Safety

Silicones have been in use for over 50 years in various applications, both in everyday life and in medicine. Silicone is one of the most intensively-researched materials used in medicine and has been subjected to extensive safety testing. Silicones are also widely used in the pharmaceutical and food industries, and in many medical devices such as pacemakers, heart valves, suture materials, lubricants and coatings for hypodermic needles and syringes and blood bags. Silicones are even found in puddings, cake mixes, soft drinks, lipsticks, body lotions, suntan creams, deodorants, hairsprays, bedding, clothing, tissues and baby-care products.

Breast cancer

You do not need to fear an increase in the risk of breast cancer following breast augmentation, as there is not a shred of evidence for this. It will remain possible for you to examine your own breasts and to undergo mammography (i.e. x-ray of the breast).

Autoimmune diseases and other symptoms

At one time it was suggested that there was a link between breast implants and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma and connective tissue disorders (CTDs), as well as a variety of other symptoms such as back pain, chronic fatigue and problems with concentration. However, many major scientific studies involving thousands of women, performed at renowned research institutes, have found no scientific evidence of such a link.

Silicones and breast-feeding

No evidence has been found that silicones filter through into breast milk. It is possible for a woman to breast-feed without difficulty following breast augmentation, provided there has been no surgical damage to the milk ducts (mostly a risk associated with an areolar incision).

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