Breast augmentation

A guide to understanding breast augmentation surgery

Breast augmentation for aesthetic reasons is one of the most commonly performed procedures in plastic surgery. It is carried out to enhance and restore harmony in women whose breasts did not fully develop during adolescence or who have a breast size considered too small, a situation that may have an impact on self-esteem and self-confidence.

Breast augmentation is performed by inserting an implant into the breast area. In most patients, this teardrop-shaped implant is placed behind the pectoral muscle in order to achieve a natural-looking result that does not reveal the surgical intervention.

Augmentation mammoplasty: how the procedure is performed

Breast augmentation surgery is generally carried out in an operating theatre under general anaesthesia, although in some cases it may be performed using local anaesthesia with sedation.

Breast implants can be inserted using different approaches, depending on what is most appropriate for each patient. Access to the breast area may be gained through the inframammary fold, following the natural skin crease, via an incision around the areola, or through a small incision in the armpit. In all cases, incisions are kept to a minimum so that resulting scars are virtually imperceptible.

Once the incision has been made, the surgeon lifts the breast tissue and creates a pocket either beneath the breast tissue or behind the pectoral muscle to accommodate the implant. After closing the surgical incisions and placing the drains, a specific dressing is applied.

“In general, the best outcomes are achieved by combining different therapeutic options and intervening at an early stage”

Recovery after breast augmentation surgery

Patients who have undergone breast augmentation can usually resume normal daily activities within 24–48 hours after surgery, although they may feel tired or experience some pain or discomfort, which is adequately managed with standard analgesics.

In the days following surgery, the operated breasts gradually become less swollen as post-operative oedema resolves. To facilitate this process after breast augmentation, the surgeon may recommend manual lymphatic drainage. After the dressings and drains are removed, patients may be advised to wear a special support bra for the period indicated by their surgeon.

Patients should be aware that breast volume decreases as post-operative swelling subsides, until the final size is reached, usually one to one and a half months after surgery.

In general terms, depending on the type of work, patients can return to work within a few days. Walking and light physical activity are recommended from the outset, while avoiding movements that involve lifting weight above shoulder level or placing load on the shoulders.

It is normal for the breasts to be more sensitive than usual for three to four weeks, so excessive physical contact should be avoided during this period.

After surgery

Although breast implants do not interfere with future pregnancy or breastfeeding, patients should be advised that these circumstances increase the risk of breast sagging over time. Even in women who do not become pregnant after breast augmentation, it is not possible to guarantee that breast tissue will never sag or that further surgery will not be required in the future.

In this regard, although the high-quality breast implants used at Grupo Pedro Jaén are safe and durable, breast implants are not considered lifetime devices. They may be affected by trauma, radiotherapy or capsular contracture, in which case removal and replacement may be recommended.

For this reason, patients who have undergone breast augmentation should attend regular follow-up appointments as advised by their surgeon, in order to monitor the condition of the implants and address any issues that may arise over the years.

In addition, patients who have undergone augmentation mammoplasty with implants should inform the radiologist during mammography examinations, so that imaging results can be correctly interpreted.

More information

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