What is breast enlargement?

Breast enlargement is an operation whereby breasts are made larger by inserting an implant into them.

Who will the operation help?

Breast enlargement is a good operation for women who:

• have never really had any breast tissue;
• have had larger breasts at one time, but due to weight loss or childbirth have been left with small saggy breasts;
• are not happy with the shape of their breasts;
• simply would like bigger breasts.

What are implants made of?

There are two main types of breast implant:

• Silicone implants: consist of a silicone shell (outer wall) filled with silicone gel. The gel in modern silicone implants is thick, so that if the implant is cut or ruptured the gel stays together and does not run or leak everywhere. Silicone implants can be either round or teardrop shaped
1. Round implants are a good choice if you already have enough breast tissue to give you a good breast shape.
2. Teardrop shaped implants are a good choice if you have very little breast tissue and you need the implant to shape your breast.
• Saline implants: consist of a silicone shell filled with saline (salt water). These gained popularity during the early 1990’s when there was a lot of misinformation regarding the safety of silicone implants. However, they do not feel as realistic as silicone implants and have a tendency to leak slowly which results in a wrinkling of the silicone shell and visible ripples in the breast.

What size implants should I have?

The size of implants you receive is a very personal decision, but there are certain limitations that apply. As a general rule with breast augmentation, the bigger you go the more un-natural the appearance of the breast becomes. Some women opt for small, natural looking breasts whilst others prefer larger ones which may appear “enhanced”.

If you have never had much breast tissue, the skin of the breast is usually a limiting factor and will only stretch to accommodate a modest sized implant before starting to look “enhanced”, whilst if you have lost a lot of breast tissue (after breast feeding or weight loss for example) you may need quite a large implant to restore shape and “take up the slack”. Alternatively you may prefer to have a modest sized implant and combine this procedure with a surgical tightening of the skin (breast uplift).

We will decide upon the ideal implant for you together at the time of the consultation. You should bring with you a sports bra of the size that you aspire to fill. You will also need this sports bra after the operation to support your new breasts for comfort for the first few weeks after surgery. I would recommend that you buy either a Marks and Spencer’s sports bra (Impact factor 3) or a Berlei Shock Absorber (Impact factor 3). The chest girth will need to be the same as the bra that you usually wear, but the cup size will vary according to what you would like to be. For example if you currently wear a 34A bra but wish to become a C Cup, you should bring a 34C sports bra with you to your initial consultation. I will then undertake measurements of your actual and ideal dimensions. You will then put on the sports bra and we will insert a range of implants of varying size until you find one that best gives you the figure you want. You can try to do this yourself at home by filling a freezer bag with dried rice until you get the shape and size you desire. The volume of rice in the bag can then be measured using a kitchen measuring jug.

How is the operation done?

Under general anaesthetic a small incision is made in the crease underneath the breast. A pocket is created  immediately behind the breast tissue. This pocket is made using an electric scalpel which results in very little or no bleeding. The implant that has been chosen is then inserted into the pocket and the operating table adjusted so that you are sitting upright. This allows me to accurately determine the correct position of the implants and ensures the best shape and symmetry. I usually use drains which will emerge from your skin close to your armpit. The incision is then closed in layers of buried dissolvable stitches. The wound is then dressed and surgical tape is applied to accurately define the crease underneath your breast and to gently hold the implant downwards and towards the midline (as there is a natural tendency for the implant to move upwards and outwards until it has stuck to the overlying breast tissue).