Women can decide to have their breasts augmented for many reasons, including:
to enhance the appearance of the bust area, especially if you believe your breasts are too small or one breast is smaller than the other
to make up for a reduction in size following pregnancy or breastfeeding
to improve self-confidence and the way you feel about yourself and the way you look
to reconstruct the breast area following surgery or trauma
Breast augmentation surgery is performed on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia in most cases. Once you've been anesthetized, an incision will be made in one of three areas:
around the nipple
in the fold beneath the breast
under your arm
A pocket will be created behind the nipple, either behind or in front of the primary chest muscle. Once the pocket is made, the implant will be inserted into the pocket and centered behind the nipple. If you've chosen saline implants, they will be filled with the saline solution once they're in place. Silicone implants are inserted already filled with gel. Once the implants are in place and their position has been visually confirmed, the incisions will be closed and bandaged. You'll be moved to a recovery area where you'll be monitored for several hours before returning home.
Following your procedure, you'll feel sore for a few weeks, and you'll also have some swelling and bruising that will decrease over time. Wearing a compression bandage or a form-fitting sports bra can provide added support that can help speed healing, and it can also help ensure the implants remain properly positioned as the pocket areas heal. You'll need to avoid strenuous activities for at least two weeks.