What happens before the surgery?
Your surgeon will give you instructions on how to prepare for the surgery. You will receive guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, and taking or avoiding certain medications. A mammogram may be recommended prior to your procedure to ensure breast health and serve as a baseline for future comparison.

What type of anesthesia is used?
Breast augmentation is often performed under general anesthesia so you are asleep through the procedure. It can also be performed using a local anesthesia combined with a sedative to make you drowsy. So you'll be awake through the procedure and may feel some discomfort.

What happens during the surgery and how is it performed?
First, your surgeon will make an incision either below the breast in the infra-mammary fold (Inframammary incision), around the areolar border (Periareolar incision), or in the armpit (Transaxillary incision). In addition, a saline implant may be placed through an incision at the navel (Transumbilical incision) or tunneled up from the abdomen while the patient is simultaneously undergoing an abdominoplasty or tummy tuck (Transabdominoplasty incision). The incision is placed so resulting scars will be as inconspicuous as possible.

Working through the incision, the surgeon will lift your breast tissue and skin to create a pocket, either directly behind the breast tissue (submammary or subglandular placement) or beneath the pectoral muscle and on top of the chest wall (submuscular placement). Once the implant is positioned within this pocket, the incisions are closed with sutures, skin adhesive and/or surgical tape. A gauze bandage may be applied over your breasts to help with healing.

What happens after the surgery?
Although you should be up and about in a day or two after surgery, some tiredness and soreness is expected for a few days after your surgery. Your surgeon will prescribe you medication for discomfort.

Within several days, the gauze dressings, if you have them, will be removed, and you may be given a surgical bra. You may also experience a burning sensation in your nipples for about two weeks, but this will subside as bruising fades. Your stitches will come out in a week to 10 days. Some discoloration and swelling will occur initially, but this will disappear quickly. Most residual swelling will resolve within a month.
How long will I be in the hospital?
You may be able to go home after a few hours. But some patients spend one or two days in the hospital, depending on the extent of the procedure.

What are the risks associated with breast augmentation?
• Implant rupture
• Implant extrusion and tissue necrosis
• Post-operative bleeding (hematoma)
• Fluid collections (seroma)
• Infection at the surgical site
• Chronic breast pain
• Alterations in breast and nipple sensitivity
• Interference with breast feeding
• Visible wrinkling
• Asymmetric appearance
• Wound dehiscence (with potential implant exposure)
• Thinning of the breast tissue
• Synmastia (disruption of the natural plane between breasts).
• Capsular contracture

When can I return to my normal activities/work after the surgery?
Patients are generally able to return to work in approximately one week's time. You should follow your surgeon's advice on when to begin exercises and normal activities. You should avoid much physical contact for two to three weeks as your breasts will be sensitive to direct stimulation during that period.

Your scars will be firm and pink for at least six weeks. After several months, your scars will begin to fade, although they will never disappear completely.

Routine mammograms should be continued after breast augmentation for women who are in the appropriate age group. Your mammographic technician should use a special technique to assure that you get a reliable reading.