breast augmentation, Breast Implants, Breast Reduction, breast surgery, Risks
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Some research studies have suggested that the risk of permanent nipple numbness after a breast augmentation Los Angeles is about 15 percent. Meanwhile, the areola incision, which is commonly used in breast lift and breast reduction, has the highest frequency rate—between 10 to 15 percent—because the surgeons work closely to the primary nerves and milk glands.
For patients who will undergo breast surgery via areola incision, they should ask their doctors if they will receive a pedicle technique in which the nipples and areolas are relocated but not completely severed from the wedge of tissue that contains the milk glands and primary nerves.
The pedicle technique has become a standard in breast reduction surgery in an effort to preserve the nipple sensation, although this is not used in treating excessively large breasts as it can limit the amount of excess tissues, fats, and skin a surgeon can remove during an operation.
For women who want to undergo breast implant surgery but are concerned with the risk of permanent numbness in the nipple, most doctors would probably recommend the underarm incision in which they will stretch the tissue rather than cut it to place the device inside the breast pocket.
If the nerves are only stretched, the sensation usually returns sooner unlike if they are cut or cauterized (burned). But regardless of the incision site, there is always the risk of partial or complete loss of sensation after a breast augmentation surgery.
Another way to reduce the risk of permanent numbness is to avoid using an implant which has a diameter larger than the base of the breast. For example, a patient who chooses a 12 cm diameter implant even if her breast’s diameter is only 10 cm is more likely to experience this problem than a woman who “considers” her anatomy.
Some plastic surgeons also claim that placing the implants under the muscle can lower the rate of nipple numbness than if the devices are placed behind the tissue or partially under the muscle.
In case that nipple numbness occurs after a breast surgery, it may take up to two years before the sensation will return. Meanwhile, research has shown that most women can increased their ability to breastfeed five years after the procedure because the damaged nerves and glands can repair themselves over time.
Experts suggest that massaging the nipples and breast skin regularly may encourage a complete or sooner return of sensation by reinforcing neural pathways in the brain; this is done by lightly touching the area with fingers for a few minutes several times each day.
September 29, 2011
Breast Reconstruction, Breast Reduction, breast surgery
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Breast reduction is a procedure which can reduce the size of a woman’s breast through several incisions in order to cosmetically enhance her body and make her clothes fit better. However, there are instances wherein the surgery is used in order to provide relief from chronic pain in the shoulder and neck, difficulty in moving, poor body posture, skin irritation along the crease, and discomfort caused by large, heavy bust.
If the procedure is performed not just for cosmetic reasons but primarily to treat the physical symptoms associated with large, heavy breasts, there is a chance that some insurance companies provide coverage for the surgery’s cost.
In order to get approval from insurance providers, a patient must be able to meet certain criteria while her plastic surgeon must prove that the procedure is beyond cosmetic reasons and is needed to alleviate or treat the physical symptoms of large and heavy breasts.
One of the most important criteria is the discomfort and physical symptoms experienced by a patient because of her inordinately large breasts. For this reason, most insurance companies require at least 500 grams (or about 1.10 lbs.) of tissue and fats to be removed from each breast before they consider a surgery as a “reconstructive” and medically necessary procedure.
In addition, a plastic surgeon must describe in his letter all the efforts of his patient to resolve macromastia (or breast enlargement) which had failed. Photos can also be helpful to show the severity of the condition which makes the surgery a necessity rather than a procedure to improve one’s appearance.
Most insurance companies also stipulate that a patient should be near her ideal body weight, and unfortunately, this requirement is relatively “tricky” since it is often difficult or even impossible to perform exercise and lead an active lifestyle if the breasts are too large and heavy. For this reason, a plastic surgeon should highlight this dilemma in his letter and tell an insurance provider that breast reduction can allow a woman to shed her extra weight.
In case that a patient is overweight, it would be helpful if her surgeon will state in the letter that she already had macromastia even if she was previously near her ideal body weight.
Meanwhile, it is important that both the surgeon and his patient only provide honest information to the insurance companies since it is considered a crime to give misleading and false claims.
September 29, 2011
breast augmentation, Breast Implants, Breast Reconstruction, breast surgery, Plastic Surgery
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If you are interested to have a natural-looking bust after your breast augmentation or reconstructive surgery, you may ask for cohesive gel breast implants which are filled with silicone particles that are more cross-linked than the ones used in the currently available silicone implants in which the filling is somewhat liquid.
Also called as gummy bear breast implants because of their cohesive gel, you can only access these new devices by choosing a plastic surgeon who is part of a nationwide clinical study approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.
While this new breast implant is not yet available for marketing in the US, this has already been used in Europe since 1995. Several years ago, Canada and Australia have also approved this device for breast augmentation, revision, and reconstructive surgery.
Compared to the currently available breast implants in the US, some experts have claimed that gummy bear implants are better in terms of safety and aesthetic results.
- You will enjoy a more natural shape and feel. The form-stable gel implants are noted for their soft and supple feel that can give you a natural result. And because they maintain their shape inside the breasts, their edges perfectly blend into the surrounding tissues which means that you can avoid the risk of implant rippling and wrinkling.
- The implants are said to last longer. Because the cohesive structure of the devices prevents them to fold or ripple, the outer shell is not subjected to tension which may eventually weaken it. For this reason, many experts believe that this new type of breast implant is less likely to break and can last longer than the saline- and silicone-filled implants.
- You will not worry about the risks associated with gel leak. The gummy bear breast implants are made of a solid mass of silicone gel which means that even if they are cut in half, the filling will stay in place and will not migrate to other parts of the body. This is not the case in the currently available silicone implants filled with a less cohesive gel that can leak out if the outer shell is punctured.
- Lower risk of capsular contracture with this new implant. According to studies released in Canada and Europe, women with gummy bear breast implants have a lower chance of developing capsular contracture compared to patients with saline- and silicone-filled versions.
Capsular contracture happens when the capsule-shaped scar tissues tightly compress the implants which then results to extreme pain and ball- or coconut-shaped breasts.
September 28, 2011
Plastic Surgery, Recovery
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With the advancement in plastic surgery nowadays, this procedure is significantly safer compared to previous years. However, it is important that you carefully follow your doctor’s recommendations on how to prepare for the operation in order to avoid certain risks and shorten the recovery period.
To help you become better prepared for plastic surgery, the California Surgical Institute has provided a list of answers to the most frequently asked questions about preoperative preparation.
1. Question: What medications should I avoid before my surgery?
Answer: You should avoid aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, and herbal supplements especially those containing green tea, ginseng, and ginkgo biloba which are found to increase bleeding during the surgery and recovery. These medications should be stopped at least two weeks prior to the operation. Just to be on the safe side, you should tell your doctor about all the medications you are currently taking.
2. Q: Why is it important to quit smoking well in advance of the surgery?
A: The nicotine has been found to inhibit the normal circulation of oxygen, thus predisposing patients to higher risk of skin necrosis or death of skin tissue. If this complication happens, they may experience delayed healing and unnecessary scarring.
If you are a smoker, you should quit the habit at least two weeks before the surgery and avoid this during your recovery period.
3. Q: What are the things that I should prepare in order to have a comfortable recovery?
A: Your doctor will prescribe all the drugs (antibiotic, pain medications, etc.), medical garments, proper clothing, icepacks, and other supplies that you will need during your recovery.
In addition, you should purchase easy-to-prepare foods such as soup, yogurt, oatmeal, frozen dinners, cottage cheese, crackers, and protein shakes.
4. Q: What other supplies should I purchase prior to my surgery?
A: It is important that you prepare antibacterial soaps, thermometer, petroleum jelly or moisturizers for the incisions, loose clothing (ideally button-down shirts and pajamas), and low-sodium foods.
5. Q: How long is my work leave should be?
A: You should take a leave from work so you can have plenty of rest and sleep. But since the length of recovery will depend on the extensiveness of the procedure and your body’s healing ability, you should ask your doctor on when is the safest time to return work.
And because your recovery may take several weeks, you should also prepare some magazines and books, DVDs, video gaming devices, and other sources of entertainment to fight boredom.
6. Q: Should I assign a capable adult who will tend to my needs while I recover?
A: Yes. Arrange someone to care for you during the first 24 to 72 hours of your recovery since it will be difficult for you to move around while the anesthesia wears off.
7. Q: Should I arrange for an overnight stay at a hospital?
A: While most plastic surgery procedures are performed as an outpatient basis, you may choose to have an overnight stay at a hospital (or sometimes even longer if your surgery is extensive).
8. Q: How can I prepare my house in order to have a comfortable recovery?
A: Have a telephone near your bed (turn off the ringer while you are sleeping) so you can call your doctor or someone in case that you will experience something that is out of ordinary; clean your house prior to the surgery; place all the supplies you will need everyday in accessible areas or at hip level (so you will not bend down or reach your arms too high); and if you have a small child, ask someone to take care of him/her while you are still recovering.
September 28, 2011
breast augmentation, Breast Implants, Breast Lift, breast surgery
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Breast implant surgery alone cannot correct ptosis or sagging, although it can provide fullness and increase the bust size. On the other hand, breast lift can address the droopy appearance but it cannot create volume especially in the upper poles.
Breast ptosis is often aggravated by major weight loss and pregnancy, although the most common contributing factor is aging. As women age, their tissue and skin becomes lax which often leads to low-lying breasts with nipples pointing downward; unfortunately, even an underwire bra with good support cannot correct this problem.
For women who have sagging breasts that lack in volume, they are an ideal candidate for breast lift surgery combined with breast implants. In this approach, doctors often use the areola incision (sometimes combined with excision from the nipple down to the breast crease) in order to remove or tighten the loose skin tissue; the same incision site is also used in the implantation of the device.
By combining these two procedures, doctors can remove less amount of skin which means less risk of visible scarring.
However, the areola incision, sometimes referred to as donut lift, may not be enough to correct a more pronounced ptosis. In this problem, most plastic surgeons will create another cut starting from the areola down to the crease, a technique which is also called as lollipop lift.
In order to achieve fullness particularly in the upper poles of the breasts, most doctors complement breast lift with round implants which have symmetrical shape. When placed on top of a table, their contour is almost similar with an M&M candy.
In the hands of a skilled plastic surgeon, round implants do not result to an augmented, “fake” look which is just a common myth. In fact, they can turn into a teardrop shape (just like anatomical implants) if they are being hold at one side because the gravity will pull the filling at the bottom.
To prevent the recurrence of breast ptosis, doctors often placed the round implant under the chest muscle rather than behind the tissue. In this way, the top two-thirds of the device is covered by muscle and its lower one-third is supported by a thicker amount of connective tissue.
On the other hand, behind the tissue placement of the implants is not a good choice for women with ongoing breast ptosis since the weight of the device may further aggravate the problem.
Contrary to a popular belief, the recovery period in breast lift with implant surgery is almost the same with breast augmentation performed as a standalone procedure.
September 27, 2011
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