Breast augmentation, what is it?
To put it simply, breast augmentation is a plastic surgery procedure that involves surgically inserting breast implants to enlarge and reshape the breasts.
To put it more technically, breast augmentation, also known as augmentation mammoplasty, involves placing silicone or saline-filled implants either behind the breast tissue or beneath the chest muscle.
Many women opt for this procedure to improve their figure and self-confidence, while some may also choose it for medical reasons such as restoring breast volume lost after weight loss or pregnancy.
Yeah, but what is the actual procedure like?
The breast augmentation procedure itself typically takes between one and two hours, depending on the complexity of your surgery. You'll be placed under anesthesia so that you won't feel any discomfort or pain during the operation.
After making an incision near the breast area, your plastic surgeon will insert implants behind your breast tissue or beneath your chest muscle, depending on the breast implant placement you choose.
Finally, your surgeon will then close the incisions with sutures or special surgical tape. At Amelia Aesthetics, your plastic surgeon will also give guidelines for a safe, smooth recovery and scar protocol to ensure your scars heal beautifully.
Life is full of choices, and so is a breast aug!
Getting breast implants means you'll have some choices to make along the way. But don't get overwhelmed.
The free Bustmob Academy app has hundreds of videos, just like the one above, on each of these decisions to help inform and empower you before your consultation.
Along your breast augmentation research journey, you'll learn and consider:
- Breast Implant Type: saline or silicone/gummy bear breast implants
- Breast Implant Shape: Round or teardrop breast implants
- Textured surface vs. Smooth Implants
- Breast Implant Placement: submuscular or subglandular placement
- Incisions and scars
Saline implants are filled with a saline solution, while silicone implants are filled with cohesive silicone gel, often referred to as "gummy bear implants".
Both saline and silicone implants can be textured or smooth.
Textured implants are designed to stick to the tissue and come in both round and teardrop, also known as anatomical, shapes, while smooth implants move more freely and are round.
The type of implant you choose will depend on your individual needs and preferences, so be sure to discuss these options with your plastic surgeon during your consultation.
It is surgery, so there is downtime. Let's talk about recovery.
Recovery and final results from a breast augmentation take some time and a little patience.
Meaning, you're going to have some downtime (typically five to seven days) and you're going to have to wait up to twelve months to see those final results.
We know, it feels like a long time. But being honest about the recovery and results timeline is going to leave you better prepared with realistic expectations.
Generally, it takes about six weeks for the swelling and bruising to subside, however, each person’s recovery time may vary.
Around the six-week mark, most women are able to get back into their exercise routine and remove any surgical tape.
Most after photos are taken around three months post-op but keep in mind those are not the final results.
Your results will show little by little throughout your recovery, but the final results and total scar healing take between nine and twelve months.
Like with all great things, there are some risks.
The benefits of breast augmentation are obvious: enhanced breast size and shape, improved self-confidence, and a more feminine figure.
However, it’s important to be aware of the potential risks too.
Common breast implant complications include:
- capsular contracture
- rippling
- scarring
- infection
- implant rupture
- BIA-ALCL
Though the risks are low, it's important to do your research. The Bustmob Community has live Q&A sessions with the plastic surgeons of Amelia Aesthetics to help answer all of your medical questions and concerns.
Do these two things: research and find your goal photos.
The more prepared you are before your consultation, the more time can be spent on creating your surgical plan, asking about your specific risks and benefits, as well as discussing your aesthetic goals, and trying on different implant sizes using 3D imaging.
Plastic surgery research can be overwhelming. We get it.
So we made the Bustmob Academy app. With hundreds of videos covering everything from the basics to recovery your plastic surgery research can be streamed from anywhere, anytime.
Jenny Eden, found of Bustmob, and Gretta Nance, lead educator at Amelia Aesthetics, share the facts you really need before you even book your consultation.
Get behind the scenes on costs and common misconceptions so you can make an informed and empowered decision.
Googling plastic surgery after photos for your wish pic is a thing of the past.
The Bustmob GoalFinder makes finding the goal photos for your consultation easy. With over 5,000 plastic surgery after photos from real women, you can search and save the results you love.
Simply put in your stats (height, weight, bra size, even complexion) and the procedure you're considering to see real results on frames that match yours.
The Bustmob GoalFinder even names the plastic surgeon, procedure, and time post-op the photo was taken.
Save your favorites to a personalized collection so you're organized and prepared for your consultation.
Found this helpful, but want more?
This is just one of the hundreds of fun, factual videos on the Bustmob Academy app to make your plastic surgery research easy.
From commonly told myths and FAQs, to recovery time and costs, Jenny Eden, founder of Bustmob, and Gretta Nance, lead educator at Amelia Aesthetics, break down your plastic surgery research into bite-size, binge-able pieces.
The free Bustmob Academy app is the perfect place to learn everything about the procedure you're considering.
