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Breast enhancement surgery, which is also called breast enlargement or breast augmentation surgery, is one of the most popular cosmetic operations for women.  More than 350,000 breast enlargement procedures were performed in 2008 in the US alone, according to statistics provided by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, or ASAPS, making it one of the top 5 most popular cosmetic operations for women.

 Women seek breast augmentation surgery for a variety of reasons.  Breast augmentation may be used in order to correct an asymmetry of the breasts, as well as to reconstruct one or both breasts after a mastectomy or other surgical procedure; the term “breast reconstruction surgery” is usually used in these types of cases.  Breast enhancement is also used to deal with hereditary issues affecting the breasts including micromastia, which results in the severe underdevelopment of the breasts, as well as other conditions involving the complete absence of one or both breasts.

 Above all, though, most women who elect to undergo breast enlargement surgery do so simply to enhance the appearance of the breasts.  Many women are self-conscious about their breasts, and the feelings associated with this can have detrimental social and even effects upon the individual’s career.  By the same token, by achieving the type of appearance they desire, individuals can enhance their lives in a general sense.  Thus, it’s not surprising that breast augmentation is so widely performed.

 There are a number of different approaches and techniques in use for breast augmentation surgery procedures, which can vary with regard to their suitability to the individual depending on various factors such as the amount of augmentation desired, body type, prior operation history, and so on.  All breast augmentation procedures involve the use of implants.  There are two common types of breast implants: silicone implants and saline implants.

 Of these two types, saline implants are the less common one, and are made of a silicone elastomer shell which, after initially being implanted during the breast augmentation procedure, is filled with a saline (salt and water) solution.  This makes them slightly more versatile than silicone implants.  That being said, saline implants are generally appropriate only for less drastic procedures.  They’re also slightly susceptible to wrinkling and rippling, as well as being considered to be more obvious to the touch than silicone implants, although this point is debatable.

 Conversely, silicone implants have a silicone elastomer shell which is pre-filled with a silicone gel of various properties.  Like saline implants, silicone implants have been in use since the 1960s, but the constitution of silicone implants has seen changes steadily since then.  The silicone implants used today are quite different in comparison to the first generation; a semi-solid gel is now the norm, which virtually erases the leaking issues that previous implants, which used a liquid-like gel, often experienced.

 The surgical procedure itself may also make use of different techniques.  The inframammary incision method is the most common method used for breast enhancement surgery.  This method makes use of an incision in the area directly below the breast, called the inframammary area.  An implant is inserted through this incision.  This technique is perhaps the safest of any type of breast augmentation procedure, and the scars that result are usually well concealed below the breast following the procedure.

 An incision is made along the border of the areola in the periareolar incision method.  Due to the small size of the incision used in this procedure, saline implants must be used.  However, this method does permit the surgeon to entirely reposition the breast, which may be requested in some cases.

 In some cases, the surgeon may need to make the incision farther away from the breast; patients who are concerned with scarring being visible on or around the breast may also request this type of procedure.  The transaxillary incision is an incision made below the armpit, while the transumbilical incision is an incision in the area of the navel, which can be performed at the same time as a tummy tuck.  In both cases, an endoscope may be employed in order to assist in correctly positioning the implant.  Both of these procedures are usually only performed using saline implants.

 As with any type of surgical procedure, there are some risks involved in breast enlargement surgery.  Also, following this kind of operation, the patient will normally be required to adhere to a recovery schedule of at least six weeks, during which period strenuous physical activity must be avoided in order to ensure that the operation is successful in the end.

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