Breast Augmentation or enlargement is a plastic surgery procedure that enhances the size, shape and look of your breasts by using specialist breast implants. In addition to increasing the size and fullness of the breasts, breast augmentation can improve the look of your breasts by improving the body proportions and symmetry.
Breast Augmentation is one of the most commonly performed cosmetic surgery procedures performed in the UK. The breast implant can be placed either behind or in front of the muscle and projects and pushes the natural breast tissue forward, resulting in a fuller and larger appearance. Over the last few years, there has been further advancement in breast surgery techniques that achieve fantastic results with minimal scarring and reduced downtime.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are many cases where women can benefit from breast enlargement surgery and can be an ideal choice for those who want to;
- Enhance their body contours, as for personal reasons they may feel that their breasts are too small
- Restore lost volume and shape following weight loss and pregnancy
- Achieve improved symmetry when the breasts are moderately disproportionate in size and shape
- Improve the look and shape of breasts that are sagging or have lost firmness, which is often used simultaneously with a breast uplift procedure for the ultimate results
Learning about what you are hoping to achieve with breast enlargement surgery is the key to achieving the best possible result and as such, our breast enlargement procedures are based around you and your own individual needs. There is no one technique or breast implant that suits all women and Dr O’Hara will tailor the surgical choices so you are able to achieve the best possible results.
Breast enlargement surgery is performed under general anaesthetic in one of our top London private hospitals or you can opt to have the procedure under local anaestheic and sedation at our day case hospital at 152 Harley Street. Dr O’Hara will discuss your surgery and anaesthetic options in detail at your consultation.
The surgery takes between 1-2 hours and you’ll be required to stay in hospital overnight if you are opting for general anaesthetic. If you decide to undergo the procedure under local anaesthetic and sedation, you will be able to be discharged shortly after your procedure, but will need to stay locally for your check up the following day.
Breast enlargement surgery is performed by Justine O’Hara, a highly skilled plastic surgeon specialising in female plastic surgery.
Breast implants can either be placed in front of the chest muscle (pectoralis muscle) or behind it and the options depend on a number of factors, including how much skin tissue is present, as it is essential that there is sufficient skin thickness to a create a natural and subtle result. The majority of females who undergo breast enlargement surgery are either naturally slim or have lost breast tissue thickness and volume following pregnancy and breast feeding, so it is common to place the implant behind the muscle. Going behind the muscle has the additional benefits of lowering the rate of capsular contracture and improved visibility of the breast tissues for breast cancer screening.
Breast implants are available in different profiles and shapes. Round implants tend to provide more fullness in the upper part of the breasts and the implant is more filled in the centre. Anatomic or ‘teardrop’ shaped implants offer a more natural breast shape and are fuller in the lower half of the implant, giving a shape that is more similar to that of a natural breast. Both types of implants come in a range of ‘projections’, which is the look they give and how much they push forwards. Both types of implant can look very good and create a very natural look, depending on how they are used and where they are placed. Dr O’Hara uses and recommends cohesive gel silicone implants, as these implants have the best safety profile and offer a more natural look and feel. They are also less likely to cause rippling than saline implants and they cannot deflate.
As with any surgical procedure, there are potential risks and complications, which can include;
- Allergy
- Anaesthetic problems
- Bruising
- Bleeding
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Haematoma formation
- Infection
- Pain
Risks and complications specific to Breast Enlargement surgery include;
- Capsular contracture
- Seroma
- Implant deflation
- Wound breakdown
- Asymmetry, discomfort and firmness
Dr O’Hara will discuss any potential risks and complications with you and your pre-op consultations.
Although scars are the inevitable result of all surgery, Dr O’Hara will make every effort to keep any scars as well hidden as possible. The scars fade over time and are located in such a way as to become less noticeable as they fade.
You can expect some swelling following surgery, with particular fullness early after the surgery. This subsides over the weeks following your procedure and is usually all gone by 4 to 6 weeks. In most cases, you will get a good idea of your final result around 8 weeks, with the overall result showing at around 3 months post surgery.
Surgical tape is applied immediately after surgery and by the second week, you are usually able to start wearing a stretch-type bra such as a sports bra or a special post surgery bra and this should be worn day and night for between 3 to 6 weeks. In the long term it is beneficial to wear a good bra support to reduce the amount of sagging that can occur naturally.
It is possible that the stitches used will be dissolvable and these will not require removal. If regular stitches are used, these will be removed between 1 and 2 weeks post surgery. We do not routinely use drains following surgery, which dramatically improves post-operative comfort and experience.
