Breast Augmentation and Breast Lift
The size and shape of the breasts is a serious issue for many women and for that reason breast augmentation is one of most common plastic surgeries. The breasts are typical female secondary sex characteristic and a sign of sexual maturity and fertility, while the size and shape of breast greatly vary from woman to woman. Breasts also play an important role in human sexual behavior, while larger and full breasts are considered erotic and in most men desired. For that reason women with smaller breasts are often feeling unattractive and not enough feminine. A lot of sadness also causes loss of volume, sagging or dropping of breasts which often occurs with aging, after childbirth and weight loss. Fortunately, breast augmentation and breast lift provide both enlargement and reshape of the breasts.
Breast augmentation or breast enlargement is the most commonly performed cosmetic surgery in the United States. Typical surgical procedure for breast enlargement usually take about two hours, while the shape and enlargement of the breast size are achieved by using either saline-filled or silicone-gel-filled implants. Saline implants are inserted empty and than filled with saline (salt-water) what requires a smaller cut than silicone gel implants which are filled with silicone before the insertion. There are three common incision sites:
- inframammary (below the breasts)
- transaxillary (in the armpit)
- and periareolar (along the areolar border)
Breast lift or mastopexy is performed to lift the sagging breast, while the procedure of breast lifting might be done alone or in combination with breast augmentation. There are several methods used for breast lifting, while most common procedure involves incisions along the crease underneath the breasts, around the areola, and between the areola and the base of the breasts which is known as the inverted T incision. There are also other procedures used for breast lifting which are in first place intended to reduce scarring.
Like all other surgical procedures, breast augmentation and breast lift procedures are continuing to evolve. Either way, before deciding for any plastic surgery including breast augmentation or lift it is important to be well informed over different possibilities as well as over potential risks and complications.