Along with discomfort and infection and scars, there are many other concerns women have about breast augmentation. A common misconception is that having breast implants can reduce the effectiveness of mammograms, however this is not the case as breast implants have increased in popularity, radiologist are trained on how to read mammograms of women with implants. The same goes for the ability to feel any lumps in the breast during examination. Implants will not interfere with this as they are placed behind the breast tissue, in fact there is some evidence that lumps may be easier to feel in breasts with implants.

Furthermore, extensive worldwide research ha shown that there is no evidence to support claims that silicone breast implants increase the risk of breast cancer, in fact there is evidence that cancer doesn’t grow as quickly in patients with implants. Add this to the fact that women with implants tend to be more breast aware so find any lumps much earlier than women without implants and as a result of this the survival rate of women with implants who do get breast cancer are better than those without implants.

The ability to breast feed following surgery is a question that is commonly raised with breast augmentation surgeons in Manhattan, and providing that the surgeon is aware you may wish to breast feed in the future there is no reason that is shouldn’t be possible. There were concerns at one stage that babies breast fed by mothers with silicone breast implants may be at greater risk of developing illnesses but studies have shown this is not the case.

Changes in sensation of both the nipple and the breast have been reported. The nature of breast augmentation surgery means it is inevitable that some nerves will be cut it the process. The area around the nipple and areola may feel totally numb for a few days following surgery however this is generally temporary and sensation will return gradually over a few weeks. There is a very slight chance of partial loss of nipple sensation and total loss of sensation is extremely rare. Some women may in fact find that the have extra sensitivity or even pain in their nipples following surgery, this is nearly always temporary and will fade in the weeks following surgery.

The most common concerns about silicone implants is leakage or rupture of the implant itself. Over the years silicone implants have been developed to make them much safer and much less likely to leak or rupture. They have a thick outer shell made of silicone rubber and most modern implants have a leak-proof membrane inside which prevents the silicone gel penetrating the outer shell. Even if a small amount of leakage was to occur there is no evidence that it will be harmful. We come into contact with silicone in everyday life in the form of food packaging or cleaning products, even some over-the-counter indigestion cures contain silicone. There have been no documented cases of small amounts of silicone being present in the body causing ill effects.

Rupturing of modern implants is very rare, thanks to their sturdy outer shell. There are no statistics showing the incidence of ruptures yet, but studies are ongoing. Rupture can occur due to deterioration of the shell over time, damage caused at the time of implanting or a manufacturing fault, also a sever trauma to the chest could result in rupture or damage to an implant. Ruptures can be internal or external, meaning either the inner layer ruptures, leaking to the outer layer or the outer layer ruptures as well, leading to leakage outside the implant. Internal rupture may not be noticed as the shape of the breast may not change dramatically. In some cases the breast will change shape, this is more common with an external rupture. It is always worth having any suspected rupture investigated. MRI scans are very accurate at detecting any rupture or leakage of implants, breast augmentation surgeons in Manhattan know what to look for and can determine how serious any leak or rupture may be and will advise you on what course of action is best to take. If you suffer any kind of severe trauma to your chest, such as a car crash, you should be sure to have continuous investigation until it is established your implants are intact.

There will be some pain and discomfort following your surgery, this is inevitable as with any kind of surgery, and you should either be given some form of pain relief or told what type of pain relief you can take to help with this. However you shouldn’t be in pain for more than a couple of days, if pain and discomfort continues you should contact your surgeon for further advice.

Infection is a big concern of many women who have had breast augmentation, while it is rare, sometimes infection occurs that necessitates the temporary removal of the implant while the infection clears, once the infection clears a new implant can be inserted. Infections of this nature generally occur within 10 days of surgery. Manhattan breast augmentation surgeons are well aware of the danger of infection and therefore maintain extremely sterile clinics in order to minimise risk.

Scarring is an inescapable aspect of breast augmentation, however techniques these days allow for minimal scarring, and depending on the type of implant you have you may be able to have near-invisible scars in an area such as your armpit – this is something that you would discuss with your surgeon if scarring is a big concern.

Capsular contracture can occur when the scar tissue around the implant either contracts or thickens or both. As part of the healing process, your body creates a layer of scar tissue around the implant as it sees it as a foreign body. This capsule of scar tissue usually forms a few days after surgery and is a thin and supply layer, this is perfectly normal and will result in natural feeling breasts. However, there are cases where for reasons not entirely understood by Manhattan breast augmentation surgeons, this capsule starts to behave strangely and can result in hardened breast tissue and in very rare cases discomfort. If the breast begins to mis-shape or discomfort becomes severe then surgery to either remove the capsule or to make an incision to release the contraction around the implant.

Before you take the plunge and have breast augmentation, all Manhattan clinics will want to offer you a consultation, during which you will discuss with your potential cosmetic surgeon your expectations from surgery. The surgeon should also asses your current breast shape and size, along with your body shape and size to determine the best type of implant to use to achieve the optimum outcome from your surgery.

A common question about breast augmentation asked by Manhattan women is “is it safe?” To date, the answer to this is yes. There is no evidence that implants may increase the risk of any disease or cancer, and mammograms can be carried out as normal on women with breast implants. The most commonly used implant is saline filled, although some patients are suitable for silicone implants – this is something that your surgeon will discuss with you at your consultation as they decide which implant will be best for you.

Breast augmentation in Manhattan clinics is normally undertaken at an outpatient surgery. The procedure itself takes around an hour and you should be able to go home a couple of hours afterwards providing the surgery went to plan and you are feeling well enough to leave. The entire recovery process takes several weeks, during which time you will have aftercare appointments with your surgeon to ensure your new breasts are healing and settling properly. You can expect to experience swelling and discomfort after your surgery, but this should subside within a week, in some cases women return to work after just 3 or 4 days, however you must ensure you don not carry out any physically demanding tasks until such time and your surgeon has indicated. To aid your recovery and make the process more comfortable, your surgeon may prescribe you painkillers and/or antibiotics.

There are various stages to go through before you can have your dream breasts through breast augmentation. Manhattan surgeons will talk you through every step of the process before you make your final decision.

Firstly you have to be sure of your reasons for having breast augmentation. Manhattan is a hotbed for cosmetic surgery, which could lead to you feeling pressured to enhance yourself in some way. For women, have beautiful, large breasts is almost seen as a status symbol. Insecurity about breasts is very common, women can’t help but compare their breasts to other womens, especially celebrities. It is important to remember that a most of the pictures you see in the press are airbrushed or touched up in some way or another. Breast augmentation for Manhattan women is not necessarily the answer. If you constantly find yourself comparing yourself to other women you might want to consider counselling before you take the more drastic step of breast augmentation. Manhattan offers a wide range of counselling services for women, and it might just take one appointment to realise that in fact surgery isn’t for you.

In some cases, it may be that surgery is necessary following mastectomy or possibly even an accident, in which case talking to your surgeon about all the options available to you is your first step.

In all cases, your surgeons main concern is your welfare when it comes to your breast augmentation. Manhattan surgeons carry our hundreds of procedures a year and as you would expect, are experts in their field. Listen to you surgeons advice, they want you to achieve the best possible outcome from your surgery, and as such they will advise you about things such as the type of procedure that will suit you best, along with the size of implant you should have to ensure you are physically comfortable with your new breasts. Remember, having a consultation is obligation free. If you don’t feel entirely comfortable during or after your consultation and your surgeon isn’t allaying your fears, find yourself another surgeon and start the process again. You have to be sure you are 100% happy with the service you are going to receive and the surgeon who is going to carry out your surgery.