All About Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation, technically known as augmentation mammoplasty, is a cosmetic surgical procedure that increases the size of a woman's breast. Most breast enlargement surgeries use an implant to achieve a bigger breast. The breast implant is placed under or over the muscles through an incision. There are a number of different options for breast enhancement with an implant. Visit our all about breast implants page for a complete discussion about the pros and cons of each option.

Breast augmentation is considered a major surgery, and is usually preformed in a plastic surgeon's office. You will be placed under local anesthesia and require time to recover. Additionally, your surgeon will more than likely place you on prescription pain medication, antibiotics and other medication as part of the recovery process.

If you are interested in breast enlargement, think about what you want to achieve. Decide which type of procedure you are interested in and your individual goals for the surgery. The goals of a boob job depend on the individual patient's desired look, size, breast mass and body shape. Discuss your goals with your doctor to determine which kind of augmentation will best achieve your desired outcome.

Once you determine your primary goal for getting breast augmentation, it's time to consider if you are a candidate for plastic surgery . Discuss the risks and your medical history with a doctor to determine if you are healthy enough for surgery. Then research, research, research. It is important to be informed about breast enhancement and connect with other breast augmentation patients.

Start your research by looking through pictures of breast implants. When looking for photos, consider your height, weight and build. Look for before and after photos of women who are similar to your size, body-shape and weight distribution. Write down the after size, cup size and implant size of women who have the look you want. Visit our breast implants before and after photo page to search for women based on age, height/weight, cup size and doctor.

Next, look for a board-certified plastic surgeon. Visit our directory of plastic surgeons to search for surgeons by city or state. Our plastic surgery directory only lists surgeons who are board certified in plastic and cosmetic surgery. While searching for a cosmetic surgeon, look for patient reviews and view before and after photos of the doctor's work. Call the doctor's office and speak to the staff and physician to build a rapport. You want to feel as comfortable as possible with the doctor and medical staff that will perform your breast augmentation. Also, consider the cost of breast implants and how the price fits into your personal budget.

When you find a doctor, make sure you discuss the options available at your consultation. There are many options when it comes to breast implants, including size, implant shape, implant texture, placement and incision type. There has been a long debate over saline or silicone breast implants. Visit our all about breast implants page for detailed information about all the implant options available to you.

Again, consider the goals of the surgery and your desired look. If you have saggy breasts, then you may only want a breast lift with no implants. If your boobs are uneven, then your doctor may suggest an implant or a fat transfer procedure. If you want a breast enlargement, then consider the pros and cons and the cost of silicone versus saline.

Whatever your goals, go into your consultation prepared. Visit our breast augmentation consultation page and print out our consultation checklist so you don't forget to ask your surgeon anything. Get your doctor's opinion on the implant size and implant fill once he has examined your breast tissue. You may have a size in mind but ultimately you want to go with the implant fill and size that best compliments your body.

You will also discuss the total cost of your surgery. The average cost of breast augmentation varies by region. According to the most recent information from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the national average surgeon’s fee is $3,300. However, that price doesn’t include the cost of the breast implants, anesthesia or surgical center fee. A big part of the total price is the cost of the actual breast implants. Silicone implants are more expensive than saline, and the new highly cohesive implants, also called gummy bear implants, are more expensive than cohesive gel implants.

Once you feel comfortable with the details of your breast augmentation, schedule your surgery date. Make sure you have at least one week to recover from breast augmentation, but consult your doctor for your specific post-op instructions.

Schedule your surgery around your menstrual period, either directly after or 2 weeks before. After your surgery date is scheduled, start asking around for a friend, relative, husband or boyfriend to take care of you for a couple of days. Visit our what to expect during your breast augmentation surgery page for more information about the actual surgery.

On the day of your surgery, make sure you coordinate a ride to and from the doctor's office. A typical breast augmentation surgery takes around 2 hours. Whoever picks you up should feel comfortable discussing your post-op instructions and medication with the doctor or nurse. You will be very drowsy after your procedure and won't remember the instructions. More than likely this person will also need to pick-up your prescription for you and look after you for the first 24-48 hours.

Breast augmentation recovery varies depending on the patient and the type of procedure. At your post surgical appointments, talk to your surgeon about scar maintenance, concerns and plans for follow up care. Visit your surgeon a couple of times after your breast augmentation to monitor your progress and look out for complications due to breast enlargement.

ImplantInfo is a comprehensive guide to all things related to breast augmentation. Connect with other woman who are considering or had breast augmentation on the ImplantInfo forum. Get first hand accounts of the recovery time, complications and successes of breast augmentation surgery. Also view thousands of before and after photo's from patience of all sizes and shapes.