When the term breast implant is used, it generally means material that is implanted into the body to replace lost breast tissue or to increase breast size. Breast implants are used in reconstructive surgery that is performed after breast removal, usually necessitated by cancer, and also in cosmetic surgery, usually to increase breast size.
Types
Breast implants are made of a silicone shell that is filled with a gel made of either silicone or saline. The silicone that is now being used has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for women who are over 22 years old. The saline, which is basically a salt water solution, can be used on women 18 years of age and older.
Sizes
Saline breast implants range from 125cc to 1200cc. What size a woman prefers is primarily left up to her. However, the skin and muscles of the chest wall can accommodate only so much stretching, and a woman's chest area is only so big, so it is possible that this can limit size choice.
Initial Consultation
The initial consultation consists of the patient meeting with the surgeon, who first considers and decides if breast implants are even an option. Many things can affect this decision, including medical issues and whether the surgeon really feels that the surgery is necessary.
If the surgeon agrees with the patient that breast implants are warranted and can be safely implanted, then the consultation continues and includes information on the technique, recovery time, possible outcomes, prepare for the surgery and any complications that may arise.
Costs
Cost for breast implants varies with the location of the surgery; doctor, hospital and other fees may be extra. If the breast implants are being inserted for cosmetic purposes only, insurance may not cover the cost. If the implants are being inserted as part of reconstructive surgery after breast cancer surgery, then insurance most likely will cover some or all of the cost.
Warnings
Having breast implants inserted is a surgical procedure and complications may arise from both anesthesia and the operation itself. Some of these may be life threatening.
Breast implants can sometimes leak or burst. Normally, this is not dangerous, as the silicone now approved does not have the same dangers that the old silicone did, and the saline solution is absorbed harmlessly by the body. However, replacement does require another surgical procedure.
Tags: breast implants, after breast, being inserted, breast implants, Breast implants, breast size, implants being