Breast augmentation with implants (breast arthroplasty)

Enlarge or reduce breasts, correct ptosis or asymmetry, change the size of areolas or nipples - with the help of plastic surgery mammoplasty today you can solve almost any aesthetic problem and achieve an ideal appearance. The first plastic surgery for breast correction was performed back in 1895, when the patient’s own fat was transplanted to enlarge her breasts. In 1889, paraffin was used for this purpose, which led to the death of a woman. More than 100 years have passed since then! Modern capabilities of plastic surgery, anesthesiology and related industries reduce the risks of complications to a record historical minimum. Operations such as mammoplasty today are considered not only relatively safe, but also affordable and popular. According to the Vademecum analytical center, in 2022 Russia entered the top 3 leaders, second only to the USA and Brazil. In our daily life, career, relationships with ourselves and other people, appearance plays an important, if not the primary role. Therefore, many women and men adhere to the principle: “If you don’t like something about yourself, then it’s better to fix it.”

Indications for breast correction surgery

• Small breast size, which causes psychological discomfort;
• Too large breasts (gigantomastia), which causes physical discomfort and threatens complications;
• Congenital or acquired asymmetry of the mammary glands;
• Sagging breasts (mastoptosis) as a result of age-related changes or breastfeeding;
• Polymastia - the presence of additional mammary glands or nipples;
• Previous masteketomy - removal of the mammary gland (partial or complete) affected by a cancerous tumor;
• Gynecomastia is an enlarged mammary gland in a man;
• Other congenital or acquired aesthetic defects.

There are several types of plastic surgery for breast correction.

How complications appear after breast augmentation or other mammoplasty

After any surgical operation on the chest, the following local undesirable effects occur:

• Edema – forms by the end of the first day after surgery and gradually increases, reaching its maximum size by 3-5 days. For 2-4 days the swelling remains unchanged, and then slowly subsides. In the 3-4th week after surgery, the swelling goes away, but from time to time it can appear again: in the second period of the monthly cycle, after eating salty and spicy foods, after drinking alcoholic beverages, as a result of high physical activity. That is why only 3-4 months after mammoplasty you can see its final result.
• Consequences of vascular damage: bleeding, bruises, hematomas. They can appear immediately after surgery, or only after a few days, gradually becoming noticeable against the background of swelling. The bruises disappear within a week. Hematomas take a little longer to disappear, and this period largely depends on their size.
• Redness in the suture area (in spots or in the form of “marbling”) that occurs during the first days goes away within 2-3 days. If intense redness appears later, it means that an infection has occurred and must be treated separately.
• Discomfort or pain that occurs with varying degrees of intensity. How much pain is felt is determined by each individual's pain threshold. But in any case, the pain is felt more strongly after surgery, which is accompanied by detachment of the pectoralis major muscle. Discomfort and pain can last 3-7 days, but they are removed with the most basic painkillers.
• A change in sensitivity, and it can either increase or decrease. There are a huge number of nerve endings in the soft tissues of the breast, especially near the nipple. They may be injured during surgery or compressed by swelling later. Sensitivity is sure to be restored 3-6 months after surgery.
• Formation of a postoperative scar at the incision site. You need to ensure that the seams remain dry and treat them with a solution of potassium permanganate for the first 7-10 days. Later, starting from the 3-4th week, the healed sutures should be lubricated with silicone ointment (Dermatix, Kelokot) or covered with an adhesive plaster "Mepiform". This must be done for 3-4 months until the seams become pale.

Let's take an example of what happens to the simplest wound, for example when a finger is cut. Even a very small wound heals in 7-14 days - the longer it is, the deeper and larger it is in area. There will be inflammation in any case: redness, swelling, possible bruising or discharge, and, of course, pain. Then there is a slow cleansing and healing of the wound, and in the center there will be a scar (a section of connective tissue) - it will form if the epidermis does not have time to “come together”. Marginal epithelization - the so-called regeneration of the upper layer of skin - can be 5 mm. If the damage occupies a large area, then a scar will necessarily form, since connective tissue cells are more active and divide more quickly. At first, the scar is very dense and bright red in color, sensitivity in this place is impaired (it is stronger or, conversely, less). Little by little, the scar becomes pale and decreases in size, it becomes softer - this is how it “ripens”, and over time it is completely or almost invisible. You need to know that if you sunbathe while the scar is bright red, it will become pigmented. Perhaps over the course of 1-3 years the pigment will lighten, or perhaps not - it may remain forever. This sequence of the recovery process (healing of any wound) is absolutely natural and normal. But if there are disturbances in the functioning of the connective tissue and immune system in the body, hypertrophic and keloid scars form.

Breast augmentation (endoprosthetics, lipofilling)

Most plastic surgeons prefer breast augmentation operations with implants. The advantage of breast replacement is:

• Opportunities to create a more attractive breast shape;
• Long lasting results;
• Relatively low risks of infectious complications and postoperative asymmetry;
• An additional opportunity to eliminate mild mastoptosis.

Modern new generation implants are safe, take root well and keep their shape. Most manufacturers such as Allergan, Mentor, Motiva, Polytech,

They give them a lifetime guarantee, since the likelihood of an arbitrary rupture (not associated with mechanical damage and complications after mammoplasty) is practically zero. At the initial consultation, a plastic surgeon, based on the individual characteristics of the patient’s anatomy, initial breast size, personal preferences, will help you choose the most suitable shape of prostheses, their volume and profile. Read more about what types of breast enlargement implants are available in this article.

The examination by a plastic surgeon is followed by a stage of preoperative examination and preparation for mammoplasty.

The breast augmentation surgery itself is performed under general anesthesia and takes, on average, 1.5 - 2 hours.

The composition of surgical incisions depends on the individually selected method. There are 3 main ways to install implants:

• submammary (access through incisions in the fold under the breast);
• areolar (access through incisions along the contour of the areolas);
• axillary (access through incisions in the fold of the armpits).

The process of securing the position of the implant in the capsule takes approximately 2 months. During this time, you need to wear compression garments.

To avoid complications, it is important to follow the recommendations of your doctor during rehabilitation. Our plastic surgeons guide patients from the initial consultation until the completion of rehabilitation.

Do you want to enlarge your breasts?

What your breasts should be like is up to you. Flawless breasts are beautiful in a bikini, a revealing evening dress, naked... You can have the size, lines and shapes you want. These are not empty fantasies. If you call right now and schedule a consultation as soon as possible, you can get the breasts of your dreams in just a couple of weeks!

Do you really want to have beautiful breasts? This is an important reason to schedule a consultation with plastic surgeon V.S. Bakov.

Helpful information:

• Any doubts? Find out more about the plastic surgeon, candidate of medical sciences V.S. Bakov
• Plastic surgeon Bakov, patient reviews
• Breast implants - how to choose? Plastic surgeon's blog
• Information for patients, list of tests

Prices for breast implantation

Removal of excess breast tissue

Plastic surgeons at our clinic perform operations for gynecomastia, polymastia

and other types of interventions aimed at correcting congenital or acquired defects of the mammary glands.

Gynecomastia is an enlargement of the mammary glands in men, which occurs due to hypertrophy of fat (with false gynecomastia) and glandular tissue (with true gynecomastia). Often conservative treatment does not bring the desired result. In this case, excess tissue is removed through surgical resection or liposuction. Sometimes with gynecomastia, nodular neoplasms and lumps occur, which can be benign, borderline, or indicate cancer. In this case, we take tissue samples for histological examination or biopsy.

Implant displacement

Often after breast augmentation, women are faced with a situation where the mammary glands become very close together or, on the contrary, move apart. This suggests that the implants were not installed entirely correctly; the surgeon did not take into account the individual characteristics of the patient. At first, the mammary glands may look normal, but then the woman begins to walk, and gravity, combined with improper installation of the implants, takes its toll. This is not dangerous, but the appearance is not at all what you wanted.

What to do? The situation is fixable. Repeated surgery and correction of implants is needed.

Why is it worth having breast correction surgery at the clinic named after. N.I. Pirogov?

Our plastic surgeons are recognized as leading in the city. We have been successfully performing all types of breast correction surgeries since 1999. Contacting the clinic named after. N.I. Pirogov on Vasilyevsky Island in St. Petersburg, you can be sure of high standards of preoperative examination, first-class results and quick rehabilitation. We are proud of our specialists and offer our patients:

• promotions and special offers, the price of which already includes everything, at affordable prices;
• the presence of all specialists (plastic surgeons, mammologists, gynecologists) in one place;
• our own laboratory, which allows you to receive the results of preoperative examinations quickly and even by email;
• operating rooms equipped with new generation equipment, as well as the availability of intensive care;
• the opportunity to consult with plastic surgeons remotely using the “Online Clinic” service, which is especially important for out-of-town patients or with a busy work schedule;
• high-comfort and “Lux” rooms;
• organizational assistance from a supervisor for patients from other cities.

Implant rupture

Another common complication after breast augmentation is rupture of implants. The main manifestations of this condition: spots on the skin in the area of ​​the implant, swelling, burning, tingling, reduction in breast volume. Often there are no symptoms at all, and the complication is discovered by chance, during an ultrasound or x-ray. It depends on the type of implant:

• The rupture of saline implants is usually clearly visible. The saline solution begins to quickly flow out and be absorbed into the lymph and blood. This is not dangerous unless pathogenic bacteria or fungi have settled inside the implant. Therefore, at the first symptoms you need to urgently visit a doctor.
• Silicone implants are more insidious. Their gap may not appear for a long time. Often the complication is discovered only months later. In this case, the contents of the implant can accumulate in the lymph nodes and lungs, causing harm to health.

What to do? In most cases, the complication can be dealt with without consequences for appearance and health. It is necessary to remove the implants and replace them with new ones.

Hypertrophic scars

A hypertrophic scar is formed as a result of a strong proliferation of scar tissue. It looks like a large, red scar, very raised above the skin. The risk of their occurrence after breast augmentation, according to some data, is 5%.

What to do? There are different methods of dealing with hypertrophic scars: injections of glucocorticoids and hyaluronidase, laser resurfacing, special creams, oils and gels, cryotherapy, surgical excision. Visit a doctor, he will recommend the best method in your case.

How much does it cost to treat complications?

• Replacement of one breast implant (without the cost of the implant) – 151,800 rubles.
• Correction of implant location – RUB 101,200.
• Correction of nipple retraction – RUB 101,200.
• Removal of implants – 116,600 rubles.
• Areola reduction – RUB 151,800.

At Euroonco, operations on the mammary glands are performed with minimal risk of complications, because we employ experienced doctors and use modern equipment and implants. We know what to do if complications arise after breast augmentation or reduction.

How is the procedure done?

For lipofilling, the patient’s own fat cells are used; in rare cases, donor material can be collected. The first stage of the operation is pumping out tissue for transplantation. Most often, areas with a high content of fat cells are used for sampling, for example, the thighs or abdomen.

After removal, the tissues are placed in a special centrifuge, where they are purified from various impurities such as blood cells. The fat is then filtered and prepared for injection. Some techniques also involve adding growth factors or erythropoietin to the fat emulsion. At the last stage of the operation, fatty tissue is injected into the corrected areas. This method can be used to correct not only the breasts, but also other areas - for example, the face or buttocks.

After the operation, no stitches are required, since both cell collection and injections are carried out not through large incisions, as when installing implants, but through small punctures. For collection and insertion, a special cannula with a rounded end is used, which ensures minimal trauma to tissues and blood vessels.

Operation technique

Breast augmentation surgery can last from 40 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the method of operation and the anatomical features of the patient’s body structure. The operation is performed only under intravenous anesthesia. If we are talking specifically about installing implants, then breast augmentation cannot be performed under local anesthesia (!). The scope of the surgical intervention is quite serious.

During breast augmentation surgery, the surgeon makes an incision and removes the soft tissue in the place where the implant will be located (forms a pocket). Then the endoprosthesis is installed and the incision site is sutured in several layers. At the end of the operation, a barely noticeable cosmetic scar remains.

An example of breast augmentation with implants

Contraindications to mammoplasty

Despite the fact that female breast plastic surgery seems accessible to absolutely all patients, a rational approach to the operation cannot be ruled out; it must be taken into account that in the presence of certain pathologies and conditions, its implementation is contraindicated:

• severe diseases for which general anesthesia is contraindicated;
• malignant neoplasms of any location;
• acute and chronic infections;
• hemocoagulation disorders;
• diabetes mellitus;
• mental disorders;
• during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
• at a minor age.

To reduce the risk of complications at the Sharm Gold plastic surgery clinic, before undergoing mammoplasty, patients are prescribed the following studies:

• ultrasound examination of the mammary glands;
• blood coagulograms;
• general blood and urine tests;
• biochemical blood test;
• analysis for hepatitis, HIV infection, syphilis;
• electrocardiograms.