There are numerous breast augmentation risks associated with the surgical implantation of breast prostheses. Breast augmentation is a surgical procedure which involves incisions and placement of non-organic objects inside the body. Breast enlargement shares many of the same risks as all surgical procedures, as well as having some procedure-specific risks unique to the particular operation chosen. There is a huge variety of additional information concerning the potential dangers of augmentation surgery available on the breast enlargement risks resource section.
General Breast Augmentation Risks
As an invasive surgical procedure performed under anesthetic, breast augmentation has some inherent general risks including:
Allergic reaction to local or general anesthetic can create health risks or even induce anaphylactic shock. Other anesthesia-related complications include prolonged headache or nausea. Anesthetic is not advised for patients with serious health problems, such as cardiac or pulmonary conditions.
Blood clots are a risk of all surgeries and can be fatal if they break free and travel to the lungs, brain or heart.
Continued or excessive blood loss can cause post-operative complications and might necessitate a follow up surgery to fix the problem.
Infection can be a big problem due to poor operating conditions or unhygienic aftercare. Infection is one of the most common breast enlargement complications and is also one of the main causes of capsular contracture and implant removal. Infection rates are highest using periareolar incisions due to the bacteria which normally live in that anatomical region.
Specific Surgical Augmentation Risks
There are many specific risks of all breast augmentation operations and some which are unique to a particular procedure:
Poor surgical results can make any women regret her decision to undergo augmentation. Carefully choosing your surgeon and procedure will minimize the chances for poor post-operative results.
Neurological damage can occur to the sensitive nerve tissues of the breast or nipple. This might reduce or eliminate sensory stimuli, causing partial or complete numbness. Breast numbness is most commonly caused during inframammary augmentation, while nipple numbness is most common during periareolar augmentation.
Breastfeeding ability can be lost or reduced with any enlargement procedure. Damage to the breast nerves or glands is most common with inframammary, and especially, periareolar incisions.
Scarring might be a permanent side effect of some procedures. TUBA is the only procedure which will not leave a visible scar. Periareolar and inframammary incisions will scar the actual breast to one extent or another. Transaxillary incisions might be visible, but only in rare circumstances.
Mammography results might be tainted by the actual breast implant, especially if the implant is placed in the subglandular position. Scar tissue and capsule formation around the implant can also render false positive results or hide growing tumors while they are small enough to treat.
Implants are not permanent and will likely require replacement at some point in time. Some women require multiple sets of implants during their lives. If implants are simply removed rather than replaced, severe cosmetic damage to the breast will be visible.
Capsular contracture is a big problem for some women. Contracture can occur quickly after surgery or at any time in the future. However, there are many highly effective methods of preventing capsular contracture from occurring.
Hematomas and seromas can form around the surgical site. These often resolve by themselves, but might require aggressive treatment, if they become problematic. Bruising around the breast is normal and somewhat expected during augmentation surgery.
Placement or position issues can result from poor augmentation technique or migration of the implant once inside the body. Conditions such as double bubble, synmastia and bottoming out can occur in some women. Asymmetry is also possible in conjunction with any other possible problems which might occur.
Continuing pain affects some women with implants. This is often a difficult to treat condition which might necessitate implant revision or removal.
Decreasing Breast Augmentation Risk Factors
Make sure to learn about all the general and procedure-specific risks and complications associated with your chosen surgery. Discuss these breast augmentation risks openly with your cosmetic surgeon and learn about any preventative measures which might be able to reduce the likelihood of experiencing a problem.
While any surgery has inherent risks, cosmetic surgery is generally a safe and satisfying experience which can make drastic positive changes in your life. While it is never advised to ignore any risk factors, it is also not wise to dwell on the negative and prevent your own emotional fulfillment due to fear and indecision.
Careful planning and preparation are the most important factors in preventing negative post-operative issues from affecting your final results. Take your time to do everything the right way and you have an excellent chance of being among the women who report 100% satisfaction from their procedure.
