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The following information has been prepared to familiarize you
with facts about breast enlargement. You are requested to read this
information thoroughly and to discuss any questions which might
arise with your surgeon before proceeding with the surgical procedure
known as augmentation mammoplasty.
The decision for a woman to seek augmentation of the breast is
a very personal one. Most women seeking breast augmentation have
a positive body image yet believe that their breast size is not
consistent or in harmony with their overall body physique. Reasons
for seeking breast enlargement include failure of the breast to
develop fully, breast volume, shape, asymmetry, and for breast fullness
lost following pregnancy or breast feeding.
The goal of an aesthetic breast augmentation is to achieve a proportional
and natural appearance. While some patients specifically ask for
an "exaggerated" look, most want to look as natural as
possible.
Breast tissue is not altered by a breast enlarging procedure. This
operation is performed by placing an implant behind your own breast
tissue, simply pushing it forwards and enlarging the appearance
of the breast. Most patients have been exceedingly pleased with
this operative procedure.
The increase in breast size will be limited by the tightness of
your skin but significant improvement is usually achieved. The final
decision regarding implant size must be made by the surgeon during
the operation, but size will be discussed with you before the procedure
and every effort will be made to create an optimal breast for you.
It is important that you understand that no person is perfectly
symmetrical from one side to the other even before a surgical procedure.
Every attempt will be made during surgery to minimize your side
to side dissimilarities, but such differences always persist to
some degree even after the most successful operation.
There is no evidence that breast surgery alters the possibility
of developing breast cancer. Mammography techniques have improved
on compromised detection of early breast cancer following an augmentation
mammoplasty. If a cancer were to develop, its detection by mammography
could be made more difficult, depending on the location of the cancer
within the breast, the position and size of the implant and the
type of implant employed. Regardless of your decision to have an
augmentation mammoplasty or not, it will still be necessary for
you to examine yourself monthly for breast lumps and undergo mammography
as suggested by your personal physician. All women, whether or not
they are contemplating breast surgery are encouraged to obtain a
baseline mammogram at age 35 (or even sooner if you have a family
history of breast cancer) and a yearly mammogram after the age of
40.
Normal breast function should not be altered by an augmentation
procedure in which the implant is positioned behind the pectoral
muscle. Although not all women are able to breast feed even without
a breast operation, this procedure should not alter the ability
to breast feed should this become desirable later.
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