For women who want larger breasts to improve their beauty, breast augmentation is now becoming more popular. In this kind of surgery, implants are placed under their breast tissue or inserted in the chest muscle to increase the size of their breasts. Women undergo breast augmentation to enhance their beauty, restructure the lost fullness of their breasts due to pregnancy or weight loss, and due to breast cancer.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Gel breast implant
Gel – uses silicone shells that are filled with a cohesive gel. With the new surgical method, this option is safer today compared to the past use of the old version.
Advantages:
• Gel breast implants are commonly preferred by more patients because of the durability, and more natural feel.
• Compared to the old silicone implant that feels like a liquid, the new one has a cohesive gel that feels more like natural breasts. With this new gel, there is less chance to leak, tear or rupture.
• Gel implant would be a better option for a woman who is thin, or has undergone a mastectomy.
Disadvantages:
- This breast augmentation procedure needs a bigger incision since it is done with pre-filled silicone gel.
• A gel implant is already filled before it is implanted that is why a surgeon cannot adjust its size after it is in place.
Advantages and Disadvantages of saline breast implant
A saline-filled implant uses gel shells that are filled with salt water or saline.
Advantages:
• Since saline breast augmentation is only filled after placing it inside your breast tissue and filled depending on the size of the breasts that you want, it is more of an advantage because only a smaller incision is performed.
• This type of implant reduces the chance of having visible scars after the surgery.
• Another advantage is that it allows Dr Bishara to adjust the size of your breast to make sure that he creates the same size.
Disadvantages:
• This type of implant tends to feel hard, and it is more likely to look rippled or wrinkled especially for women who possess little amount of breast tissue.
- Both implants have very little tendency to rupture, but saline implants will deflate after rupturing demanding a repair.
- Gel Implants need an MRI every 3 years to screen for small ruptures and to help increase surveillance of the surrounding tissue.
Comparison of costs between silicon and saline breast augmentation
Typically, the cost incurred in having a silicone implant is higher than saline. The procedure may range from $5,000 to $10,000. Choosing saline, the cost could be lowered by about $900 to $1000.
Tips during recovery period
Dr Bishara may advise you to apply a cold compress or ice pack over your breasts after 48 hours of surgery. If your implant is inserted over your chest muscle, you may have shorter recovery period and the pain is less than placing it under your muscle.
Since your skin has been stretched during the implant, you may feel sensitive and itchy in that area. You should sleep at your back only with your head and upper back elevated to avoid swelling and pain. Walk slowly when you have recovered a bit from the surgery to reduce swelling and prevent blood clots, but refrain from strenuous activities for the first few days
