Breast

Breast augmentation, also known as augmentation mammoplasty, is performed to enlarge smaller breasts, undeveloped breasts, or breasts that have decreased in size after age or pregnancy. It is accomplished by surgically inserting an implant either beneath the breast tissue or beneath the chest wall muscle to create a fuller appearance, or by injecting your fat into your breasts. Several different surgical incisions exist for implant placement, and a variety of implant materials and styles are available. The procedure can be combined with others, such as a breast lift, for more satisfying results. A breast augmentation can do the following:

• Increase fullness and outward projection of your breasts
• Improve your self-image, self-esteem, and confidence
• Balance your figure

A Breast augmentation does not correct severely drooping breasts. If you want your breasts to look fuller and to be lifted due to sagging, a breast lift may be required prior to a breast augmentation procedure.

With age and time, breasts often lose their fullness and the “lifted” placement that lends a youthful appeal to the female form. This may occur may occur for a number of reasons: pregnancy, aging and weight fluctuations among them. Breast lift surgery, or mastopexy, reverses the breast sagging that affects all women at some point. Skin and ligaments that secure the breasts to the underlying muscles hold the breasts in place. These structures weaken and stretch out over time, even in small-breasted women.

Feeling self-conscious about the appearance of your breasts can have a serious impact on your self-esteem. If you’re a woman who feels self-conscious about once-perky breasts that now sag more than you would like, then a breast lift might be the remedy.

When the breasts change shape, their structures (skin and tissue) become laxer. The effects of gravity also have an impact, causing the breasts to drop over time. The amount of sagging of a woman’s breasts can vary depending on genetics, exercise activity, and skin elasticity. Breast lift surgery can counteract these issues by repositioning the breasts to a higher, more youthful position. Many women opt for this procedure alone, particularly those patients with firm skin and minimal sagging. A breast lift however, does not make your breasts look fuller, or change the size. Note, that a breast augmentation can be done in conjunction with a breast lift.

If you have overly large breasts, getting a breast reduction may help alleviate physical and emotional discomfort. A breast reduction, or reduction mammoplasty, is a surgical procedure that eliminates excess skin, fat, and mammary gland tissue from the breasts, to reduce and improve their shape and overall size.

This procedure is often considered reconstructive, since very large breasts can interfere with normal functions and physical activity, causing back, neck, and shoulder pain along with postural deformities. The main purpose of a breast reduction is to decrease the volume and weight of the breasts to make them more proportionate with the rest of the body. After surgery, patients are generally less self-conscious, their confidence and self-esteem go up, and feel an overall weight has been lifted.

If you have one or more of the following issues because of your breast size, breast reduction surgery may be right for you:

• Back pain
• Neck pain
• Difficulty or pain when participating in physical activities
• Skin irritation around or between the breasts
• Skeletal deformities
• Breathing problems
• Self-image issues
• Unwanted attention

Performed under general anesthesia, the breast reduction procedure removes fat and mammary glandular tissue, and tightens skin to produce smaller, lighter breasts that are in a healthier proportion to the rest of the body.

The hormones testosterone and estrogen control the development and maintenance of sex characteristics in both men and women. Testosterone controls male traits, such as muscle mass and body hair. Estrogen controls female traits, including the growth of breasts.

Most people think of estrogen as an exclusively female hormone, but men also produce it, normally in smaller quantities. However, if male estrogen levels become too high or are out of balance with testosterone levels, it can cause a condition known as gynecomastia (male breasts or “man boobs”).

Gynecomastia is a benign enlargement or swelling of a man’s breast tissue, due to a hormone imbalance during puberty. Other causes include aging, medications, and other health conditions. Common symptoms of gynecomastia are breast tenderness, swelling, pain, and discharge.

Male breast reduction surgery may be right for you if you have:

• Excess glandular tissue
• Embarrassment taking your shirt off
• Breast tenderness

There are a variety of potential causes for breast development in men, but most often the cause is unknown. Men who feel self-conscious about their appearance are helped with breast reduction surgery. The procedure removes fat or glandular tissue from the breast, and in extreme cases removes excess skin, resulting in a contoured chest that is flatter and firmer.

Although gynecomastia is often a temporary change, some guys with gynecomastia still experience psychological distress, feeling embarrassed or self-conscious about their appearance. If it doesn’t go away, surgery may be the answer. Surgical removal of the breast tissue is an option, depending on the individual.

Breast reconstructive surgery can help repair and reform areas of the body affected by disease, injury, congenital defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma, infection, tumors, etc.

Breast reconstruction surgery also involves recreating the breast form following its removal due to cancer. The creation of a long-lasting, symmetrical, and beautiful breast helps restore confidence, femininity, and self-esteem in women following breast cancer treatment. 

The main goal of breast reconstruction is to restore one or both breasts to near normal shape, appearance, symmetry, and size following mastectomy, lumpectomy or other trauma.

Breast reconstruction generally falls into two categories: implant based reconstruction or flap reconstruction. Implant reconstruction relies on breast implants to help form a new breast mound, while flap reconstruction uses the patient’s own tissue from another part of the body to form a new breast. These procedures involve the use of breast implants, your own tissue, or a combination of both. There are a number of factors that should be taken into consideration when choosing which option is best:

• Desired appearance
• Patient’s body type
• Type of mastectomy
• Cancer treatments

Note, that a variety of options for breast reconstruction are available, utilizing both the patient's own tissue or breast implants; your surgeon should work together with you in deciding what is best for you.