Before pursuing breast augmentation, it’s helpful to make sure you have all the facts. There is certainly a lot to think about, and it’s important to us at H/K/B Cosmetic Surgery that our patients feel empowered and confident in their decision making.
We certainly hear from a lot of patients who want to know about the long-term effects of breast augmentation, about the recovery time, etc. To offer some clarity, we’ve put together a list of our most common breast augmentation FAQs and breast implants FAQs, along with brief answers.
Of course, if your question isn’t listed here, we invite you to reach out to us directly, and we’ll get you an answer!
Answering Your Breast Augmentation FAQs
1) Will my breast implants last a lifetime?
In the early days of breast implant technology, implants were decidedly not made for the long haul. They would rupture and fail after several years, potentially a couple of decades. Thankfully, the technology has become far more advanced; we’re now into the fifth generation of breast implants, and they’ve become significantly more resilient and long-lasting.
While it’s not guaranteed that your breast implants will last a lifetime, and we do recommend having regular checkups to make sure there aren’t any issues, we find that most of our patients can maintain their implants for the rest of their lives.
2) Will breast augmentation cause me to lose nipple sensation?
This is a fairly common concern among women who come to our practice to learn about breast augmentation. While the loss of nipple sensation can be a side effect of breast augmentation, it’s not especially common. It only happens in about two percent of all breast augmentation cases. Our providers can talk with you more about this potential risk.
3) What about breastfeeding with breast implants?
One of the most common breast implants FAQs of all: will be getting breast implants to impede your ability to breastfeed your children?
There are a few important points to make here. First, many women are unable to breastfeed, for a variety of reasons, and there is no way to “test” for whether a first-time mom will have success nursing her baby. In other words, some moms may experience breastfeeding problems for reasons that have nothing to do with breast implants.
About one out of five women experience lactation problems, and that number holds among women who’ve had implants, as well. As such, there’s no evidence to suggest that breast implants affect your ability to breastfeed.
4) What’s the difference between breast augmentation and a breast lift?
Some women approach us wanting to change the volume/size of their breasts; for these women, we recommend breast augmentation, which uses implants to add volume.
Others come to us simply wanting to make their breasts look perkier; if you’re simply looking to change the shape of your breasts, a breast lift makes more sense.
And if you’re looking to modify both size and shape, you may choose to have both procedures done at the same time.
5) Will my breasts implants look fake?
Many women are interested in breast augmentation only if the results are subtle and natural.
We understand this concern, which is why we like to spend a lot of time consulting with our patients, discussing their goals, and making sure we set clear expectations.
We can even use 3-D imaging technology called Vectra to allow our patients to “try on” different sizes and shapes, helping them to get a good sense of what the result will be.
It’s important to us that patients feel at peace with the process, and confident that the results won’t look “fake” in the least.
6) Will I need additional surgeries following my breast augmentation?
Another common question among our patients pertains to the need for follow-up procedures.
The short answer: it all depends. Not all women need additional procedures, but some do. Several factors make a difference here. There is a risk that implants could rupture and need to be replaced. Plus, some women like to come in to gain access to more advanced breast implant technologies. It all just depends on the patient, but there is no reason to assume you’ll need multiple surgeries.
7) How can I prepare for my breast augmentation?
There are a few steps that our patients can take to ensure their breast augmentation goes as smoothly as can be:
- First and foremost, be sure you find a reputable, board-certified cosmetic surgeon who will walk you through everything you need to know about the procedure, including both pre-op and post-op protocols.
- Make sure you have a consultation and that you and your surgeon see eye-to-eye about the procedure; clear expectation-setting is key.
- Double-check with your provider about anything you should be doing to prepare your body for recovery, including any medications you need to discontinue, etc.
- Schedule your breast augmentation for a time when you’ll have a little help around the house. While the recovery time isn’t too draining, it’s still good to have some back-up.
8) Is there any risk of breast implant illness?
There is a very small number of women who get implants and experience illness as a result of it; the good news is that, in addition to being extremely rare, breast implant illness is very treatable. 100 percent of women make a full recovery upon having their implants promptly removed.
Contact Us with Additional Questions
It’s important to us that our patients feel at ease with the process, and that they have all their questions satisfactorily answered. To that end, we hope these breast augmentation FAQs and breast implants FAQs have helped; if you have questions not represented here, we invite you again to reach out to our office.
HKB Cosmetic Surgery is here to guide you through the breast surgery process, and we’d love to sit down with you for a one-on-one consultation. To schedule an appointment with us, reach out to HKB Cosmetic Surgery in Huntersville, NC at your next chance.
