BREAST AUGMENTATION PROCEDURE

Women who seek breast augmentation have different reasons for it. Some feel that enhancing their breasts may help boost their confidence, while others are hoping to restore lost breast volume post pregnancy.

Breast augmentation, however, is not for everyone. Some determining factors include:

• Patient is physically healthy
• Patient has fully-developed breasts
• Patient has uneven breast size and/or shape
• Patient is dissatisfied with the overall appearance of breasts
• Patient has realistic expectations of the procedure

Patients who are pregnant, have chronic illness or undiagnosed breast condition are not suitable for breast augmentation.

There are two main breast augmentation methods, namely: breast implants and fat transfer.

Breast implants involves inserting artificial implants through an incision of about the length of 3cm. These manmade implants can be inserted via strategic access points at the breast crease, armpits or areola. After the insertion, the incision is sutured closed.

Fat transfer refers to the harvesting of fat from other parts of the body, like the tummy or thighs, and then reintroducing it into the body by injecting through an incision beneath the breast. Fat transfer is the recommended method for anyone looking for mild to moderate increase in breast size.

Breast augmentation can only be performed by plastic surgeons who are certified by the Ministry of Health.

Yes, it is an outpatient surgery which can be performed at our day surgery clinic.

Depending on the breast augmentation method chosen, the procedure may take as little as one hour or up to 4 hours.

There are two main types of breast implants – silicone gel and saline. Medical-grade silicone gel offers a natural feel and texture whereas saline/salt water is a basic type of implant.

Our plastic surgeon Dr Colin Tham uses silicone gel-filled implants made by Motiva or Mentor. These 6th and 5th generation breast implants not only are softer and mimic a woman’s breast tissue, they also have some of the lowest capsular contracture rates.

JOY™ by Motiva is the latest innovative breast augmentation program that uses modern digitalized technologies to provide you with an organic look, feel and movement through its silicone implants. Read more here

Motiva breast implants are available in a wide range of sizes to accomodate different patient needs and preferences. The exact sizes available may vary depending on the country and product line. In general, however, Motiva breast implants are available in sizes ranging from 105cc to 850cc or more; and come in various shapes and projections to create a natural-looking result. Consulting with a qualified Motiva surgeon can help determine the appropriate size for an individual.

A few factors influence the type of incision used, including the body type and type of breast implants. The main types of incisions are inframammary (base of breast), transaxillary (armpit) and periareolar (areola), with the inframammary incision being the most common.

The length of a scar varies according to the incision type. In general, an incision of about 3cm is created at the breasts, armpit or areola. This incision will be sutured closed once the breast implants are inserted.

Dr Tham makes sure to hide the resulting scar well so that they are as inconspicuous as possible. For example, an inframammary incision will be hidden beneath the lower breast, and a periareolar incision will be hidden within the pigmented part of the areola.

No, breast augmentation is done under full anaesthesia, hence it will be a painless procedure and you can be discharged on the same day.

The downtime differs according to different people and the complexity of the breast augmentation. As a general rule of thumb, you can expect to return to work within 2 to 4 days.

Some of the potential risks include:

• Breast pain
• Bleeding
• Infection
• Scarring
• Changes in breast and nipple sensation
• Implant rupture or leakage
• Capsular contracture
• Breast-implant associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL)

In the hands of an experienced breast augmentation surgeon, these risks are effectively reduced. In addition, the Motiva silicone implants that Dr Tham uses present the lowest risks of BIA-ALCL, with zero reported cases to date.

Avoid any work that requires straining or heavy lifting for the first week. Most people can get back to work within 4 days, with some patients resuming normal activities the next day.

Results are almost immediate - no matter the technique of breast augmentation - although the full effect will take a few months to present itself.