Breast Augmentation Surgery Explained in Plain Terms

Breast Augmentation surgery is one of the most common operations we do at Re.

It all starts with your consultation. We set aside at least 60 minutes to go through the operation with you. First, we will take a history from you, during which we cover any significant past medical history related to your breasts. Then we discuss what your surgical goals are, you would be surprised how different women’s surgical goals can be.

At this stage, it is often helpful if you have photos of breasts that you like. These can either be from Instagram or from regular media. Of course, it is not always achievable but it’s very helpful to be on the same page of what we are aiming for. Next, we examine your breasts, looking for any asymmetries (Unevenness), your breast and chest dimensions, your overall body proportions and your existing breast tissue and shape. The final stage is to have clinical photos taken, these will become your before photos!!! You are on your way.

Then we go through the operation and what it involves, often drawing on your actual photos so you get a great understanding of the surgery. This is done using TouchMD, our unique clinical information software.

The final stage is to choose your implant. We will guide you through this process and break it down to only a few implants, then we use a Vectra 3D machine to simulate your result.

You then meet with our staff who will go through all of the next steps, including a fully detailed quote for your operation.

Prior to your day of surgery, you will have a consultation with our Nurse who will answer any of you last minute questions, fit you for your postoperative bra, provide you with an antibacterial wash, scar reducing tapes and a high energy drink for the morning of your surgery to avoid hunger pains.

On the day of your surgery, your plastic surgeon will meet with you and plan the details of your surgery. This involves marking out the footprint of your breast, planning the position of your incision as well as any other adjustments that need to be made during your operation.

Next, you will meet with your anaesthetist as well as the anaesthetic nurse, who will then walk you around to the operating room.

It is normal at this stage to be a bit excited as well as a bit nervous.

Once in the operating room, you will be surrounded by people who will be assisting in ensuring your surgery goes as smoothly as possible. There will be a scrub nurse, a scout nurse, a theatre technician and often a surgical assistant. This can be quite daunting, but each person has a specific role and is there to help with the surgery.

The anaesthetist will then put a small cannula in your hand which gives you the anaesthetic and puts you off to sleep. The worst part is now over!

After you are asleep we clean the operating area with a strong antiseptic and inject local anaesthetic in the incision line and around the breast to help minimise your postoperative pain. Then we cover you with sterile drapes and the operation is ready to commence!!!!

The first step is to make an incision in your fold to gain access to the breast, this is around 5cm in length.

Next, we develop a pocket or space for the implant to be positioned. This will either be under the breast pocket or more commonly in a dual plane pocket (partially under the muscle).

After the pocket has been made, a sterile sizer is used to make sure the space is perfectly designed to take the implant. It is important that this is done very precisely to ensure there is symmetry and the implant is situated exactly where we want it to sit. Not all surgeons will take the time to make this step, but we feel it is very important to the final result. Although it is called a sizer, in most cases we are not using it to decide on a final size as that has already been done in the planning stage (see the article on “Best breast implants for your surgery”), but rather to check the shape and size of the pocket.

Next, we wash out the pocket with an antibacterial solution to reduce the risk of infection.

Then we insert the final implant into the pocket using a protective sleeve.

Finally, we carefully and meticulously close off the pocket and then the skin.

The whole operation takes about one hour.

Dressings are then applied and your post-op bra fitted.

After your surgery, you will wake up in the recovery room, where you stay for about 30 minutes. You will then move to stage two recovery,  where you will get a cup of tea and something to eat.

Most patients would be discharged within about 2 hours of the operation being complete.

Remember we have a full-time nurse who is available every day if you have any questions about your recovery. And for after-hours emergencies, you will have our mobile number, although this is extremely rare.

Your post-operative appointments start at 1 week when you see our nurse and then you will see your surgeon at about the two-week mark.

Et voila your breast augmentation is complete!!!!