There may come a point in your life when you realize that you are no longer happy with your body. While you can burn fat and tone muscle through exercise, enhancing the size of your breasts is going to be nearly impossible without professional help. That is why millions of patients over the last few decades have undergone the breast augmentation procedure. With breast implants, a surgeon will be able to help you restore your confidence by increasing the volume of your breasts and creating a more balanced appearance.

The Basics of Implants

Breast implants have been around for decades, and this procedure is carried out millions of times every year. The primary purpose of this surgery is to increase the overall size of a woman’s breasts with devices known as implants. Those cosmetic devices are nothing more than small pouches that contain either saline or silicone. Once they are in place, they typically last for a decade or longer depending on which material was used and the patient’s lifestyle.

Silicone or Saline?

One of the most important choices that a patient will need to make before they have this procedure carried out is which material they would like to use. Both saline and silicone breast implants are very common, and they each have their own unique features. When saline is used, the implants are inserted into the breasts without any material inside them. Once in the pouches are in the correct place, they are then filled with saline. While the incisions for saline implants tend to be smaller, those devices often result in much firmer breasts.

If silicone is going to be used, then the implants must be inserted completely full. Silicone implants are a great option for women who would like more natural feeling breasts. The biggest drawback of silicone implants is the fact that the incisions will need to be slightly larger. That being said, an experienced surgeon can often hide the incisions in the natural contours of the patient’s breasts.

Fat transfer implants have become popular in recent years as well, and this breast augmentation procedure is an ideal option for women who only want a modest increase in breast size. Instead of using outside materials to enhance the size of the breasts, fat will be transferred from other areas of the body via liposuction.

Getting Ready for Your Procedure

In the weeks leading up to your procedure, you will need to carefully follow all of the surgeon’s instructions. Staying as healthy as possible before your procedure is going to reduce your risk of unwanted post-op complications. On the day of the operation, you should arrive at the surgical center in comfortable clothing and have a loved one ready to take you home afterward. While every operation is slightly different, most augmentation procedures take one to two hours to complete. Following the surgery, you must be ready to rest in bed for at least seven days. After that time, you can slowly ease back into your daily routine over a few weeks.

Are Breast Implants Right for Me?

Deciding if implants are right for you is a very personal choice, and you will need to consult with an experienced surgeon to learn more about this procedure. As long as you are a healthy adult with realistic expectations, then you will most likely be an excellent candidate. Breast implants have helped millions of patients achieve their cosmetic goals, and the augmentation procedure could be exactly what you need to sculpt the body of your dreams.