Breast Augmentation

• Share your health information with your plastic surgeon, remember to mention if you have allergies, previous surgeries, use of medications, vitamins or supplements and any other relevant medical information
• Your surgeon will ask you questions about what you would like to improve on your breasts, what your expectations are and inform you of what can realistically be achieved.
• Your breasts will be physically examined to determine skin quality, amount of tissue that will be needed to remove, and which will be the best technique to perform for your particular case
• Your surgeon will examine your breasts, take exact measurements and photographs to evaluate size, shape, skin quality and nipple placement
• Photos at different angles will be requested in order to carry out a complete evaluation
• Pre-surgery blood tests, a breast ultrasound or mammogram will be ordered
• You’ll need to quit smoking completely

For patients over 40 years of age or with any added cardiac, respiratory, renal pathology, etc. The following will be requested:

• Chest X-ray
• Cardiological assessment
• Electrocardiogram

🗓️ 1 MONTH BEFORE SURGERY

• Stop smoking 1 month before your scheduled procedure
• Stop taking alcohol 1 week before the procedure
• Avoid using aspirin, fish oil, garlic and omegas, at least 3 weeks before the procedure *if you are medically required to do so, it is very important you let your medical coordinator know about this
• No exercise 3 days before the surgery
• Avoid eating very greasy food 2 days before your surgery
• No skin tanning 2 weeks before the procedure to avoid skin damage.
• Plan for your stay in Cancun for surgery and recovery
• Make sure you have lose easy to put on clothes to use during the recovery
• Get a suitcase with wheels!!!! Most of the times you won’t be allowed to carry anything heavy for a couple of weeks.

⚠️ The day / night before the surgery you will be requested NOT to EAT or DRINK anything 8 hours before the procedure. This is a very important request that you will have to follow in order to assure your personal safety during the surgery.

There are different approaches for breast augmentation surgery. Depending on your expectations your plastic surgeon will suggest which kind of technique you are most fitted for.

Anesthesia

The time for the surgical procedure is around 3 hours depending on the technique. General anesthesia is given for a safe and comfortable procedure.

Incisions & Sutures

There are different incisions made in order to access the desired area to place the implant. Your plastic surgeon will discuss with you what is the best option for your case based on the size of the breast, the diameter of the areola as well as the shape and size of the implant.

The main options include peri areolar incision which is the most common for a normal areola diameter and an average size implant. The second approach is an incision under the breast on the inframammary fold when the implant is a larger size or the areola diameter is too small.

Other incisions such as the armpit or belly-button approach have a higher complication rate and can lead to nerve damage on the braquial plexus or infections.

Sutures are placed in different tissue layers in order to close the wounds and keep the new implants in their place.

With time the incision lines will tend to fade away. It is important that you understand that the scar quality depends on factors such as your skin, genetic predisposition, exposure to sun and nicotine.

Breast Implant Placement

Breast implants are placed in a newly formed pocket on your breast tissue. These pockets ensure that the implant is protected and stay in the desired shape.

Breast implants can be placed under the muscle or behind the mammary gland. The method will be chosen by your surgeon during the consultation. Each method has its own medical indications to achieve a desired look and fulfill a necessity.

Right After Surgery

After the surgery is done and you have fully woken up from the anesthesia, you will have a compression garment around your chest, you might feel a certain tightness.

You will be offered liquids and if tolerated a small meal. A few hours after the procedure you will be able to go back to your hotel / home.

Before You Leave the Hospital

Your plastic surgeon will come to assess your health condition and give you proper care instructions to take back home. It’s normal that you will be prescribed painkillers and antibiotics during the healing process. Your surgeon will offer you a check up appointment during the following days.

After the surgery your surgeon will leave a drain for each breast, that will be removed between day 3 or 5^th after surgery. You will wear a special compression brassiere for a few weeks. You should not lift anything heavy or raise your arms beyond your shoulders to avoid injury.

Medications to help with healing and prevent infections will be given.

You need to stay out of the sun for one month. It is important that you follow your surgeon’s recommendations in order to have a good result.

You must take in consideration the following:

• Take your medications as indicated on your post-operative care papers that you will receive before you are discharged from the hospital.
• Keep your compression garment on 24/7 unless given other instructions by your surgeon
• Be aware you will retain fluids and be swollen, this is normal, your surgeon will address this issues and give you instructions to take care of them
• First follow-up post-surgical appointment will be between the 3rd and 5th day to remove the drains
• Relative rest for 10 days
• No sexual activity for 4 weeks
• You should not exercise or exert yourself in the next 4 weeks
• You will be able to shower after your first office check-up with your doctor
• You should not sunbathe for the next 4 weeks
• You shouldn’t be touching your wounds
• You have to keep your compression garment at all times
• You will need to sleep on your back in a semi-sitting position for  at least the following 10 days
• You should not smoke at all

⚠️ It is very important that you understand that not following this instructions can ruin the results for your surgery.

• Attend to all of your post surgery follow-up appointments

REMEMBER:

During the recovery period your surgeon will provide with a list of things to take care during this time. It is usually recommended for the patient to have approximately 7-10 days stay at the destination, in order to have proper after care and medical check ups with your surgeon. After the procedure a breast compression garment is placed to help with healing and reduce pain & inflammation. Recovery time 1-2 weeks.

The results of breast augmentation are immediate although it’s important that you understand that the final results will take a couple of months until the swelling goes down and the skin gives in- this is what is commonly known as the “drop and fluff” after breast implants surgery.

Although risks and complications rarely occur during a breast augmentation surgery, they can include:

• Anesthesia complications
• Bleeding
• Infection
• Soreness
• Changes in sensitivity
• Capsular contraction
• Implant extrusion
• Seroma
• Wrinkling or rippling
• Necrosis
• Anaplasic large cell lymphoma

In order to minimize the risks, your surgeon will order a series of blood tests and a cardiac evaluation to ensure that you are in good health for your procedure.

Following the recommendations of your surgeon will promote a good result.