Breast Implants Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Breast Implants, including details on silicone implant, breast augmentation, surgery, risks.

Risks and Benefits of Breast Enlargement

The idea of breast enlargement surgery is one that causes a number of women to go through a difficult decision-making process, as they weigh the pros and cons of such a procedure. Needless to say, undergoing breast enlargement surgery is a big step to take for any woman, and ought to be considered carefully. Fortunately, there is plenty of advice out there, from personal doctor consultations to helpful websites like aboutplasticsurgery.com, all of which can go a long way toward helping a woman make a careful and educated decision regarding plastic surgery. In the meantime, however, here are a few brief points on some of the potential risks and benefits of breast enlargement surgery:

Risks
- Physical Discomfort - As with any surgical procedure, there will be a physical recovery time following a breast enlargement operation. Of course, if the surgery is performed correctly, the discomfort should be extremely temporary - however, it is still something to be aware of that you may have to take it slow and ingest certain medications to ease your recovery.
- Scarring - Again, breast enlargement is like any other surgery in this regard. While there are actually several different locations on the body where an incision can be made for breast implants, there will, without a doubt, be at least some bodily scarring. This is something to be aware of when choosing your procedure.
- Social Perception - This is something that you should not worry about, as it is entirely up to you whether or not you want to enlarge your breasts. However, some women who undergo this procedure do struggle with the idea that people occasionally perceive them as somewhat vain or artificial, physically. Again, however, this is an entirely personal consideration.
Benefits
- Appearance - The obvious benefit of a breast enlargement surgery is that your body will look the way that you want it to. If you are insecure about the size of your breasts, or even if you would simply prefer to have larger ones, this surgery is definitely an option to consider.
- Self-Esteem - Whether from your own perception of yourself physically, or even the attention that you receive from men, you may find that a breast enlargement improves your self-esteem. This is an extremely beneficial "side effect," if you will, of the procedure.
- Maintaining Function/Health - Many believe that breast surgery will automatically affect bodily functions such as breastfeeding. However, this is very rarely actually the case. While you will need to discuss the matter with your personal doctor to be absolutely sure, most women who undergo these procedures are perfectly healthy and able to breastfeed babies afterward.

Published 5 October 2011 in Breast Implants Research Today.
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Articles on Breast Implants published 2 May 2011:

Management of Delayed Capsular Hematoma After Breast Reconstruction.   Aesthetic Plast Surg.

Delayed hematoma associated with breast implants, whether for reconstructive or aesthetic purposes, is a rare entity. Most reported cases have been intracapsular. Although several mechanisms for delayed hematoma have been proposed, its exact etiology and mechanism of formation are not yet fully understood. The authors present a unique case of hematoma formation 5 years after breast reconstruction with a textured anatomic cohesive gel breast implant. The patient experienced severe ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Assessment of the role of circulating breast cancer cells in tumor formation and metastatic potential using in vivo flow cytometry.   J Biomed Opt, 16(4): 040501.

The identification of breast cancer patients who will ultimately progress to metastatic disease is of significant clinical importance. The quantification and assessment of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) has been proposed as one strategy to monitor treatment effectiveness and disease prognosis. However, CTCs have been an elusive population of cells to study because of their small number and difficulties associated with isolation protocols. In vivo flow cytometry (IVFC) can overcome these ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Irradiation of normal mouse tissue increases the invasiveness of mammary cancer cells.   Int J Radiat Biol, 87(5): 472-82.

Purpose: Treatment of breast tumours frequently involves irradiating the whole breast to reach malignant microfoci scattered throughout the breast. In this study, we determined whether irradiation of normal tissues could increase the invasiveness of breast cancer cells in a mouse model. Materials and methods: Non-irradiated MC7-L1 mouse mammary carcinoma cells were injected subcutaneously in irradiated and non-irradiated thighs of Balb/c mice. The invasion volume, tumour volume, blood ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Breast Implants published 28 April 2011:

Cutaneous manifestation of silicone dissemination from a PIP implant - A case for prophylactic explantation?   J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg.

The recent withdrawal of PIP (Poly Implant Prosthese, France) implants for breast augmentation enforced by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on 31st March 2010 has ignited speculation into possible side effects relating to an unauthorized gel fill content. Local and migratory silicone granulomata and regional lymphadenopathy are well reported in the literature. Gel bleed from high cohesive gel implants with similar effect is also well known. However dissemination to ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Accelerated partial breast irradiation using the strut-adjusted volume implant single-entry hybrid catheter in brachytherapy for breast cancer in the setting of breast augmentation.   Brachytherapy, 10(3): 178-83.

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Second conservative treatment for ipsilateral breast cancer recurrence using high-dose rate interstitial brachytherapy: Preliminary clinical results and evaluation of patient satisfaction.   Brachytherapy, 10(3): 171-7.

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Articles on Breast Implants published 26 April 2011:

Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma and Breast Implants: Results From a Structured Expert Consultation Process.   Plast Reconstr Surg.

BACKGROUND:: There are increasing concerns about a possible association between anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) and breast implants. We conducted a structured expert consultation process to evaluate the evidence for the association, its clinical significance, and a potential biological model based on their interpretation of the published evidence. METHODS:: A multidisciplinary panel of 10 experts was selected based on nominations from national specialty societies, academic department ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Breast Implants published 25 April 2011:

Siliconomas mimicking cancer.   Clin Imaging, 35(3): 228-31.

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