If you are considering breast augmentation, it is important for you to find out everything you can about the surgery.  You need to know all about breast augmentation—information about the specific type of procedure you are contemplating and information about how the procedure is to be done.  You also need to find out about any possible breast augmentation complications.

Breast Augmentation Complications

None of these complications are common; however, good breast augmentation surgeons want patients to be completely aware of absolutely everything about breast augmentation surgery.  This is so that patients can make informed decisions.

• Infection: If this happens, it will occur within a few days or a week within surgery.  It would be like any other infection, characterized at first by redness in the area.  In very rare cases, the implant may be removed until the infection has subsided.
• Bottoming Out: In this situation, the implant situates itself too low in the breast, causing the nipple to point nearly straight upwards.  The correction for this problem is for the surgeon to re-enter the breast and re-create a pocket in which the implant is to sit.
• Symmastia: Symmastia is a circumstance in which the breasts appear to be too close together.  This is usually corrected by replacing the implants with smaller ones.
• Capsular Contraction: This is a situation caused by the body’s normal healing process.  When the body heals from any type of surgical process involving the insertion of a foreign object (including pacemaker surgery and the insertion of artificial bones or joints), the body naturally creates a capsule around the foreign object.

In breast augmentation, sometimes the capsule forms in such a way that it closes or contracts around the implant.  If it happens with breast augmentation, it typically occurs within a few months following surgery (though it isn’t common at all).

Capsular Contraction causes the implant to look distorted and feel hard or misshapen.  Correction for this problem is surgery to remove and/or replace the implant.

Necessary Information About Breast Augmentations

In order to avoid the above complications, it is imperative that a person follow the information given about pre- and post-operative care.  The breast surgeon will give the necessary information about breast augmentation; however, if a patient has any questions, speaking up is definitely welcome.

Complications from any surgery—including breast augmentations--are very rare. Most women have no problems following their breast surgeries, other than typical swelling and the expected mild-to-moderate pain.  However, it is always wise to get as much information as possible before having any type of surgery.