Before the operation

The first time you visit us, you get to meet an experienced information nurse who listens to your wishes, goes through the operation and answers your questions.

You will, among other things, get information about the procedure itself and what you can expect, what it costs and how long the waiting time is. You can also fill out a questionnaire about your health condition, any past illnesses and surgeries. We also talk about your expectations. This first visit is always free of charge.

If you choose to proceed, we will book an operating time and a consultation time with one of our plastic surgeons.

Consultation is important. We carefully review your health condition and any medicines you take. It provides an opportunity to talk extensively about all aspects of the operation. You can try a number of different types and models of implants with your plastic surgeon. The end goal is that the result is completely in line with your expectations.

It is good if you prepare for the surgery by staying fit and finding out as much as possible about what applies before, during and after the surgery. For the operation to be as good as possible, you should be on a body mass index (BMI) below 30.

Smoking impairs the oxygen supply to the tissue and in turn delays the wound healing process. It also increases the risk of complications and you should therefore be smoke-free 6 weeks before the operation and until the wound is healed.

We are always on hand to answer your questions.

Operation

On the day of surgery, you will meet your plastic surgeon. He photographs the operating area if this is not done in conjunction with the consultation.

You will also be able to try out a support bra that you get from us free of charge. It acts as a support bandage for the first few weeks after breast augmentation surgery.

You will also be able to see your anesthetist and get your own room while you are at the clinic. The procedure is in most cases under anesthesia or sometime in local anesthesia in combination with a sedative. The surgery will take about 40-60 minutes depending on the technique chosen and how your bust looks. You often have to go home the same day but sometimes you can stay overnight depending on how big the operation has become or for practical reasons, a long journey etc.

Implant

Today, there are three main groups of breast implants:

Implants filled with saline
Implant filled with silicone gel
Expandable implants filled with a combination of silicone gel and saline
Breast implants all have a silicone outer casing, which can be smooth or textured. Most modern implants have a textured surface, as this is believed to reduce the risk of capsule formation (hardening of the breast). The inside of the implant can be filled with various types of silicone gel or saline. Silicone is now the most common material used.

Silicones are polymers composed of silicon, oxygen, carbon and hydrogen. Silicone can be liquid, have gel consistency or solid consistency. Silicone has many uses among medical implants, such as intraocular lenses, pacemakers for the heart, and tissue expanders. Silicon, which mainly consists of silicone, is a common element in nature and is found in sand, stone and glass, among others.

There is no relationship between silicone implants and any disease. Silicone implants are unrelated to cancer. If a silicone implant breaks, which it can, the silicone does not flow into the body but stays where it is and is encapsulated by the body. The patient cannot pay any attention to himself if the implant should have broken and it is completely irrelevant. There is no scientific evidence that the implants would need to be replaced after a certain amount of time, which many believe.

There is no risk that a breast implant will fail due to pressure changes during flight, diving or other activities

Saline or even soybean oil has been used, but is based on the misconception that silicone gel would be dangerous. The motive for using saline in breast implants has been the fear of silicone filling. However, studies have shown that there is no risk with silicone implants. The disadvantage of the saline implants is an increased risk of suddenly losing all its contents and sacking together.

In Sweden, silicone gel filling is almost always preferred, due to the softness and flexibility of silicone. Silicone implants give the best appearance have a more realistic feel and movement than saline implants. The silicone gel filling also gives superior feel when touched.

Nowadays silicone implants with different strength are used and the slightly firmer varieties have been compared to jelly raspberries. These different varieties have their different uses, which is individual and told to you by your doctor. No type is “better” than anyone else, but is chosen based on your circumstances.

The implant can be placed either partially under the pectoralis major muscle (submuscular) or in front of the muscle and under the mammary glands (subglandular). Pros and cons of various implant placement should be discussed with the plastic surgeon.

The placement depends on your own breast tissue and shape and the effect you hope to achieve. During your consultation with the doctor, you discuss the various placement options related to your individual needs in order to make a choice that suits you.

Breast enlargement surgery is usually done under general anesthesia but can sometimes also be performed under local anesthesia. The incision is placed in the lower edge of the spring yard or in the crease under the chest. In some contexts, the incision can also be placed in the armpit. No one can know in advance how nice your scars will be.

Pros and cons of different places to do the incision (incision) are discussed with the plastic surgeon before your surgery. As mentioned above, the three most common areas for inserting are:

The crease under the breast (inframammar).

Spring Farm (Periareolar)

Armpit (axillary)

The most common is in the natural folds under the breast. This incision is usually as small as 5 cm, and the postoperative scars are hidden by the curve of the breast. Generally, the incision below the breast is preferred because scarring is minimal and it does not interfere with the functioning of the nipple or the womb. This method also ensures that it is still possible to breastfeed and carry out monthly checks for breast changes.

Alternatively, the implant can be inserted by making an incision around the wound, the pigmented tissue that surrounds each nipple. This can either be in the lower half of the spring yard or can be completely around it. An implant is usually inserted by this method if a breast lift or mastopexy is performed simultaneously. The skin of the spring yard often heals to hide scars very well, as it can be mistaken for a natural border on the nipples. The disadvantage is that it is associated with greater difficulties in breastfeeding compared to other incision sites.

There is another method where the implant is inserted through an incision in the armpit, although this is less common due to the risk of some ligaments occupying this location. The advantage is that breastfeeding is not affected.

A submuscular placement can reduce the risk that your implants can be felt through the skin, and it can also reduce the risk of scar tissue hardening around your implants. Submuscular placement also reduces the risk of hangs and relieves the weight from the implants. It also makes it easier to examine your breast during a mammogram. Disadvantages of this investment choice can be a longer operation and recovery time.

A subglandular placement can shorten your enlargement operation and reduce your recovery period. One possible disadvantage may be that the edges of the implant can be more clearly visible under your skin. A mammography examination can also be more difficult when your implants are placed subglandular.

Things to consider about breast implants

Living with breast implants

Whether you are undergoing enlargement or a reconstruction, be aware that a breast enlargement may not be a one-off procedure. Further visits to the plastic surgeon will probably be needed, and further surgery (s) may be needed during the lifetime of the operation.

Many of the changes that the patient’s breast undergoes after an implant are irreversible (cannot be undone). If a patient at a later stage decides to have his / her implants removed, one can become pitted, wrinkled or have other cosmetic changes on the breasts. Breast implants can affect the patient’s ability to produce enough milk during breastfeeding, which is, however, extremely rare. Breast implants do not prevent the patient’s breast from hanging after a pregnancy. Routine mammograms may be more difficult to perform with breast implants, and a patient may need further examinations.

Implant Size

In general, the larger the cup size required, the larger the implant (measured in cubic centimeters or millimeters) the surgeon will consider. The plastic surgeon also examines the existing tissue to determine if there is enough to cover the implant in a natural way.

If an implant is chosen that is too large for the existing tissue, the plastic surgeon may warn that the implant’s edges may be felt or visible after surgery. It can even cause complication during surgery. In addition, too large breast implants can speed up the effect of gravity and cause the bust to hang or become limp earlier.

Patients considering breast augmentation should consider the following:

Breast enlargement or reconstruction with implants may not be the only breast operation in life.
You may need future surgery to replace or remove the implant. Implants can break, but we provide a lifetime guarantee on our implants.
Changes that happen to the breast after enlargement or reconstruction with implants are not reversible (if not reversed) if later in life you decide to remove the implants.

Risks with breast augmentation surgery

Each surgical operation includes a certain degree of risk. It is important that you understand the risks associated with breast enlargement. During your consultation, the pros and cons of the operation will be carefully reviewed.
A person’s decision to be operated on is based on a comparison between the risks and the benefits of the operation.

Clinical data shows that most patients become satisfied after a breast enlargement.

In breast enlargement, it is especially important to be completely smoke-free three weeks before surgery and until it is healed.

What happens after the operation

A so-called push-up bra or jumper bra should not be used until 4 weeks after the operation. As soon as the bandage is gone, you get a shower. The stitches are taken after a week or disappear themselves. The surgeon informs you.

After breast enlargement, you will feel quite severe tenderness and pain, which, however, quickly subsides during the first day. Placement of the implants behind the muscle makes it much worse and you often stay overnight at the clinic to be able to get professional help with pain relief.

You take painkillers home with you along with instructions on how to take them. After the operation, take it easy and avoid any effort. Even if you are alert the day after the surgery, you should not expect to be particularly physical immediately.

Complications: Complications are uncommon but occur. Post-bleeding may occur and may then be corrected by your surgeon, sometimes under anesthesia. Infection is very rare, but can usually be successfully treated with antibiotics.

A troublesome complication can occur if the scar capsule, which after a while always forms around the implants, shrinks and causes the breasts to become hard. This problem is no longer common with modern implants, and can be remedied. Should this occur, you will receive help. There is also a certain risk of loss of the nipple and parts of the breast after surgery with a breast implant. These problems occur regardless of the operating method used. Loss of feeling in the nipple is uncommon, but if it happens it can be permanent. Appearance problems can also occur. The most common of these problems is that you may find that enlargement was insufficient. At Gothenburg Laser & Aesthetics, we know this and put great care into helping you choose the right size. You can, for example, also return to try the size with the clinic’s test pads in peace and quiet.

When the implant becomes larger than your own mammary gland can cover, the implant will be able to feel through the skin around the bottom. This is usually not visible, but can cause concern. Another difficult-to-correct effect of implants in thin breasts is that the skin can form a wave that looks unnatural (in English called rippling).

Mammography is made more difficult by implants in the breasts. Therefore, a supplementary ultrasound examination is always recommended in connection with mammography. If this is done, it may be considered that the breasts have been thoroughly examined.

The scar can be seen afterwards. Usually the scarring becomes very fine, but you can be unlucky with this. The scar in the spring yard is almost always thin and fine, but can be seen as a white line in the darker surrounding skin. Such scars can be tattooed with pigments so that they are barely visible. However, if the scars that are placed in the armpit become ugly or visible, you have had concerns, since you can only replace one scar with another and the problems can persist. That is why we almost never put the scar here at our clinic. It is not true that you can remove scars eg with laser.

telephone Consultation

If you live far from Gothenburg and thus have difficulties in coming to a doctor’s consultation, you can send photographs together with contact details and a description of your wishes. We will contact you for a telephone consultation as soon as the pictures have arrived at the clinic. You will find our email form on the website below contact us.

Package solutions with transport and overnight stay

Laser & Aesthetics also offers package solutions with transport and hotel accommodation in connection with the operating stay. Contact your clinic for more information.