Breast Implant Side Effects

Breast augmentation has consistently been the most popular cosmetic surgical procedure for the past several years. It pretty much goes without saying that all of these breast implant patients are eager to show off the final results of their surgery. However, because patients may not see the final results until at least six to eight weeks following their surgery, they may also be nervous about the side effects that may occur after surgery. Learn more about breast implant side effects.

Difference Between Side Effects and Risks

The surgeons at Jefferson Plastic Surgery see patients who are interested in breast augmentation every day. In order to help allay their fears, the staff differentiates between expected side effects and risks from a breast augmentation procedure. Risks can be considered in terms of adverse effects that only happen to a small number of patients. On the other hand, side effects will happen to all patients as part of the natural healing process. Below are some of the more common side effects associated with breast augmentation surgery.

Bruising and Swelling

Most patients will see bruising and swelling for the first one to two weeks following surgery. This is actually perfectly normal and is part of the body’s natural defense system attempting to isolate the “damage” caused by cutting into the skin from spreading to the rest of the body. Frozen gel packs or cold compresses can be applied once the incisions are closed over. The herb Arnica montana may also help reduce the amount and duration of bruising and swelling.

Itching or Burning Sensations

The incisions should be fully healed over by the fourth week or so. However, just because the body has successfully gone through the initial healing phase does not mean that all side effects will disappear. By this point, patients may experience itching or burning sensations around the incision sites. They may even experience numbness.

Again, this is part of the healing process. Whenever the skin is incised, certain nerve pathways leading to and from the skin are severed. As the body heals, it attempts to reconnect those pathways or build entirely new ones. The odd skin sensations that patients may feel are all part of this nerve reconstruction process.

Scarring

Just as with bruising, swelling, and changes in skin sensation, scarring is also part of the body’s natural response to being cut open. All patients will have some level of scarring, but the amount may vary from person to person.

That being said, there are several things that breast augmentation patients can do to reduce the amount of scarring. Perhaps most importantly, the sutures should be kept clean and dry during the healing phase. Wash hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap before changing dressings, and do not touch the incisions directly, if at all possible. This will lower the risk for an infection, which can lead to excessive scarring.

Once the incisions are fully healed over about two to three weeks after surgery, patients can apply silicone sheeting to the scars. While silicone sheeting will not completely remove scars, it can flatten them out to dramatically reduce their visibility.

Patients who undergo a breast augmentation procedure have a great deal invested in a good outcome from the surgery. This is why it is important for them to understand some of the more common side effects, what causes them, and how best to treat them. To learn more, contact Jefferson Plastic Surgery today.