Know Everything About Breast Augmentation
By: Dr. Andre Paolo Espiritu
The Medical City Clark, Philippines
Breast augmentation is one of the most common aesthetic plastic surgery procedures that patients request. Breast augmentation sometimes referred to as a “boob job” by patients, involves using breast implants to increase a patient’s breast size. For most patients, the goal is to produce a more rounded and pleasing breast shape or improve the natural breast symmetry. The same procedure can also be used to restore volume for slightly sagging breasts in selected patients, usually post-weight reduction or post-pregnancy patients, essentially producing a “breast lift”. Severely sagging or drooping breasts, however, may require a formal breast lift or mastopexy.
The goals of breast augmentation in general are to increase the projection and fullness of the patient’s breasts, to improve the aesthetic balance of the breasts in relation to the rest of the patient’s body contours and of course to enhance the patient’s positive body image and self-confidence. Many patients who want to undergo breast augmentation express the desire for their clothes to fit better.
How is breast augmentation performed?
During the breast augmentation a plastic surgeon makes an incision, lifts the breast tissue to create a pocket under the breast and places an implant in the pocket to increase breast volume and projection. The incision can be placed in the fold under the breast, the armpit or around the areola. The pocket can either be created under the breast tissue itself or under the muscle of the chest called the pectoralis major. All of these different approaches have their own respective advantages which will be explained by the plastic surgeon. The breast implants can be either silicone or saline, each type with its own advantages and disadvantages. Most plastic surgeons prefer using silicone implants because they tend to produce a more natural feel after breast augmentation.
Breast augmentation is usually done as an outpatient procedure under general anesthesia and it usually lasts 1-2 hours. The procedure should always be performed in a sterile and fully equipped operating room in a hospital or licensed ambulatory surgery center, by a formally trained and board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon.
The Medical City Clark (TMC) offers state-of-the-art surgical procedures, among which breast augmentation, to help its clients look and feel their best. The hospital’s plastic surgeons are all board-certified and have undergone extensive trainings in reputable training centers abroad.
At TMC Clark’s Dermatology and Plastic Surgery Center, patient safety is foremost in mind. In freestanding outpatient surgery clinics, patients have to check if the center is accredited, verify if the doctors are board-certified and inquire about emergency plans in case something goes awry.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andre Paolo Espiritu, M.D., FPCS, FPAPRAS
Dr. Andre Espiritu is a board-certified plastic surgeon and the head of the section of Plastic Surgery, the Dermatology and Plastic Surgery Center and the Burn Unit at The Medical City Clark. He is a Diplomate of Philippine Board of Plastic Surgery and a Fellow of both the Philippine College of Surgeons and Philippine Association of Plastic and Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons which is the only recognized specialty society for plastic surgeons in the country. He is a member of the Philippine Association of Training Officers in Surgery Inc (PATOS) and is involved in the training of plastic surgery residents.
As a plastic surgeon his special interests are in Aesthetic Surgery and Breast Reconstruction. Dr. Espiritu performs a significant number of cosmetic and reconstructive procedures, including breast reconstruction surgery and burn surgery on a regular basis. He graduated from the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center and completed his formal residency training in Plastic Surgery at the University of the Philippines – Philippine General Hospital.
For more information about the procedures offered by The Medical City Clark or if you need a FREE quote, please contact us!
