Silicone implants

Silicone breast implants are one of the ways of enhancing the breasts following a mastectomy. They can also be used purely for cosmetic purposes. There are various costs of breast augmentation including financial and health related costs. In this article we discuss the cost of breast augmentation using the silicone implants.

Let’s begin by discussing the choices available for breast augmentation. Women can now choose from creams and gels that are associated with a low cost of breast augmentation but lower efficacy and satisfaction rates. Breast augmentation using implants has immediate results and is the most popular method. More recently, fat transfer breast augmentation has come up on the market, a process that has a higher cost of breast augmentation and higher satisfaction rate.

Most silicone implants are a silicone outer shell filled with the cohesive silicone gel. Some shells are made of polyurethane.

The total financial cost of breast augmentation using silicone implants can be broken down into a number of categories, including the

• Fees of healthcare practitioners particularly that of the surgeon and the aesthetician

• Cost of medications required during the surgery, including anesthesia, and during recovery 

• Devices including the implants and any post-surgery garments

• Any tests required for baseline measurements and post-operative monitoring.

All factors constant, the cost of breast augmentation with silicone implants is greater than that with saline implants since the silicone implants tend to be more costly. They provide a more natural feel than saline implants and tend to give better satisfaction rates.

There is also a health-risk cost of breast augmentation associated with silicone breast implants. Local complications of silicone implants include swelling and leakage. As the implant ages, the risk of these complications increases. The ageing implant is therefore associated with an increasing long term cost of breast augmentation. The silicone breast implants do not last a lifetime and eventually need to be replaced. Estimating the number of times you will have the breast implant replaced will assist you in calculating the cost of breast augmentation.

Other health related costs of breast augmentation using silicone implants include infection, permanent scarring, changes in the sensation around the breast and nipple and shifting of the implants. All these complications require further interventions that will add to the cost of breast augmentation.

While most new silicone implants rarely diffuse, they may leak if there is trauma to the breast, a mammography, scar formation or ageing of the implant. Since this is a health risk that needs to be attended to, it adds to the cost of breast augmentation. In many cases a ruptured or diffused implant in symptomless. In fewer cases, patients may experience lumps in the breast, a noticeably smaller breast size, and uneven breast shape, a distortion of the breast shape, pain or tenderness in the breast.

Another cost of breast augmentation using silicone implants is contraction. Contraction may arise as result of the body reacting to the foreign body that is inserted into it. This can manifest in the form of breast hardening, pain, sensitivity to touch, wrinkling of the breast, and change in the shape of the breast or shifting of the implant.

Breast Enlargement

Breast enlargement may be considered for both reconstructive and cosmetic reasons. This article attempts to answer one of the crucial questions of how much do breast implants cost. Women want to increase the fullness and firmness of their breast to boost self-confidence and increase self-esteem. Furthermore, breast enhancement procedures may be selected to balance a woman’s figure. Breast implants are the most commonly used technique for enlarging breasts. Other techniques include creams and the fat transfer breast augmentation procedure.A lot of the decision making is based on the answer to how much do breast implants cost.

Apart from the effectiveness and risks associated with the procedures, users often present with questions such as “how much do breast implants cost?” While this is an important factor, it cannot be answered with a single response. When you want to know how much do breast implant cost you need to take into consideration a number of factors. The cost of the breast implant itself is a fixed cost that your surgeon can give you up front. However this is not the end of your calculations for how much do breast implants cost.

There are two main types of breast implants: saline breast implants and silicone breast implants, that not only vary in cost, but also in the features and risks they present. Both silicone and saline breast implants are made of silicone shells, what differs is the filling in the silicone shell.

• Saline filled breast implants, as the name suggests are filled with saline (sterile salt water). While these are safer than silicone implants if they rupture or leak, women find that they are less natural and firmer than silicone implants. Saline implants should only use in women over 18 years old. At this point you are wondering how much do breast implants cost?

• Silicone breast implants are filled with the cohesive gel, silicon. Silicone breast implants tend to have a more natural feel but pose a greater risk to health if they leak or rupture. These type of implants should only be used women over the age of 22 years. Again we come back to the question, how much do breast implants cost?

When considering how much do breast implants cost, remember that the cost of the implants is probably the only fixed cost attached to breast enhancement surgery. The cost of the total surgery will end up costing you more as it will include the surgeons fee, the anesthesia fees, the cost of any prescription medications required after the surgery, the cost of any special garments you may require post surgery, the cost of any medical test and the cost of an implant warranty.

When you are consulting with your surgeon about how much do breast implants cost, don’t forget to ask if they offer financing plans to break down the breast implants cost and breast enhancement surgery cost.

Breast Enhancement

With improved procedures to manage breast cancer, the breast cancer survival rates have risen in the recent years. This means that there are a larger number of women that have undergone either a mastectomy, lumptectomy or quadrantectomy.  The breast cancer survival rates depend on the stage of the cancer and not necessarily the type of surgery performed.

Data from the National Cancer Database for the period 2001 -2002 showed that the 5 year breast cancer survival rate for stage 2A breast cancer was 81% following the completion of treatment and that of 2B tumors was 74%. Since therapies for breast cancer have treatment have tremendously improved, the breast cancer survival rates for the current period are expected to be higher.

These surgeries can have a huge impact on the survivor’s self-confidence and self-esteem as well as the feminity and sexuality. To overcome this, many women opt for breast reconstruction surgery. With the high breast cancer survival rates, the number of breast reconstructive surgery rates has also gone up.

Breast enhancement through breast reconstructive surgery can be performed in women that have had either part or the whole breast removed. Breast implants as a breast reconstructive technique require the least amount of surgery compared to other techniques. Breast implants last between 10 to 20 years. The high breast cancer survival rates that the patient may outlive the life of the implant.

When deciding the best approach to breast cancer therapy and improving the breast cancer survival outcomes, the options of breast cancer reconstruction should be carefully considered.  Being involved in the treatment plans allows for better recovery and improved outcomes following the high breast cancer survival rates.  With the current breast cancer survival rates, two procedures are commonly chosen for breast reconstruction: a two stage breast reconstruction with implants or a Flap surgery with or without breast implants.

Two stage breast reconstruction is a procedure that involves the use of a tissue expander followed by the insertion of an implant. There are various choices of breast implants available for this type of surgery. In the first part of the surgery, an expander is used to create a pocket. It is inserted under the chest muscles and inflated slowly to fill out the skin from the mastectomy over time.  In this way the stretching of the chest muscles can be controlled. Furthermore the patient that has a good breast cancer survival rate is able to determine the size of the final implant. Individuals that opt for a teardrop shaped implant have better results with this type of surgery.

In the second part of the surgery can be conducted as an outpatient procedure. During this process, the expander is removed, and the chosen implant is inserted. This two stage process allows for better prediction of the end result and more accurate achievement of the required results. This is an attractive procedure for patients with growing breast cancer survival rates.

Breast Implants

An increasing number of women are considering breast enlargement for various reasons including increasing the fullness and projection of the breasts, achieve more symmetrical breasts, increasing self image and confidence and improving the balance of your figure.

Breast implants are the medical devices that are inserted under the breast tissue or under the chest muscles with the aim of increasing breast size. There are two types of breast implants available for breast enlargement, silicone and saline implants.  Both the implants have an outer silicone shell but vary in shell thickness, size and shape. Saline filled breast implants are made of silicone shells filled with saline (sterile salt water). These are safer than silicone implants but tend to be slightly firmer than silicone implants. Silicone breast implants are made of silicone shells filled with silicon, a cohesive gel that holds together. Silicone breast implants tend to have a more natural feel but pose a greater risk to health if they leak. The FDA recommends that women must be 18 years and above to use saline breast implants and 22 years and above to use silicone breast implants.

The breast enlargement procedure is surgical procedure that is conducted under anesthesia. During breast enlargement, an incision is made under the arm, under the breast or around the nipple area. The breast implant is inserted into a pocket created under the chest muscle. The procedure takes between one to two hours to complete. In some cases an overnight stay in a hospital may be required.

There is no one set price for breast enlargement procedures. The cost of the breast enlargement procedure will include the cost of the implants, surgeons’ fees, and cost of anesthesia, hospital stay if required, cost of prescription medications and the cost of any post surgery garments you might require. It is often recommended that you wear a compression bandage or sports bra to provide extra support as the breast implants align themselves after your breast enlargement surgery.

Most surgeons will perform a baseline mammogram as well as other laboratory tests before the breast enlargement surgery is performed. You should inform the surgeon of any medication that you are taking. Some medications such as aspirin or other medications that can increase bleeding may have to be discontinued a few days before the breast enlargement procedure. Smokers are advised to stop smoking for a short period prior to the breast enlargement surgery.

Following the breast enlargement surgery you might the patient may experience soreness and in rare cases bruising.

• It is advisable to avoid strenuous activities for at least two weeks following the breast augmentation surgery. If your surgeon has used non-dissolving sutures, you will have to have them removed at a follow up surgery.

• There are various risks that are associated with breast enlargement procedures, including breast pain, infection, scar tissue that distorts the shape of the implant, leakage or rupture of the implant, changes in the sensation of the breast and nipples.