Breast Augmentation

The following information has been prepared to familiarize you with facts about breast enlargement. You are requested to read this information thoroughly and to discuss any questions which might arise with your surgeon before proceeding with the surgical procedure known as augmentation mammoplasty. You are also requested to keep this form as a reference in the post operative period.

Introduction

Many women feel that their breasts do not match their overall body physique. Small breast size may be due to a lack of normal breast development or to a decrease of breast volume following pregnancy or menopause. This procedure is designed to give the female patient a fuller breast.

Your breast tissue is not altered by a breast enlarging procedure. This operation is performed by placing an implant behind your own breast tissue, simply pushing it forward and enlarging the appearance of the breast. Most patients have been exceedingly pleased with this operative procedure.

The increase in breast size will be limited by the tightness of your skin, but significant improvement can usually be achieved. The final decision regarding implant size must be made by the surgeon during the operation, but size will be discussed with you before the procedure and every effort will be made to create an optimal breast for you.

It is important that you understand that no person is perfectly symmetrical from one side to the other even before a surgical procedure. Every attempt will be made during surgery to minimize your side to side dissimilarities, but such differences always persist to some degree even after the most successful operation.

There is no evidence that breast surgery alters the possibility of developing breast cancer. Mammography techniques have improved in recent years. In spite of these advances, there is a theoretical risk of compromised detection of early breast cancer following an augmentation mammoplasty. If a cancer were to develop, its detection by mammography could be made more difficult, depending on the location of the cancer within the breast, the position and size of the implant and the type of implant employed. Regardless of your decision to have an augmentation mammoplasty or not, it will still be necessary for you to examine yourself monthly for breast lumps and undergo mammography as suggested by your personal physician.

All women, whether or not they are contemplating breast surgery, are encouraged to obtain a baseline mammogram at age 35 (or even sooner if you have a family history of breast cancer) and a yearly mammogram after the age of 40.

Normal breast function should not be altered by an augmentation procedure in which the incision is placed within the axilla and the implant positioned behind the pectoral muscle. Although not all women are able to breast feed even without a breast operation, this procedure should not alter the ability to breast feed should this become desirable later. One cannot, however, rule out possible effects on future pregnancy and nursing, particularly when incisions are placed around the areolae ("nipple incision").

Call Dr. Gerlach's office at 310-540-0144 for a complimentary consultation.

Breast augmentation surgery in Torrance, California offered by Dr. Gerlach. Information on breast implants, breast size, recovery, implant placement and more.