When planning for any plastic surgery procedure, such as liposuction, you want to know what to expect. Whether you are asking about sitting down after a BBL or how soon you can go back to work after body contouring in Houston, you want to get the right answers to make an informed decision about proceeding with the surgery.
Breast augmentation is major surgery, and you shouldn’t be afraid to ask important questions, such as about potential issues with sensitivity in the nipple. Look Younger is here to fill you in on all the details of a breast augmentation so you can go to your consultation prepared with questions or concerns your doctor can address.
Natural Results with Breast Augmentation
When you meet with your plastic surgeon, you’ll discuss your goals for breast augmentation. Some women want to have much larger breasts with an increase of two sizes or more. Others want to only increase their size by a little, focusing instead on fullness. No matter what you’re looking for with this surgery, you’re probably hoping for natural results. You want it to be less obvious that you had an augmentation and focus instead on how amazing your body looks.
With improvements in breast augmentation surgery over the years, achieving natural results is much easier than it used to be. However, it’s not quite as easy to make your new breasts feel as natural. This is one area that concerns many women, especially when it comes to nipple sensitivity.
Like with any surgical procedure, you can expect to experience some pain during recovery; in many cases, often the skin hurts after breast augmentation. Other patients have reported feeling pain or a loss of sensation in the nipple and skin around the breast, as well. How long does nipple pain last after breast augmentation? And do you lose feeling in your nipples after breast implants? These are all important questions that your doctor can answer fully. Here’s what we know.
Placement Matters
You have four options when it comes to where the surgeon will create the insertion point for the implants.
- The armpit
- The inframammary fold under the breast
- Nipple area
- Belly button
The surgeon will generally recommend the place based on hiding the scar. However, you may want to also consider how it will impact nipple sensation. Placement of the implant can be either under the muscle or just under the mammary gland, which is closer to the surface.
It’s important to talk to your doctor about these options and ask why they recommend certain options over others. Don’t be afraid to ask how much experience they have had with each of these methods to help you feel more comfortable with your choice of doctor and decisions about the procedure.
Studies have shown that there isn’t much difference in the sensitivity in the nipple between when the implant was placed under the muscle or above it. The location of the incision doesn’t affect it except when it is made in the areola because the nerves are cut. Scar tissue may prevent the nerve channels from regenerating, which can lead to permanent loss of sensation. Evidence also supports the fact that larger implants have a stronger likelihood of reducing nipple sensation.
Temporary or Permanent Loss of Nipple Sensation
While some women experience the loss of sensation in their nipples, most regain it after a few months. Only a small percentage of patients have a permanent loss of sensation.
In an article published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in October of 2011, the results from a study showed that about half of the patients undergoing this procedure had a temporary change in sensation, which went away in about eight weeks. For some, the sensitivity in the nipple had increased while it decreased in others. By six months, 94.8 percent of women had returned to normal sensation.
There are several decisions to be made before having a breast augmentation. These choices not only affect the way you look afterward, but also how your breasts physically feel. For instance, silicone implants feel more natural to the touch than saline implants, making your breasts feel more like your own. Larger implants, however, are more noticeable and less “natural feeling” by touch.
Nipple sensitivity is more difficult to predict because few studies have been done on the subject. To reduce the risks of changes in nipple sensation while increasing the level of satisfaction from the procedure, you need to choose an experienced, skilled surgeon.
No matter your procedure, from breast augmentation to aBBL in Houston, you want a surgeon you can trust. Choose someone who will be honest and provide the answers you need to feel confident about moving forward with any plastic surgery.
Contact Us Today for Breast Augmentation
If you want to know more about breast augmentation and what to expect with the procedure and afterward, schedule a consultation with Dr. Leo Lapuerta. Dr. Lapuerta is a triple-board-certified plastic surgeon with more than 20 years of experience. He has performed thousands of breast surgeries along with other procedures, such as a tummy tuck in Houston, TX, and he can answer your questions and alleviate any concerns you have. Contact us today to schedule your consultation.