Breast prosthesis surgery is one of those operations that are performed with cosmetic and therapeutic purposes. Women with small breasts have a very high level of satisfaction after breast augmentation surgery. Breast prosthesis was a promise of relief from depression for people who lost breast tissue due to cancer.
But most of those who intend to do this procedure, have questions, the most common of which is: Is pregnancy and breastfeeding possible after breast implants? Stay with us in the rest of this article to get answers to your questions. But first, it is necessary to talk more about the mode of this operation.
What is the operation of breast prosthesis?
Having breasts that are proportional to other body parts is very effective in women’s body shape and style. Applicants for breast prosthesis surgery are people who have lost the tissue of one or both breasts or have genetically small breasts. Breast prosthesis is a procedure in which the doctor places a breast-like silicone tissue in the body by making a small incision. There are different types of prosthesis, and the specialist doctor suggests the most suitable model among the types of breast prosthesis based on the physical characteristics of the person.
Many successful breast implants are performed in Iran. Today, this operation is so common and popular that it is performed by a plastic surgeon in many clinics such as Mahziar Clinic.
Types of breast prosthesis models in terms of internal material
There are two types of breast prostheses: saline prostheses (salt water) and silicone prostheses.
Saline prostheses (salt water)
These types of prostheses are round prostheses that are filled with sterile salt water or saline. In this type of prostheses, in case of rupture, the breast is flattened and the liquid inside is absorbed by the body, and its absorption does not cause a problem for the person.
The operation of breast prosthesis with saline prosthesis requires less incision, is cheaper than silicone, and one of its most important advantages is the ability to adjust the volume of the prosthesis after working in the breast tissue.
Silicone prostheses
Most women choose silicone implants among the types of breast implants because they have a gel-like texture that is very similar to breast tissue. In case of rupture, this type of prosthesis does not disappear and its tissue enters the other layers of the prosthesis.
Post-operative care of breast prosthesis
- Do not sleep on your side for two weeks after breast implant surgery. The best position is to sleep on your back, which allows the
- prostheses to stay in place.
- Take prescribed medicines and antibiotics regularly.
- In the first week after the operation, avoid doing heavy work and work that causes tension in the chest and its surroundings.
- After the operation, wear the medical bra prescribed by the doctor, according to the doctor’s instructions, for 6 to 12 weeks, even
- while sleeping.
- Stiffness and bruising after the operation are normal and will disappear after a while.
- Do not smoke for three weeks after the operation.
- After two weeks, taking into account your own abilities, you can start lower body exercises.
Is breastfeeding possible after breast prosthesis surgery?
The first thing to remember before answering this question is that some women are not successful in breastfeeding even without breast implants. In general, it should be said that breastfeeding after breast prosthesis depends on the condition of the breast before the surgery and the incision made for the surgery.
Most women have the ability to breastfeed after breast implant surgery, and if you are worried about changes in the composition of breast milk, we must say that there is nothing to worry about because the tissue of the prosthesis does not change the composition of milk.
Effects of breast prosthesis on breastfeeding
If you have a child after breast implants and you plan to breastfeed, you should know that breast implants can reduce the flow of breast milk. The amount of damage to breastfeeding and decreased milk depends on the following factors:
Surgical incision site
After making an incision on the breast to place the prosthesis, parts of the breast such as mammary glands, lymph ducts, nerves or blood flow are damaged based on the location of the incision. For example, if the sensory nerve fails, you will have some numbness in the nipple, but the mammary glands are healthy and the milk will be secreted, only the amount may be reduced.
Placement of prosthesis
Placement of the prosthesis is also very important in breastfeeding after breast prosthesis. If the prosthesis puts pressure on the mammary glands, the secretion and flow of milk in the breast will decrease. The breast is made up of mammary glands and muscle tissue and fat. Although there is still no scientifically proven reason, it is said that it is better to place the prosthesis under the muscle layer so that the mammary glands bear less pressure.
Scars and pain
The place of its cut and wound may cause swelling, pain, stiffness and tilting of the breast and the milk does not have the strength to leave the breast easily.
become sensitive
The sensitivity of the nipple increases in some people after the breast prosthesis during breastfeeding, so even touching this area causes pain. This affects breastfeeding and the amount of milk production decreases.
How to successfully breastfeed after breast implant surgery?
With all that has been said about the effects of breast implants on breastfeeding, breastfeeding is still possible after breast implants, subject to certain conditions. Get help from a specialist doctor and follow the instructions carefully. You should note that the message of milk production is issued in the mother’s body, especially in the first week. To prevent milk from remaining in the mother’s breast and increase milk production, you can use an electric shower faucet. When using an electric breast pump, you may experience some pain in the chest, which is due to injuries and wounds inside the chest.
It is worth mentioning that you should not worry too much about breastfeeding because many children today use formula without any problems and formula provides all the substances their body needs. Today, child experts recommend breastfeeding until six months of age.
Preventing breastfeeding problems after breast implants
If you plan to breastfeed your child after breast implant surgery, raise this issue during the consultation with the surgeon. At Mahziar Clinic, all your questions related to breast prosthesis surgery will be answered by holding a consultation session with the doctor. By examining your physical condition, the doctor may use a method that will allow you to breastfeed comfortably in the future. However, consultation with a doctor and the doctor’s opinion have priority over any other opinion.
Does breast prosthesis interfere with pregnancy?
If you are worried about whether it is possible to get pregnant after breast implant surgery, it should be said that breast implant surgery does not have any negative effect on a person’s pregnancy. In general, breast implants do not have any contraindications with pregnancy. In case of pregnancy, you will only have changes in the appearance of the breast, which is normal.
During pregnancy, due to the preparation of the breast for milk production, the breast tissue becomes more voluminous, and this change disappears after pregnancy. You may have some breast sagging after pregnancy due to the stretching of the skin, but this depends a lot on your skin. If the sagging is large, it can be solved with breast lift surgery. This is why some doctors recommend breast implants after pregnancy and breastfeeding so that the results remain stable.
last word
Many people who intend to have breast implants or breast fat injection are worried about breastfeeding problems after this surgery. Breastfeeding after breast prosthesis depends on things such as surgical incision site, prosthesis placement, etc. In general, if you do not face breast infection during breastfeeding, you can breastfeed easily.
Regarding breast prosthesis and pregnancy, it should be said that pregnancy after breast prosthesis is easily possible and there is no reason to worry; But in any case, it is necessary to consult a specialist doctor before this surgery.
