Featuring Dr. Nancy Van Laeken, MD, FRCSC, Plastic Surgeon

Duration: 2 minutes

Breast augmentation or breast enhancement surgery, as it is sometimes called, is a very common operation. There are many different ways to approach the procedure, and how it is done is dependent on the patient’s anatomy and what their desires are for the outcome of the surgery, and what volume they are trying to achieve with the enhancement.

The majority of women want to look more balanced in their figure and most of them do not want everyone to know that they have had their breasts operated on. Most frequently, it is women who have had children. They have lost some of the volume after they have breast fed so they would like to have that volume returned, they like the breast-feeding look. There are other women who have never really developed breasts and feel that they would really like to feel more normal. It is very rare that a patient will request having something that is not esthetically symmetrical for their body habitus.

The implants can be saline, they can be gel, there are different shapes, there are different surfaces on the implant and a type of implant a patient has, again, it will be dependent on their anatomy. Therefore, it is best for the patient to seek a consultation from a surgeon to define what would work best for them because it is not the same operation for everybody. Something that breast augmentation patients need to be reminded of, is that it is individualized for their needs and their physique.

The operation takes about an hour and a half. It is done under a general anesthetic. Patients are discharged the same day from surgery. They should be able to resume normal activities after about two weeks. The patients interested in pursuing the operation, they should speak to their family doctor, and be referred to a surgeon who does that operation.