To have questions surrounding pregnancy, breastfeeding and safety is understandable for Toronto breast augmentation patients. Unfortunately, many myths persist regarding how breast implants will or will not affect these natural processes. We’ve compiled a guide to explain the basic information you should know if you plan to have a breast enhancement surgery but have concerns about future pregnancy.
It’s quite common for people to give birth after having a breast augmentation in Toronto. It does not necessarily mean that the results will be “undone” or that there will be any noticeable change at all. Because many women experience an enlargement of breast tissue during gestation and breastfeeding, there is a possibility of seeing long-term changes in the breasts.
Will a breast augmentation stop the breasts from growing and producing adequate milk?
If you wish to breastfeed and you have implants, you need not fear that you’ll have trouble producing milk. Glandular tissue expands around the implant, and it sits completely behind the tissue that creates and hold milk. The hormone changes that trigger milk production and breast growth are different for everyone and it’s difficult to predict how much a person’s breasts may grow or how much milk they will produce. In fact, a high percentage of women will have inadequate milk production or difficulty with latching and feeding, regardless of implants, so the assumption that everyone can naturally breastfeed shouldn’t be considered a given. Breast tissue is exceptionally elastic and accommodating and will allow for significant growth, then a gradual reduction in size and retraction of tissue.
Will you need a lift after breastfeeding?
There is no way to know for sure if you will want or require a breast lift or mastopexy at some point. Because each woman’s body responds to pregnancy differently, some will lose volume and see a lowered nipple position or sagging, post-breastfeeding. Others will note a temporary breast size increase, then see their chest return to normal with no visible long-term transformation.
What changes can pregnancy bring for the breasts?
- Increased breast size and firmness
- Increased visibility of breast veins
- Darkened nipples and areola
- Enlarged nipple or areola size
- Soreness, tingling or numbness in the breasts
- Eventually, softer, reduced breast tissue
- Stretch marks on the breast skin
Whether one has implants or not, they may find that long-term breast changes are undesirable and opt for cosmetic surgery to get back the youthful, pre-baby body they once had. In Toronto, breast augmentation is frequently combined with a tummy tuck procedure to deliver what is known as a “Mommy Makeover.” This favorite body contouring combo is designed to correct the areas most altered by childbirth.
A note on worries about silicone in breast milk
Some rumors persist suggesting the silicone in cohesive gel breast implants may exit the implant and enter into a woman’s milk supply. Thankfully, that’s unfounded and a needless worry, here’s why: Breast implants are placed under the breast gland and tissue, not, “in” it. After surgery, there is a thin, scar envelop created by the body to surround and encapsulate the implant. The implant shell on any approved device today is many layers thick, reinforced, and contains a gummy, semi-solid, silicone material; not liquid. All these factors combined mean that the silicone cannot communicate with milk in any way, but it’s also important to know that medical grade silicone used in implants is inert and considered safe. It’s used in other types of medical implants as well as baby bottle nipples, hair products and as a coating on pharmaceutical pills. Talk with your plastic surgeon about questions and concerns you have so that you can get the facts and ease your mind when planning your procedure.
