Will My Breasts Change if I get Pregnant after having Breast Implants?

At Aurora Clinics, we are often asked by patients who are considering breast enlargement surgery whether they should have their surgery before or after having children and whether pregnancy would have any impact on their breast implants.

The essential thing to note is: your breasts will change when you get pregnant.

How would having breast implants effect these changes?

1. Breast Tissue Will Act Normally. Breast implants are placed behind the breast tissue, so the breast tissue will still act normally when you have your baby. Breast tissue itself usually increases in volume as you start to produce milk after you have a baby. Some people’s breasts get very large during pregnancy and breastfeeding, others less so. How your breasts ‘behave’ after childbirth often runs in families (believe it or not!) so you may be able to get an idea by talking to your own Mum, sisters or aunties to see how their breast tissue reacted following pregnancy.
2.  Your breasts are going to get bigger. If you breast feed for a significant period of time, they will stay larger during that time. If you choose not to breastfeed, your breasts will usually get smaller quite quickly within a couple of weeks. But the essential thing is that the breasts will have got bigger and then shrunk again, causing inevitable stretching and shrinking of the skin.  
3. You Are More Likely to Experience Drooping. Although breastfeeding doesn’t disturb the breast implant, you are more likely to get droopy after having children if you have a breast implant. So if you hadn’t had the breast implant, you’d have still got bigger and then got smaller again but without the implant they would have been smaller. Less gravity = less droop! This is, however, very individual and all women react uniquely so it is hard to predict your exact outcome. 

A lot of Aurora Clinics patients who have breast implants and then subsequently go on to have children don’t seem to have any problems. But it is important to be fully aware that if you’ve got breast implants and you have children, you are taking a greater risk of developing slightly more droop in the long term than if you didn’t have implants.

Recommendations about Breast Implants and Pregnancy

For this reason, we do generally recommend waiting until after you have finished your family (if at all possible!) to have your breast enlargement surgery. This should ensure the best, most long-lasting results possible.

For more information or to schedule your FREE breast enlargement surgery consultation, please call Aurora Clinics on 0800 328 5743 or email info@aurora-clinics.co.uk

Question

Dear Aurora Clinics,

I am sixteen years of age and have a hormone deficiency which means that my breast size is very small: not even an A cup.

I have tried various potions and lotions but none of them provide any signs of breast enlargement.

As a result, I would like to obtain private treatment but at sixteen was wondering if I would require parental permission for this type of surgery?

Answer

Thank you very much for your enquiry.

We are very sorry to hear that you have not developed a sufficient bust.

It is certainly possible to have breast enlargement to improve the appearance of your bust.

For more information on this procedure please have a good look through our website. It may also be useful to listen to our free information CD on breast enlargement surgery.

In some special cases, with consent from your parents, we can perform surgery before the age of 18 but normally we do wait until you are at least 18 years of age before considering treatment as by this time your breasts should be fully developed.

If you do feel that you would like to schedule a free consultation to discuss the best way forward for you and have the full support of your parents and GP, please do ring us on: 01800 328 5743.

Best Wishes,

The Aurora Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery Team

Question :

The following morning I was told that it was not possible to have my implants placed under the muscle as it was too high and would make them appear as though they were sitting under my chin! Could you please explain, as I cannot understand how a muscle can be “too high”? I thought that everyone had their muscle located in the same place? I do not have much shape on the upper half of my breast and when I wear strappy tops, the implants seem to lie underneath.

Answer :
It is very unusual for breast muscle to be located in an abnormal position. If it is adequately released there is no danger of the implants being too high and appearing as though they are sitting under your chin.

Implants placed partially under the muscle sit slightly higher and do not suffer from “bottoming out”, which sounds like what has happened in your case.

Bottoming out generally happens when implants are placed in front of the muscle as there is less support. This means that they can be affected by gravity which makes them appear lower.

We think you should discuss this in more detail with your surgeon as it may possible to improve the appearance of your bust by inserting implants behind the muscle.

We hope this has been helpful. Please feel free to contact us on: 0800 3285743 or email us at: info@aurora-clinics.co.uk. You may also find it useful to listen to our free information CD which deals with the pros and cons of having implants placed behind or in front of the muscle.

Best Wishes,

The Aurora Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery Team

Question :

I was told by one of the clinics that I should expect a 6 cm incision under each breast which would leave me with a three week recovery period. I was also told that this was considered ’difficult surgery’.

The second surgeon told me that I would have a 3 cm incision and that I could expect recovery within one week. However, I have since heard some negative comments about his work. I am an athletic fit woman with a natural and youthful appearance.  Could you kindly provide your viewpoint on this matter and your professional recommendation.

Answer :
Thank you for your email.

We agree with the second surgeon as the implants could be removed via a short incision 4-5cm in length along your natural breast fold.

Generally recovery is much quicker than your initial surgery and we estimate that you would be back to most activities within 2 weeks although it would be better to leave any vinous activity for around 4-6 weeks.

We hope this helps and would like to take this opportunity to wish you the best of luck if you decide to go ahead with surgery.

Best Wishes,

The Aurora Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery Team

Answer :
Many thanks for your interesting email.

We have discussed this matter with the manufacturer and they assure us that the information is outdated and that the balance of scientific evidence shows that there are no real problems with these implants.

However, purely as a precaution Aurora Clinics have decided not to use them going forwards.

I hope this answers your question.

Best Wishes,

Mr Adrian Richards & The Aurora Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery Team

 With increasing numbers of ladies currently opting for implant replacement (following the recent PIP Implants scare) this question is on the minds of many. However, straightforward information about FDA approval and the CE Mark is not always easy to find. This has led to confusion and, unfortunately, some scaremongering on popular forums and social media platforms about whether one type of implant is better than another.

In this Blog, Aurora Clinics hope to make things clearer, offering information and reassurance for those researching the best breast implants for their breast enlargement surgery.

What Is FDA Approval?

• A form of regulatory sanction granted by the Food and Drug Administration
• They assess medical devices (like Breast Implants) according to safety and effectiveness 
• A risk classification from 1-3 is given to decide if the product is safe to sell on the open market

Since 1988, Breast Implants have been classified Class III ‘High Risk’ by the FDA so require the most stringent application procedure for approval, known as a PMA (Premarket Approval Application). This means the manufacturer must submit clinical data and research to back up any claims about the product. They also have to prove that their implants are not only safe but effective too.

The important thing to note is that the FDA are an American governing body who (according to their website) only monitor and approve the manufacturing, repackaging, re-labelling and importing of medical devices which are sold into the USA market. This obviously means that if a product is not an American brand and the company has no intention of trading the product into America, there is no need for the product to seek and gain FDA approval.

What Is the CE Mark?

• Essentially the EU equivalent of FDA Approval
•  A set of legal requirements / a declaration of conformity for all medical and aesthetic devices which must be rigorously followed before they can be sold on the European open market
• Manufacturers must comply with European health, safety and environmental Product Directives, with the product meeting set standards for safety and quality
• Non-conforming products can be withdrawn by customs and law enforcement officials.

As with FDA Approval, because Breast Implants are designated Class III (high risk) medical devices, they require a CE Medical Mark rather than a standard CE Mark which ensures the same depth of clinical data and research is submitted before a product can be approved for open market sale. The CE Medical Mark also guarantees that the device has been tested not to interfere with hospital equipment, particularly life-saving apparatus.  

Are Implants with FDA Approval necessarily ‘Higher Standard’ than those with the CE Mark?

Not at all. This is a common myth which has developed in the UK through lack of understanding and information. It has grown due to unchecked rumours on forums and social media, coupled with the American suppliers / providers’ obvious eagerness to exploit this belief to seem as if their products are somehow superior, regardless of the lack of factual foundation.

Part of the confusion may stem from the fact that lower classed devices in the CE Mark system do not require clinical research data in order to gain approval. (The ‘Medium Risk’ device classifications on the FDA system, however, also have to submit far less rigorous clinical data and receive clearance much more easily.)  This may have been misunderstood and applied to Breast Implants when, in fact at this level, the two systems are much of a muchness just one is European and the other American.

In his brilliant article ‘CE No Evil’ for Cosmetic News magazine (December 2011, p.22-24), Mike Murphy concludes by admitting that “neither CE nor FDA approval guarantees that medical/aesthetic equipment will deliver good clinical results. They are essentially safety tests with large variations in clinical efficacy”.

Nagor and Allergan Implants

When it comes to Breast Implants, Aurora Clinics are finding many worried women trying to choose between Nagor (which has the CE Mark) and Allergan (which has FDA approval) using these regulatory approvals as a deciding factor. The simple fact is that Nagor is very much a UK, “proud-to-be-British” implants company and therefore have never traded into the US or particularly needed an FDA approval. Allergan, on the other hand, are American so do.

That said, Nagor provided a statement for Aurora explaining that “although we are not selling products in the US, products manufactured from our facility are currently progressing through the FDA approval process”. In 2005, the FDA visited the Nagor facility and deemed its systems satisfactory at that point. Nagor also add that they are “certified throughout the world by other stringent health authorities including TGA (Australia), Anvisa (Brazil) and SFDA (China).”

In terms of efficacy, Aurora has a very good track record with both of these brands and our surgeons are happy recommending either as excellent quality breast implants.

I had breast enlargement surgery at a London clinic in December last year. However, my left breast implant did not properly drop into the pocket, so there was a slight gap between the bottom of the implant and the incision. It sat flat against my chest instead of the crease, if that makes sense.

I spoke with my surgeon about this and was advised to continue with massage but the condition never improved. After six months, I went back to see him and it was agreed that my breast was never going to drop. This resulted in revision surgery a few weeks later.

Before the second surgery, my nipples were always in line. I took a photograph of them half an hour before treatment commenced and they looked fine. But when I woke up, they looked very uneven.

I am now 12 weeks post re-op, and my nipples are still wonky. In fact, I think that they are becoming worse the more that the implants settle. Also, the left implant appears to be lower than my right one and droops. At first I thought it could be bottoming out, but the incision is not riding up my breast. I wonder if the pocket has been made too large, or maybe it is low grade bottoming out which will cause the drooping to become significantly worse… needless to say I am very worried.

I have spoken to many other girls who have experienced similar problems with this surgeon so I do not feel comfortable allowing him to operate on me again. Whilst I feel incredibly angry about this, I would prefer to have any further surgery with a new surgeon.

Could you please advise what the best course of action would be. I know it is difficult without seeing me in person but I plan to book a consultation at Aurora Clinics soon, if you would be consider seeing me.

Answer :

Thank you for very much for your enquiry.

It does sound as if your left implant is sitting slightly lower than the right. This creates a shorter distance from the nipple to the fold which is located underneath the breast and on the right side.

However, in the photographs you sent, your nipples do appear to be of a similar height from the notch between your sternum and the base of your neck. Therefore, we think that the main problem is the raised implant on the right.

It would definitely be better to see you in person to assess the area and discuss the best way forward for you.

If you would like to book a consultation please do not hesitate to email us on: info@aurora-clinics.co.uk or call our office on 01844 214362.

Best Wishes,

The Team at Aurora Clinics

Breast enlargement surgery with implants is the most popular cosmetic surgery treatment worldwide all year round. Around Valentines Day though, bookings for this treatment typically peak even more as thoughts turn to looking good in lacey lingerie and a special surprise for our partners.

This year, however, Aurora Clinics really want to take a moment to send out a slightly less romantic – but very important message – A Breast Implant procedure is for life; not just for Valentines Day!

PIP Implants Patients believed Implants Are Lifetime Devices

With the recent PIP implants crisis (around 40,000 UK women have discovered the implants they were sold contain sub-standard silicone prone to ruptures and leaks), thousands of frightened, confused and angry ladies are coming forward for implant removal and replacement. Aurora Clinics never used PIP implants ourselves, but we are stepping in to help as many of these women as possible. Just recently, we have been privileged to be allowed into one of their innermost communities: a private closed group on Facebook where one Aurora rep was invited to offer advice and answer questions.

Here, a startling fact has come to light: a huge proportion of the women who have PIP implants believed that their breast implants would last them throughout their lives.

Many of them claim that they were not told during their initial pre-op consultations (at a variety of clinics and cosmetic surgery groups all over the UK and Europe) that the typical ‘life expectancy’ of even a high quality breast implant is approximately 10-15 years.

The Truth about Breast Implant Life Expectancy

“Yes, we have seen some ladies who still have their breast implants after 20 years,” remarks Aurora Head of Business, Sue Addison. “But this isn’t common.”

“Our breasts change so much in that time too — diet, exercise, ageing– they won’t stay the same!!”

Many women would therefore end up having their implants removed and possibly replaced for purely aesthetic reasons after 20 years, to suit their adapted body shapes and lifestyle, even if the implant was still in perfect form.

Breast Enlargement is a Lifetime Commitment

The implications of this are obviously very important: most women know that breast surgery is a big decision when they initially do their research, choose a surgeon and decide to proceed. But do they really understand how big a decision it is? And that, like many other beauty regimes, a choice to get breast implants is essentially a decision to embark on ongoing maintenance for the rest of your life (or until you decide to have the implants removed).

As one lady on the Facebook group realised: “it has really struck me that I will most likely be having surgery in 5 -10 years time and thereafter for life. Yes the implant itself will be covered possibly but the cost of surgery I assume won’t. I guess I did not really think through the long term commitment and secretly hoped they would last forever!!”

Many of the PIP implants ladies are in an unusual situation: PIP is a brand of implants proven to be sub-standard, with a higher than usual rupture rate. Many of these implants are causing problems and often rupturing or developing gel-bleed way before the estimated 10-15 year implant ‘life expectancy’.

But in a few cases, the PIP implants have actually made it to 9 or 10 years. In these cases, the women may be surprised to learn that they would quite possibly have been facing implant removal and replacement anyway, whether they had PIP implants or not.

The moral of this story?

If you have your heart set on breast implants this Valentines (or any other time throughout the year!) don’t be put off by the reality.

But do go into it with your eyes wide open, knowing all the facts and the longterm commitment that you are taking on:

• You can find more information about the warranties that come with your chosen implant brand on the manufacturer’s websites.
• At Aurora Clinics, we provide completely free yearly check-ups for all our breast enlargement patients on an ongoing basis – you always remain OUR patient, even after your surgery
• So you can rest assured that we will carefully monitor the condition of your implants and let you know how that ‘life expectancy’ is holding up

At the end of the day, remember: very few products we purchase last us for eternity. But by getting honest and open information and the highest quality breast implants from an expert surgeon, you will be making the best longterm investment you possibly can.

Question :

Aurora Clinics have been recommended as specialists in the field of breast enlargement surgery.

My breast augmentation surgery was carried out in London in December last year. Upon first inspection, I had a feeling that my left implant was not going to descend and it never did. After six months, I had revision surgery to manually drop the implant. I am now a few weeks post op and very unhappy with the results – my once symmetrical nipples now look very uneven and the entire breast seems to be sitting too low.

I feel that the surgeon created the pocket too low, but he is reluctant to admit this. I have lost all my faith in him now and am very keen to seek a second opinion, with the possibility of having further surgery in the future to correct this.

I will not go back to my original surgeon and would be grateful if you would agree to see me in the future or provide some advice. Thank you and best wishes.

Answer :

We are sorry that you are not happy with the appearance of your breasts following breast enlargement surgery.

Your initial surgery appears to have resulted in the muscle holding the implant in a unnaturally high position.

At the operation your surgeon may have released the muscle which would have resulted in the implant becoming lower. In your case, it sounds as though, it has descended too far and is sitting at a lower level than the other side. This would cause asymmetry in your nipple position.

Generally it is possible to correct this by stitching the fold to a similar level of the other side which will create more symmetry.

It would be advisable to schedule a consultation to discuss the best way forward for you in more detail.

If you would like to book a consultation you can do so by calling 08003285743.

We look forward to meeting you should you wish to book a consultation.

Best Wishes,

The Aurora Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery Team

Since having 330cc breast implants over a year ago, I have experienced mild discomfort in my left breast.

I was told that this is something which should not cause me concern as everything was fine at my six week post-operative check up. However, during the past few weeks, the discomfort has become even more noticeable with a mild ache around the circumference of my breast and a light tightness, although this is not painful.

Could you please advise the best course of action? Is it okay for me to visit a clinic which is closer to where I live or should I return to the clinic where my operation was performed?

Answer :

Thank you very much for your enquiry.

We are sorry to hear that you are experiencing some mild discomfort in your left breast. If the discomfort is getting worse, it will probably be best to arrange a consultation to assess the area and discuss the best way forward for you.

Our standard advice is that you should return to the surgeon who initially carried out your breast surgery as they know your case history, circumstances and the materials used. If this is not possible, Aurora Clinics will always be delighted to see you and have a range of expert breast implant replacement and removal specialists nationwide.

We always recommend that anybody concerned in any way about their breast implants arranges a consultation to put their mind at rest and rule out the possibility of any complications.

There is a technique known as special massage which may help to settle the area down.
We could also arrange a scan of the implant which will give us an idea as to what is happening internally.
Many thanks for contacting us. We hope to see you soon but do hope that the tenderness settles down in the interim.

Best Wishes,

The Aurora Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery Team