Pectoral Implants

Many of us feel the pressure to look a certain way. If you exercise regularly and follow a strict diet, it can be frustrating if you aren't able to hone that chiselled chest that so many desire. Pectoral implant surgery provides a helping hand when it comes to sculpting that ideal shape. Through silicone implants, the procedure adds volume to the chest area, creating an illusion of muscle and increasing the shape and size of your pectorals.

How Does Pectoral Implant Surgery Work?

Pectoral implant surgery is carried out under general anaesthesia, meaning you are put to sleep. The procedure takes around two hours, after which you should be able to return home although it might be necessary to spend the night in the hospital. Here is a walkthrough guide to give you a basic outline of the procedure:

1. Your surgeon will make a small incision under your chest or within your armpit. 2. Using surgical tools, a pocket is made between the chest muscles, creating space for the silicone implant. 3. The implant is inserted into your chest, usually between the two main pectoral muscles (the pectoralis major and the pectoralis minor). 4. Your skin is stitched shut.

Are There Different Types of Pectoral Implant Surgery?

Different surgeons may have different approaches to your pectoral implant surgery - for example, where they create the incision - but most offer the same kind of treatment. The implants come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but your surgeon will assess which is best suited to your body shape and your desired final outcome.

What Should I Expect From Pectoral Implants?

Patients usually opt for pectoral implant surgery because they are unable to develop the pectoral muscle through exercise and diet alone. You may have spent months or even years trying to build muscle, but everything from your genes to not having enough spare time may have hindered your efforts. This treatment is designed to give you the shape and definition you have been striving for.

• During your initial consultation with your surgeon, you will discuss the options you have when it comes to the shape and size of the implants. They will advise you which is best to achieve a natural look.

• As with any cosmetic surgery, you will be taken through all the risks and recovery details of the procedure, and you should ensure you fully understand what is required and ask any questions you may have about the treatment.

• The pectoral implant surgery is carried out under a general anaesthetic. Your surgeon will discuss with you what this entails. You can expect to feel groggy when you wake up after surgery, but this will soon wear off. You might feel sore and tender once the anaesthetic starts to subside, but you will be given pain medication to help control this. You will also likely be given a compression garment to wear after treatment.

• You can expect your incisions to begin to heal in about two weeks, but complete recovery may take up to six weeks. You will be able to see the effects of surgery immediately, but you might have to wait for any swelling to subside before seeing the full and final result.