Breast Augmentation: How To Get The Most From A Consultation

Many women will have thought about having a breast augmentation for several years before actually taking the plunge and booking up for their first consultation. Most will have spoken to friends about it, visited online forums and spent hours scouring the Internet looking for advice and information on breast implant surgery.
This information, or misinformation as it can so often be, comes from a variety of sources including competing cosmetic surgery providers to prospective and former patients. Even medically trained personnel can have differing views so trying to sift the wheat from the chaff can often be a confusing and bewildering prospect.
While there’s no doubt that these sources can be helpful, the ultimate goal is to find a surgeon and company that matches individual requirements, something that only the woman can decide on. Therefore shopping around to find a deal that suits and meeting with a few surgeons is only wise before making such a big decision. Before even entering a consultation though there are several factors that women should be aware to get the most from their time.
Firstly be aware that when companies offer free consultations they may not always be with the surgeon. While patient co-ordinators can be of some help and can pass on generic information about breast enlargement, it is the surgeon and only the surgeon who will be able to assess and make the final decision about what will be suitable, from the size and shape of the implant to where it will be positioned.
How the breasts will look after augmentation is clearly foremost on most women’s minds. Asking to see the surgeon’s previous work is an ideal way of working out if their style fits. Each cosmetic surgeon seems to have their own fairly unique look when it comes to breast enlargement and by seeing before and after pictures, particularly of women with a similar bust size gives an approximation of what the results may look like.
To get an idea of size, the surgeon should offer breast implants to try on inside a bra. By putting a t-shirt or jumper over the top it gives a good idea of how large this will be. This is more successful however without a push up bra on as this already accentuates the natural size. So either wearing or taking a normal, everyday bra to the consultation helps enormously.
Size in itself can often be a bone of contention between the patient and the surgeon. What the surgeon is aiming for is the most realistic looking breast for the individual and while there is an element of leeway, the surgeons can only work with what is already available in terms of body structure.
The diameter base measurements of breast implants change with the size and projection, which means not all implants will fit all women perfectly. Deviating from what the surgeon recommends, either substantially smaller or larger, will affect how natural the outcome is. It is also important to note that depending on skin type much larger implants carry with them a greater risk of stretch marks and of the breast prematurely sagging over time because of the extra weight.
Another topic that seems to be very popular on women’s forums is that of whether the implant should be placed behind or in front of the muscle. There seems to be no exact wrong or right answer to this and is very much dependent on personal preference and how the individual presents to the surgeon. As a rule, implants under the muscles are advised more for women who have absolutely no breast tissue to start with, particularly those who are very young.
However if they are very active and sporty or have developed chest muscles then this is often considered a contraindication because the contracting muscles can cause the implant to shift or even form an encapsulation.  
In front of the muscle is considered to carry less risk and be more natural looking in the majority of cases, although again this is an area that is commonly disputed by surgeons. The best way to judge it is to look at the surgeon’s work and see if it matches personal expectations.