Breast augmentation is the most commonly performed cosmetic surgical procedure in the US and is the most commonly performed type of breast plastic surgery. In some countries, health insurers will reimburse for the breast implants only for clinical indications, such as congenital abnormalities, sex-reassignment surgery and breast reconstruction, usually following a mastectomy. If you're considering any type of breast plastic surgery, it's important to know everything you can about it, pros and cons.

And saline-filled implants are the most common implant used in the US because of a few restrictions on silicone implants, which may change, but are seldom used in other countries. The shells of saline implant shells are made of a silicone elastomer and are filled with saline solution after the implant is placed into the body. For women who have only a little breast tissue, or for those who want post-mastectomy reconstruction, plastic surgeons seem to think that silicone gel implants are superior. But for patients who have more breast tissue, the saline implants can look, but not necessarily feel, very similar to silicone gel implants.

There have been a few types of breast implants developed other than the saline and silicone gel implants, including polypropylene string and soy oil. Leakage of oil into the body during a rupture wouldn't be good. Saline implants are more likely to cause problems like rippling and wrinkling, and can be seen and felt.

Back in the 1970s plastic surgeons wanted more life-like and softer implants were designed with a thinner gel and thinner shells. But these implants were more likely to rupture, leak or "bleed" silicone into the body and finding complications such as capsular contractures were not uncommon. MRI's were given to help detect these ruptures and leakage.

A mastopexy may be performed to tighten up the skin following the removal of breast implants, especially for those that have been implanted for a long period of time. MRIs should be used to screen for the silent ruptures. The leaked silicone does have the potential to migrate to other parts of the body.

Some complications with breast implants include post-operative bleeding, fluid collections and surgical site infection. Also there may be breast pain, alterations in sensation in the nipples and interference with breast feeding. Then possibly visible wrinkling may occur or an asymmetric appearance, wound dehiscence with implant exposure and thinning of the tissue in the breast.

If you decide to have breast plastic surgery, make sure to choose the best breast plastic surgeon you can find based on your research. You might ask nurses, doctors or other health professionals you know for recommendations. The surgical procedure, usually done on an outpatient basis, for breast augmentation, takes about one or two hours depending on a number of factors. The effects of this breast plastic surgery, both bad and good, will be around for some time to come. You may know that some doctors in other specialties, such as dermatologists, perform breast plastic surgery like breast implantation or breast augmentation. It would be best to choose a board-certified plastic surgeon.