I am 34 and thinking about getting breast implants mostly to even out my chest (one breast is a C-cup, the other is a B-cup). I want my breasts to look better and more symmetrical, but I am really scared of losing sensation in this area. What I want to know is - Will breast implants cause me to lose sensation in my breasts? Is there anything I can do to avoid this, or is it inevitable if I undergo breast augmentation? Thanks a lot!
Hello,
Bigger implants requiring larger pockets may contribute to more numbness. Implants placed by surgeons making thin skin flaps (a technical issue) can also result in more numbness.
Most patients see little change in their sensation unless they are going quite larger and/or are in inexperienced hands.
Loss of sensation of the nipple and areola after breast augmentation is uncommon and is considered a complication of surgery. There should be no change in the sensation of the breast in a well performed breast augmentation. The sensory nerves to the breast can be stretched or cut during the procedure but the nerves are deep and off to the side of the chest, out of harms way with an appropriately chosen implant.
The problem occurs when larger implants or implants that are too large for the breast they are being placed in are used. If the nerves are stretched, the majority will heal uneventfully; cut nerves are less forgiving.
There is a misconception that nipple numbness is more common with the incision below the areola. The incidence of nerve injury is the same regardless of the location of the incision under arm, in the fold or at the areola. Incisional numbness occurs with any incision but this usually resolves completely over time.
There is always the risk that there may be some loss of sensation with placing breast implants, but this is fortunately a rare occurrence. It is not uncommon for there to be some temporary changes in sensation right after the surgery due to swelling and the stretch from the implant to the nerves, but this usually doesn't last.
There seems to be a difference in incidence of loss of sensation with the incision placement. The closer you are to the nerve to the nipple, the higher the chance of loss of sensation.
The periareolar incision has the highest chance of loss of sensation, with stats being about 15%. The inframamary incision has about a 5% chance of loss of sensation. This is one of the reasons that I like the transaxillary approach, as the chance of loss of sensation is, according to published papers, about a 1% chance. This makes sense, as you are further away from the nerve that goes to the nipple, if you are going in at the armpit, and going under the muscle.
Each surgeon has his own statistics, and you should feel free to ask each one his own stats when you see him. As always, make sure that your surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. To be a member of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) means that the surgeon does a preponderance of his work in Aesthetic Surgery, so this can be a plus as well.
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