| Breast Enlargement Term | Definition |
|---|
| Aftercare | The patient care and treatment received after breast augmentation surgery. |
| Anatomical Implants | These are teardrop shaped implants i.e. they are wider in profile at the bottom than they are at the top. They are intended to provide a more natural breast shape than a round implant. |
| Areola | The pigmented or darker colored area of skin surrounding the nipple of the breast. |
| Areolar Vertical Approach (AVA) Incision | The incision is the same as the periareolar but a more extended submuscular pocket is left for silicon gel implants. |
| Asymmetry | A lack of proportion of shape, size and position on opposite sides of the body. |
| Auto-immune Disease | A disease in which the body mounts an attack response to its own tissues or cell types. |
| Biopsy | Removal and examination of sample tissue for diagnosis. |
| Breast Augmentation | Surgical enlargement of the breast by insertion of a breast implant or by addition of the patient's own tissue. |
| Breast Enhancer | An external device that appears to enhance cleavage or make the breasts look to be bigger. e.g. chicken fillets, padded bras, gel bras, push up bras. |
| Breast Enhancement | See Breast Augmentation. |
| Breast Enlargement | See Breast Augmentation. |
| Breast Enlargement Creams | Also know as breast firming creams. These are creams that are rubbed onto the breasts and are claimed to increase the size of the breasts. |
| Breast Enlargement Pills | These are supplements which are taken orally and are claimed to increase the size of the breasts. |
| Breast Enlargement Suction Pumps | These are mechanical devices where are placed over the breasts forming and air tight seal. Air is sucked out via a pump to reduce the pressure over the breasts. This process is claimed to increase the breast size of some women who use it. |
| Breast Reconstruction | Surgical restoration of the natural breast contour and size following mastectomy, disease or trauma. |
| Capsular Contracture | Tightening of the body's fibrous tissue surrounding a breast implant which results in a firmer breast. |
| Capsulectomy | Surgical removal of the entire capsule surrounding a breast implant. |
| Closed Capsulotomy | Compression (e.g. firm massage) on the outside of the breast to break the capsule and relieve contracture. |
| Contoured Implants | See anatomical implants. |
| Hematoma | A swelling or mass of blood (usually clotted) confined to a localised area of the body such as an organ or bodily tissues. It is caused by a rupturing or a break in a blood vessel. |
| Hyaluronic Acid (Macrolane) Gel Injections | A gel containing hyaluronic acid is injected into the breast tissue in order to increase the volume of the breast without surgery. It can be performed with a local anaesthetic and the effects last for around 9 to 12 months. |
| Immune Response | The reaction of the body to foreign bodies or substances. |
| Implant Displacement | Shifting of the breast implants from their original position. |
| Implant Extrusion | A lump or bump on the breast caused by the implant not being positioned correctly or by the implant forcing its way through a weakness in the natural breast tissue or muscle. |
| Implant Ridges & Rippling | Ripples, folds, creases or ridges may appear on the breasts. This is typically caused by implants shrinking slightly with age. |
| Implant Rupture | A hole or tear appears in the breast implant shell. Depending upon the nature of the implant, the contents may or may not leak out into the breast tissue. |
| Infection | An attack on the body by a foreign body or substance. |
| Inframammary Incision | A surgical incision made below the breast where the breast meets the chest wall (i.e. at the inferior inframammary fold). |
| Mammography | A breast screening technique using radiography (X-rays) to detect breast cancer. |
| Mastectomy | Surgical removal of the breast. |
| Overs | See Subglandular Implant Placement |
| Periareolar Incision | An incision used for implant placement. The incision is made along the border of the areola. |
| Scarring | Scars left on the body through the incisions made in order to insert the breast implants. |
| Smooth Implants | Breast implants with a smooth external surface. |
| Mastopexy | A breast uplift. Plastic surgery to move sagging or drooping breasts into a more superior (elevated) position. Mastopexy will result in scarring, typically an inverted 'T' shape plus scarring from replacing the nipples. |
| Necrosis | Death of body tissue. Necrosis is usually caused by an insufficient blood supply, possibly through damage to blood vessesls or by an infection. |
| Mammaplasty | Plastic surgery of the breast. |
| Natural Breast Enhancement | To increase the breast size through non surgical measures e.g. supplements and creams. |
| Partial Submuscular Implant Placement | The top two thirds of the breast implant is placed under the pectoralis (chest) muscle. The lower third is covered by breast tissue. |
| Partial Unders | See partial Submuscular Implant Placement. |
| Pectoralis | The major muscle of the chest. |
| Ptosis | Sagging of the breast usually due to normal ageing, pregnancy or weight loss. |
| Rice Test | A simple test used to help asses how you might look and feel with various sized breast implants. |
| Round Implants | Breast implants that are round in shape. See also Anatomical Implants. |
| Saline | Sodium chloride solution (salt water). |
| Saline Implants | Breast implants filled with saline solution. |
| Seroma | A build up of body fluid (plasma) in the breast tissue causing swelling. |
| Serratus | Muscle located beneath the chest's pectoralis major and minor muscles and the rib cage. |
| Silicone Elastomer | A type of silicone that has elastic properties similar to rubber. A silicone elastomer shell is often used to cover both saline implants and silicone implants. |
| Silicone Implants | Breast implants made from inert silicone. |
| Subglandular Implant Placement | Placement of the breast implant behind the skin and breast tissue of the mammary gland but above of the pectoralis (chest) muscle. |
| Submuscular Implant Placement | Placement of the breast implant under the pectoralis (chest) muscle with the lower part being placed under the serratus muscles and rectus abdominus fascia. |
| Surgical Incision | Cut made in tissue for surgical purposes. |
| Transabdominoplasty (TABA) Incision | The incision is made in the navel and the surgeon continues to cut upwards to the breast. |
| Transaxillary Incision | The incision is made in the armpit and the surgeon continues to cut inwards towards to the breast. |
| Transumbilical (TUBA) Incision | The incision is made in the navel and the surgeon continues to cut upwards towards to the breast. Similar to TABA but TUBA is a less used incision type. |
| Unders | See Submuscular Implant Placement. |
| Unilateral | Affecting only either the left or the right breast. |
