Breast augmentation surgery in the Philippines could be done as an inpatient or an outpatient surgery depending on your surgeon and the method that has been chosen. However, most of the time, breast augmentation is done as an outpatient surgery so that the patient could take a rest overnight inside the hospital. Either way, this procedure usually takes an hour or three hours for both breasts.

There were some activities that you should stop few weeks prior to your surgery to avoid complications such as drinking alcohol, smoking and taking aspirins. If you think you are ready to take your breast augmentation surgery then study the following procedures to have an overview on how it is usually done.

1. General or local anesthesia will be administered first for your comfort. You could discuss with your surgeon the type of anesthesia that is best for your surgery.

2. Incisions will then be made to make a pocket within your breast tissues for the breast implant. There are several implants available in the country such as silicone and saline breast implants. Silicone implants are pre-filled with soft, elastic gel and may require a longer incision for implant placement. Saline implants, on the other hand, are filled with sterile salt water. Saline implants may be pre-filled but it could also be filled during the surgery itself for further modifications.

3. The chosen breast implant will then be inserted into the pocket either under the pectoral muscle or directly behind the breast tissue, over the pectoral muscle. The method for inserting and positioning implants depends on the type of implant, the degree of enlargement desired, your body type, and your surgeon's recommendations as well.

4. After the implants were placed properly, the surgeon will now close the incision with layered sutures in the breast tissue. The skin of the breast will be closed using an adhesive or surgical tape.

You could go home few hours after the breast augmentation surgery or you might stay in the hospital if your surgeon asked you to. All dressings or bandages will be removed after several days and you could go back to your normal activities at the direction of your surgeon. You will experience swelling and soreness for a few weeks and you will also be asked to wear a support bra. You surgeon will give you some medications to apply or to take orally to reduce pain and to hasten the healing process.

About the Author:
Dr. Edwin Paul V. Magallona is a board certified Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeon born in Quezon City and raised in the university town of Laguna. He spent his secondary and collegiate years in the University of the Philippines at Los Banos. Since realizing his inclination in the biological sciences, he graduated with a degree of B.S. Biology, major in Cell Biology in 1990.

He then pursued his medical education at the DeLa Salle University College of Medicine and obtained the degree in 1994.

After a year of postgraduate internship at the Makati Medical Center and passing the August 1994 medical board exams, he decided to further train for 5 years in the specialty ofGeneral Surgery at the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center. And immediately after completion of training, he decided to further subspecialize with another 3 years in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery under the Consortium I program (consisting of UERMMMC, Makati Medical Center, Veterans Memorial Medical Center, Rizal Medical Center).


He passed and topped the written examination and later successfully completed the oral examination given by the Philippine Board of Plastic Surgery, the only organization that looks over fellowship and resident training and ultimately officially certified plastic surgeon.