Breast surgery carries the same risks as any surgical procedure including:bleeding, infection, pulmonary embolism, anesthesia complications and unexpected complications related to individual procedures. Understand that these risks are no greater for elective breast surgery patients than for patients undergoing any elective surgery.
However breast surgery carries some additional risks. In general, these risks include a temporary or permanent loss of sensation in the breast, asymmetry and risks related to procedural outcomes. A reconstructed breast will never have the same sensation as a natural breast.
Over time and with your own determination, you may experience limited breast sensation. With a breast enlargement, the placement of the implant and pressure it has on breast tissue and nerves can either lessen or heighten nipple sensation. The use of breast implants has the added risk of a condition of constricting excess scar tissue called capsular contracture.
Scars are not a risk of breast surgery but they are to be expected. However how you heal and the formation of irregular scars is a risk that can be carefully controlled in many instances.
But most importantly, know that a breast that does not fully appear or feel natural is a risk you must take when choosing to breast surgery. You will never be able to breast-feed naturally from a reconstructed breast. Following breast reduction, breastlift,or breast augmentation,your ability to breast-feed is variable.
If your future ability to breast feed is an important issue to you, discuss this with your surgeon prior to surgery. It may be in your best interest to postpone surgery. if the gurarantee of breast-feeding naturally is more important to you than your goals for breast surgery.