Celebrating confidence - A Carnival guide to breast health and implants

BAVINA SOOKDEO

Carnival is just around the corner and many women may seek ways to enhance their body image and feel confident in their revelry. Dr Rajendra Rampaul sheds light on breast health and the considerations for those with breast implants during the festivities.

Rampaul is a breast oncologist and breast reconstructive surgeon with a career in the medical field spanning back to 1995. He is medical director at Pink Hibiscus Breast Health Specialists, which delivers care for all aspects of breast-related concerns.

What sets Rampaul apart in the Caribbean medical landscape is his unique expertise in doing radioactive surgeries for breast cancer – a practice considered the gold standard internationally, especially in the US.

Rampaul emphasises that breast implants are not merely about size; they offer women the opportunity to shape their breasts according to their desires.

The decision to opt for breast surgery often stems from a desire to alter the breast’s appearance due to changes post-pregnancy, dissatisfaction with size, or a wish for more cleavage. While breast implants provide a solution, Rampaul says alternatives like breast lifts and fat grafting also cater to different preferences.

Planning for breast surgery requires careful consideration of timing, ensuring sufficient healing before the vigorous activities of Carnival. Asked how breast implants affect a woman’s ability to play mas, Rampaul said, “You really don’t have inabilities or limitations to your physical activity, so it does not affect you in a negative way. In fact, you’re seeking enhancement of your body image so it improves your outlook and your motivation and does not limit you physically.”

But he said, “While it does not affect your ability, there is the fact that if your breast is heavier and you’ve had recent surgery – later than six to eight months – and the breast is larger, you must ensure you’re wearing the right, supportive bra. I would definitely not recommend any women getting implants shortly before getting into the Carnival spirit.

“If you decide you want to change the shape of your breast or you want to have larger breasts for Carnival, you really are looking to do your surgery at least six-nine months before the start of the Carnival season.

“When we talk about Carnival we are really talking about the turn of Christmas…January is really when the country starts going with fetes and parties and a very vigorous lifestyle, so there’s a lot of physical movement – a lot of jumping up and down, bouncing around and naturally a lot of body interaction. Therefore, you don’t want to be recently out of surgery – two-three months, even four months. You really want a minimum of six-nine months to be in a safe situation.”

Asked for essential care tips for women with breast implants during the physically demanding activities of Carnival, Rampaul said, “In general, we are making the assumption that any woman with breast implants have had their surgery nine months before and they are well healed. Any woman who has had recent surgery to the point where they have bandages on – do not get involved in the Carnival activities…it will negatively affect the shape and the movement of the implant, and it also raises the risk of infection.”

Beyond that, when they’re well healed and integrated into the body, Rampaul cautions women “not wear any costumes that have sharp edges or that can cause scratches or cuts on the skin of the breast. That can lead to infections in the breast and can definitely move on to infect the implant, which is a disaster you don’t want to have.”

As for specific problems or complications someone with implants may encounter during Carnival festivities, he explained, “If you decide to engage in vigorous activities such as partying/feting and you haven’t really crossed the six-nine-month barrier of your implants, you’re running the risk that the implants may not integrate into the pocket and they may become free-floating or flopping around and moving.

“That can lead to a misshapen implant and therefore give you a bad shape or bad size and it can also cause one side to look very different to the other side. That, of course, is a problem.”

For women who are beyond nine months and have definitely had their implants integrated and settled, Rampaul advises them to be careful and ensure their skin does not get damaged or scratched thereby causing any infections in the chest.

“Other than that,” he said, “I would say you are free to enjoy yourself.”

For those wondering if there is any link between breast implants and an increased risk of breast cancer, Rampaul said, “Absolutely not. There’s no association with breast cancer.

“It is important when you have breast implants to continue with breast screening, and the method of breast screening is mammography and ultrasound every year.

“It is particularly important if you have breast implants to make sure that you are monitoring it every year, not only to ensure that you are free of breast cancer but to monitor the integrity of the implant and ensure that there are no leaks or ruptures.”

Rampaul said implants have no negative impact on mammography screening as they are separate and they sit either under the muscle or under the breast and do not obscure or affect it.

He added, though, “When you have breast implants, it’s a little more complicated for the patient to do self-examination, and that’s why we get back to going to a dedicated breast centre for very specialised breast screening.”

In case of emergencies or injuries, seeking immediate medical attention is crucial.

“If a woman thinks that there is a rupture, leak – but more importantly, if she develops a cut or scratch on the skin and it becomes red and painful and there is a feature or concern that it may be infected – that is not a reason to ignore, and I would recommend seeking immediate medical attention.”

There are two types of implants: silicone implants and saline implants, and two types of textures: textured and smooth implants.

Rampaul admits there is a perception that silicone implants are not safe and are artificial in nature; he suggests fat grafting as an alternative.

Questioned on emerging trends and technologies in breast health or breast implants that he anticipates will affect women’s experiences in the context of Carnival, Rampaul said, “There have been different improvement in implants, for example in the shape of implants (like the teardrop shape implant or the anatomic implant); also textured implants that allow a better integration in tissue and less rotation, less bad positioning, so it gives you a more natural feel.

“There is also fat grafting, as mentioned previously, which is the most modern technology, where we use liposuction and then use stem cell separation and stem cells on what I call the fat cell or adipocytes, (which) are then reinjected into the breast or just beneath the breast and can actually act as an implant. These are new, modern technologies that offer alternatives.”

So what is his advice to women with breast implants this Carnival?

“Once you’re happy with the implant – it has been an investment in your body image, you’ve invested something beautiful in yourself – go out there and enjoy it.

“Take the medical advice we’ve put here in this article about being careful about cuts, scratches, bruises, wear protective bras, safe bras that can support it, don’t allow the implants to freely swing because it can affect how it integrates in the body, especially for women who’ve had their surgery within one year. Other than that, it is an integrated, natural part of you and it’s there for you to enjoy how you see yourself.”