Breast enlargement, also known as breast augmentation, is a plastic surgery procedure that is used to correct or enhance the size and form of a woman's breasts. While breast surgery is commonly used for correcting medical defects and deformities, this type of procedure has also become widely popular in cosmetic plastic surgery. There are three basic types of breast implant devices, with the different categories defined mostly by their filler material.

These three types are saline implants, silicone implants, and composite implants. Along with differences in terms of how implants are made, there are also a number of differences in terms of the techniques used by cosmetic surgeons during a breast augmentation procedure. A common plastic surgery procedure for breast enlargement, also known as mammoplasty, involves a variety of possible incision types and implant placements.

Breast enlargement procedures are performed by professional plastic surgeons, with five possible types of surgical incisions. These incision types include inframmammary, periareloar, transaxillary, transumbilical, and transabdominal. Along with these different incision types, the actual techniques used depend on the type of breast implant device that is being used. For example, with saline implants, the saline breast implant is filled with saline solution that is made from biological-concentration salt water 0.90% w/v of NaCl, ca. 300 mOsm/L. The implant technique involves emplacing the empty breast implants into the implant pockets, which are then filled with the saline solution. With silicone gel implants, the type of technique depends on what type of implants are used. There are now five generations of silicone implants that have been used, with the latest generation made from a semi solid gel to mostly eliminate any filler leakage.

There are four surgical approaches to emplacing a breast implant to the implant pocket, with these techniques used for both saline and silicone implants. These four approaches are described in anatomical relation to the pectoralis major muscle, and include subglandular, subfascial, subpectoral, and submuscular. When researching breast augmentation procedures and practitioners, the Internet is a great resource. It is also important to have a basic understanding of the particular certifications and standards that are in operation in your jurisdiction, to make sure you have access to a trustworthy and professional practitioner.