The prospective patient needs to understand some of the commonly used medical terminology. This is not exhaustive, but is meant as a guide:
- Areolar — Dark circular area around nipple
- Augmentation — Enlargement
- Axilla — Armpit
- Breast tissue — Collective term given to the milk ducts and glands
- Inframammary fold — Crease underneath the breast (where the bottom edge of a bra sits)
- Mammogram — Breast image used to detect lumps
- Mammography — The process of breast imaging
- Mammoplasty — Surgical creation or augmentation of a breast
- Pectoral muscle — Muscle directly on top of chest wall (the breast sits on top of this muscle)
- Periareolar — Edge around the areola where there is a change in skin color
- Post-operative — After the operation
- Subglandular — Literally meaning underneath the breast tissue
- Submuscular — Literally meaning underneath the muscle tissue
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