Implant-based breast reconstruction can either be done 

• by placing a tissue expander in at the time of your mastectomy which is then changed out for either a silicone or saline (salt water) implant in a second surgery    

- or -  

• by placing either a silicone or saline implant at the time of your mastectomy

The implants can be placed either above or below the muscle.

Autologous breast reconstruction uses your own tissues to create a new breast.  The tissue can come from your back(Latissimus) or your belly (TRAM or DIEP flap) and in some cases from your leg or buttocks.  Sometimes this will involve surgery under a microscope to hook up the blood vessels to connect these tissues to vessels in the chest. 

Fat grafting involves harvesting fat from somewhere else on your body and injecting small amounts at a time to better contour your reconstructed breasts to make them more even and to improve their shape and size.

Nipple areolar reconstruction is like nipple origami.  The tissue on your reconstructed breast is moved around to make a new nipple.  Later the area around the nipple is tattooed to try to match the other side as much as possible. 

Breast Reduction involves making the other breast smaller (and lifted) 

Breast Lift (Mastopexy) involves lifting the other breast without changing the size

Breast Augmentation involves making the other breast larger usually with either a silicone or saline implant but could involve fat grafting if there is not much difference in volume.