Cosmetic Breast Surgery

Breast Surgery

There are different breast surgery procedures currrently available to women who wish to improve on the size and shape of their breasts. According to Dr Jake Lim, a well known Sydney based Plastic Surgeon, the first step is to talk with the patient and assess her main concerns. This allows him to tailor your breast surgery in order to achieve your expectations.

“If the patient is unhappy with the size of her breasts, then they can be made bigger with implants,” says Dr Lim. “If she is not happy with the shape, then a breast lift, or mastopexy, may improve their shape. If she is not happy with both the size and shape, then a mastopexy augmentation procedure - which is a lift with implants – may be the necessary procedure to increase the size of the breasts while simultaneously improving the shape.”

“Ideal candidates for breast augmentation (mastopexy augmentation), this is the combination of implants and breast lift to tighten the breast envelope, are women with very droopy breasts, also know as ptotic breasts.” Dr Lim adds. “Drooping breasts are not only associated with old age. They are also possibly a consequence of pregnancy, especially if breast feeding has occured. Younger women may that have lost a large amount of weight could also find that the loss of breast tissue results in a dramatic sagging of the breasts.”

There are various breast surgery procedures to be recommended, depending on the actual amount of droop. With excessive skin sagging, a mastopexy which tightens the skin means the possible repositioning of the nipple may need to be considered. Downward pointing nipples can be repositioned for a more aesthetically pleasing result.

A more complex breast surgery procedure is the combined lift-augmentation. The excess breast skin is removed, with breast reshaping over the implants and the nipples are then repositioned. The breasts are, in effect, being remodelled, with the skin being surgically contoured from the pendulous, droopy shape to a more youthful and conical shape. “To achieve the best aesthetic results possible, while minimising scarring, the cosmetic breast surgeon needs to consider the patient's situation in terms of her skin condition and her breast volume, along with the patient's desired outcome before deciding upon the most suitable type of incision,” says Dr Jake Lim.

The most common types of incisions used by Dr Lim are:

• Lifting the position of the nipple when the size of the breast is to be increased with an implant. A crescent of skin, of up to two centimeters, is cut just above the areola. The nipple would normally be re-positioned in the middle of the implant.
• Tightening of the skin and repositioning of the breast tissue, sitting higher up over the top of the implant. A vertical mastopexy can be performed around the areola and then down to the breast crease. This results in what is called a 'lollypop' scar, and the result is usually a 'perky' breast.
• The Wise pattern, or the traditional anchor-shaped scar which is from the nipple down to then and under the breast crease. This can be used when more skin requires removal in order to lift the breast.
• Reshaping the breast. The Benelli incision could be used. This is where a do-nut shape section of skin would be removed from around the areola. The outer edges of the incision are drawn into the inner edges at the nipple. This reduces the larger radius into a smaller one. This is the only scar and with time this scar fades significantly.

Your breast surgery consultation is always very important for both yourself and your surgeon. “The consultation allows the patient to express any concerns in detail that she may have. The surgeon should clearly explain all the surgical options and risks involved. The patient and surgeon can determine the best possible procedure for achieving the optimum result,” Dr Lim adds.

Read Dr Lim's published Breast Surgery articles on the media page.

Another very successful breast surgery procedure performed regularly out by Dr lim is breast reduction surgery (sometimes referred to as reduction mammaplasty). Breast reduction surgery produces pleasing cosmetic results, whilst being a highly recommended solution for some physical problems that large, heavy breasts can cause women. Physical restrictions to a woman's activity levels may be reduced by a reduction in her breast size. Read more about breast reduction surgery.