Breasts are one of the defining features of being female and have a vital effect upon a woman’s confidence. An increasing number of women, with their own individual reasons, seek to improve the proportion between their chest and rest of their body with breast surgery. Nowadays, the trend is a “Natural Look” which in turn carries less risks and possible complications.
Mr Allen Rezai, a leading Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon of Harley Street, London, offers a choice of treatments, depending on what his patients are looking to achieve. Smaller breasts can be made bigger and fuller with breast implants, a treatment known as breast augmentation. Too large breasts can be reduced in volume with a breast reduction surgery. Breast Uplift or a mastopexy is recommended where breasts are droopy and require an overall improvement of shape without expressively impacting on the size. And finally, some breasts need both an augmentation and a lift in order to obtain a “fuller” and “perkier” look. This can frequently be the case with mothers following pregnancy who would like to have their breast shape and volume restored to who it was prior to pregnancy.
Mr Rezai is a firm believer in a “Natural Look” – one in which the breasts are in proportion with the rest of the body and have natural feel and move. He uses the least invasive methods possible in order to achieve best possible result with minimal scarring.
Breast Augmentation is by far the most popular procedure requested by women worldwide. Despite of anything you may have heard to the conflicting, there are absolutely no medicines or exercises that are currently available to enhance the volume or size of the breast lastingly, evenly and safely.
Currently, the only standard method for improving breast size is to put an implant into a space created behind the patient’s own breast tissue. It is the size of this space (determined by your anatomy) along with factors such as your height, width of your shoulders, width of your hip and chest size which determines the Breast implant size-range suitable for you. During the recent years fat transfer is also being used to enhance the size of a breast, however, to achieve optimum results, the procedure may need to be repeated a few times.
Breast augmentation in London is ideal for those who wish to increase the size of their breasts, those who seek to correct an asymmetry or seek to restore the volume and size of their breasts following pregnancy or weight loss, women who have underdeveloped breasts or had to have mastectomy following breast cancer, does also benefit from a breast augmentation.
Breast augmentation is usually performed under general anaesthetic and may take anywhere between 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on the surgeon’s experience. Patients are advised to stay overnight at the hospital.
The procedure starts by making an approximately 3-4cm long incision. There are three incision areas widely used:
- The infra-mammary incision (under the breast fold) – This is most common incision area. After healing, the scar tends to be well hidden in the breast crease.
- The periareolar incision (around the lower half of the areola) – This incision is preferred by some surgeons. Scar will be almost invisible when it heals. However, should the patient develop extreme scarring for any reason, then it will be visible. This incision type has a higher probability of interfering with breast-feeding as peri areolar incision involves cutting through the breast tissue and may damage the breast ducts.
- The axillary incision (in the armpit) – Only very few surgeons favour inserting the implants via a small incision in the armpit, mostly to place unfilled saline breast implants. Once the incision is made, a lighted camera (endoscope) is used to help tunnel through the subcutaneous fat to create space for the implant. In these situations, most surgeons would insert the implant behind the pectoral muscle. This technique has a higher complication rate than other incision techniques.
There is also the trans-umbilical incision which is made in the belly button or umbilical channel, however this incision site has not been studied and is not recommended.
Each incision has its pros and cons, at your consultation Mr Rezai will recommend the incision suitable for you. Once the incision is made, a pocket is created where the implant is placed in.
Mr Rezai explains that “Today there are essentially four locations within the breast where implants can be placed, each with its advantages and disadvantages. These are regularly referred to as sub-muscular, sub-glandular, dual plane and sub-fascial placements. Body size, shape and amount of breast tissue determine the type of implant placement suitable for a patient.”
Sub-glandular (sub-mammary) pocket
In sub-glandular placement, the implant is inserted into a pocket created behind the breast gland and over the pectoral muscle on the chest wall.
- Suitability: Patients with adequate breast tissue (glands) to cover the implant.
Sub-muscular (sub-pectoral) pocket
In sub-muscular placement, the implant is placed into a pocket that the surgeon creates behind the pectoral muscle. Therefore, the implant lies between the muscle & the ribs.
- Suitability: patients with little or no breast tissue.
Sub-fascial Pocket
For sub-fascial placement, the implant is inserted into a pocket created behind the fascia of the pectoral muscle. So, the implant is placed between the muscle and its fascia.
Suitability: patients with adequate breast tissue but in need of added support for the implant.
Dual Plane (partials) Pocket
In dual plane placements, the pectoral muscle covers the upper 1/3 of the implant, leaving the bottom of the implant free to descend into the sub-glandular breast pocket. The implant exists both under and over the muscle at the same time.
- Suitability: patients with slight or no breast tissue on the upper pole of the breast but who have enough breast tissue in the lower breast pole to cover the implant.
Mr Rezai adds: “Meticulous examination and measurements are necessary before deciding on the type, size and placement of an implant. If chosen correctly and according to patients’ suitability, all placements should produce a Natural Look and feel”.
After positioning of the implants in their pockets the incisions are closed using dissolvable stitches and dressing is applied.
Following surgery some bruising, and tenderness is expected. The breasts will be firm and swollen at first, and will take several weeks to settle and adopt a more natural position, in some cases it may even take between 6-12 months for the breasts to completely settle in their final shape, especially if the implants have been placed behind the muscle. Recovery period is longer following sub-muscular placement, but it is all very individual and varies between patients.
Mr Rezai is a leading Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon in breast surgery & he has performed thousands of various cosmetic & reconstructive breast surgeries. Women who have experienced breast surgery with him are some of his happiest and most satisfied patients, finding a transformed sense of self- confidence and keenness for life.
“At my practice we believe, not only in educating each one of our patients as to what is available and appropriate, but also in formulating a bespoke treatment plan for each patient. We understand that everyone that walks through our doors is unique – with different anatomies, lifestyles, goals and personal circumstances. We also believe that truly successful results are achieved, not only with technical perfection, but with outcomes that best fit your individual needs and desires. Plastic surgery with us is a consultative process – we want to understand what it is you want to achieve and guide you towards the best and most cost-effective and safe way of achieving it.”
Mr Allen Rezai
For more information about breast augmentation or other breast surgery procedures or to make an appointment to Consult with Mr Allen Rezai at our London Harley Street practice call +44 20 7580 8001. To consult with Mr Rezai in Dubai call +971 (0) 44312396
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