Frequently Asked Questions

In terms of Cup size, as you know these are commercial sizing and there is no standard cup size and if you went shopping you would find that the cup size vary with every shop or bra make. The objective therefore, during the examination and sizing will be to determine what look you are trying to achieve with the surgery and not cup size.

In cases where the breast tissue is significantly more in the lower pole of the breast, round implants would provide better aesthetic results, the reason being that anatomical implants already have a fuller lower pole projection.

Many of my patients have little or no breast tissue and they all ask for natural results. Many of them are under the impression that the round implants would give them a “fake look”, but that is far from the truth!

When there is little or no breast tissue present, best placement would be sub-muscular, and this means that the upper 2/3 of the implant is covered by the chest muscle, and with time, the muscles relax and give the implants a Natural teardrop shape. With the difference of having slightly more upper pole volume than the actual anatomical implant. However, this process may take up to a year for some individuals depending on how fast their muscles relax and recover post-operatively. But with Anatomical implants, you will see the results much faster, many times only within the first couple of months following surgery.

In terms of other implant placements such as, Sub-glandular (over the muscle, under the glands), Dual plane (upper half under the muscle and lower half behind the glands) and Sub-fascia (Under the fascia of the muscle)  the Anatomical implant may provide a more “Natural” look however, it is important to remember that it is common to lose breast tissue, especially in the upper breast pole with ageing, gravity and following pregnancy, and sometimes it would be better to obtain volume in the upper pole of the breast by using round implant.

In summary, both Round and Anatomical implants can provide natural results, IFchosen based on the right indications.

Most silicone implants of today are made of a cohesive gel. This gel does not leak or break down even if the outer shell is compromised. With the two implant brands I use in my practice there is no need to change them routinely, for some they can last a lifetime but for most they need to undergo further surgery at some point of their life, for either leakage, capsular contracture (hardness of the capsule around the implant), or to simply improve the size and shape of the breasts following weight loss, pregnancy or ageing. In any event, it is safe to say that if you are happy with the implants, and they are giving you no problem, then leave them in but make sure you carry out regular self-examination of your breasts and have some type of scan every 3-4 years.

Although uncommon, some women have difficulty breastfeeding and may produce less milk following an enlargement procedure. On average, there is roughly a 90% chance that you will be able to breastfeed, on the assumption that you were able to breastfeed before the surgery. If you’ve had a baby and are currently breastfeeding, your surgeon may require you to stop breastfeeding for 3 to 6 months before surgery in order to allow the breasts to settle before your procedure.

If you smoke, drink alcohol, are overweight and/or take drugs for medical or other reasons, the risk of complication during and after surgery can be greatly increased. Just about all plastic surgeons strongly recommend women to stop smoking and using all nicotine products at least six weeks before surgery.

Most cosmetic surgeons will be happy to see you for an initial consultation without a referral from your GP. But if you plan to go ahead with cosmetic surgery, your surgeon may ask your permission to contact your GP for details of your medical history.

Significant weight gain or loss may affect the appearance of your breasts in general. Actually, it might still behave as it would have from its original site. In other words, if it would lose volume with weight loss when it was in the abdomen it will still lose volume when it is in the breasts. After all, it is difficult to predict how a specific lady’s breasts will change with weight loss.

There is no question that fat grafting causes changes (including calcification) that are visible on mammograms. There is increasing evidence that those changes are equivalent to changes seen from other breast surgery, such as reductions. Most trained radiologists are able to determine the differences between postoperative calcifications and breast cancer changes.