Harley Plastic Surgery

Does Breast Implant Surgery require a general anaesthetic or hospitalisation?

Breast Implant Surgery is usually a 1-night-stay or a day-case operation which is carried out under general anaesthetic.

What are my options for the type of implants?

Various types of Breast Implants are available and the optimum implant for you will depend on your goals and existing size and shape. Breast implant types are Silicone or Saline filled, round or teardrop shaped and can be low, medium, high or extra high profile in order to achieve the best aesthetic natural result.  There are differences in the outer layer of implants also.  I usually use Motiva or Mentor implants which ahve a good safety and manufacturing record.

Where will the implants be placed in Breast Augmentation Surgery?

Breast implants can usually be placed directly behind the breast tissue.   If the breast tissue is thin over the upper part of the breast then it may be preferable to place the implant more deeply, under the pectoral muscle. In either position, what you will see and feel is your own breast tissue. 

The goal is to achieve the optimum natural appearance of your breasts.

How long is the recovery time?

Most patients report that their surgery was much less painful than they expected. Moderate pain / discomfort is expected for 3 – 5 days. You may return to your normal daily activities the next day if you feel ready and comfortable to do so.  You should however avoid strenuous exercise / activity for 6 weeks. It will be necessary to wear a support bra for the first 3 weeks, day and night and the second 3 weeks during the day. The majority of swelling will resolve in 2 – 3 weeks but it will take up to 3 months for the breast to return to normal feel.

You may find that your breasts are too big.  This could be for reasons of body image perhaps if you have a slight or slim figure which is out of keeping with the size of the breasts.  Regardless of your overall body shape, large and heavy breasts can cause pains around the neck and shoulders, affect posture or cause rubbing and discomfort from bra straps.  The breast crease can be sweaty and even develop rashes or sores.  

If you are sporty you may find that a big bust interferes with your activities.  From time to time women have jobs or pastimes which may be difficult due to physical requirements or special clothing.  Other patients find that large breasts are a source of unwanted attention and comment. All of these problems are successfully addressed by breast reduction; women have high rates of satisfaction following breast reduction surgery and this is supported by medical research into quality of life after this procedure. 

How is the operation done?

One of the most important aspects of breast reduction surgery is your consultation.  Mr Harley will listen carefully to your concerns and discuss look you want to achieve.

The operation itself is done while you are asleep (general anaesthetic).  It takes 2-3 hours and you can go home on the day of surgery or the day following it. 

Breast reduction removes skin and breast tissue usually from the underneath and sides of the breast and reshapes the remaining breast tissue to give natural and more youthful appearance.  This is carefully measured and planned at your consultation and again immediately prior to surgery.  The remaining skin and tissue is reshaped around the nipple and the resulting breast is smaller, lighter and uplifted.  

How would I be helped by liposuction?

If you would like to change the profile of your body and this has not been achievable with diet and exercise then liposuction may be helpful for you.  ‘Love handles’ above the hips, ‘saddle bags’ overlying the hips, inner thighs, inner knees, back rolls, neck, tummy and ‘man-boobs’ may all be reshaped with liposuction.  Although it is not essential to be at ‘ideal body weight’,

liposuction is not intended as an alternative to being a healthy weight so it not appropriate for patients who are significantly overweight and looking to lose weight through surgery.

Liposuction relies on your own skin being elastic enough to shrink once fat has been removed.  This effect is impossible to predict accurately.  If your skin elasticity is reduced, liposuction will result in wrinkles, folds or uneven skin - typically the skin loses its elasticity increasing age, sun exposure, cigarette use and stretch (pregnancy / weight-gain).

Liposuction does

not

treat cellulite; in fact, liposuction can leave the skin with a slightly uneven appearance similar to cellulite.

In summary, liposuction will definitely reduce overall bulk and change the outline contour but there are often imperfections in the flatness of the bare skin afterwards.

What is pinnaplasty?

The medical term for the external ear is the ‘pinna’.  A pinna-plasty alters the shape of the external ear.  In almost all cases this involves altering prominent ear so that it sits closer to the side of the head.  People talk about ‘pinning’ ears…..no pins are involved!  The shape and position of the ear is corrected by scoring the cartilage in the ear and / or holding it in a new position with stitches.  A headband is worn full time for a week to protect the corrected ears.

Why do ears stick out?

This is simply a variation between humans.  The cartilage of the pinna is a complex of folds and recesses which forms during the first few months of foetal development.  In most cases the prominent ear will have quite a deep bowl ‘concha’ immediately next to the ear hole.   Additionally, the principal fold in the mid and upper section of the pinna has a very open angle or it is deficient altogether.  Prominent ears can be a source of ridicule and self-consciousness and for this reason patients frequently ask for the ears to be corrected.

What is Rhinoplasty?

Rhinoplasty is also known as a ‘nose-job’.  It is an operation which changes the shape of the nose to give a more aesthetically balanced appearance or perhaps to correct an established deformity.  There are a combination of changes which can be made to improve the appearance of the nose which include reshaping the bridge of the nose (usually reducing a hump), refining the tip of the nose, improving the projection of the tip, shortening the nose or narrowing wide nostrils.  The aim is to shape the nose so that it is more in keeping with the desired appearance of the patient and also in balance with the proportions of the face.

What does the surgery involve?

Rhinoplasty is typically carried out under general anaesthetic and you can go home on the day of surgery.  Sometimes a single night in hospital is advised.  The shape of the nose is determined by a framework of cartilages and bones.  Small cuts are made inside the nostrils to access the framework and reshape it.  Occasionally it is also necessary to have a small scar at the base of the nostrils or across the central strut (‘columella’) of the nose or tiny access incisions on the side of the nose.  The operation takes about 90 minutes. At the end of the operation a small splint and some tapes will be positioned and packs are inserted into the nostrils.  This is done to support the new shape of the nose while it sets.  Some cases are more complex and may require internal access to the central strut deep inside the nose ‘septum’ which is necessary to correct shape, airflow or to obtain cartilage grafts to assist with shaping the nose.  This is known as septo-rhinoplasty.

Tummy tuck aims to restore a more youthful, toned tummy which has been affected by ageing, pregnancy and weight gain that all take their toll on your shape, especially around the waist and hips. Skin laxity and extra fat contribute to the heavy abdomen and hips making it difficult to wear the clothes you want and sometimes contributing to lower back pain or poor posture.

What is a Tummy Tuck?

Tummy tuck is a plastic surgical procedure which removes excess fat and loose skin around the lower abdomen between the navel (belly button) and the pants line.  Skin from the upper abdomen is stretched downwards to replace the removed skin and the navel is stitched into position.  This greatly improves the abdominal contour.

What is a Mini Tummy Tuck?

A few patients have a very small skin roll which is confined to the lowest section of the abdominal wall.  In these cases is is possible to simply remove the small roll of skin without the need to reposition the navel.  This is a less extensive procedure, taking approximately half the time of a full abdominoplasty.  It leaves scar in the pants line, as does the abdominoplasty but no surgical scar is present around the navel.  It may be possible to do this as an awake ‘local anaesthetic’ operation although general anaesthetic remains preferable.  Other aspects of the surgery are similar to a full abdominoplasty - see below.

Does the surgery require a general anaesthetic or hospitalisation?

Tummy tuck surgery is done under general anaesthetic, as a day case or a one-night-stay procedure.

How long is the procedure?

Tummy tuck normally takes approximately 3 hours to complete depending on the complexity of the surgery.