Breast Reduction Surgery

Sydney’s Cosmos Clinic team specialises in breast reduction procedures with no scaring

Large breasts are due to 2 reasons.

• Glandular tissue
• Excessive fatty tissue

When you come in for your consultation our surgeon will asses which of these is applicable to you and recommend which treatment plan is appropriate for you.

If your large breasts are due to excessive fatty tissue then click here for information on the liquid lipo proceudre which is successfully used for breast reductions with reduced downtimes and minimal scarring.

However, if your breasts are large due to excessive glandular tissue then read the information below.

Most large breasted ladies experience more physical and emotional distress than those with small breasts. In addition to psychological trauma, large breasts are associated with neck, shoulder and back pain caused by the weight of the breasts. Soreness and even ulceration under the breasts may occur and it is usual for sufferers to wear loose clothing to disguise their figure.

The doctor will discuss your general medical history, together with details of any previous breast surgery. After examination he will have shown you what may be expected post-operatively by defining the area of breast tissue to be removed and the new position of the nipple. Most ladies wish to be made “as small as possible”, but occasionally, a large breasted lady will prefer to be still larger than average after breast reduction surgery. It is normal for breasts to be asymmetric and although the surgeon will strive to make the breasts symmetrical, it is not possible to achieve this exactly. You should discuss this fully with your doctor in order that you have a proper understanding of breast reduction surgical procedure.

After breast reduction surgery, breast-feeding is unpredictable. If this is of concern to you, perhaps it may be wise to delay the operation until a more appropriate time.

Breast Reduction – The operation

Breast reduction is carried out under general anaesthesia and requires one or two nights’ stay in hospital. The procedure takes approximately two hours.

Having marked out the incision sites pre-operatively, the surgeon will remove the excess skin from the breasts having left the nipple on a stalk. The nipple is then repositioned in a lifted position. The suture line will be anchor shaped extending around the nipple in its’ new position, then vertically downwards to the under-breast crease and extending in that crease from a point near the mid-line around towards the underarms.

In some cases it may be possible to leave a single vertical scar but this depends on the amount of tissue to be removed. Dissolvable sutures will be used which will not require removal. Dressings will be applied.

Drainage tubes are inserted at the end of the operation to remove any ooze of fluid or blood post-operatively. These will be removed (a relatively painless procedure) once the fluid has stopped, usually on the first post-operative day. New dressings may then be applied and the patient will then be allowed to go home.

As blood clotting is sometimes a problem with this procedure, you may be asked to wear anti-embolism stockings (TEDs) on your legs as a precautionary measure. These should not be removed until advised. You will also get out of bed and move around as soon as possible after surgery.

Breast Reduction – After your operation

Following surgery your breasts will probably be uncomfortable, possibly painful, however, this is easily relieved, initially by an injection and thereafter by taking pain-killing tablets as required. Aspirin must be avoided. You should be aware that bruising of the skin of your new breasts may occur and swelling of the breast tissue may cause them to appear larger than anticipated. However, this will probably improve markedly in two to three weeks and settle in two to three months. To help rapidly decrease swelling and bruising, we recommend the taking of Arnica one week prior to surgery and two weeks afterwards.

Meticulous care is taken at the operation to stop any bleeding points. Occasionally, a blood vessel leaks after the operation is over and if a significant collection (haematoma) occurs, it may necessitate a return to theatre. If a haematoma is minor, then natural re-absorption will occur.

As in any surgery, there is a possibility of infection but this is readily treated with antibiotics and/or dressings as required. In some patients there is some minor loss of wound adhesion, but this is a temporary complication resulting in a small scab, which separates after a few weeks. Delayed wound healing is more likely if you smoke tobacco or drink excess alcohol after surgery.

Immediately after surgery your new breast size will be apparent, but you must understand, the final shape may take around six months to emerge. The dressings should be kept clean and dry for one to two weeks following surgery in order to allow sound healing to occur. A comfortably fitting bra is also necessary for the first six weeks.

Numbness of the nipples and the surrounding skin is common after breast reduction although many patients experience the return of sensation immediately, albeit not completely normal at first. The nipples are preserved on a stalk of breast tissue and in the vast majority of patients they remain natural with normal contraction and some sensitivity. Exceptionally, the stalk of the breast tissue has inadequate blood vessels to maintain nipple viability and part or even the entire nipple may die. This complication means that prolonged dressings may be required over the nipple area until natural healing occurs. It is then possible to reconstruct the nipple as a secondary procedure should this be required.

The scars can initially be hard, red, raised and lumpy and can take up to eighteen months to become pale and flat depending on the healing qualities of the individual. Firm pressure on these scars with a well fitting bra will help if this is a problem.

Expect to feel tired for up to two weeks following surgery. You may drive after the first week but do not return to vigorous exercise for at least six weeks and, as dressings may have to be prolonged if healing is delayed, it is advisable not to make any travel plans for a month or so.

Breast Reduction – Summary

Scarring is a consideration with breast reduction. As explained, they will eventually return to normal skin colour, but you should not assume that they can ever be described as hairline. Bearing this in mind, the results following breast reduction are usually excellent. It is probably one of the most successful and immediately satisfying of aesthetic plastic surgery procedures, allowing the patient to enjoy a more active life with increased self-esteem and confidence.

For more information please call Cosmos Clinic on 1300 138 797 or email info@cosmosclinic.com.au

Liquid Liposuction

body contouring with liquid lipo / liposoft

Liquid Lipo takes the gold standard of traditional liposuction to the next level, combining precise body-contouring with faster recovery times and greater comfort and safety for the patient. Liquid Lipo is a significant advancement over traditional liposuction techniques, greatly improving patient safety and comfort, and providing the surgeon significantly greater control over the result.

The procedure is performed using a new device called the Body Jet that helps increase the accuracy of sculpting and dramatically reduces recovery time.

This state of the art Liquid Lipo technique has many advantages over existing fat removal procedures and uses the newest technology to give smooth and natural results.

• A Gentle way of shaping the body. Liquid Lipo uses high pressure water to break down the fat cells without damaging surrounding tissues.
• Shorter recovery times – More than 90% of patients have no pain after 4 days. Most patients return to work in 1-2 days. Patients experience much less swelling and bruising than with traditional liposuction
• Minimal discomfort- Only a mild sedation is required
• More Refined and Accurate results. Ability to stand up during the procedure to allow fine-tuning of the result. Also there is less swelling caused by the numbing fluid than with traditional liposuction. Both these factors have lead to significant reductions in revision rates, indentations and asymmetry
• Safer- No general anaesthetic is required and less numbing solution is used.
• Permanent- The fat cells are permanently removed
• Instant results- You will be able to see immediate improvements that will continue to improve over the next 4-6 weeks

Liquid lipo is a procedure that can help shape the body by removing unwanted fat from specific areas, including the abdomen, hips, buttocks, thighs, knees, upper arms, chin, cheeks and neck. Although liquid lipo is not a substitute for dieting and exercise it can remove stubborn areas of fat that don’t respond to traditional weight-loss methods.

How does it work?

The procedure involves a tiny incision being made in the skin and a cannula (a hollow stainless steel tube) inserted by the surgeon. A water jet containing local anaesthetic breaks up the fat cells and allowing gentle suctioning of the excess fat. The fat is removed far easier with this technique, and because of easier removal less bruising occurs after surgery. Less injury to nerves and vessels may also be achieved along with a shorter operation time for the patient. Areas that are suitable for treatment include the thighs, tummy, upper arms, neck, buttocks, knees, calves and ankles.

Day case procedure

With traditional liposuction, large volumes of fluid are pumped into the body to aid fat removal. Unfortunately this distorts the contours and makes judgment of the correct amount for removal more difficult. With Liposoft much smaller volumes are needed which enables the surgeon to more precisely remove specific areas of fat as the contours of the body are not lost due to the body holding large amounts of water. Liposoft is a day case procedure and most patients are able to leave in as little as just two hours after they have had their treatment.

The Best Candidates For Liquid Lipo

To be a good candidate for Liquid Lipo you must have realistic expectations about what the procedure can do for you. It’s important to understand that Liquid Lipo can enhance your appearance and self confidence, but it won’t necessarily change your looks to match your ideal image. Before you decide to have treatment think carefully about your expectations and discuss them with your surgeon.

The best candidates for Liquid Lipo are people who are within a healthy weight range with firm, elastic skin who have pockets of excess fat in certain areas. Your age is not a major consideration; however, older patients may have diminished skin elasticity and may not achieve the same results as a younger patient with tighter skin.
More about the Liquid Lipo procedure

Liquid Lipo uses a specially-shaped cannula to produce a fine, fan-shaped jet of water in front of the cannula.

The pressure of the water-jet gently pushes nerves and blood vessels out of the path of the cannula, minimizing mechanical trauma in the treatment area. Post-op bruising and swelling are avoided and recovery times are significantly reduced, making the entire treatment very comfortable for the patient.

The Liquid Lipo procedure is performed in two phases.

Phase 1: Infiltration

Using the water-jet, the treatment area is infiltrated with a saline solution containing adrenaline (to minimize bleeding) and local anaesthetic.

In this phase, the jet is used primarily to distribute the medications. The volume of fluid injected is small and produces negligible swelling or deformation of the treatment area. This makes the procedure comfortable for the patient, and avoids the volume and medication loading on the patient of other techniques.

The water-jet permits considerably faster distribution and penetration of the fluid in the target area, reducing the overall procedure time and the effort required by the surgeon. The infiltration phase typically takes 10-15 minutes to complete.

Phase 2: Contouring

Once the infiltration phase is complete, the water-jet is used to dissect the fat for suctioning.

The shape and pressure of the water-jet gently dislodges the fat for suction in a precise manner, giving the surgeon fine control of the contouring process.

Because the treatment area is not distorted by the fluid, the surgeon is better able to assess body contours during the procedure, allowing for precise ‘what-you-see-is-what-you-get’ contouring and thus minimising the need for corrective procedures.

The water is applied directly in the treatment area and then removed with the fat. This minimises the medication load on the patient and also permits the safe treatment of multiple zones within a single procedure.

The suction process continues until the desired shape is achieved. Throughout the process, blood vessels and nerves are displaced by the jet, protecting them from being torn by the cannula.

More than 90% of the injected fluid is removed with the fat, leaving minimal amounts of medication behind and reducing the post-op drainage time to less than 24 hours.

Although Liposoft can be performed under general anesthesia and IV sedation, Liquid Lipo is tailored for (and most commonly practiced under) local anesthesia.

Having the patient conscious throughout the procedure offers several benefits:

• it allows the patient to change position during the procedure, giving the surgeon optimal access to the treatment area;
• it allows the surgeon to progressively check the results with the patient in a standing position;
• the patient can give direct feedback should pain or complications arise;
• risks associated with general anesthesia are avoided.

LOOSE SKIN

In some patients with poor quality skin there is a small possibility that they can be left with skin that does not retract to a satisfactory level. In the past having this “excess” skin removed could only be achieved through surgical removal.

Now with the introduction of LASER LIPOSUCTION we are able to help tighten the skin without the need for a surgical methods. LASER LIPOSUCTION is quite commonly used in combination with Liquid Liposuction procedures to assist with skin tightening..

After Your Treatment

After treatment, you will likely experience some fluid drainage from the tiny incisions. To control swelling and to help your skin better fit its new contours, you may be fitted with a snug elastic garment to wear over the treated area for a few weeks. A course of Vela Shape treatments will help tighten the overlying skin and aid your recovery time by reducing swelling and nodule formation. Nodule formation is caused by scar tissue. The risk of nodule formation is greatly reduced with Liquid Lipo as the technique is much more gentle than traditional liposuction

You will also be prescribed antibiotics to prevent infection.

Even though the newer Liquid Lipo technique reduces some post-operative discomforts, you may still experience some pain, burning, swelling, bleeding and temporary numbness. Pain can be controlled with medications, though you may still feel stiff and sore for a few days.More than 90% of patients have no pain after 4 days

visit www.cosmosclinic.com.au for more information

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