After the recent scandal over French breast implant manufacturer Poly Implant Prosthese (PIP), people wanting a breast augmentation are asking, is there cause for concern, what should I check for and what’s new.
The PIP implant has been removed from the market place and fortunately in Hereford, The Nuffield Hospital has never used these implants and only uses implants of the highest quality.
There are many variations within the operation of a breast augmentation. These allow a good surgeon to tailor make an operation that best fits your body and best fits your desires.
The implant
There is a choice of round or shaped implants, a new higher cohesive gel implant has recently been introduced which means there is less chance of rippling, which is particularly important if you are very slim. A new polyurethane implant has been introduced which is particularly useful if you have had previous poor quality surgery, which has left you with lots of scarring. In addition, early figures suggest that it may have a lower chance of giving you tight scars around your implants in the future.
The operation
Traditionally implants are placed underneath the breast gland (on top of the muscle) or underneath the muscle, more recently the upper half of the implant is placed under the muscle whilst the bottom half is under the breast gland, which allows you to get the best of both worlds, for suitable patients.
The latest advance
For patients who do not want a very large augmentation we can liposuck the patients own fat from one are of their body (usually the tummy, hips or thighs) and graft it to the breasts. It usually leaves no marks on your breasts and a scar about as long as this line, —- on your tummy. It is also a very useful tool for fixing previous bad surgery done elsewhere.
As with all fields of surgery, cosmetic surgery just keeps advancing at a pace. If you are planning any surgery my three most important rules are
1) Research your surgeon
2) Research your surgeon
3) Research your surgeon
If you would like to discuss any aspect of cosmetic surgery go somewhere reputable with a name you can trust like the Nuffield Health Hospital Hereford.
