Breast Implant/ Enlargement Surgery - London Bridge Plastic Surgery

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Breast Implant Surgery

Breast implant surgery is the most common plastic surgery procedure performed. For years women have opted for breast implants or enhancements to achieve a fuller, more pronounced shape or form for their breasts. At LBPS we spend considerable time listening to what type of enhancement you would like from breast implant surgery – what shape, form or size you are interested in and what your expectations are.

You’ll meet our friendly team and of course your consultation will be with Mr Christopher Inglefield our surgeon. Whatever you expect from breast implants or breast enhancement surgery we’ll be here to help you on your journey to achieving the look you want. We can answer any questions you may have about our clinic and breast enhancement surgery in general – if you would like to find out more please do get in touch.

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Why choose London Bridge Plastic Surgery for your Breast Implant Surgery?

Your consultation, procedure and follow up care will all be with Mr Christopher Inglefield BSc MBBS FRCS(Plast), at our 5 Star Clinic in Wimpole Street, London, one of the UK’s most experienced Plastic surgeons with international experience as a lecturer and trainer in Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery. We are proud of his expertise in Breast Implant Revision Surgery, where his experience, professionalism and firm ethics, ensure that any surgery is in your best interest at all times.

A dedicated, experienced and caring team   We provide 24 hr on call support berfore, during and after your Breast Enhancement Surgery.   Many of our Breast Implant Surgery patients come from recommendations of our patients or family.  Excellent patient experience, satisfaction and results following breast augmentation with implants.   We only use the highest quality of materials and breast implants.   Care Quality Commission CQC Registered 5 Star Clinic in Wimpole Street, London.  We only work with leading London hospitals.   Our nursing team have years of experience working together.

Experienced Surgeons

Surgery expertise in over 500+ procedures Breast Augmentation, Breast Implant, Enlargement Surgery performed and Expertise in Breast Implant Revision Surgery.

Excellence in Surgical care : Minimal Complications following Breast Enlargement, Breast Augmentation, Breast Implant Surgery, Breast Reshaping

Infections following Cosmetic Breast Implant surgery – 0%

Haematoma / Bleeding < 0.1% After Cosmetic Breast Augmentation, Breast Implant Surgery.

Capsule contracture (Scarring) < 2% following Breast Augmentation with Implants

Our Lifetime Care Programme to give you peace of mind with follow-up consultations with your surgeon for a year after your Breast Enlargement, Breast Augmentation, Breast Implants surgery and beyond.

Why have Breast Surgery?

Breast Enhancement, Breast Implant Surgery is performed to increase the size of the breast in a woman who feels that her breasts are too small.

Breast Enhancement, Breast Augmentation with implants aims to restore the size and shape of the breast following pregnancy and breast feeding.

Breast Reshaping, Breast Implant Surgery, Augmentation is carried out to improve symmetry and shape where there is a difference in breast size and or shape either due to developmental asymmetry or following previous breast surgery.

Breast Enhancement, Breast Augmentation, Breast Implant Surgery, Breast Reshaping aims to improve or enhance your breasts and thereby your self-confidence, allowing you to wear the clothes you desire. Various types of Breast Implants are available and the best implant for you will depend on your goals and existing size and shape of your breasts.

Measurements of your breast – width, nipple distance, breast drooping/ ptosis and soft tissue thickness will all aid in planning your breast augmentation. The most suitable implant to achieve the best result following your Breast Augmentation, will be discussed at your consultation.

Breast Reshaping surgery may involve the use of Implants, Breast Augmentation, combined with Breast Uplift surgery to achieve the optimum cosmetic Breast shape. Your age, skin laxity, loss of volume of the breasts will all be considered in determining the optimum treatment(s) or surgery , Breast Enhancement, Breast Augmentation, reshaping , Implants , Breast Uplift – to provide the most natural, balanced cosmetic and lasting results with the minimum of risks.

NEW! – Non Surgical Breast Reshaping with Macrolane , natural hyaluronic acid injectable Breast Reshaping treatment. Performed under local anaesthetic, this safe procedure provides an alternative to an Implant for women who do not want cosmetic surgery, Augmentation, but would like to improve their Breast shape. Macrolane Breast enhancement can provide 1 to 1,1/2 cup size increase for many women providing a pleasing cosmetic improvement.

It is important to realise that once you have Breast Augmentation, Breast Implants, Breast Enlargement surgery, you are committed to have a further Breast Enhancement, Breast Augmentation surgery at some time in the future. Remember Breast Enhancement, Breast Augmentation, Reshaping, Breast Implant Surgery will not change you and solve any life crises, but should boost your self-confidence and enjoyment of life.

Lifetime Care Programme

Breast Enhancement, Breast Augmentation, Breast Implants Surgery at London Bridge Plastic Surgery is unique as we treat you as an individual and listen carefully to your hopes and concerns.

At LBPS you will benefit from our Lifetime Care Programme. We understand that embarking on Breast Augmentation , Beast Implants surgery can be daunting as well as exciting for patients and we aim to provide you with support and ongoing care before and long after your surgery.

What is covered?

Aftercare follow up appointments with your surgeon for one year after your Breast Enhancement , Breast Augmentation , Implants surgery

Complete peace of mind for the life of your Breast implants, including free replacement of your Breast implants in cases of capsular contraction and rupture

Breast Implant manufacturers guarantee for life by Polytech Silimed for your Breast Implants

What is not covered?

Breast Implant displacement due to failure to adhere to post operative care instructions following your Augmentation , Implants Surgery.

Complications as a result of failure to comply with post operative care instructions including smoking cessation before and after your Breast Augmentation.

Natural drooping of breasts with aging affecting the Cosmetic appearance of your Breasts

Change of Breast implants for larger or smaller size

Revision surgery following significant weight loss or gain after your Breast Enhancement , Augmentation , Breast Implants surgery

Polyurethrane Foam covered Implants – Pure Breast Implants

The very best data regarding Breast Implants are available from the core clinical studies that were submitted to the Food and Drug Administration FDA, over the last year as part of the Premarket Approval process by both Inamed (now Allergan) and Mentor.” Commenced in 2000, these are 10 year, prospective, multi-centred studies in the US of smooth and textured silicone gel implants. The FDA required these studies as a condition for the re-approval of gel in the US in 2006.

Allergan’s data show a re-operation rate of 30% at 7 years for 455 primary augmentation patients operated on by multiple surgeons. 40% of the re-operations were for one of two reasons – capsular contracture or displacement. The grade 3 and 4 contracture rate at 7 years was 15.5% with no difference between textured and smooth implants. Mentor’s data is published for 6 years of follow up and they have a contracture rate of 10%.

Q: What is the evidence for foam covered Pure Breast implants?

A: Why should the foam reduce contracture rates so much? Histological analysis of the normal capsules associated with different implant surfaces, reveal collagen fibres (which make up the capsule) around both smooth and textured implants are aligned end on end. If a stimulus to contract occurs (whatever it may be), the fibres can shorten over one another concentrically around the implant causing a shrink wrap effect leading to hardening and distortion on the implant.

Pure foam breast implants work because the foam becomes integrated into the full thickness of the capsule. The foam is a 3D matrix or lattice and the collagen fibres wrap around the foam struts. They are no longer end on end but disjoined and cannot shorten over one another causing the concentric shrinkage. Thus contracture rates with Pure Implants are dramatically reduced 1% after 15 years. A strong Velcro effect between the capsule and the implant occurs.

Q: Are polyurethane foam covered Pure implants safe?

A: Unequivocally yes. PURE Implants have been used in hundreds of thousands of women for up to 4o years. The Handel 2006 data2,7 and Vazquez and Pellon’s 18 year experience3 show that other complications occur, at worst, at the same rate as for other implant surfaces. Handel was using an older incarnation of PU foam implants from Surgitek, a division of Bristol Myers. Vazquez and Pellon were using Silimed PURE implants which is what we have available today. Their results in a large number of patients closely followed for 15 years, all in front of the muscle, show a contracture rate of 1%.

Polyurethane foam itself has no association with an increased risk of cancer in any species and is used in other human prosthetic devices, such as pacemakers and prosthetic heart valves.

Q: What is Capsular Contracture?

A: Everyone considering breast implant surgery will discover that the most common complication is capsular contracture. This is where the scar tissue, which grows around all implants and which normally you can’t see or feel, behaves like “shrink-wrap”. This compresses the implant causing it to feel firm or hard, often distorting its shape.

Unfortunately Capsular Contracture is by far the biggest cause of dissatisfaction and the need for further surgery. Evidence submitted to the FDA in the US, showed that by 7 years following Breast Implants, up to 16% of patients had developed capsular contracture with both smooth and textured surfaced implants. Further surgery is required to correct this frequent complication.

Q: What are the advantages of Pure Implants?

A: The Pure – Polyurethane implants are manufactured by Silimed, one of the world’s largest producers of silicone medical devices. The implants are CE marked for use throughout Europe.

Pure – Polyurethane implants do not move – the unique bond formed by the body’s own tissue surrounding the Polyurethane implant, eliminates the risk of implant displacement, rotation or bottoming out over time.

The Pure Implants – Polyurethane implants are covered by the Product Replacement Programme, covering against implant rupture for the patient’s lifetime and capsular contraction and rotation for 10-years.
Long term excellent results, research shows significantly lower incidence of capsular contraction with polyurethane implants. Capsular contraction remains the highest complication of breast implant surgery.

Q: What are the disadvantages of Pure Breast Implants?

A: A temporary rash over the breasts occurs in about 1% of patients in the second post- operative week and can last for one to two weeks. It is itchy and is treated symptomatically with anti-histamines.
Removal of Pure implants, are much less likely than with other implants, is sometimes, but not always slightly more difficult than with other breast implants. Either the implant is removed alone or a total capsulectomy can be performed.

In the rare cases of infection removal of the prosthesis alone and appropriate antibiotic treatment is usually effective to allow successful re-implantation after 3 months.

YOUR QUESTIONS

Q: What is Breast Augmentation, Breast Enhancement?

A: Breast Augmentation, Breast Enhancement, Implant Surgery is a Plastic surgical procedure performed using implants to enhance the size and reshape a woman’s breast to achieve a natural aesthetic appearance.

Q: What are the benefits of Breast Enhancement, Breast Implant Surgery?

A: Breast Augmentation with implants is performed to increase the size of the breast in a woman who feels that her breasts are too small. Breast enlargement with implants can restore the size and shape of the breasts following pregnancy and breast feeding. Breast Augmentation can be carried out to improve symmetry and shape where there is a difference in breast size and or shape. The improvement in Breast size and shape can boost your self confidence and enable you to wear the clothes you wish.

Q: Am I the ideal patient for Breast Enhancement, Breast Implant Surgery?

A: If you would like to improve your breast shape and size and have been concerned by this for a long time, do not have any breast disease or serious medical conditions and desire a long term option to achieving fuller, more shapely breasts, then breast augmentation using implants is likely to be suitable for you.

Q: Do I need a mammogram before my Breast Enhancement, Breast Implant Surgery?

A: Working in close colaboration with our Breast Cancer Specialists, the guidelines are that any woman over the age of 40 should have a mammogram before any breast surgery including Breast Implant Surgery. Under the age of 40, no screening is necessary if there is not a family history of Breast Cancer or other cancers. A screening mammogram can be arranged for you at the time of your consultation, if required.

Q: Can I Breast feed after Breast Enhancement, Breast Implant Surgery?

A: Breast Augmentation with implants placed either behind the gland (sub-glandular) or under the muscle (sub-muscular) does not affect your ability to breast feed. The presence of implants do not cause any risk to your baby. Please be aware that many women cannot breast feed naturally before any breast surgery.

Q: Does Breast Implant Surgery require a general anaesthetic or hospitalisation?

A: Breast Implant Surgery is performed under general anaesthetic, commonly as a day-case or overnight procedure.

Q: How long is the Breast Enhancement, Breast Implant Surgery?

A: Breast Augmentation with Implants normally takes approximately 1 hour to perform.

Q: What are my options for the type of implants?

A: 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, round or teardrop shaped and can be low, medium, high or extra high profile in order to achieve the best aesthetic natural result.

Q: What about the scars following Breast Augmentation, Breast Implant Surgery?

A: Unfortunately, it is necessary to have a scar as a result of Breast Enhancement, Breast Implant Surgery, but every effort is made to minimize the scars and ensure that these are as inconspicuous as possible. The goal is to achieve a scar which is as short as possible for the safe placement of your implants, and which, once fully healed is barely visible. Scars can be placed in the crease under each breast, in the armpit, or within the areola. The optimum scar for you will depend on your size, breast shape and desired cup size /shape.

Q: Where will the implants be placed in Breast Augmentation, Breast Implant Sugery?

A: Breast implants can be placed either behind the breast tissue or under the pectoral muscle. Which position is suitable for you will depend on the amount of tissue available to cover the implants. The goal is to achieve the optimum natural appearance of your breasts. If the soft tissue is thin over the breast region, then it will be recommended that the breast implants are positioned under the pectoral muscle. In either position, what you will see and feel is your own breast tissue.

Q: Will drains be used at the time of Breast Enhancement, Breast Implant Surgery?

A: The use of drains (thin tubes from each breast) is a hotly debated topic in Breast Augmentation. At LBPS, we believe that any blood or fluid around the implant leads to inflammation and scarring, which can result in a capsule around the Implant. This capsule can cause firmness or hardening of the breast and a poor result. Therefore, drains will be placed at the time of your Breast Augmentation surgery. These will be removed before you leave Hospital.

Q: Can Breast Implant Surgery be performed with an Uplift, Mastopexy?

A: Yes, some women with significant drooping of the breasts together with loss of fullness may require Breast Augmentation combined with an Uplift, Mastopexy. The extent of uplift required will depend on the degree of drooping and the amount or volume necessary to shape the breast.

Q: What reassurance do I have with Breast Impant Surgery?

A: At LBPS, we understand that Breast Augmentation, Breast Implant Surgery is an important and daunting decision for you and we aim to support you before, during and long after your surgery. Right from your first contact through to your 1 year follow-up visit, we will provide you with the highest standard of care. Our LBPS Lifetime Care Programme provides peace of mind for you for the time that you have your Breast Implants. This Programme includes free replacement of your implants in cases of capsular contracture or rupture (from whatever cause – e.g. injury from accident or simply at the time of a mammogram!).

Q: Are any things not covered under the LBPS Lifetime Care Programme?

A: Unfortunately, some situations will not be covered by the LBPS Lifetime Care Programme. These are;
1. Any complication which arises as a result of failure to adhere to the post-operative instructions provided, including cessation of smoking before and after your surgery.
2. Natural drooping of the breasts with aging.
3. Change of Breast Implants for a larger or smaller size.
4. Revision surgery following significant weight loss or gain following your Breast Implant surgery.

Q: How long is the recovery time?

A: Moderate pain / discomfort is expected for 3 – 5 days. Patients can go back to their normal daily activities after 2 weeks, but 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.

Q: What about the results of Breast Implant Surgery?

A: The results are first and foremost natural. The goals of Breast Augmentation with implants are to enhance the size and shape of your breast to achieve a natural aesthetic appearance – LBPS Beautiful Breast Surgery! The result should boost your self-confidence; allow you to wear the clothes you wish and look and feel as natural as a normal breast.

Q: What are the risks of Breast Augmentation, Breast Implant Surgery?

A: Common to all surgical procedures there are always risks associated with surgery. However, Breast Augmentation with implants is a very safe procedure if performed by a fully qualified and trained Plastic, Cosmetic Surgeon using good implants in Hospitals with a high standard of care. The common risks are bleeding inside the breast (less than 0.1%), infection (less than 0.1%) and capsular contraction (less than 2%). Each of these risks may require revision surgery and at LBPS the cost of any revision surgery will be covered for the first year. Other risks that may occur are; implant displacement or rotation, loss of nipple sensation, poor scars, asymmetry of the breasts and implant rupture.

Q: How long do the results last?

A: The results of Breast Implant Surgery are expected to last from 10 to 20 years using the current techniques and implants. However, you should be aware that once you have had Breast Augmentation, Breast Implant Surgery, you are committed to having a further operation sometime in the future to either remove your Breast implants or replace them.

Q: Is there an alternative to a Breast Enhancement, Breast Implant Surgery?

A: At this time there is not an alternative to Breast Implants for women who desire a long lasting improvement in their breast size or shape. Women who wish to reshape their breasts, or require a modest increase in size (less than 1 ½ cup), Macrolane Breast shaping may be a suitable option. At the present time, fat grafting, transfer for breast enhancement is not recommended because of concerns about the long term safety of this technique.

Q: What is the cost of Breast Implant Surgery, Breast Augmentaion?

A: The costs of Breast Implant Surgery will depend on you specific needs and goals. A written quotation will be provided following your consultation with Mr Inglefield.

BEFORE AND AFTER