Breast Surgery

Breast surgery is among the most commonly performed plastic surgery procedures in the world. According to the Australian Breast Device Registry (ABDR), an estimated 20,000 women undergo breast augmentation surgery every year in Australia. Breast surgery can include silicone breast implant augmentation (boob job), asymmetry correction, breast reduction, breast lift, or reconstructive surgery after mastectomy. Breast surgery aims to reduce, increase, lift or tighten breasts, correct breast deformities, such as tubular breasts, or remove your breast implants with breast implant removal. The type of breast surgery that your breast surgeon – Gold Coast Specialist Plastic Surgeon Dr Mark Doyle – will perform depends on your health condition, anatomy, and surgery goals.

About Breast Surgery

Breast surgery is a set of surgical procedures aimed at improving the functionality of your breasts, and often surgical repairing various medical conditions caused by, for example, oversized or tuberous breasts, etc.

This surgery can help you surgically achieve more comfort. Thanks to the advancement of medicine and cosmetic surgery in general, each surgical procedure is individual, and as such created according to your anatomy and surgery goals.

At Gold Coast Plastic Surgery our surgical approach includes a combination of patient care, modern surgical techniques, a comprehensive hospital theatre team at John Flynn Private Hospital, and a team of experienced registered nurses. This professional team works alongside Dr Mark Doyle (an experienced Specialist Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, with over 30 years of experience) to perform breast surgeries in Australia.

Am I a Suitable Candidate for Breast Surgery?

To ensure that you are a suitable candidate for breast surgery, your breast surgeon Dr Doyle will assess your condition, medical history, lifestyle, amount of breast tissue and surgery goals during your consultation. In general, you may be a suitable candidate for breast surgery if:

• Your breasts are too small
• Your breasts are too large
• You want to replace your breast implants
• Your overly large breasts cause skin irritation, redness, infection, back pain, headaches, and other discomforts
• You have breast sagging due to aging, pregnancy, breastfeeding, or significant weight loss
• You have inverted nipples
• You have tuberous breasts
• You have complications associated with previous breast surgery

The surgical procedure itself largely determines the conditions that you must meet, but there are universal conditions that must be met in order for your specialist surgeon to decide that you are a good candidate for surgery.

To be a suitable candidate for breast surgery you must be:

• A non-smoker
• In good overall health
• Have realistic expectations about what breast surgery can achieve.
• Not suffer from medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, bleeding disorder, heart disease, or
• Other medical conditions that can impair healing or increase the risk of surgery
• Willing to commit to a healthy lifestyle after surgery.

Benefits of Breast Surgery

Breast surgery for congenital and developed medical defects, both inherited and acquired through life, can cause issues and can affect the comfortability of a patient.

The benefits, like the surgery itself, are tailored to each individual. You may want bigger breasts, smaller breasts, firmer breasts, lifted breasts or you may be recovering from a battle with breast cancer.

When performed by an experienced specialist plastic surgeon, breast surgery risks are minimise and can offer:

• Improved body posture
• Improved breast firmness
• Reduced excess skin
• Reduced risk of skin irritation, or infection
• More clothing options

The benefits of surgery can be cosmetic or a functional improvement for you.

Breast Surgery Procedures

Breast surgeries have been the most performed surgical procedure for many years. Every year, in reports of the most performed cosmetic surgeries include breast surgeries. Some of the breast procedures that our patients undergo include:

Breast Augmentation

A Breast Augmentation can increase the shape of your breasts using a breast implant. This Breast Enlargement is also known as an Augmentation Mammaplasty or sometimes just a ‘Boob Job’. The procedure often increases the breasts and can correct medically recognised asymmetrical breasts.

Breast Reduction

Breast reduction surgery is a procedure that can reduce the size and shape of heavy breasts. The surgical aim of breast reduction surgery is to relieve the weight of large, heavy breasts and improve physical discomfort, skin chaffing, and indentations in the skin. It can also improve excess skin or loose skin (breast ptosis). If this procedure is deemed medically necessary it may attract Medicare rebates.

Breast Lift

Breast lift surgery (mastopexy) lifts and shapes loose breasts, making them firmer and lifting their shape. It is also often combined with other procedures such as having a lift with breast implants to add volume to the breasts. It can also be used to lift the nipples to a more central location on the breast mound.

Breast Lift with Implants

A breast lift with implants also referred to as a ‘boob job’ with implants can be the preferred breast procedure for women who have excessive breast skin or loose breasts. Also known as mastopexy-augmentation, this procedure has the combined benefits of enlarging the breasts, increasing the breast shape and projection, as well as tightening the skin and lifting the nipples.

Breast Implant Removal

Breast Implant Removal or Enbloc Removal is a procedure available to patients who no longer want their current breast implants or have experienced a problem with their implants such as an implant rupture, capsular contracture (when breast implants become misshapen or firm), or other complications.

Breast Implant Replacement 

Breast implant removal and replacement is a procedure performed to replace breast implants. This can be done for several reasons. If your breast implants have been in place for a long time or you have a concern, a breast implant removal and replacement with newer implants may be a suitable surgery option for you. It is also an option to remove and change the size of your breast implants if you prefer a different size, shape, texture, or positioning of your current implants.

Breast Revision Surgery

Breast revision surgery can improve the results of a previous breast implant surgery by correcting issues or treating complications. If your breast implants have been in place for some time – or you have a concern – you may prefer to replace your breast implants with newer types of implants.

Breast Reconstruction 

Breast reconstruction surgery is designed to recreate the shape of the breast following a mastectomy or accident or to treat a genetic breast defect. During breast reconstructive surgery the surgeon will rebuild your breast shape using an artificial implant, a flap of tissue from another part of your body, or a combination of both.

Male Breast Reduction

Male breast reduction surgery or Gynecomastia can reduce the size of male breasts, to attain a flatter, firmer chest. It can involve liposuction and excisions to reduce excess skin or protruding tissue, or fat deposits that have accumulated in the chest or breast area of men. Causes of gynecomastia are varied and may include hormonal changes, obesity, substance use, androgen or testosterone imbalances, medication side effects, and illnesses.

Recovery Following Breast Surgery

Recovery is as important as the operative procedure itself. A shorter and more comfortable recovery largely determines the overall outcome of your plastic surgery procedure. Each recovery is individual and determined by the patient’s age, general health condition, but also the experience of your specialist surgeon and the extent of the surgical procedure.

As each plastic procedure is individual, so is the time and difficulty of recovery. However, there are a few universal facts that apply to all plastic surgeries.

Some patients may require shorter downtime while others will take several weeks to recover. The length of your recovery will greatly depend on several factors such as the extent and type of your surgery, your healing ability, your body type, and your surgery goals. To support your healing breasts, you may need to wear a support bra or compression garments. In addition, you will be advised to prevent strenuous activities to avoid tension on your suture lines.

Most importantly, following the surgeon’s instructions can greatly minimise your recovery and pain. Generally, following these instructions will help you get back to your daily life and activities faster.

Also, if your specialist surgeon schedules a follow-up appointment, you must attend it, so that your surgeon can monitor your results and ensure a quick and stable recovery.

Immediately after your surgery, you may experience soreness, bruising, and pain on your surgical site. These discomforts can be minimised by taking pain relief and anti-inflammatories.

What Does Dr Doyle Do Differently?

There are hundreds of doctors and plastic surgeons that do Breast Surgery. But, unfortunately, everyone’s experience and knowledge are not the same.

Dr Mark Doyle is a fully qualified and experienced Specialist Plastic Surgeon in Queensland who has over 30 years of experience implementing modern breast surgery techniques.

Through years of working with different patients and challenging cases, Dr Doyle can help reduce stress relating to your cosmetic or functional breast surgery procedure. His goal is to put you at ease and answer any of the questions you may have leading up to surgery.

Recovery is very important when we talk about plastic and cosmetic surgery. A trained specialist plastic surgeon FRACS (PLAS) with extensive experience can minimise recovery time.

How Much Does Breast Surgery Cost? – Costs & Prices

Most cosmetic breast surgery procedures do not fall under Medicare-covered procedures. Generally, as a rule, all procedures that have only an aesthetic character are generally not covered by Medicare or health insurance, while those that impair the functionality of your body are covered. It is important to ask our team and to consult with your provider to find out which procedures fall into the group of those funded by health insurance funds.

To receive a more accurate estimate of what you can expect to spend on breast surgery, schedule a consultation with Dr Doyle. You can access our list of pricing resources to find out more about the cost of medical and cosmetic breast surgery procedures:

• Plastic Surgery Pricing
• Available payment options
• Will Medicare cover me?
• Using Superannuation for plastic surgery
• Payment plans

Further Reading –  Medical References

• Types of Breast Implants | American Society of Plastic Surgeons
• Breast Augmentation Surgery Information | ABCS

Complications and Risks of Breast Surgery

During your pre-surgery consultation, your surgeon will thoroughly address the risks associated with breast surgery before recommending that you go ahead with the surgery.

All of the general risks associated with surgery are also a possibility with breast surgery. Some procedures come with more potential risks than others, so side effects are possible and conditioned by the extent of the procedure, your medical condition, age, but also the skill of your specialist plastic surgeon. Inexperienced doctors who are not specialists in the field of surgery can greatly influence the outcome and results. With the help of Dr Doyle and his experienced team and by following his specific aftercare instructions, complications can be minimised.

Like any invasive procedure, the most common possible risks and complications are:

• Bleeding
• Haematomas
• Infections
• Implant rupture
• Pain
• Seroma
• Loss of sensation in the chest area
• Scars
• Risk of poor reaction to anesthesia

The following are the risks associated with breast surgery procedures:

• Allergic reactions to anesthesia such as skin rashes and difficulty breathing
• Capsular contracture
• Implant leakage or rupture
• Numbness in one or both breasts
• Possibility of revision surgery
• Rippling of the implant
• Unwanted scarring
• Wrong or faulty position of the implant

Breast Surgery Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to recover from breast surgery?

Everyone is different, which makes every surgical procedure individualised. For this reason, it is important to know that the length of recovery is also individual, and depends on the extensiveness of the procedure itself, and on the patient’s general health and abilities.

Is breast surgery dangerous?

Breast surgeries are among the lower-risk surgical procedures in plastic surgery if your surgeon specialises in this area and has the necessary knowledge and experience your risks are minimised. While it is considerably regarded as low risk, general risks of surgery do apply. These will be explained to you in detail in your initial consultation with Dr Doyle.

How many months should you delay pregnancy after having breast implants?

It is recommended to postpone pregnancy for at least 6 months after your surgery. This allows your breasts to adjust to their new shape and size.

Can I get breast implants if I have excess skin?

This will depend on the degree of loose breast skin. If you have an extreme amount of excess skin, another procedure may be needed to lift your breasts so that are higher. Breast implants may be recommended for patients with a mild degree of breast ptosis. During your consultation with your plastic surgeon, your breast condition will be first assessed if you are a suitable candidate for breast implants.

Do breast implants need to be replaced?

When undergoing the initial breast augmentation surgery, you may have been told to expect a breast implant replacement after ten years. Fortunately, this is not always the case. An FDA study estimated that only 1 in 5 patients require a breast implant replacement procedure after 10 years following their initial breast augmentation.

What is the average lifespan of breast implants? 

The average lifespan of modern Motiva breast implants is 20 years, although some have been known to last up to 40 years.

Will breast surgery increase your risk of breast cancer?

According to research breast surgery will not increase your risk of getting breast cancer. In addition, having breast implants will not hinder the detection of breast tumours. There are however other risks to be aware of such as BIA-ALCL and breast implant illness.

Which breast augmentation surgery is best?

There is no best or worst breast surgery. Each body is different, and as such requires an individualised approach to achieve your surgery goals and results. There are many breast augmentation considerations with each individual breast procedure. The procedure and important considerations will be explained in detail in your initial consultation. For more information, book in for a consultation with Dr Doyle at Gold Coast Plastic Surgery today.

Book a Consultation

If you would like to know more, or to book a consultation with Specialist Plastic Surgeon Dr Mark Doyle, please contact us today.