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March 17 2015
Welcome to our new site

The Breast Clinic Sydney is one of the most prestigious, professional, experienced and unique surgical clinics in Australia. And we wanted to showcase a platform that mirrored exactly that.

So, after many hours of planning (and doing!), we are delighted to present to you our beautiful new site.

On our NEWS page, you will discover interesting articles and information. These are topics that are sure to be of interest to new, current and past patients of The Breast Clinic.

 

We hope you love the new look as much as we do.

 

Enjoy!

March 03 2015
Resuming normal activity after breast implant surgery

When women choose to have a breast augmentation, they are not just changing the way they look – they are also gaining a new lease on life. Breast implant surgery can help ladies enjoy a greater surge in confidence. Some women like to take a photo of themselves before surgery and compare with their photo after surgery to see how far they have come.

For many women undergoing surgery it is a significant decision and one they have been thinking about for quite some time. Many patients are drawn to the same questions about recovery.

Often women are concerned about how long it will take them to resume their normal activities like exercise and work. With these helpful tips you can gain an insight into the healing process and steps to make sure your road to recovery is smooth.

What should I expect during recovery?

During your breast augmentation consult with one of our Plastic surgeons, you will get a better understanding of the physical recovery from breast augmentation surgery. Usually mild pain is common after breast augmentation surgery, however this will lessen over the first week.

Swelling can also occur, however with the support of a compression surgical bra, you fast-track your recovery.

You will be prescribed the appropriate pain medication and antibiotics. During this time it is recommended to go for a few gentle walks outside, but don’t push yourself. Be sensible, listen to your body.

Returning to normal activities

In the days immediately following your surgery you will probably be feeling tired and a little discomfort, so rest is essential. During this time period it is important to take good care of yourself, as your skin and tissue adjusts to your new breast implants and breast size.

While you should strive to take it easy with other forms of exercise in the weeks after the procedure, you should be able to return to work approximately one week after the surgery.

The average time to return to the gym, yoga and swimming is four to six weeks. It is important not to sweat into the incision while it is healing. So limit activity and sun tanning until the incisions are healed and sealed. Going into a spa or pool after a month is usually Ok. Be sure to check with your plastic surgeon before returning to your workouts.

March 03 2015
How long do implants last?

Many patients are confused as there is lots of misleading information out there… The truth is, there is no exact “shelf life” or expiration date when it comes to breast implants. It is a common misconception that implants need to be replaced every ten years. I’ve seen patients whose implants have lasted 20+ years trouble-free, but have also seen patients who have experienced implant leakage after only a few years. If you are not having any problems with your implants, there is no need to replace them no matter how much time has past.

With saline implants, a leak is easily identified, because patients will notice the breast deflating and becoming smaller in size. It is not painful or harmful as the saline (or salt water) is just absorbed by the body. Although not critical to your health, replacement is recommended as soon as possible. Saline implants do not require any special monitoring.

A rupture or leak is a harder to tell with silicone implants. The silicone gel tends to stay in the area of leakage and the volume or size of the implant is maintained. The newer generation of implants do have lower rupture rate than older implants, but detection is still difficult.

The first way to evaluate the silicone breast implant is with a physical examination by your plastic surgeon. Very often the first sign of a leak or rupture is thickening or hardening in the tissues surrounding the implant. Confirming a leak can best be done with an MRI of the breast, as a mammogram is not very good at detecting leakages. With silicone breast implant leakage or rupture, it is recommended that the implant be replaced or removed as soon as possible.

If you are happy with your Breast Implants at 10 years and there are no problems with them, most Plastic Surgeons would not recommend removal.

Problems which can occur and may require removal include:
1. Rupture of Breast Implant
2. Capsular Contracture or hardening
3. Asymmetry
4. Ptosis or sag
5. No longer want Implants
Be sure to follow up with your surgeon. Generally Medical Insurance does not cover cosmetic replacement of Breast Implants. Most Implant manufacturers however have a warranty program for their implants.

This is a commonly asked question and frequent source of confusion amongst patients. There is a general misconception that breast implants should be replaced every ten years. The origin of this belief is unclear, but is probably secondary to misinterpretation of implant warranty terminology.

The manufacturers of breast implants clearly state that these devices are not intended to last a lifetime, despite this, many patients can expect to have implants last their entire lifetime. Current studies suggest that implants deflate at a rate of one percent at one year and three percent at three years. Overtime, this number can be expected to grow.

Implants may deflate with no apparent cause or may deflate secondary to some type of trauma. Under these circumstances, the decision to replace implants is easy. If a patient is doing well and not having problems with breast implants, we see no reason to routinely replace implants just because a set time period has passed.

Although, insurance doesn’t generally cover the cost of implant replacement, these devices do come with a warranty. In some cases, extended warranties can be purchased as well. When implants deflate, the warranty usually covers the cost of replacement.

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