Breast surgery

Pretty breasts, a good cleavage... the dream of many women, the fantasy of many men...

When they grow, breasts can develop insufficiently or asymmetrically. Pregnancies or the “yo-yo” can damage the breasts. Excess weight, hormonal problems or the menopause can give breasts too much volume, which is sometimes inconvenient for everyday life or for sport.

The shape of the breast, once altered, can only be restored by surgery.

1) BREAST AUGMENTATION – BREAST PROSTHESES

Indication

Small or “emptied” breasts can recover their pretty curves through a procedure with minimal risk and concealed scars:  breast augmentation by inserting breast prostheses.

a) Types of prostheses

- SHAPE -

• Anatomical: drop-shaped

• Round

          Our choice:  round prostheses that do not risk turning and in particular that produce a better cleavage.

  - TEXTURE -

• Smooth: surface that is totally smooth to the touch
• Textured: surface that is soft to the touch, with fine bumps.

           Our choice: textured prostheses, because there is less risk of a shell forming around the prosthesis.

  - CONTENT -

• physiological liquid: used in particular in the United States; the prosthesis can be filled to a greater or lesser extent, but when palpated, it feels like a “water mattress”.
• Silicone: virtually always chosen in Europe, because it feels like a real breast to the touch.
  NB: it is no longer silicone oil that can leak if the prosthesis is ruptured, but a block of silicone gel that holds together (cohesive gel).

 - SCARS - ACCESS -

• In the armpit: always visible in a low-cut dress or swimsuit and less easy to place the prosthesis under the muscle.
• Under the areola: visible line at the front of the breast, because the procedure leaves a fine white line. Also, the edge of the areola is rarely a clear-cut line. Requires passing through the breast to place the prosthesis.
• Under the breast: in the infra-mammary fold. The least visible. Allows good access to place the prosthesis under the muscle, without touching the breast.

b) Types of procedure

• Under the breast: the prosthesis is placed under the breast but in front of the muscle. The skin has to support the real breast and the prosthesis: less beautiful and the result is less durable.
• Under the muscle: the prosthesis is under the breast and under the muscle: the ideal solution. The prosthesis is held by the muscle and cannot drop, hence achieving a stable, long-term result.

c) The best results – our choices

We would therefore usually choose prostheses that are round, textured, filled with a cohesive silicon gel, with a reinforced wall and filling patch. Whenever possible, we place prostheses behind the muscle through a small scar 3 to 4 cm long, situated under the breast.

2) BREAST LIFT - lifts the breasts     BREAST REDUCTION – reduces the size of the breasts

Ptosis of the breast (sagging): the skin has stretched too much; the mammary gland and areola are positioned too low.

Inserting prostheses does not give such a good cosmetic result, because the prosthesis can only be place behind the breast: when lying down, the breasts separate, leaning forward, they hang down, and standing up, you have two rounded breasts in a position that is too low.

This means the mammary gland has to be raised, the areola positioned higher, the excess skin is removed and the closure is under the breast: an “anchor-shaped” scar is virtually unavoidable, but the procedure does enable a good shape to be reformed in the long term.

 NB: there is an operation call the “Lejour” procedure that leaves a scar only around the areola or in the shape of a “dummy”. The aim is to avoid a scare underneath the breast. 

Unfortunately, this type of operation is rarely satisfactory, because after a few months, the skin around the areola begins to let go again and the areola itself, unable to hold back the traction of the skin, enlarges. The frequent risk is the patient being left with very large areola, which is particularly unsightly.

Breast reduction where the volume of breasts that are too large is reduced, is conducted in a similar manner, but also involves removing part of the gland.

The patient is required to wear a special bra for 6 weeks. We do not insert any drains.

This operation is day surgery, with no hospitalisation.

Do not hesitate to contact our Centre on +32 (0)65 630 630 for more information about breast surgery.