A Breast and a lift is a combination of two procedures and is one of the most frequent operations performed by Dr Rory.
It involves breast augmentation, which involves the surgical placement of a correctly sized Motiva silicone breast implant to enhance the volume and shape of the breast. This is performed through a small incision in the fold underneath the breast (this is called the inframammary fold) or vertically above the fold.
This is combined with a breast lift (known as a mastopexy) which involves moving the nipple and areola to the correct position. This is known as the nipple areola complex (NAC). The NAC should sit above the fold of the breast (this is where the breast meets the chest wall at the bottom of the breast and is called the inframammary fold).
In so doing the breast size and shape changes to create a more youthful breast by adding volume removing excess skin and repositioning the NAC. The areola size can also be reduced in a breast augmentation and lift. This section will concentrate on a breast augmentation and lift performed in together.
A Breast and a lift is a combination of two procedures and is one of the most frequent operations performed by Dr Rory.
It involves breast augmentation, which involves the surgical placement of a correctly sized Motiva silicone breast implant to enhance the volume and shape of the breast. This is performed through a small incision in the fold underneath the breast (this is called the inframammary fold) or vertically above the fold.
This is combined with a breast lift (known as a mastopexy) which involves moving the nipple and areola to the correct position. This is known as the nipple areola complex (NAC). The NAC should sit above the fold of the breast (this is where the breast meets the chest wall at the bottom of the breast and is called the inframammary fold).
In so doing the breast size and shape changes to create a more youthful breast by adding volume removing excess skin and repositioning the NAC. The areola size can also be reduced in a breast augmentation and lift. This section will concentrate on a breast augmentation and lift performed in together.
The procedure involves making incisions around the areaola and also to varying degrees on the breast skin to rearrange skin and the NAC to recreate a youthful breast. Therefore there are some characteristic scars that are formed.
The scars range from just around the areola (like an areola reduction), to around the areolar vertically down (like a lolly pop) to around the areola, vertically down and in the fold underneath the breast (like an anchor). The degree of scarring is determined by the degree of excess skin removed.
The most critical part of breast augmentation and lift surgery goes into the preoperation measurments and implant selection during the consultation. During this process, Dr Rory will lead a detailed discussion of your concerns, current size and expectations in detail.
He will only ever consider treating patients who desire natural and proportional results. He will describe the most appropriate implant types and also the positioning of the implant in relation to your chest (pectoralis major) muscle. During your examination, your current starting breast size, shape and nipple/areola position are considered.
Your breasts are accurately measured and Motiva breast implant sizers are used to help decide on the most appropriate size. Further details on your potential end results are obtained using specialized 3-D Crisalix imaging.
He will see you as many times as is necessary for you to feel comfortable with your decision over breast implant sizes. The final implant size is chosen by you with medical advice provided by Dr Rory and also the sizing process.
The surgery is carried out under a general anaesthetic and if performed alone can be conducted as a day surgery, meaning you go home the same day as your surgery.
What is the aim of the breast augmentation and lift surgery?
To enhance the size and shape of your breasts by removing excess skin and repositioning the nipple and areolar complex (NAC) to a more youthful position.
How long will the results last?
There are changes in the breasts, areolar and nipples with age, pregnancy and breast feeding. Therefore, surgery timing should be considered carefully if a pregnancy is planned.
The results of breast augmentation and lift surgery will withstand time, if appropriately sized implants are used, but the above factors will inevitably have effects on the tissues over time.
It is also important to remember the constant effect of gravity will naturally cause a breast drooping effect (ptosis) over time. This varies from patient to patient and can be difficult to predict.
What happens on the day of surgery?
rior to the day of surgery you will be given the following information and it is critical to know these details ahead of time:
On the day of surgery you will be checked in by a nurse and all your details will be confirmed and you will be changed into a surgical gown.
Dr Rory will see you before your surgery to run through all the details of the surgery, the consent forms as well as performing all your surgical markings. Your implant sizes will be once again confirmed. Multiple ID checks and procedure confirmation will be performed prior to your operation as safety is a priority.
After your surgery Dr Rory will notify your friends or family to let them know the procedure has finished and put thieir mind at ease. Depending of the procedure he will see you after the surgery and discuss the procedure.
When you are feeling comfortable, the team will then allow you to be discharged as planned that morning. All medicines and instructions will be given to you on your discharge.
You will be discharged from hospital with a specialized support dressings and/or a soft non-underwired sports like surgical support bra.
How long will the surgery take?
If done in isolation, the surgery takes approximately three to four hours.
This does not include anaesthesia time. In total, the whole procedure may last longer.
Will the procedure be painful?
One of the primary aims of any procedure performed by Dr Rory is to create a pain free experience.
A long acting local anaesthetic agent is placed into the surgical area at the end of the procedure. To make you comfortable a garment or specialized supportive dressings (with nipples exposed) will be applied to help support your new breast shape.
In terms of recovery, there will be some tenderness in the surgical area and some discomfort on movement.
Dr Rory does not used drains which again makes the procedure more comfortable
What is the recovery period?
This is a major procedure and so the recovery is five days, even for placement of the implant underneath the muscle.
During this time you can fully use your arms and are encourage to do so with care.
The golden rule is no heavy lifting for one month following the surgery.
What should I consider when recovering from the procedure?
There will be a specialized skin glue place on the surgical area and a splash proof dressing. This will allow you to shower with care. The garment should be removed before showering.
No heavy exertional activity that will cause excessive sweating. No jerking chest or arm movements in the first seven days. The golden rule is no heavy lifting for one month following the surgery.
The specialized skin glue will peel off at week three to four. At this time, a silicone based strip or gel should be applied to the dry healed scar in order to minimize the final appearance of the scar.
Driving can be resumed at one week with care, wrap a towel around the seat belt as padding in the event of an emergency stop.
The garment should be worn for four to six weeks after your breast lift surgery to stop an unwired bra rubbing on your scars.
The final results in terms of shape will be at approximately four months. At first, your breasts will appear fuller at the top and firmer. Over four months, the breasts have softened and become more natural looking (dropped and fluffed). This is the effect of gravity after your breast augmentation and lift.
As you attend your wound check appointments you will see the skin glue as purple and very often the skin can appear gathered. This gathering of the skin will flatten over time.
No swimming until all scars are fully healed at approximately four weeks.
The final appearance of your scars will be at eighteen months.
What is the cost of the procedure?
If performed alone, the cost of the procedure starts at 65,000 AED (excluding VAT).
The final cost is determined on a case by case basis dependent on complexity and additional procedures. Combination surgeries will lower the price of individual surgeries if done together.
It is important to remember this is essentially two procedures in one, a breast augmentation and a breast lift and as such is a complex procedure requiring skill and significant experience to plan safely. This is one of the most frequent procedures Dr Rory performs.
It is critical to remember each pair of breasts is different and often each breast is different from each other on the same patient. This means planning and the consultation process is critical for success. A full surgical no-commitment consultation with Dr Rory will provide all the necessary details for your particular case and comprehensive implant size planning.
What are the risks of the procedure?
These include some discomfort, infection, nipple sensation change, alteration of blood supply to nipples, risk of bleeding, capsular contraction, implant rupture, implant rippling, degrees of asymmetry and delayed wound healing.
Your nipple sensation may increase or decrease, and each side may act independently. Sensation recovers over time. This varies between patients.
As the nipples and areola are moved on their blood supply there is theoretical risk of interruption of blood supply that can lead to some or all of this area dying (undergoing necrosis). This is very rare but more common in smokers. The other problem smokers face is delayed wound healing and poorer quality scars.
Therefore Dr Rory is very strict when it comes to smoking and this surgery. You are advised to stop smoking one month before and after this surgery.
If there is an infection around the implant, this necessitates removal of the implant. Dr Rory avoids this at all costs by using a no touch implant insertion using a Keller Funnell, a specialized antibiotic solution around the implant and in the breast. You will also be given antibiotics after the surgery for one week.
If there is bleeding around the implant, this will present as marked swelling in the first few hours following the surgery. This requires a return to the operating theatre to stop the bleeding. This is very very rare and again avoided as meticulous attention is paid during the procedure to reduce any areas of potential bleeding.
The Motiva implants have been designed to reduce the risk of capsular contracture, rupture and also rippling.
There is also the risk of stretching of the scar and excessive scarring such as hypetrophic or keloid scarring.
Anything in particularly important I should know about the procedure?
It’s a procedure with very high satisfaction rates if you are willing to accept the scarring which will fade over time.
The key to the procedure is planning your implant size, nipple position and breast shape.
Final appearance takes approximately four months.
It is most commonly performed in conjunction with other body contouring surgeries.
What is the follow up after the procedure?
Each patient has a follow up schedule that is different.
You will be advised by Dr Rory and his team your particular follow up journey.
Typically it involves seeing the team a week after surgery for a wound check, then protective dressings until the glue falls off.
Thereafter, scar checks are performed at the six week point. Follow appointments are then at four and twelve months. This schedule will differ between individuals.
Who is involved in my care?
Dr Rory is the primary physician in charge of all your care. He performs all procedures himself and is meticulous about every aspect of your care.
Once he has performed a procedure on you he is available for you as your on-call doctor.
He will provide you with contact details and will be available for you. If you have any questions or concerns at any time he is available to support you.
He has trained his team around him to an exceptionally high standard from his aesthetic coordinators to aesthetic nurses.
In some instances, for example, for photography, garment fitting, wound dressings, checks or removal of stitches, his highly trained team will perform the care liasing directly with Dr Rory with real time updates.
