Newcastle, Hunter Valley – Breast Lift, Breast Augmentation, and Other Breast Surgeries
The breast is one of the most common areas of concern for female plastic surgery patients, making cosmetic plastic surgery of the breast very popular at Dr. John Newton’s Warners Bay practice near the Hunter Valley and Newcastle. Breast augmentation with realistic implants, breast lift with liposuction, breast reduction, and breast reconstruction give Dr. Newton’s patients from the Central Coast, Mid North Coast, Hunter region, and throughout NSW the opportunity to enhance their breasts in optimum safety and comfort.
Breast Augmentation
It has never been more possible to achieve natural-looking, aesthetically pleasing results through breast augmentation than it is today. Using implants made of only the highest quality materials, Dr. Newton can create a fuller, more sensuous breast that looks and feels remarkably natural. Dr. Newton’s patients from the Newcastle area, Hunter Valley, and elsewhere enjoy superior breast augmentation results thanks to a procedure that is individually customized for each patient. (See Dr. Newton's article, "Considering Breast Enhancement")
Implant Placement
Surgical breast augmentation can be accomplished in a number of ways. Implants can be placed through incisions located in the inframammary fold beneath the breast, where the scar will be barely visible. Inframammary incisions give Dr. Newton the most control over the procedure.
Implants can also be placed either behind the chest muscles, which produces the most realistic results for women with smaller natural breasts, or just in front of the chest muscles and behind the breast tissue, which is a less invasive procedure with a shorter recovery time. In general, women with smaller natural breasts tend to achieve better results when the implants are placed behind the chest muscles, while those with larger natural breasts tend to achieve better results with implants placed in front of the muscles.
Dr. Newton also uses an intermediate plane between the muscle and the muscular fascia called the prepectoral fascial plane. It provides a lot of the advantages seen behind the muscle, but with less pain and less long-term problems. (See Dr. Newton's article, "The Plane Truth")
Choosing the Implants
Shape, size, and material must all be taken into consideration when selecting the implant that will best allow patients to meet their aesthetic goals. While round breast implants create the fullest cleavage, many patients choose teardrop implants because they appear more natural. Implant size will be determined by the patient’s body size and individual goals for the breast augmentation procedure. Both saline and silicone implants produce realistic results, but some patients feel that silicone feels more like natural breast tissue than saline. Dr. Newton explores these options in detail with each patient at his practice in the Newcastle suburbs near Hunter Valley to ensure that the breast augmentation is a success.
Breast Lift
Over time, women’s breasts tend to droop, stretch, and sag. Serving the Newcastle area from his Warners Bay office, Dr. Newton performs breast lift surgery to counteract the effects of aging, gravity, and childbirth, restoring the breasts to a more youthful position higher up on the chest.
The breast lift procedure involves removing skin and tissue from below the nipple, bringing skin from above the nipple down around the bottom of the breast, and then repositioning the nipple on the breast. Dr. Newton may use liposuction to remove unneeded fatty tissue as part of the procedure.
During a breast lift, Dr. Newton can also modify the size and shape of the breast. Patients who have lost significant breast volume or firmness may choose to have breast implants placed as part of the same procedure, while those whose breasts are larger than they like may decide to have some fat and skin removed.
After breast lift surgery is complete, patients will be fitted with a bra to support the breasts during healing. Dr. Newton will schedule a follow-up appointment at his Newcastle-area practice one week after surgery for all breast lift patients. With Dr. Newton's technique, there are no stitches to remove, and the patient will usually be able to return to work in between two and four weeks. Full healing usually takes about six weeks.
Breast Reduction
Uncomfortably large breasts may be responsible for back and neck pain, get in the way of physical activities, or unduly limit a woman’s wardrobe choices. With breast reduction surgery, Dr. Newton can bring the breasts down to a more comfortable, manageable size that better fits the patient’s body.
Breast reduction surgery is similar to the breast lift procedure: Dr. Newton makes an incision along the base of the breast and around the nipple, removing excess skin and tissue as appropriate, and then relocates the nipple and closes the incision. When appropriate, Dr. Newton uses liposuction techniques to remove fat from the breast. Patients are generally able to return to work after two weeks and to all normal activities after six weeks. (See Dr. Newton's article, "A Weight Off My Chest")
Breast Reconstruction
Using breast implants, Dr. Newton is able to construct an incredibly lifelike breast and nipple for patients who have had their breasts removed, restoring a feminine body contour and the self-confidence that accompanies it. Patients typically need about six weeks to recover, but are able to return to work after about two weeks.
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is one of the most common and devastating cancers which we see in our society today. Fortunately awareness of breast cancer has increased dramatically and the ability to detect it and treat it has improved in parallel with the increased awareness. Consequently women suffering from breast cancer are being managed earlier and more successfully.
Management of breast cancer almost invariably involves some form of surgery to remove the cancer from the breast. This quite commonly entails mastectomy (removal of the breast). This surgery, whilst lifesaving, can in itself leave a women feeling scarred. This scarring can be emotional as well as physical.
This is where reconstruction after mastectomy becomes a valuable asset. It provides women with an opportunity to overcome the disability they had to undergo to defeat their breast cancer. Dr. John Newton sees a large number of patients who wish to consider breast reconstruction after mastectomy. He finds it one of the most rewarding sections of his cosmetic plastic surgery practice.
There are essentially two forms of breast reconstruction after mastectomy: reconstruction using a prosthesis and reconstruction using part of the patient’s own tissue.
When a prosthesis is used it is usually an expandable breast implant which is placed into the soft tissues of the chest wall and once the healing process has progressed, it is expanded by injecting saline. Dr. Newton says that there was a time when it was routine for this prosthesis to be removed and replaced with a more definitive prosthesis but, with the modern prostheses, no replacement is required, allowing this to be a one stage and fairly brief operation.
When the patient’s own tissues are used, the most common tissue used is tissue from the lower abdomen. This can be swung up from the lower abdomen using some of the muscles of the abdomen to supply the blood or it can be removed completely and then have the blood supply reattached.
Both these operations provide the patient with what is referred to as a “breast mound," or a bulk of tissue on the chest wall which mimics the shape of a breast. It will fill a bra and will fill out clothing. It will create a cleavage and thereby accommodates many women in their reconstruction needs.
The timing of reconstruction is variable. Some patients are suited to an immediate reconstruction whilst others require a delay. This is largely determined by the pathology findings and the anticipation of extra treatment, besides the surgery, to remove the tumour. Dr. Newton also points out that the size and shape of the remaining breast may well influence both the timing of the operation and the type of reconstruction carried out.
Nipples can be reconstructed also. This is done in a variety of ways, including skin and cartilage grafts and even tattooing for the areola. Dr. Newton would often delay this procedure to allow the original operation to settle and for gravity and time to have some affect on the postoperative appearance of the reconstructed breast.
It is sometimes appropriate to operate on the other breast to provide a better result because the breasts are more symmetrical.
Contact Dr. Newton
Using the latest and most effective techniques, Dr. Newton is able to achieve incredibly lifelike results for his patients in the Newcastle and Hunter Valley areas. When you are ready to explore breast augmentation, breast lift, or another procedure, please contact the practice to schedule a consultation.
To learn more about the options available in Newcastle near the Hunter Valley area, including breast augmentation and breast lift, contact Dr. Newton today.
View Patient GalleryDr. John Newton
14 Howard Street
Warners Bay
Tel 02 4948 4200
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