Why Consider Breast Augmentation?
Breast augmentation is a surgical procedure that involves the use of implants and/or fat transfer to increase the size and improve the shape of the breasts. This procedure is tailored to each individual’s body type, preferences, and desired outcomes, ensuring that the results look natural and proportionate.
- Customized Results to Fit Your Body: Turner works closely with each patient to create a customized plan that considers body proportions, lifestyle, and desired outcome. Whether you prefer a subtle enhancement or a more dramatic transformation, the procedure can be tailored to meet your goals.
- Enhanced Breast Shape and Size: By choosing the right type and size of implants, patients can achieve fuller, more symmetrical breasts that complement their natural body shape. The procedure creates the desired profile, fullness, and cleavage.
- Rejuvenation After Pregnancy or Weight Changes: Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and significant weight fluctuations can lead to changes in breast volume and shape. Breast augmentation can help restore a fuller, firmer and lifted appearance.
- Improve Breast Symmetry:Breast implants can be used to correct breast asymmetry, where one breast is smaller or different shape to the other. Such asymmetries may be congenital, or trauma related during development.
Dr. Turner prioritizes patient satisfaction, ensuring that every breast augmentation procedure delivers results that align with individual aesthetic desires and personal comfort.
Suitable Candidates for Breast Augmentation Surgery?
Suitable candidates for breast augmentation surgery should meet the following criteria:
- Physical Health: Be in good overall health with no underlying medical conditions that could interfere with the wound healing process.
- Emotional Well-being: Have realistic expectations and a positive mindset regarding the outcomes of breast implant surgery. As of 1st of July 2023, patients are required to have a psychological evaluation to ensure they are suitable to proceed with surgery.
- Stable Weight: It is recommended to be near your target weight before undergoing the procedure, as weight fluctuations can affect the cosmetic results.
- Non-smoker:Smoking or vaping dramatically interferes with the healing process and increases the risk of complications. Therefore, candidates are required to cease smoking for a minimum 6 weeks before and after the surgery
How do I Choose the Right Breast Implants?
Dr. Turner provides a range of implant options to help you achieve your desired look. During your consultation, you will explore the benefits of each type:
Breast Implant Size
One of the most important aspects for women seeking breast augmentation is choosing the right implant size. Dr Turner can guide you through this often-confusing process helping you choose an implant that best fits your breast to achieve your desired aesthetic goals.
Tissue-Based Planning
Using the latest breast augmentation assessment techniques, Dr Turner will take multiple measurements of your breast, including width, height and skin elasticity as well as point out any asymmetry of your breast and underlying chest wall. This allows you to accurately select the correct breast implant width for your breast and chest wall, as well as the profile or projection of the implant to achieve your desired cleavage or fullness.
Breast Implant Sizing
After your examinations and photos are taken, we get you to trial what your augmented breast will look like by using the latest Volume Sizing System. It uses a combination of unique sizers that fits over breast, giving a much more accurate estimate of volume than simply trialling breast implants of various shapes in your bra.
Breast Implant Shape
Women come in all shapes and sizes and so do their breasts. So, it only makes sense to have different breast implant shapes. When have your consultation with Dr Turner in our Sydney clinic, he will show you both teardrop and round breast implants and make a recommendation on the best options for you.
Round Breast Implants
Round breast implants are the most frequently used implants worldwide and are ideal in women with well-shaped breasts who desire volume and extra fullness in the upper part of their breasts. Often women are concerned that a round breast implant will create an artificial cleavage, however a well-chosen round implant gives a very natural breast shape when placed in a customized dual plane location.
Anatomical Breast Implants
Anatomical or teardrop breast implant are beneficial in women with little natural breast tissue, mild breast ptosis, tuberous breasts anomaly or who want less upper pole fullness in their breast. These implants consist of highly cohesive silicone gel to create a firmer breast with most of the volume towards the base to create a breast that mimics a natural breast shape.
Breast Implant Surface
Traditionally breast implant surfaces have been classified as either smooth or textured. However, with advances in breast augmentation surgery over the last decade this approach is overly simplistic. We now classify breast implant surface based the degree of roughness, as the higher the degree of roughness the higher the association with a rare condition called breast implant related Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).
Smooth Breast Implants
Smooth implants have thin shells with low cohesive silicone gel making them softer, allowing a smaller incision than textured implants during breast augmentation surgery which is often appealing. However, as smooth implants move freely within the breast pocket, they are only available in a round shape. The lack of stability of smooth implants leads to a higher risk of breast implant malposition and need for a breast implant revision procedure.
While many breast implant companies supply smooth implants, Dr Turner choice for a smooth implant is the next generation Motiva nanotextures breast implants. The advantages of Motiva implants are:
- Capsular Contraction (10yrs) – 1-2%
- Implant Rupture (10yrs) – 1-2%
- ALCL – not reported (limited data as only 10yrs on market)
Microtextured Breast Implants
These low textured or less rough breast implants come in a wide variety of shapes, including both round and anatomical shaped breast implants. Due to the texturing of these implants, they have thicker (multilayered) shells with firmer cohesive silicone gel which enables Dr Turner to shape your breast more consistently with more predictable placement due to the low rates of malposition.
Mentor MemoryGel Siltex breast implants are the most popular microtextured breast implant used worldwide with a 40+ year track record of clinical studies and safety data and is why it is Dr Turners preferred breast implant. The advantages of Mentor implants are:
- Capsular Contraction (10yrs) – 5%
- Implant Rupture (10yrs) – 1-2%
- ALCL – low risk with microtextured implants
Macrotextured Breast Implants
Macrotextured breast implants were developed to reduce the risk of capsular contraction, the abnormal scar that forms around a breast implant leading to pain and distorted breast shape. This rougher texture also had the benefit of providing excellent stability with very low rates of malposition and implant rotation for a reliable breast shape.
A unique form of rough textured breast implants – polyurethane breast implants or ‘furry Brazilian’ had very low rates of capsular contraction and malposition. These were smooth implants with a polyurethane coating that is degraded over 5 years, which made the breast feel overly firm and unnatural during this period.
However, these macrotextured or rough breast implants have now been withdrawn from market worldwide due the strong association with BIA-ALCL. While BIA-ALCL is a very rare condition worldwide, over 90% of cases are associated with polyurethane or Biocell (Natrelle) implants which are no longer used in Australia.
Breast Implant Substance
While all breast implants are composed of an outer silicone shell, with different surface textures as discussed previously, the inside of a breast implants is either saline (sterile salt water) or silicone gel.
Saline Breast Implants
While saline breast implants were a popular implant used decades ago, they are infrequently used for breast augmentation surgery now in Australia. Saline implants are filled with saline after the implant shell has been placed in the body. The concerns with saline implants are they are not as durable as silicone gel implants and if the shell ruptures the saline will be absorbed by the patient’s body and the breast deflates.
Silicone Breast Implants
Today the majority of breast implants used worldwide are now cohesive – form stable silicone gel implants. The cohesive gel in modern implants is a thick, jelly-like consistency that gives the implant a solid form, so if the implant shell is damaged or ruptures the gel will not ooze or leak.
With the two implants that Dr Turner commonly uses in breast augmentation surgery, they have a variety of difference consistencies to achieve your desired results.
- Mentor Implants: have a 3 types of gel consistency, MemoryGel implants can be soft (Coh I), medium (Coh II) or stable, firm gel (Xtra or Anatomical CPG implants).
- Motiva Implants: have 2 types of gel consistency, the Progressive Plus are more stable, firm gel and the Ergonomix have a softer gel that appears more like an anatomical implant while standing up.
Why Choose Dr Turner for Breast Implants in Sydney?
Selecting the right breast surgeon is one of the most crucial decisions you will make in your breast augmentation journey. Dr Turner will take the time to develop a customized treatment plan that reflects your specific goals, body shape, and lifestyle.
Dr. Turner offers expertise, safety, and patient care:
- Extensive Surgical Experience: Turner is a board-certified Cosmetic Plastic Surgeon with years of experience performing breast augmentation.
- Patient-Cantered Approach: Each patient’s needs, body type, and expectations are different. Dr. Turner’s consultations focus on understanding your goals, answering your questions, and ensuring you are well-informed about the procedure, including any potential risks.
- Accredited Hospitals: Our Sydney private hospitals are equipped with the latest surgical technology, ensuring your procedure is performed in a safe and comfortable environment.
- Focus on Safety and Excellence: We use high-quality, FDA-approved breast implants and follow strict infection control protocols. Dr. Turner stays updated on the latest advancements in cosmetic breast surgery to offer the best outcomes.
Breast Augmentation Surgery: What to Expect
Breast implant surgery is always performed under general anaesthesia in a fully accredited hospital with the assistance of a qualified anaesthetist. Depending on the complexity of the procedure it may take 1 to 2 hours, and generally you are discharged the same day.
There are several important considerations to be made during the planning of your breast augmentation surgery with Dr Scott J Turner, Specialist Plastic Surgeon.
Incision Location
To perform breast implant surgery a small incision is required to allow access to create the pocket where the breast implant is than placed. These incisions are made in discreet locations to minimize long-term visibility.
The most common incision sites for the insertion of breast implants are:
- Inframammary Fold: The incision is placed in the new breast fold location. While standing, this incision is concealed but will be visible when you are lying down.
- Periareolar: This incision is place around the areolar edge, allowing scars to often be concealed by the shape and colour of your areola.
- Transaxillary: This incision will be through the armpit, which means no physical scaring will take place on the breast itself.
While incisions along the areolar border or within the armpit are appealing to many women, Dr Turner’s preference in breast augmentation surgery is to use the inframammary fold incision. This provides optimal exposure to the underlying breast tissue and pectoralis muscle for more accurate breast implant placement and shown to have the lowest complication and revision rates.
Implant Placement
Breast implant placement will be determined by your body shape and breast size, with two common locations for the placement of breast implants are:
- Subglandular: Also known as subfascial, is when the breast implant is placed between the pectoralis muscle and overlying breast tissue. This is recommended in women with adequate soft tissue coverage in the upper part of the breast and smaller breast implant sizes (less than 400cc). The subglandular placement offers a faster recovery and fuller breast cleavage with reduced risk of lateral malposition and breast animation.
- Subpectoral: Also known as subpectoral, is when the breast implant is placed between the rib cage and overlying pectoralis muscle. This is recommended in women with little breast tissue or larger breast implant sizes, as the muscle enhances coverage of the upper area of the breast implant to minimise visibility of the implant edges to reduce the risk of palpability or rippling.
What about dual plane?
Dual plane is a novel technique in which the upper half of the implant is behind the pectoralis muscle and the lower half of the implant is directly behind the breast tissue. This technique combines the benefits of both the subglandular and submuscular techniques.
In some women with mild breast ptosis, a dual plane technique is can restore a lifted breast shape without the added scars associated with a breast lift (mastopexy).
What is Hybrid Breast Augmentation?
Breast augmentation with a cohesive silicone gel breast implants has been the ‘gold standard’ for breast enlargement over the last several decades, however it is not without limitations. A new technique – hybrid breast augmentation surgery combines both breast implants and fat grafting to shape the size and shape of the breast with more control.
Many of the disadvantages associated with a breast implant only procedures can be avoided by the addition of fat grafting:
- Implant Visibility: By improving the soft tissue in the cleavage and upper pole of the breast can minimise issues of implant edge visibility and implant rippling.
- Decrease Animation: By placing implants in a subfascial location with improved soft tissue coverage can limit the concerns of breast animation and double bubble formation that can occur with subpectoral placement.
- Narrow Cleavage: By adding fat graft to the cleavage lines the cleavage can be moved closer together and avoiding wide cleavage gap that happens in patients with wide sternum and subpectoral placement.
For those women who only desire a modest increase in breast volume and are apprehensive about undergoing a breast implant procedure, a breast enlargement with fat grafting only can often achieve a half to one cup size increase of the breasts with fuller cleavage.
Preparation for Breast Implant Surgery
Prior to surgery, you may need to adjust or stop certain medications, especially those that can increase bleeding risks, such as aspirin or anti-inflammatory medications. Stopping smoking is highly recommended six weeks before surgery, as smoking can significantly impact wound healing and complications. Additionally, maintaining a balanced diet rich in vitamins and proteins will support your body’s healing processes.
In the days leading up to the surgery, it’s advisable to prepare your home for the recovery phase by setting up a comfortable resting area with necessary supplies within easy reach. Arrange for someone to drive you home after the procedure and stay with you for at least the first 48 hours. On the day of the surgery, wear loose-fitting clothing and avoid wearing jewellery or makeup. Ensure that you have all prescribed medications filled and ready for use after the surgery.
Recovery after Breast Augmentation Surgery
Recovering from a breast implant surgery involves several stages and requires careful attention to the post-operative instructions provided by Dr Turner to ensure the best results.
- Rest & Elevation: Rest is crucial. It is important for the first 2 weeks after your procedure to keeping your head and back elevated on a few pillows while sleeping. Most patients can sleep on their sides after 3 weeks comfortably.
- Post-Operative Dressings: The sutures for all breast incisions are self-dissolving, eliminating the need for suture removal. Specialised dressings will be applied to support the wound during the first week, this will be changed by Dr Turner at your follow up appointment.
- Cold Compresses: Bruising, swelling and discomfort in your breast region is expected, especially with breast implants placed in a subpectoral placement. The use of cold compress to your cleavage area in the first few days is a simple and effective measure to assist your healing.
- Compression Garments: You will be provided a surgical compression bra to wear full time for the first month post-surgery. This assists with settling of the breast implants and also assists with postoperative breast discomfort. After this time, Dr Turner recommends sleeping in the surgical garment at night for 6 months and wearing a supportive sports bra during the day.
- Incision Care: Scar management is an important part of any plastic surgery procedure. Scars on breast naturally will mature over 3 years before they look their best. During this time, we recommend a protocol of scar management, which includes silicone scar therapy and laser treatments.
- Medications: The anaesthetist will provide you with antibiotics and prescription pain medication that you can take at home over the first week.
- Normal Activities & Exercise: Most women can gradually return to normal activities over the first 2 weeks. However, more high intensity exercise needs to be avoided in the first 6 weeks, with strong upper body / chest exercise should be avoided for 3 months.
- Follow Up Appointments: Dr Turner recommends frequent follow up during the first 1 year after breast implant surgery. It is highly advisable that these reviews are in person at our Sydney clinic at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year.
Risks and Complications of Breast Augmentation
As with any surgery, it is important that you are fully informed of the potential risks associated with breast augmentation surgery. While all care is taken to minimize these complications, they may and do occur despite the best medical care.
It is important that you carefully read and understand the potential risks and they will be discussed in further detail when you have your consultation with Dr Turner.
- Infection: Infections can occur at the incision site or around the implant. Antibiotics are typically prescribed to minimise the risk.
- Capsular Contracture: This occurs when scar tissue forms around the implant, distorting the breast shape. Additional surgery may be required to address this complication.
- Implant Rupture or Leakage: Implants can rupture or leak over time, which may necessitate removal or replacement of the implant.
- Changes in Sensation: Some individuals may experience temporary or permanent changes in nipple or breast sensation following surgery.
- Malposition & Rotation: It is possible for the breasts implants to settle unequally or with anatomical breast implants they may rotate. Both will create asymmetry in breast shape and require additional surgery.
- Scar Formation: All surgical incisions will leave a permanent scar. Incision placement and surgical techniques can minimise the visibility scarring, but sometimes a scar may need additional treatment.
- Haematoma: A collection of blood, known as a hematoma, can occur around the breast implant. Drainage or additional surgery may be necessary.
- Seroma: Seroma is a collection of fluid that forms around the implant, causing swelling, pain, and discomfort.
- Anaesthesia Risks: General anaesthesia carries its own set of potential risks, such as adverse reactions or complications.
- Unsatisfactory Results: Despite the best efforts of the surgeon, breast augmentation surgery may not result in the patient’s desired outcome, but this can be prevented by coming to a clear mutual understanding of the goals of the procedure during a thorough consultation.
What is the Cost of Breast Augmentation in Sydney?
The costs associated with Breast Augmentation Surgery in Sydney can vary depending on many factors, such as the complexity of the procedure and time required in the operating theatre. Your total cost will include surgeon’s fee, anaesthetist fee, breast implants, hospital fees and surgical aftercare & support.
Dr Turner Breast Augmentation Prices
Breast Augmentation: $12,000 – $12,500
Hybrid Breast Augmentation: $15,000 – $15,500
Price is inclusive of plastic surgeon’s fees, anaesthetist fees, breast implant, garments, hospital fees and all postoperative follow up visits with Dr Turner for 1 year.
