Breast Augmentation (Implants)

For a fuller or more shapely look, breast augmentation surgery may offer the enhancement you seek.  Breast augmentation can also correct concerns such as asymmetry and tubular breasts.

As each patient has a different frame and body type, Dr McHugh works closely with each patient to tailor the type, size and placement of implants to your desired outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions

One of the most commonly sought cosmetic procedures, women choose to undergo breast augmentation for a variety of reasons. Though breast enlargement will not create perfection in your appearance, it can enhance your body’s shape.

Some common reasons women choose breast augmentation include dissatisfaction over naturally small breasts, the desire to create balance in asymmetrical breasts, or to restore breast volume lost due to pregnancy, weight loss or aging.

You may be a good candidate for breast augmentation if:

– You feel your breasts are too small
– The size and shape of your breasts have changed due to weight loss
– Your breasts have lost volume and firmness due to pregnancy
– Your breasts are asymmetrical in size or shape

For anyone considering breast augmentation, it is essential you fit the following criteria:

– You must be emotionally mature enough to understand your reasons for seeking the procedure
– You must have realistic expectations
– Your breast development must be complete

A personal consultation with your surgeon is the first step for any patient considering breast augmentation. Dr McHugh will assess your physical and emotional health, discuss your aesthetic goals, and address any questions or concerns you may have.

Issues you should be prepared to discuss during consultation with Dr. McHugh include:

– Your specific aesthetic goals
– Medical conditions, both past and present
– Current medications, including nutritional supplements and herbal remedies
– Past surgeries
– Any mammogram results

Clear communication with Dr McHugh about your aesthetic goals is essential at this time. Issues of implant size, shape and type, as well as implant placement will affect your final result. All these options will be thoroughly discussed during consultation.

There are also certain post-surgical factors that may affect your breast augmentation results. Future pregnancies and weight fluctuations can change your breast size and shape after surgery. Dr McHugh will discuss these factors with you during consultation.

As part of your consultation, Dr McHugh will examine your breasts, evaluating their size, shape, and skin tone, as well as nipple placement. He may also choose to photograph you for your medical record. For the sake of safety, a baseline mammogram is sometimes recommended before surgery for use in detecting future changes in breast tissue. It should be noted that after surgery, your mammograms will take more time and care. Special imaging techniques will be required to accommodate the breast implants.

For a more complete rejuvenation, Dr. McHugh may discuss additional procedures that can be performed along with breast augmentation. Patients frequently combine breast augmentation with:

– Tummy tuck: to remove excess skin and tighten lax muscle in the abdomen
– Liposuction: to sculpt problem areas such as the hips, thighs and tummy
– Breast lift: to address drooping and sagging.

There are many variations to the breast augmentation surgery. The technique Dr McHugh uses for you depends upon your individual features and aesthetic goals. Options to consider include implant type, shape and size; implant placement; and incision options. Dr McHugh will thoroughly discuss these options with you during your pre-op consultation.

Breast augmentation incisions are generally small and made in one of two locations:

– Inframammary: beneath the breast, at or below the fold
– Periareolar: along the lower edge of the areola of the breast

​Once the incision is made, a pocket is created for the implant. This pocket is made either beneath the pectoral muscle or directly behind the breast tissue.

After the pocket is created, the implant is then inserted and the incision carefully closed.

Though thousands of women undergo breast augmentation each year and experience no major complications, the procedure does carry some degree of risk. It is important you be well informed of these risks when considering breast augmentation.

The discussion of potential risks and complications is one of the most important aspects of patient consultation. During your consultation, Dr McHugh will discuss these potential complications with you, listen to your safety questions, and offer recommendations on how to minimise your risk.

It is important to follow Dr McHugh’s instructions when preparing for breast augmentation surgery to ensure the best possible results. Those instructions may include:

– Refraining from smoking for several weeks before and after surgery
– Avoiding certain medications
– Arranging for help following surgery, such as a ride home and in-home care for the first 24 hours

For your comfort and convenience, Dr McHugh performs breast augmentation surgery under general anaesthetic at various private hospitals.

He will carefully monitor your physical status throughout the operation and during your recovery.

You will come out of surgery wearing a support bra. You should be up and around the day of surgery to prevent blood clots in the legs. Your breasts will feel sore the first few days after surgery. This discomfort is generally well controlled with pain medication.

Though everyone heals at a different pace, the following is typical of recovery from breast augmentation:

Within a few days

– Showering will be pe​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​rmitted
– You may resume non-strenuous work

After several weeks

– Most of the swelling will subside
– Exercise may be resumed
– Your final result will begin to emerge

If you went into breast augmentation with realistic expectations, you’ll most likely be very pleased with your results.

Though breast augmentation provides long-lasting enhancement, it is important to remember that issues such as age, genetics and weight fluctuation can change the size, shape and position of even enhanced breasts over time.

Follow-up visits are important to answer any questions you may have and monitor your healing process. Your first post-operative visit will be scheduled after the initial healing period, during the first few days after surgery.

In the following months, Dr McHugh may ask you to return for periodic checkups. Keeping these appointments is important to assess your long-term results and address any questions or concerns you may have.

Dr John McHugh plastic surgeon
About Dr McHugh

Dr John McHugh is Australia's only surgeon qualified in both Maxillofacial and Cosmetic surgery.

His dual specialisations enable him to deliver excellence in surgical results, with an eye for aesthetic beauty.

With over 20 years of experience as a surgeon in the private sector and performing international aid work as a Surgeon Commander with the Royal Australian Navy, you can have confidence that Dr McHugh is uniquely qualified and trusted to deliver the results you seek.

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