Beautiful results from breast implant surgery results from excellent surgical technique, but it also relies on informed decisions by our patients. One decision you must make is whether to go under (sub-pectoral) or over (sub-mammary) the pectoral muscle. Implants put under muscle will cause more discomfort for the first few days, as the muscle is partially divided and must stretch over the implant. The implant is also pushed away from the midline by the pectoral muscle as it attaches to the sternum (breastbone), and this appearance will be exaggerated by exercise. This is a problem for patients who are looking for ‘lots of cleavage’, or are concerned with their appearance…

Consultation for breast implant surgery (augmentation) is a challenging process, as there are many options to be considered. This 7-part series is intended for those of you interested in the surgery but confused by the choices involved. Breast Augmentation: Textured vs. Smooth (part 2 of 7) Beautiful results from breast implant surgery results from excellent surgical technique, but it also relies on informed decisions by our patients. One decision you must make is Textured vs. Smooth implants. Smooth implants require smaller incisions and can be inserted through an armpit incision. They may be more prone to shifting over time, or capsular contracture. Capsular contracture is the process in which the…

Consultation for breast implant surgery (augmentation) is a challenging process, as there are many options to be considered. This 7-part series is intended for those of you interested in the surgery but confused by the choices involved. Breast Augmentation: Saline vs Silicone (part 1 of 7) Beautiful results from breast implant surgery results from excellent surgical technique, but it also relies on informed decisions by our patients. One decision you must make is implant composition. Both Saline and Silicone implants have an outer silicone shell. Saline implants can be inserted through a very small incision and are then inflated via a tube with sterile salt water, but they feel ‘fake’,…

The Mansierre, The Bro, Moobs- funny on television, but no man with large breasts finds the reality of this problem funny. As ‘deformities’ go, this is particularly difficult for men as it can be an afront to their image of masculinity. Gynecomastia is common among adolescents as hormonal activity and tissue responses play havoc, but generally the breast over-development subsides over a few years. For those troubled by permanent breast enlargement, plastic surgery Toronto is the answer. Surgical planning for each patient requires consideration of three tissues: skin fat and gland. Skin is a problem only if there has been massive weight gain/loss, and the resultant loose skin must be…

At the recent Toronto Aesthetic meeting, the topic of smooth versus textured cohesive gel breast implants came up for discussion. The differences between Mentor and Allergan textured implants was also debated. Studies have not consistently demonstrated the superiority of one implant over another, in part because these implants have properties that allow one implant to be better in some situations, and another implant in others.  Despite the absence of good studies, our experience and that of other top Toronto breast augmentation surgeons has been that texturing does not make a big difference in the development of capsular contracture.  Texturing does allow the use of shaped (anatomic) implants, as a smooth surface…

It’s natural to want the best, especially when it comes to something as important as your health. But unless you can define ‘the best’, it will be hard to recognize it when you find it. There are several criteria to look for in a surgeon, but perhaps the two most important are the quality of the consultation process and the technical skill of the surgeon. Breast augmentation, also known as breast implant surgery, is a good example of surgery that can be mastered by even an average plastic surgeon. Creating a pocket and putting in an implant is not a difficult procedure, and so it is the consultation process that…