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 pursue augmentation through implants or Fat grafting.  Fat grafting was not a serious consideration until the past few years, and it still doesn’t have the capabilities of a silicone implant.  Still, for someone seeking a modest augmentation (1 cup) and possessing “good??? fat donor sites, and willing to accept unknown risks, and the possibility of lumpiness and inconsistent results, it is a consideration.  Much is written about how to make the operation more predictable, but at present it remains that breast implants are…

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 choose round or anatomic (breast-shaped) implants. Round implants can be smooth or textured, because a round implant can rotate without changing the breast appearance.  An anatomic implant must be textured to prevent rotation (e.g. upside-down breast!).  A common misconception among patients with some drooping of the areola and a hollow upper breast is that they need a round implant to fill the upper pole and correct this appearance.  In our experience, a better appearance is achieved by using an anatomic implant that…

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’,…

caption=”(artist Jason Laurits-used with permission)”] If you have seen a reputable surgeon and not been offered surgery, the solution isn’t to keep searching until you find someone to take on your case. Eventually you will find someone hungry or adventurous enough to give it a go, and that is not a good criteria for finding a surgeon. Choosing a surgeon because they can accommodate your impulse decision for surgery next week is also a bad idea. Another source of problems is the pursuit of perfection: a result that is 95% perfect should be left alone, unless your surgeon feels very confident in doing a revision. Bad results stand out, good…

In Ontario, patients who have abdominal skin that hangs over the groin crease and have a history of bad skin infections or other complications can ask their surgeon to apply for insurance (OHIP) coverage of a panniculectomy (removal of a skin apron). Depending on the severity of the pannus, this can be a life-saving operation, and at minimum will dramatically improve your quality of life. The operation is not intended as a cosmetic procedure, and we are careful to demonstrate at our consultations the limits of a panniculectomy and the benefits of adding an abdominoplasty (cosmetic) to the procedure. An abdominoplasty is much less expensive if a panniculectomy is already…