Our all women team have a wealth
of experience treating and caring for women undergoing surgery
and they will ensure all of your needs are met. We have a policy
of making sure that you are fully informed of your options and
clear on all the issues associated with the surgical procedure
before you make a decision. We feel that you need to meet the
surgeon as well as the nursing staff on your first visit. We do
use a variety of surgical techniques and it is important that
we use the one that best suits you.
On your first appointment you will need to allow about one to one and half hours.
You will be examined by Ms Corduff. She will explain about the surgical technique,
the anaesthetic and recovery and scars as will be relevant to you. Ms Corduff
will also go into detail about ‘what can go wrong’ and how we would deal with
such an eventuality. This helps you make a fully informed decision.
Any decision to undertake a surgical procedure should not be taken lightly.
Following your consultation you will be given a written summary of what has been discussed. You will be provided with relevant pamphlets and a written estimate of costs. We encourage you to take this home and study it and write down an questions you have. If you decide you would like to proceed with the surgery then you will be asked to come back for a second appointment. You will see Ms Corduff again and also spend time with the practice nurse who will be able to answer any further questions and measure you for surgical bras and do the paperwork. We encourage you to ask anything that you are unsure about, no matter how trivial it may seem. You are very welcome to come back just for another chat to further discuss the surgery. This does not mean you have to go through with it.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
Breast Enlargement (Augmentation)
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For those women seeking larger, more feminine and attractive breasts breast enlargement through implants can:
- Improve or restore what nature gave to you
- Improve cleavage
- Equalise asymmetry in breast size
- Improve overall body proportions
- Reduce embarrassment and self-consciousness due to breast size and shape.
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Procedure
There are many different techniques of breast augmentation surgery and having examined you Ms Corduff will be able to explain what options are open to you.
There is now a huge choice of implants available, of different shapes and sizes,
both gel and saline. Selection of the implant and surgical technique will help determine the final outcome. However, the biggest determining factor is your body and breast shape, and the constituency of your breast tissue. It is important that we understand what you are trying to achieve and then work out with you how we can best select implant type and surgical technique for you. It is helpful if you can bring along photographs of what you like as well as what you don’t like to the consultation.
The breast implants are placed in the front of or behind the pectoralis major muscle
and there are many factors that influence this choice. The surgical access can be
from underneath the breast, the armpit or around the nipple.
If you decide to proceed with surgery then at your second visit we make the final decision with you on implant selection. You will ‘try on’ the implants for size in a surgical bra. We suggest that you wear a close fitting top so that you can see how you look in clothes. We emphasize that this is only a guide. Unfortunately there is no accurate way of showing you how you will look with breast implants in place. (Computer images do not allow for the many variations in body tissue types,
surgical techniques and implant variability). Also it takes about a year for the
implants to settle in.
This surgery is usually done as a day case in either Malvern or Geelong.
The operation would take about an hour and at the end of the procedure local anaesthetic is used to minimize pain. Patients are normally well enough to go home a few hours later. If the implants are in front of the muscle recovery is normally with in
a few days, however if the implant needs to be behind the muscle the you will be sore for a little longer, and can take up to 2 weeks to recover fully. Most patients can expect to be back at work within a week. We discuss with you the practical issues such as time off work, managing family etc.
Follow Up
All patients who have breast implants are reviewed annually for a breast examination. We will keep you fully informed of any relevant developments with respect to breast implants and also check you for breast lumps, or any problems with the implants themselves.
Breast Reduction (Reduction Mammoplasty).
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For some women big breasts can be a problem both physically and emotionally. They can:
- Cause neck, shoulder and back pain.
- Distort posture
- Make playing sport or exercising, difficult
or impossible
- Often receive unwelcome attention.
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Breast reduction surgery can effectively deal with these problems by correcting excessive breast weight and size. This procedure provides better proportion whilst very importantly still preserving sufficient breast tissue to retain femininity.
Procedure
Most commonly the technique used would be a ‘vertical closure’ technique to minimise the amount of visible scarring. Occasionally, in young patients, the reduction can be performed through a small incision under the breast leaving no visible scars on the front of the breast.
The operation takes approximately 2 hours. Patients usually stay in hospital overnight, but occasionally are well enough to go home that night. You will be over the worst of the operation in about 2 weeks, but still feel a little tired for another few weeks.
For those in a physically demanding job we recommend about 4 to 6 weeks off work.
For less demanding desk jobs 2 weeks may be all that is needed.
Younger patients
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The operation is most commonly performed in women who have completed their family,
but of recent times more younger women and teenagers are seeking surgery. In the past it has been believed that breast reduction should wait till after the breasts have ‘stopped growing’
or until a family is complete. Breasts do
not stop growing.
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They are continually changing in size and shape throughout a woman’s life (as any good bra fitter will tell you) in response to hormonal changes Techniques can be used to optimize future feeding, but this cannot be guaranteed. Even though we do not encourage surgery in the younger patient the potential benefits to the younger patient with very large breasts are huge with improvement in self-esteem and increased ability for sport. We are happy to see teenagers to discuss the issues with themselves and their family. Sometimes it is appropriate to wait before undergoing surgery and we will often refer on to a good bra shop in the first instance.
Eyelid surgery. Upper and lower lids. (Blepharoplasty)
Eyelid Surgery
Most people consider their eyes to be their favourite feature and more than any other facial feature they have a tremendous impact on your appearance.
Unfortunately your eyes are often the first place to show signs of ageing because the skin is so fine compared to the rest of the face and the appearance and attractiveness of the eyes deteriorates significantly with ageing. Drooping skin and bulging fat pockets give the eyes a tired, sad or aged look.
| Eyelid surgery provides significant benefits in facial rejuvenation: |
- Bags, pouches and excessive skin from under and over the eyes is removed
- The tired sad look is relieved
- Your eyes will look brighter, fresher, more alert and more youthful
Procedure
- The operation takes between one to two hours
- You may return home later the same day
- The excess skin and fatty tissue around the upper and lower eyelids are removed.
- Incisions are made as much as possible in the skins natural folds so scarring is minimal and fades after one or two months.
- Discomfort afterwards is usually mild and limited to the incisions
- When required the fine sutures are removed in four to five days
- Some bruising and swelling is to be expected and usually subsides in three to four weeks.
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Labioplasty
Labioplasty is a surgical reduction of excessive tissue of the vaginal lips. The surgery produces a neat and tidy appearance and removes associated problems such as irritation, chafing and discomfort.
| Procedure |
- The procedure takes under an hour and is done under a light anaesthetic
- The excess tissue is marked out and removed
- You may return home later the same day
- Bruising and swelling is mild and the bruising will last for about a week and the swelling will disappear over two to three weeks.
- Dissolvable sutures are used.
- Return to work in around a week.
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Inverted Nipples
Inverted nipples can cause problems with breast feeding and concerns about appearance. An inverted nipple can look flat or a slit like depression or hole at the normal nipple location. There are different degrees of nipple inversion and the exact surgical technique used will depend on the problem to be treated.
| Procedure |
- Minor surgery under a light anaesthetic
- You may return home later the same day
- Recovery is rapid and you can normally return to work the next day
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Costs
What does it cost?
With respect to costs we provide a package, which covers you for all out of pocket costs for 12 months. This includes post operative care, bras, dressings and any unexpected return to theatre to revise scars etc. Depending on your level of insurance the secretary will be able to estimate the cost of such a package for yourself and provide you with this in writing.
Some procedures (such as big breast reductions and some abdominoplasties) will attract a medicare rebate in which case your health insurance will contribute to the costs. After assessment we can tell you whether you will be eligible for this.
Finance Plans
Talk to us about how we can help you arrange flexible options for
finance including payment plans.
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