Two-fers in Breast Surgery

Many women who desire better breast shape require restoration of volume and also elevation due to excessive sagging or what we call ptosis.

This can be a very challenging situation for a plastic surgeon and, believe me, experience DOES matter.  

A recent article discussed doing both operations together.  The overall re-operation rate is 23.2%- this was 20% for primary cases and 30.9% for secondary cases.  The most common complication was hard encapsulation, then poor scarring and recurrent ptosis.   

The re-operation rate of 23.2% is higher than either procedure performed independently.  Again careful patient selection and the experience of the plastic surgeon can go along way to making the combined-one stage procedure safe and effective.

What is it about women's breasts, anyway?

From time to time, as a board certified cosmetic surgeon and member of the ASAPS, I receive interesting articles that I feel are worthy of sharing with my patients and other interested parties. This one deals with the object of hundreds of thousands plastic surgery procedures in 2011. 

WARNING: It is rather explicit. Reading it probably should be restricted to adults.

A recent article in the Huffington Post may help explain why we have such fascination with the female bust. Authors Dr. Larry Young and Brian Alexander pondered the question while discussing their upcoming book, The Chemistry Between Us: Love, Sex and the Science of Attraction.

They point out that the obsession with breasts is uniquely human. Human males (and some females) are the sole mammals that look at breasts in a sexual way, and human females are the only mammals whose chests enlarge during puberty, even if they're not pregnant. Humans are also the only mammals that caress, fondle and otherwise stimulate breasts during sexual foreplay.

Men's obsession with busts is biological. In addition, many women report enjoyment and arousal from the attention focused on their breasts. 

So what is it about breasts that gets everyone so hot and bothered?

The authors believe two current schools of thought are inaccurate. One is that breasts, which are comprised of stored fat, indicate that a woman is in good health, and thus a worthy mate. Another suggests that breasts remind men of women's behinds, which are also known to sexually stimulate males.

Young and Alexander, the authors, claim the love of breasts probably comes more from nursing, and a chemical known as oxytocin. When a newborn breastfeeds, it stimulates the release of this chemical in the mother. This prompts the mother's muscles to release the milk and also causes her to focus her attention entirely on her child. Along with dopamine, oxytocin fosters a bond between mom and infant.

A man stimulating a woman's breasts during foreplay or sex, creates the same chemical releases, according to the authors. They believe women focus on their partner, his face, smell and voice, associating breast stimulation with pleasurable feelings toward their lover.

This theory may explain why many women in Southwest Florida and nationally choose to have breast augmentations or breast lifts. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, in 2011, 316,948 breast augmentation procedures were performed nationally.

Women who decide to have plastic surgery to enhance the appearance of their bust, however, should be sure that they are doing so for themselves, rather than to please others. They should discuss what they expect with a board-certified plastic surgeon, and ask to see before and after photos to get a better understanding of the possible kinds of results.

The mission of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) includes medical education, public education and patient advocacy. Plastic Surgery News Briefs are summaries of current stories found through various news and magazine outlets that relate to or mention plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures. The views expressed in these news articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ASAPS, (nor opinions I hold as a plastic surgeon in Fort Myers) but are offered as an educational service. 

For additional information on this subject and other plastic surgery related topics, please go to www.surgery.org

WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY - News from Dr. Brueck

Dr. Robert Brueck MD, Fort Myers plastic surgeon, blogs again about news in cosmetic surgery. Dr. Brueck is board certified and also comments on plastic surgery questions at realself.com.

Another term used for weight loss surgery is bariatric surgery. Once someone loses 70lbs, 100lbs or more than 200 lbs they are left with a lot of excess skin. The areas affected by this excess skin may be abdomen, thighs, arms and face.

A recent survey was taken of 425 bariatric surgery patients with 252 patients responding. 74% of respondents wanted some type of body contouring operation. 53 patients (21%) underwent a total of 61 contouring procedures. In my practice, many of my patients will undergo more than one body contouring procedures at one time. For example, a patient may undergo a tummy tuck and a breast lift at the same time.

This survey found the #2 requested procedure was a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty, followed by thigh lifts. In my experience, tummy tuck is #1 followed by some type of breast surgery and suction lipectomy of other areas. There is no question this is a growing area of cosmetic surgery.

Dr. Brueck discusses breast lifts on TV - Syndication Schedule

If you didn't know I have been appearing on American Health Journal's TV broadcasts, you would have missed them. So here is a schedule of markets and times for my breast lift interview. You can read more about breast lifts in Fort Myers at my website, Beauty-by-Brueck.com

Station: My Network 13 – San Diego, CA Station: KHOU / Inde D2 Houston, TX

Day & Time: Sunday @ 11:00 AM Day & Time: M-Th @ 7-8 AM

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Station: CBS 6 – Beaumont, TX Station: WNBW / NBC – Gainesville, FL

Day & Time: Sunday @ 11:05 PM ­­­­­Day & Time: Saturday @ 12:00 PM

Station: 10 News 2 – Knoxville, TN Station: My Network – Gainesville, FL

Day & Time: Saturday @ 4:30 PM Day & Time: Sunday @ 9:00 AM

Station: CBS – Salt Lake City, UT Station: CW 5 – Alexandria, LA

Day & Time: Sunday @ 7:30 AM Day & Time: Sunday, @ 9:00 AM

Station: CBS 2 – Palm Springs, CA Station: ThisTV – Lafayette, LA

Day & Time: Saturday @ 3:30 PM Day & Time: Saturday @ 9:00 AM

Sunday @ 5:30 AM Sunday @ 9:00 AM

Plastic Surgery - New Technique - Short Scar Breast Lifts

Breast enhancement is one of the most common procedures in plastic surgery.

Many times, after multiple pregnancies, a woman’s breasts have become smaller and ptotic, or “saggy”. After pregnancy and nursing, most women will suffer from post partum involution or shrinking of breast volume. It is sort of like someone letting the air out of a tire.

As long as the nipple stays above the intra mammary fold (the point where the breast meets the chest wall) the breast is not truly ptotic. It may “look” ptotic or like it is sagging; which is called pseudo ptosis.

Only if the nipple actually falls below the intra mammary fold is the breast truly ptotic. If this drop, or sagging, is significant, then one needs to perform a mastopexy or breast lift.

To put it simply, the amount of skin is greater than the amount of breast tissue. This results in ptosis. If the nipple is minimally ptotic, in other words, 1 centimeter or so, sometimes placement of an implant will take care of this. If the ptosis is more significant (more than 2 centimeters) one needs to have a mastopexy.

One of the more common types of mastopexy is the “anchor” type. It involves a scar around the nipple areola complex, from the six o’clock position of the areola to the intra mammary fold and then transversally along the intra mammary fold.

This incision along the intra mammary fold is not always a hairline scar. In most cases, it is rather thick and unsightly.

We now have a new procedure, a short scar mastopexy, which almost totally eliminates the intra mammary scar. We are excited to offer this new procedure to our patients.

For an example of this surgery as recently used by me for a Fort Myers patient, visit the before and after mastopexy page on my Web site.

CAUTION: If You are under 18 or offended by nudity, please do not visit this page.

If the problem is ptosis and hypo plasia then this can be combined with a breast augmentation as well.

To determine if you are a candidate for this type of mastopexy (breast lift), contact my office at 239-939-5233 and arrange a free, personal and confidential consultation.

Ask about my special Spring discount, with savings up to 35%.

Have a glorious Spring and Summer!