'Breast Augmentation'

Toni went to see Sydney plastic surgeon Dr Kourosh Tavakoli to have her breasts rejuvenated following two pregnancies.

Following considerable weight fluctuations and breastfeeding associated with her two pregnancies, Toni noticed significant sagging and volume loss in her breasts. ‘My self-esteem was so low, I didn’t want to wear revealing tops and I basically had to wear industrial strength bras to get any lift – I was desperate to get my pert breasts back!’ she says.

Toni researched the procedure and possible surgeons for seven years prior to taking the plunge and found Sydney plastic surgeon Dr Kourosh Tavakoli through a friend’s recommendation. ‘Dr Tavakoli’s reputation is that he is precise, caring and strives to get great results for each of his patients,’ she says. ‘His team is professional, cohesive and make you feel confident about your procedure.’

Toni and her husband attended her initial consult, where they discussed the breast lift and breast augmentation she wished to undergo with Dr Tavakoli. ‘We had a talk about my concerns, then after he conducted an examination and took some measurements we looked through pictures of his previous work and discussed how we could achieve the best results.’

Toni says the whole process was easier than she imagined it would be, and describes the pain following as minimal. ‘It was similar to the discomfort and tingling when you first begin to breastfeed. For me, it was very manageable and had disappeared within a few days,’ she says.

‘Now, you wouldn’t even know I’ve had the surgery done! My new breasts are perky and natural-looking and the scars have faded to a vague silver,’ she says. ‘Importantly, my self-esteem has returned, I feel beautiful again and having such a positive experience has really changed my outlook.’

Read more Cosmetic Surgery Blog posts here.

The future of breast augmentation is to visualise the end result of Breast Implant Augmentation before embarking on this operation. The simulation programmes are getting better and better and won’t be long before we have the first commercially viable model in Australia.

3-D Imaging for Breast Augmentation – Video Feature

Today’s affordable 3-D imaging technology is revolutionizing the results patients can get from breast augmentation surgery. In this five-minute video you’ll learn how finding a surgeon who uses 3-D imaging to simulate augmentation outcomes can ensure you get the results you want from breast implant surgery. In this interview, Dr. Steve Teitelbaum explains the difference the 3-D imaging can make, as well as the limitations that exist. Click here to watch now!

Read more Breast Implant Blog posts here.

Sydney plastic surgeon Dr Kourosh Tavakoli explains the key elements to a natural-looking breast augmentation.

The number of breast enlargement operations is on the increase, as is the demand for natural-looking breasts. A well-augmented breast has a natural fullness, with gentle sloping off the chest wall. There should be natural cleavage without webbing between the breasts and only a certain amount of perkiness.

There three main telltale signs of an unnatural-looking breast augmentation are:

• Breast implant margin. This should be imperceptible as obvious implant edge visibility, especially in the midline, will resemble the ‘Tori Spelling look’.
• Breast implant size. An implant that is too large for a small frame is a dead giveaway. Pamela Anderson’s breasts are an example of this.
• Perkiness. An augmented breast that is too perky will tend to look fake, as a small amount of droop is natural. When the patient lies on her back the breast implants should roll to the side like natural breast tissue and not sit up like mountains.

Before undergoing surgery, it is beneficial for patients to review photographic examples of the breasts they would like, and to convey their wants to the surgeon so there is a clear, visual understanding of the desired result.

There are six main clinical parameters for breast implants on initial consultation:

• Patient’s body build and height
• Breast size, shape and symmetry
• Nipple position in relation to the breast
• Quality of breast skin
• Chest wall shape and dimension
• Patient’s desired cup size and shape.

After establishing the crucial parameters in the clinical examination, the process of tailor-making the right breast augmentation begins.

The key considerations when customising a breast augmentation to gain a natural-looking result are:

1. Incision placement

There are three choices about where to make the incisions for breast enlargement. They can be in the breast fold (inframammary), around the nipple (periareolar) or under the arm (transaxillary). These incisions can all produce scarring. Although patients may have some initial concerns about the location of their scars, they are ultimately far more concerned with the final shape and size of their breasts.

Most of my patients opt for the inframammary incision. I believe this incision has the least interference with breastfeeding and nipple sensation and generally heals very well.

2. Breast implant shape

The choice of shape varies from round to teardrop. The shape variation is in the width and projection of the implant for any given size. The range of breast implants available offers great versatility in achieving a natural look.

Most of my patients choose round breast implants. The round implant tends to be ideal for those patients with a nice existing shape who desire a straightforward enlargement. Since I prefer placing the implant in a sub-muscular pocket, implant edge visibility in the upper pole of the breast is not a major issue.

Use of the teardrop (anatomical) shape depends on the patient’s wishes as well as her body shape. They are ideal for women who have tuberous breasts. Mild elevation of the nipple in relation to the breast mound can be achieved without the need for extra scars on the breast (which occur with a breast lift). In these situations, the implants are inserted in a subglandular (subfascial) pocket under the breast tissue.

Some patients specifically want less fullness in the upper quadrant. Teardrop-shaped breast implants certainly offer less fullness in this area. This request tends to be very personal as most women seek breast augmentations in order to obtain upper pole fullness. Teardrop implants do have a slight tendency to rotate, and this problem can only be corrected by secondary surgery.

3. Breast implant fill

I use both cohesive silicone gel and saline-filled breast implants. The new generation silicone-gel implants are very safe and feel and look more like a natural breast. Most breast augmentations in Australia are performed with ilicone-gel implants. In December 2006, the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of gel implants in the United States. The decision was based on extensive scientific research into silicone-gel implants. acsm

Read more Breast Implant Blog posts here.

In the first of a two-part series, Sydney plastic surgeon Dr Kourosh Tavakoli explains the key elements of a natural-looking breast augmentation.

The number of breast enlargement operations is on the increase, and the demand for natural-looking results is even more apparent. As a plastic surgeon specialising in breast augmentation and lifting procedures, I have been privileged to treat a large number of patients every year in my Sydney clinics. Therefore, I have drawn from this wide experience to develop the formula for successful and attractive breast augmentation.

Telltale signs

There are three main telltale signs of unnatural-looking breast augmentation to be avoided:

1. Breast implant margin:

This should be soft and imperceptible, as obvious implant edge visibility, especially in the midline, will resemble the look of Tori Spelling or Posh Spice’s implants.

2. Breast implant size:

An implant that is too large for a small frame is usually an obvious giveaway that a patient has had a breast augmentation. The best example of this is Pamela Anderson-style breasts. Women wanting to go from an A cup to a full D cup need to understand this point.

3. Perkiness:

An augmented breast that is too perky will tend to look fake, as a small amount of droop is natural. When a patient lies on her back, the breast implants should roll to the side like natural breast tissue and not sit up in rigid peaks.

Before undergoing surgery, it is beneficial for the patient to review photographic examples of the breasts they would like and to convey their wants to the surgeon so there is a clear, visual understanding of the desired result.

Clinical parameters and key considerations

There are six main clinical parameters for breast implants on initial consultation:

• Patient’s body build and height
• Natural breast size, shape and symmetry
• Nipple position in relation to the breast
• The quality of breast skin
• Chest wall shape and dimension
• Patient’s desire for new cup size and shape

After establishing the crucial parameters in the clinical examination, the process of tailor-making the right breast augmentation begins.

I believe there are six key considerations for a surgeon when customising a breast augmentation to gain a naturallooking result:

1. Incision placement

There are three choices about where to make the skin incisions for breast enlargement. They can be in the breast fold (inframammary), around the nipple (periareolar) or underneath the arm (transaxillary). These incisions can all produce scarring. Although patients may voice some initial concerns about the location of their scars, they are ultimately far more concerned with the final shape and size of their breasts.

2. Breast implant shape

The choice of implant varies from round to teardrop shapes. The round implant comes in both low and highprofile varieties. The shape variation is in the width and projection of the implant for any given size. The spectrum of breast implants available to the surgeon can therefore provide great versatility in achieving a more natural look.

Use of the teardrop (anatomical) shape depends on the patient’s desired outcome, as well as her breast shape. In general, there are two groups of women who benefit from teardrop-shaped breast implants. It can be the ideal choice for women who have droopy or tuberous breasts. Mild elevation of the nipple in relation to the breast mound can be achieved without the need for extra scars on the actual
breast (unlike breast lift scars). In these cases, the implants will be inserted in a subglandular or subfascial pocket (under the breast tissue). In severe cases of droopiness, breast lift must be performed to restore aesthetic shape.

Secondly, some patients specifically want less fullness in the upper quadrant. Teardrop breast implants certainly offer less fullness in these particular situations. It should be noted, however, that this request tends to be very personal, as most women are seeking breast augmentations in order to obtain upper pole fullness.

It should be noted that teardrop or anatomical implants do have tendency, estimated at about 5 percent, to rotate. Unfortunately, this problem can only be corrected by secondary surgery.

3. Breast implant fill

I use both the cohesive silicone-gel and saline-filled breast implants. The new generation silicone-gel breast implant is very safe and generally feels and looks more like a natural breast. The gel is always my first preference.

The gel usually comes in low and high cohesiveness (soft or firm), and patients should ask their plastic surgeon for different samples at the time of the consultation so that they can make the most informed choice possible.

Read more Breast Implant Blog posts here.

Welcome to the next generation of cosmetic treatments. Subtle changes that equal major impact, courtesy of groundbreaking technology and these doctors.

The best breasts

For many women, our breasts symbolise our most feminine physical characteristic. But for various reasons — lack of development, postpregnancy changes resulting from breastfeeding, radical weight loss, ageing — you may be considering breast augmentation.

A successful breast augmentation shouldn’t necessarily look obviously different… in fact, the success hinges on the doctor’s surgical technique and attention to detail. Renowned Sydney plastic surgeon Dr Kourash Tavakoli has developed a specialised breast practice and his reputation is based on understanding the essentials of natural breast augmentation.

Dr Tavakoli uses his extensive experience to treat not only poorly developed or shaped breasts, but also sagging breasts, common in women after breastfeeding and/or weight loss.

The Australian-trained plastic surgeon also promises minimal scarring and ensures his patients feel comfortable with what is an intimate procedure. Further reason why Dr Tavakoli has one of this country’s busiest breast implant practices.

Read more Cosmetic Surgery Blog posts here.

A patient with a disfiguring condition went to Sydney plastic surgeon Dr Kourosh Tavakoli to have her breasts transformed. Lauren Alexander reports.

Sydney plastic surgeon Dr Kourosh Tavakoli’s patient approached him for surgery to correct her abnormally shaped breasts. He assessed her as having grade three to four tuberous breasts, an unusual condition that affects the way breasts develop.

The patient says she was concerned about the shape of her breasts and felt they didn’t look normal. She says their condition prevented her from wearing v-necked styles of clothing and that she didn’t feel comfortable wearing a swimsuit and avoided going to the beach.

She had an initial consultation with another doctor who told her what needed to be done but, she says, ‘I didn’t feel comfortable with him so I started looking on the internet. Dr Tavakoli was the only doctor who had before and after surgery photos of tuberous breasts like mine.’

She says when she met Dr Tavakoli he immediately put her at ease and she was impressed by his friendly manner and felt confident about his ability to help her. Dr Tavakoli took her through two consultations. During the first he assessed her breasts and explained what would be needed to correct the tuberous condition and talked her through the whole procedure.

Then she says he showed her with the implants in her bra what the final result would look like. She could see that they would provide a solution to her problem and decided to have the surgery.

During the second consultation Dr Tavakoli talked her through the procedure again, asking her if she had any questions about the surgery before going ahead with the procedure.

The procedure took place at a private hospital and required an overnight stay. Dr Tavakoli’s patient says her recovery was very straightforward. ‘I was fine; there were no side effects. The first thing I did when I regained consciousness was to ask for food!’

She says she only needed to take painkillers at night for three days and after that experienced minor discomfort. ‘I thought it was going to be a lot worse.’

Dr Tavalkoli’s clinic recommended some gel patches to assist with healing and she is now using a specially formulated oil to help the scars disappear completely.

She says her new breasts have helped her to feel much more confident and that she immediately went shopping for new clothes. ‘I’d recommend the procedure to anyone with a condition like mine. They look so natural that no one beyond my immediate family and boyfriend can tell that I’ve had it done.’

Read more Breast Implant Blog posts here.

Sydney plastic surgeon Dr Kourosh Tavakoli outlines the options available to get your pre-pregnancy body back. Francis Herron reports.

For many women, having a baby takes a toll on their body and the shape they are left with post-pregnancy can be a cause of concern, affecting self-esteem and confidence levels. In a study by United Kingdom Mother & Baby magazine, 86 percent of women surveyed said they felt less attractive post-pregnancy, while a similar number were unhappy with their weight and shocked by the changes to their body after having a baby.

“Yummy mummy” celebrities such as Katie Holmes, Heidi Klum and Jennifer Garner seem to regain their postbaby figures in double-quick time, and now it appears that here in Australia women are equally determined to take steps to restore both their pre-baby body and confidence. In fact a large number are choosing cosmetic surgery to help restore their shape and are taking the opportunity to correct long-standing problem areas, which may have become more prominent during pregnancy.

Sydney plastic surgeon Dr Kourosh Tavakoli estimates up to 30 percent of his female patients have come to see him because they want to improve their bodies after childbirth. All of these women, he says, have a specific goal in mind and, somewhat surprisingly, it is not one that involves an idealised ‘new’ body or perfect physique. Their aim is restoration, not transformation. ‘These women are not wanting to create something new, they want to restore what they had previously,’ Dr Tavakoli explains. ‘They have 50 or 60 years ahead of them and want to keep looking their best.’

There are numerous options available to women who want to tackle post-pregnancy problems such as excess fat and skin around the abdomen and drooping, sagging breasts. Troublesome areas that have caused some concern before pregnancy, such as love handles, can be exacerbated after giving birth. However, these issues can be addressed with surgery, and according to Dr Tavakoli, the top three procedures requested by mothers who come to see him are breast enhancement, abdominoplasty and liposculpture.

Breast enhancement

The degree of change experienced in the breasts depends on whether patients have breastfed and, if so, for how long. ‘The more a woman has breastfed, the more dramatic the changes that occur in her breasts usually are,’ says Dr Tavakoli. Most women opt for a breast augmentation procedure but if there is no change to the volume of the breast, a breast lift might be enough to achieve the result they want. However other woman may require both a breast reduction and lift procedure to obtain their desired shape, he says.

Abdominoplasty

According to Dr Tavakoli, the abdomen is the area most affected by pregnancy as the abdominal wall becomes lax due to stretching. An abdominoplasty procedure, also known as a tummy tuck, can restore a woman’s post pregnancy tummy and the procedure can be combined with liposculpture to offer an even better result. ‘Abdominoplasty, when combined with liposculpture, can remove excess skin and fat from the abdomen, repair any underlying damage to the abdominal muscles and reposition the umbilicus,’ says Dr Tavakoli.

Liposculpture

As well as being effective when combined with abdomnioplasty, liposculpture can be used alone to treat common problem areas such as love handles and inner and outer thighs. As Dr Tavakoli explains, ‘These could be areas that troubled the patient prior to pregnancy but they may have become more prominent postpregnancy.’ The most important thing, according to him, is that the treated area remains in proportion with the rest of the patient’s body.

While these procedures can offer great results for women who want to restore their pre-pregnancy body, Dr Tavakoli stresses that those who undergo an abdominoplasty or liposculpture procedure need to commit to a healthy lifestyle, involving a sensible diet and exercise regime, to maintain the results.

He screens prospective patients to ensure they are not suffering from post-natal depression and has a policy of not operating on recently pregnant women until the mother’s last child is at least 18 months old. ‘I usually advise patients to complete all their pregnancies before commencing surgery,’ he says. ‘As long as the expectations are realistic I find the overall satisfaction rate in this group of patients is very high.’

It’s clear that for some women who are unhappy with their post-pregnancy appearance, a cosmetic surgery procedure could offer the ideal way to restore their figure and confidence levels.

Read more Cosmetic Surgery Blog posts here.

Sydney plastic surgeon Dr Kourosh Tavakoli’s case study shows how cosmetic procedures can be combined to reduce costs, anaesthesia and recovery times. Gillian Samuel reports.

Sydney plastic surgeon Dr Kourosh Tavakoli’s patient says she had a bump high on the bridge of her nose that, while it didn’t bother her unduly, always caught her eye when she saw herself in a mirror.

She says the bump is a family feature shared by her father and aunt and as she found herself noticing it more and more in her mid-twenties, she began to think about having it corrected. When she consulted Dr Tavakoli about a rhinoplasty, she mentioned during their discussion that she had always wanted a breast augmentation. At more than 180cm tall, she says she has always felt she was completely flat-chested.

Dr Tavakoli explained she could have both procedures at the same time and the convenience strongly appealed to
her, so she made arrangements to take two weeks off work in August this year.

‘The breast augmentation is something I’d always thought about. I used to talk about it with my mum and we’d joke that we’d do it together,’ she says, adding with a laugh that her mother is jealous of her now she has gone from an A to a D cup.

She said that Dr Tavakoli reassured her there wasn’t any extra risk involved with undergoing the two procedures simultaneously. Her rhinoplasty and breast augmentation operations took about three hours and she says she went into day surgery at 7am and was at home by 2pm.

Dr Tavakoli removed the bump from the bridge of her nose and also performed a septoplasty to narrow it. She says she is very happy with the result.

He also inserted high profile, round silicone-filled implants behind the pectoral muscle to provide some forward projection and to give her fullness in the upper pole of her breasts, giving her the bustline she had always dreamed of having.

She says that even Dr Tavakoli has been impressed by the speed of her recovery. ‘From the moment I woke up and he was holding my hand and telling me that everything had gone very well until now, which is five weeks later, I’ve had no pain at all, just a little tenderness with my nose.’

She says she took a prescription painkiller for a week and a half after the surgery and that although all the work on her nose was internal, she did have bruises over her upper eyelids, which faded in a week.

Her breast augmentation incisions were relatively small and are healing very nicely. Overall she is extremely pleased with the outcomes of both procedures.

‘I don’t think it’s changed me as a person, I just feel so much more comfortable when I look in the mirror and the breast augmentation has given me a lot more confidence about wearing summer clothes,’ she says. ‘I haven’t needed to buy more clothes, the ones I have still fit, they just look better!’

Dr Tavakoli says the safety of modern procedures and technologies means patients can combine procedures for two-in-one cosmetic results.

Read more Cosmetic Surgery Blog posts here.

For many women, our breasts symbolise our most feminine physical characteristic. But for various reasons — lack of development, post- pregnancy changes, weight loss — you may be considering breast augmentation.

A successful procedure shouldn’t necessarily look obviously different … in fact the success hinges on the doctor’s surgical technique and attention to detail. Sydney’s Dr Kourosh Tavakoli aims to achieve a natural fullness, with gentle sloping off the chest wall. Natural cleavage is a must, while the right degree of perkiness can make all the difference.

Dr Tavakoli uses both saline-filled and cohesive silicone-gel implants, adding that the new-generation silicone-gel version is very safe and feels and looks more like a natural breast. The Australian-trained plastic surgeon is also obsessed with minimal scarring. Just another reason why Dr Tavakoli has one of this country’s busiest breast implant practices.

Read more Breast Implant Blog posts here.

Sunday Mail (QLD)

Edition 2 – State – Main CountrySUN 02 APR 2006, Page 040 Unkindest cuts – Why cosmetic surgery complaints are on the rise By JESSICA LAWRENCE

SPECIAL REPORT

BOTCHED cosmetic procedures are on the rise as more and more Queenslanders go under the knife.

The quest for bodily perfection has seen a surge in the number of patients undergoing tummy tucks and breast, lip and nose jobs.

Queensland surgeons performed 32,000 cosmetic operations last year — up 35 per cent from 2004.

Last year, 24 cosmetic-surgery complaints were heard by Queensland Health Rights Commissioner David Kerslake, up from 22 in 2004, and 13 in 2003. Seven have been received so far this year.

Negligence claims against plastic surgeons jumped more than 70 per cent between 1995 and 2004.

Industry experts say a rise in the number of unqualified cosmetic doctors, coupled with a boom in overseas surgery tours, are responsible for the spike.

Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons spokesman Dan Kennedy said he had recently dealt with a nurse who was forced to undergo surgical repairs after a botched liposuction.

“She thought she was going to a qualified Australian plastic surgeon, and afterwards she found out he wasn’t,” said Dr Kennedy, who practises in Brisbane.

“She got her money back because she suffered quite an injury from it.”

Cosmetic Surgery in Thailand

Sydney plastic surgeon Kourosh Tavakoli said an increasing number of young women were willing to travel to Asian countries: “I spoke to a woman recently who had travelled to Thailand for a breast augmentation and lift, only to have the implants left sitting somewhere near her collarbone.

“And I got a phone call from a girl the other day who was part of a group of 11 girls aged between 18 and 25 who were going to Thailand for surgery.

“It’s half price to go over there, but there is the risk of hepatitis and HIV.

“Then you have beauty therapists in Australia using equipment they may not be equipped to deal with.”

Plastic surgeon Norman Olbourne said many clients were risking their health by flying home just days after undergoing operations in Asia, and clients hoping for cut-price medical procedures were often forced to have corrective surgery: “I spoke to one lady from Perth who went to Thailand for a facelift and a neck lift and a breast and tummy-tuck operation. She was told she would be there for 13 days and it would cost $7000, but she was there 35 days and it cost her more than $20,000.”

The woman has had to mortgage her house to pay for corrective surgery.

“You are supposed to spend up to six weeks in hospital after a tummy tuck, but we know of people who are flying back days later.

“These sorts of tours are being promoted by travel agents and doctors, but the ones who are at risk are the patients.”

In August 2002 in Queensland, Sue Kenny had lap-band surgery — which reduces the stomach — to slim down her 145kg frame after failing to lose weight the old-fashioned way.

One week later Ms Kenny, 41, of Ashgrove in Brisbane, who is being represented by Brisbane lawyers Shine Roche McGowan, was rushed back to hospital after her stomach was punctured.

She spent another three months in hospital undergoing several more operations and suffered kidney failure. She now has dialysis four times a week.

“My doctors told me to get it done because I needed to lose weight for medical reasons. They told me this was a safe procedure, and if I didn’t like it I could have it taken out. If I knew now what was going to happen I would never have had the operation.”

A member of the medical negligence team at Shine Roche McGowan, Alison Allysonalker, said there had been a “definite rise in inquiries” regarding botched cosmetic surgery, especially lap-banding: “The more advertising there is about `what a wonderful procedure it is’, the more people are going down that road thinking it’s right for them. But it’s not always the case.”

National head of medical negligence with law firm Slater and Gordon, Bill Madden, said patients seeking compensation could have difficulty proving they had been disfigured.

“People go in and have nose surgery and the outcome to them might seem significant because it is not a good outcome,” he said.

“But it’s not necessarily something which is going to be horrific, and when the time comes to working out financial compensation the amount might be quite modest.”

Last year The Sunday Mail reported that children as young as eight were undergoing procedures such as ear-pinning after discussions with plastic surgeons.

Dr Kennedy urged those considering plastic surgery to check the credentials of the surgeon, and make sure they belonged to an accredited organisation.

“It’s also important to make sure you feel comfortable with your surgeon, and that they understand exactly what you want.”

Dr Tavakoli is an accredited Cosmetic Plastic Surgeon. Contact Dr Tavakoli today to get the right professional advise for your Cosmetic Plastic Surgery.

Read more Cosmetic Surgery Blog posts here.