DE CEMBER 2018
HE A LT H
Mr Garrick Georgeu
COSMETIC BREAST SURGERY This month, we caught up with Mr Garrick Georgeu, a Cosmetic Surgery Consultant with a new private practice at Nuffield Health Ipswich Hospital, to ask him about cosmetic breast surgery and what benefits each of the varying types of procedure bring. Mr Georgeu began by explaining, “I have unfortunately come across many women who have been impaired by negative thoughts about their looks for years and in some cases decades. As such I therefore do not believe that all breast surgery I perform is purely cosmetic, as the size/shape or look of the bust can have a significant impact on a women’s complete health as defined by the World Health Organisation.” * IS COSMETIC BREAST SURGERY THE RIGHT CHOICE? Only the patient can make this decision. Any experienced surgeon will have a range of surgical techniques to use and will discuss all the options and risks of the procedure during the pre-operative consultations. IS IT SAFE? Yes, absolutely. Breast surgery is one of the most common plastic surgery procedures performed worldwide. ARE THERE ANATOMICAL FACTORS THAT MAY AFFECT THE RESULT? It is important to note that we ALL have some natural asymmetry of any paired structure in the body and the breasts are no different. 1. Things we can’t change: Anatomical considerations, which may play a big role in the final result. This includes the quality of the breast tissue, the bony skeleton such as the straightness of the spine and more importantly the rib cage shape. Rib shape, particularly, affect which way the breasts point, namely forwards, inwards or outwards. This can result in difficulty getting the perfect “look and cleavage” if the breasts for example point outwards. 2. Things we can change: we can reduce the volume, reshape (uplift) and add volume to the breast with implants and or fat transfer. Other smaller procedures include areolar reduction, inverted nipple correction and improving congenital asymmetry of the nipple shape. IS A GENERAL ANAESTHETIC NECESSARY? Yes, almost all the bigger breast surgery procedures (augmentation, reduction and uplift) require a general anaesthetic.
Cosmetic Surgery Consultant
HOW PAINFUL IS BREAST SURGERY? I do not believe anyone should wake up feeling uncomfortable after surgery. The anaesthetist will prescribe a combination of mild, moderate and strong painkillers to be taken regularly for the first few days after surgery. Importantly, and in addition to this, at the end of the operation, whilst the patient is asleep, I give an injection of local anaesthetic all around the breast, the effect of which should last for four to six hours after the operation. IS AN OVERNIGHT STAY NECESSARY? No. Depending on medical history and home circumstances I am happy for almost all procedures to be performed as a day case. If there are no drains, and the patient has little to no pain, and is mobilising to the toilet two to three hours after surgery, they will be able to go home. WHAT IS A BREAST AUGMENTATION? This surgery is one of the most common cosmetic procedures performed worldwide usually using breast implants to add volume and shape to the bust. There are many options with regards to implant shape, profile and volume that need to be taken into consideration with an individual’s anatomy to get the best results. All these options are explained during the initial consultation. WHAT IS A BREAST REDUCTION? If the sheer size of the breast causes pain typically to the neck, shoulder and back or affects some or all aspects of daily life such as posture, clothing, social life, exercise and personal relationships, a breast reduction may be beneficial. This procedure removes breast tissue to reduce the volume of the breast. WHAT IS A MASTOPEXY/ UPLIFT? If the size of the bust is not the issue but due to, for example, time, age, gravity, weight changes, pregnancy and breast feeding the position of where the breast sits on an individual’s frame is not ideal, then a 3D tightening of the breast called a mastopexy would be the appropriate procedure. The breast is reshaped, lifted and repositioned into a fuller, pert bust. WILL CUP SIZE DECREASE WITH THE UPLFT OPERATION? In uplift surgery the aim is to reshape the breast keeping as much of the breast tissue as possible. However, in the reshaping a certain amount of tissue, usually skin only,
must be removed. In simple terms the bust will have a better shape, and be a tiny bit smaller, often no more than half a cup size. If the breasts are asymmetric the surgeon will better balance the breast volumes, an additional positive result with this procedure. WHAT IS RECOMMENDED FOR LIFTED AND BIGGER BREASTS? If the bust is small and droopy (dropped) due to time, age, gravity, changes in weight, pregnancy or breastfeeding and you desire a bigger, fuller pert bust then a discussion about adding volume (with an implant) and reshaping (Uplift) the bust is needed. This operation is called a mastopexy/ augmentation. HOW IS THIS PERFORMED? In this procedure I perform the volume replacement first using an implant (the augmentation) and then assess how much of the breast tissue needs lifting and reshaping, this is the uplift. In certain patients, if there is a little bit of breast asymmetry such as volume, this can be adjusted. Meet Mr Georgeu Mr Georgeu’s specialist aesthetic surgical interests and experience are in breast surgery (primary and revision augmentation, uplift, reduction (female and male), body contouring (Brazilian abdominoplasty, liposuction and lipo-modelling) and facial surgery (mini-facelift, fat transfer, eyelid surgery, neck rejuvenation). He qualified at the University of Cape Town in 1993, before returning to the UK in 1995 to complete specialist plastic surgery training. During this ten-year training period he completed a research degree (MSc in Surgical Science), passed the FRCS (Plastics) exit examinations, obtained a Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training (CCST), and is on the GMC specialist register for Plastic Surgery since 2007. In addition, he was the first person in the UK to pass a new Aesthetic training certification in 2010-2011, which is ISPAS recognised. Ready for a new you? Complimentary mini advice sessions are available on Wednesday afternoons with Mr Garrick Georgeu. If you would like to find out more about cosmetic surgery and have your initial questions answered, contact us now on 01473 851 960 to book your 15-minute oneto-one. Alternatively, if you are ready to book a full private consultation, call us for further information and availability.
* The World Health Organization’s classification of health is defined as ‘a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’.
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