For women considering breast augmentation, breast lift, breast reduction, or even breast revision surgery, the process of choosing a breast surgeon in Brisbane can be difficult and sometimes overwhelming. In Australia, the number of specialist plastic surgeons has risen to over 400, and this is before taking into account cosmetic surgeons who are also approved practitioners of breast surgery. With so much to consider, and so many practitioners available, how can you be sure you’re making the right decision? This blog post aims to provide a useful guide to choosing the right breast surgeon in Brisbane.
Your choice of surgeon will determine your safety, your aesthetic outcomes, and the short and long-term care you receive. It’s important then, that you do your research and ensure you’re in the best hands possible! While there are many online forums available to patients, it’s important to do your own objective research as well. This is to ensure the surgeon you are considering is qualified, experienced, and prioritises patient safety.
Plastic vs. Cosmetic
The first aspect to consider in your research is whether the surgeon is a plastic or cosmetic surgeon. The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons and BRAS Clinic in Brisbane provide a helpful infographic to highlight the distinction between these two professions, and to emphasise the importance of choosing a plastic surgeon in Brisbane.
While cosmetic surgeons will often be prepared to offer the same service at a lower price point, this price-cut is at the expense of important areas such as experience, implants, and safety. This can lead to short or long-term complications and in the case of many medical tourism companies, a lack of appropriate post-operative support to address complications.
Criteria
So, when choosing a surgeon there are a number of things to consider:
- Aesthetic outcomes
- Safety
- Experience
- Price
- Breast Implants (if you’re having them)
Aesthetic Outcomes
A great way to initially narrow down your options is to begin with online research. This is a great way to find the plastic surgeons whose before and afters catch your eye. Do they have an established gallery with a variety of patient anatomies? Do they have social media with photos of their patients? Choose your top 5 practitioners in your area, and short-list them to send an enquiry or continue your research.
Experience
The next question you should be asking is how many years experience the surgeon has. This will help clarify which practitioners are more established. In particular, you should be asking how many patients have undergone your chosen procedure with this surgeon to ensure you’re choosing a specialist in the field. For example, Dr. Philip Richardson, breast surgeon in Brisbane has 12 years surgical training, 19 years experience as a practising plastic surgeon, and has performed over 7,500 breast surgeries in the past decade. This is an example benchmark that you may hold your surgeon to when considering their level of expertise.
Safety
This is arguably the most important consideration when choosing a surgeon. You should always be looking for surgeons who prioritise safety. They should be operating out of fully-accredited hospitals, they should be transparent about the risks of surgery and provide you with extensive information regarding post-operative complications. Your surgeon should ideally follow the 14-point plan for best surgical practice and have tailored measures in place to prevent post-operative complications. All patients should have access to as many pre-operative appointments as they like. These appointments can be with their surgeon and/or a nurse in-clinic during the weeks prior to their surgery. This is to ensure patients are making informed and confident decisions regarding treatment options and implant sizing. If the surgeon you are considering does not offer an unlimited number of pre-operative consults, you should reconsider your options.
Price
Price is generally the first thing patients enquire about when contacting a potential surgeon. However when it comes to cosmetic surgery, it’s important to prioritise the clinic’s value-offering before price. While one practitioner may seem favourable being a few thousand dollars cheaper, pay close attention to where they are cutting costs. What is the justification of their price point? Is your surgeon providing a life-time follow-up plan? Are they taking surgical measures to prevent complications? Have the safest and highest quality materials been chosen? Are they operating out of a fully-accredited hospital? Do they work with highly qualified anaesthetists? What kind of post-operative medications, garments, and care are they providing? There is a lot more to price than meets the eye.
Implants
The type of breast implants a breast surgeon uses is a direct indication of their focus on safety and long-term results. In recent years, there have been reports of textured breast implants being linked to a rare type of cancer called ALCL, and you can read more about the risks here. There is also the risk of rotation associated with teardrop implants. Rotation with teardrop implants can result in visible distortion of the breasts. This can happen in up to 20% of cases. Consequently, the safest implants that are most appropriate in maintaining long-term results are smooth surface, round implants with a cohesive gel that prevents silicone leakage such as Motiva Implants. While a fully qualified plastic surgeon will be able to highlight the risks and benefits of each implant type, you should consider these facts when discussing your options.
Once you have done your research into each of these areas, you will hopefully feel ready to book some consultations to explore your options further. It may seem costly to shop around when consultations can be upward of $200, but in the grand scheme of things, this could make a huge difference in your whole experience. There are a number of questions you should ask at your consultation.
Questions to ask your breast surgeon in Brisbane:
- How many procedures have you done?
- How many years experience do you have?
- Can you explain the steps you take to prevent complications?
- What implants do you use?
- What kind of long-term support do you provide?
The answers your surgeon provides for each of these questions should give you an indication of their level of expertise and most importantly the protocol they follow to ensure your safety and the prevention of post-operative complications. While aesthetic outcomes are extremely important, longevity of results requires equal consideration, as complications such as rupture, rippling, capsular contracture, bottoming out, and malposition can require re-operation, and will inevitably affect your overall aesthetic outcomes.
The choice of surgeon is a difficult one, and requires a mix of considerations relating to safety, aesthetic outcomes, and long-term care. Patients should avoid being price-sensitive because cost-cutting in cosmetic surgery often compromises quality. Unfortunately, safety and long-term care are often hit the hardest.
Plastic surgery is a serious and invasive procedure, and there are significant risks associated with any surgery requiring general anaesthetic. You should always ensure you are in the qualified and experienced hands of a breast surgeon in Brisbane who is recognised by the Australian Medical Council, and trained by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
If you have any questions regarding breast surgery, do not hesitate to contact us to make an appointment with Dr. Richardson.