Modern medicine has facilitated and perfected the art of helping women who undergo a mastectomy to replace their lost breasts. Breast reconstruction surgery serves as the best way to restore one or both breasts to near normal shape, appearance, symmetry, and size following mastectomy, lumpectomy, or congenital deformities. There are many breast reconstruction techniques. Breasts can be rebuilt using implants, fat or autologous tissue, or even a combination of breast implants and fat transfer to breast in order to rebuild the ‘ideal breast’.

Dr. Rozina Ali, the best female breast surgeon in UK, highly qualified in aesthetic surgery has provided us with meaningful information to help you fully understand the breast reconstruction technique and how to choose the right breast reconstruction surgeon for you.

What is breast reconstruction?

After a mastectomy, many women wish to restore the breast shape, attain symmetry in bras and clothing, and enhance self-esteem and self-image following breast cancer. Many more women do not and that is a very valid choice that we embrace and support fully. However, for the women who need or want to consider reconstruction and all the tribulations that may entail, we offer a guide.

Some Breast reconstruction is achievable immediately following a mastectomy. That obviously depends on pre-op planning and what adjuvant therapy (radiotherapy) may be required postoperatively.

In implant-based reconstructions, surgeons use implants to recreate the breast mound. tissue. There are three different types of implant reconstruction:

Under the chest muscle - the chest muscles are lifted and the implant is placed beneath.
Above the chest muscle - the implant is placed on top of the chest muscle. Because the chest muscle remains in place, patients may not need as much recovery time. This technique depends on having sufficient breast tissue to cover the implant. An alternative to sufficiently covering the implant is to use fat or a dermal matrix to enhance soft tissue quality.
Implant with tissue expander - an expander is placed under the chest muscles About once per week, your healthcare provider fills the expander with saline. This will help your skin gradually expand (stretches). Your surgeon will place the implant once your skin has expanded to the correct size and droopiness to accommodate the implant.

Although breast implants help you recover rapidly, they are not lifetime devices and may not appeal to everyone when it comes to looks or the prospect of needing future surgeries to replace them. A natural alternative involves using fat and tissue from another area of your body to fill your breast envelope. The procedure involves removing a flap of fat, skin, blood vessels +/- muscle from (usually) the lower abdomen to form a new breast. Using your own tissue creates a more natural-looking breast. Not everyone is a candidate for this procedure, depending on breast size, abdo size, and previous surgical history, but it’s a good option for many women.

The difference between breast augmentation and breast reconstruction

Breast augmentation and breast reconstruction surgery are distinctly different procedures. Although both may involve the use of implants or fat to enhance the size, shape, and other attributes of the breast, the augmentation surgery is designed to increase your current breast volume, while reconstruction surgery is often performed to restore function and a normal appearance after either cancer surgery or in the setting of congenital (from birth) differences.

Both procedures can involve either breast implants or autologous tissue, but the primary difference lies in the reason a patient undergoes the procedure and the quantity and quality of the tissues the surgeon has to work with.

How to choose the right breast reconstruction?

The short answer is to choose the right surgeon. Someone who listens, guides, and works with you to achieve what is possible. Rozina Ali has an extensive experience and expertise in all aspects of breast reconstruction using your own tissue, fat, implants, or a dermal matrix. She has formed in achieving great outcomes in breast surgeries and is renowned for minimising the scarring and enhancing both shape and symmetry.

The choice of a surgeon is critical as taking the time to pay attention to the significant details is required for an optimal result. It is during the second-stage procedure that the reconstruction is taken and turned from a “reconstructive operation” into an “aesthetic operation.” A breast lift, breast reduction, or breast augmentation may be recommended for the opposite breast to improve the symmetry of the size, shape, and position of both breasts.

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