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Confidence is the one thing, as women, we all burn with desire to have. There are many facets to self-assurance; the way we look, playing an important role. As women, we tend to be more self-critical than our male counterparts and as such are often dissatisfied with some part of our physical selves. The offending part is sometimes something we are born with, but can also be a result of an unfortunate life incident.
In light of the tremendous amount of anxiety and low self-esteem suffered by women due to perceived physical imperfections, ‘inner-beauty’ is now a heavily advocated position. However, as we all know, it’s all about balance and often, if you look good you feel good and vice versa. Also, there may be the chance that you may suffer from discomfort or pain and even psychological imbalance due to a perceived or actual physical irregularity. Fortunately, now, the chances of correcting such an issue through plastic or cosmetic surgery is an option. According to Dr. Kavinda Rajapakse, MBBS MD (Surgery) MRCS (England), there are 3 types of procedures possible: non-surgical, minimal invasive surgical or a surgical procedure.
To break it down, Non-surgical methods could involve botox (a muscle relaxant) and fillers (containing a cartilage substitute similar to a substance in the human body) to give a face a younger look. There’s also skin rejuvenation, PRP, fat injection and chemical scar management procedures, depending on the requirement, while laser hair removal is now popular for managing unwanted body hair.
While Minimally Invasive Surgical procedures include liposuction (for body contouring).
Surgical Procedures essentially mean going ‘under the knife’. This would cover a whole spectrum of procedures spanning facial (reduction of eye bags, brow lifts, rhinoplasty, enhanced cheekbones, deformed ears that require correcting, etc. ), breasts (reduction, augmentation and mastopexy), tummy (tummy tucks and liposuction) and for the rest of the body (mostly fat reducing procedures).
You’re probably thinking, ‘Do women actually get all of this done?’ In truth, the most sought after procedures are related to breasts. Why? Well, this ranges from discomfort experienced with big chests to low self-esteem with smaller boobs to older women wanting to look and feel youthful again. The types of surgery conducted are a reduction, where big breasts can be made smaller, augmentation, the procedure to enlarge the size of the breasts, and mastopexy for those requiring a breast lift.
Many young women with large breasts face a fair amount of pain and discomfort. It really is no joke being ‘top heavy’ as, apart from any self-consciousness experienced from the physical appearance of it, backache is a common problem topped off with the nagging discomfort of a bra strap digging into your shoulders. A breast reduction procedure may help lighten the load, easing many of these issues.
The other section of women with big breasts are the ones who have no more plans for more kids and want to look youthful again. They may not like the shape and size of their breasts and will want a change. “We first do an imaging to check for breast cancer to exclude any possible related concern” explained Dr. Rajapakse. “We routinely do a mammogram or ultrasound scan depending on the patient. With breast reduction, we make our drawings and incisions according to the person, so where you make an incision varies from woman to woman. As a result, it’s easy to miss a cancer growing in a different area of the breast. To avoid any confusion, doing a scan is a vital prerequisite.”
Ladies with ‘saggy breasts’ have hope too. A mastopexy, which is a breast lift, with your original breast tissue is a possible solution. Alternatively, if your breast is empty (i.e. think breast with only the nipple), an implant will be used to give it shape. If you’ve had a couple of kids, due to breastfeeding and ageing, over time, your breasts may sag. A mastopexy will lift your breasts back onto the breast wall making them look younger and fuller. For women with smaller breasts, an augmentation can be done with medical grade silicone implants. There are 2 types of implants, the round and the anatomical. “For example, if a thin girl has little to no breasts, using a round implant will make her breast look like a cup,” said Dr. Rajapakse. “To ensure the shape is appropriate, an anatomical implant is used. On the other hand, if you just want to make your breasts bigger, a round implant will work well.” For some women, Dr. Rajapakse uses implants just underneath the breast tissue and for others, he places it underneath the muscle (ideal for thinner ladies).
As with any surgery, complications can happen. Infections, hematoma or the implant getting dislodged in the long term are concerns. Implants have a life of 10 years, and with time breasts change, loosening up the implant and, ultimately, turning it in. “With badly done surgery, the implant can even begin to peak through the incision,” revealed Dr. Rajapakse. “Several patients I’ve encountered have got implants done in Bangkok, as it is cheaper. They’ve contracted an infection and we’ve had to remove them.” But, don’t freak out. As long as you go through the proper channels, you’ll be fine.
Dr. Rajapakse shared, “With young girls, I’m less inclined to operate since they may, at some point, breastfeed. You see, when you go under the knife, I need to cut the breast, reduce it and shape it. In such a case, you will be removing breast tissues/ glands as well. This can result in a reduction in production of breast milk.”
On average, surgery takes about 3 and ½ hours and the doctors recommend 2 nights in hospital. Usually, it is possible to return to normal routine in 3 days to a week, and wearing a sports bra (even at night) is a must for about 3 weeks, to keep the shape and keep breasts compressed to avoid collection of blood. “You’ll make a complete recovery in 3 weeks after which you can resume working out.”
Ensuring the patient is fit for surgery is imperative. Most women (and men) who come to alter different areas of their physique tend to have problems that are psychological in nature. According to Dr. Rajapakse body dysmorphia is something that a minor proportion of Lankans have. And, in some instances, Dr. Rajapakse may even refer the patient to a psychologist. In other cases, he may even speak to the person’s partner and/or parents to gain a better understanding of the issues at hand and if surgery really is the best course of action. So, while this may all seem a little daunting, rest assured, your doctor will look into whether the surgery will be the right way forward for you.
While there are now many providers off aering a plethora of such services, it is highly recommended you choose a facility deemed safe and is certified to offer what it does. This way you could minimize the possibility of any unforeseen or unfortunate outcomes. The Cosmetic and Skin Care Centre at Asiri Central Hospital offers a broad range of services with qualified and skilled consultation. It is an accredited and safe facility bound to reduce any anxiety you may feel about embarking on any intense cosmetic work. Talk to them and rock your confidence like you were meant to do.