Combined abdominoplasty and breast lift In Canberra & Sydney

Usually you will stay in hospital for 2–3 days. You will be often discharged with at least one remaining drain, which will come out by day 5–7 postoperatively.

There is some discomfort associated with surgery. Most patients report a ‘tightness’, rather than pain, due to the excellent modern anaesethetic pain control regime, which includes local anaesthetic for the immediate postoperative period as well as powerful analgesics. However, its worth noting different people experience pain differently including different subjective experience.

To achieve the optimal aesthetic outcome the abdominal wall will require varying degrees of treatment and this includes liposuction of areas not included in the abdominoplasty. The breast lift rarely requires liposuction of the axilla (armpit).

Within 2–3 weeks you will be back at work and able to resume most normal activities. Exercises that put a strain on your core abdominal muscles should not be resumed for at least 8 and preferably for 12 weeks postoperatively. Recovery may be different for each patient.

As part of the preoperative assessment Dr Farhadieh will select the incision sites in consultation with you depending on your preferred underwear, swimwear or previous surgery. The scars are not only camouflaged, but also fade considerably within the first 12 months from surgery.

Dr Farhadieh believes that the relationship between doctor and patient is sacred and privileged. Our practice is based on compassion, honesty, transparency and, above all, patient welfare. We pride ourselves on making sure that you feel supported at all times. We will be available during all stages of your journey and will schedule short-, medium- and long-term follow-up appointments as part of our overall practice.

1. There are some general risks associated with ANY operation, which include:
a) Infection in surgical wound(s) with resultant redness, pain and possible discharge. In severe cases, wound(s) could break open and need to be resewn after washout and debridement.
b) Possible bleeding in surgical wound(s) with swelling or bruising. Occasionally, this will require secondary surgery for evacuation.
c) Secretions may accumulate in the lungs and cause a chest infection.
d) Deep vein thrombosis.
e) Death is possible during or after an operation following severe complications.
f) Smoking significantly increases the risk of complications. Therefore, you should completely stop smoking at least 4 weeks prior to surgery, and refrain from smoking for at least 4 weeks.

2. The following facts, risks and complications apply specifically to THIS operation:
a) Antibiotics are given during and after the operation, to minimise the risk of infection. If infection was to occur, it would be treated with the usual techniques. In severe cases, treatment may involve being admitted to hospital for intravenous antibiotics; and further surgery may be required.
b) Bruising and swelling is normal, but the severity can vary with each patient. The risk of increased bruising or bleeding can be reduced by abstaining from medications such as aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, or other blood thinning agents, for at least 2 weeks prior to surgery.
c) The incisions will result in scar formation. Dr Farhadieh will endeavour to camouflage these scars in natural skin creases and keep them ‘hidden’; as well as keep the incisions as small as possible. These scars will soften and fade with time. You will be instructed as to how best care for scars to optimise results. These scars may be permanent in the form of Keloid or hypertrophic scarring.
d) Postoperative pain experienced varies from very mild to significant discomfort. You will be given plenty of pain relieving medication following your surgery and this should keep you comfortable, no matter what your level of discomfort. In addition, to avoid constipation resulting from the pain relief medication, we will prescribe some stool softeners.
e) It is common to have intermittent mild discomfort, or intermittent sharp pains in the first few weeks after surgery, as the swelling resolves and the nerves recover.
f) Numbness of areas of the abdomen is common following surgery. This usually recovers after 6-12 months’; however, some altered sensation is often permanent.
g) Most patients will need to take about 2-4 weeks off work. Heavy lifting, vigorous upper body exercise or any activity that involves your ‘core’ muscles should be avoided for 8-12 weeks.

h) The stitches used to close the incisions on your lower abdomen are completely dissolvable, but they may be felt through the skin for up to 6-9 months after surgery. There will be stitches in your bellybutton that need to be removed around 2 weeks after surgery.
i) Delayed healing can sometimes occur along the margins of the incisions; and occasionally there is some loss of the skin edges, requiring prolonged dressings or occasionally delayed additional scar revision surgery for correction. Umbilical necrosis occurs in approximately 1% of cases.
j) A significant amount of tissue and/or skin is removed during abdominoplasty surgery. Any tissue that is removed during your surgery may be sent to pathology for examination.
k) Scarring may be unsatisfactory and permanent.
l) The final aesthetic results may not be to your satisfaction.

The aim of abdominoplasty surgery is improvement rather than perfection. Further operations may occasionally be required to improve the results. This is particularly true if any of the above mentioned complications develop.

The same general complications are true in relation to the breast surgeries, the complication profiles depend the specific breast procedure that is carried out and can be seen in the breast sections depending on the surgery advised.

Physical signs of pregnancy such as sagging breasts and/or abdominal wall can be rectified using this procedure. The breasts may be lifted or augmented with an implant, or indeed both lifted and augmented. The abdominal tissues can be brought back into shape with an abdominoplasty procedure, with or without liposuction, or a simpler mini-abdominoplasty.

At Panthea Clinics in Sydney and Canberra we offer a range of surgeries, including the popular combined abdominoplasty & breast lift +/- implants.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding, breast tissues respond to normal cyclical hormonal changes as well as those related to the sustained hormonal changes. Because of this, the breasts increase in size and then reduce once again when normal hormone levels have been resolved. Although this is an entirely normal process, after it is finished, it can leave the breasts looking and feeling empty and deflated.

Equally, the abdominal tissues respond with extraordinary resilience during pregnancy. The expansion of a pregnant woman’s belly over what is a relatively short time period may result not only in weight changes, but also subsequent accumulation of fat deposits. Furthermore, redundant skin of the abdominal wall after childbirth may not, despite the inherent elasticity of the skin, return to its previous taut state. ‘Stretch marks’ are caused by microscopic rupture of a layer of collagen and elastin bundles under the skin, revealing the underlying vessels.

A combined abdominoplasty & breast lift +/- implants can help address aesthetic concerns. At our Sydney and Canberra clinics, Dr Farhadieh and his staff are dedicated to heir patient’s welfare.

Your consultation will begin with an in-depth look at your medical history, including smoking habits, previous abdominal surgery, regular medications such as blood thinners, previous history of deep venous thrombosis, diabetes, stability of weight over time and any other relevant details.

During your consultation, Dr Farhadieh will discuss the areas that concern you with your body, so he can get a clear understanding of what you’re hoping to achieve with surgery. This examination includes assessing the quality and amount of redundancy of your tissues and your skin envelope’s elasticity. Dr Farhadieh will go through the various surgical options solutions and will discuss what might be best suited to your needs. Photographs will be taken as part of your confidential medical records prior to surgery.

On the day of your combined abdominoplasty & breast lift +/- implants surgery, you will be admitted to hospital (which will differ depending on whether you’re located in Sydney or Canberra). Dr Farhadieh and our anaesthetist will see you, allowing you to ask any remaining questions you might have and completing our preoperative checklist. Surgical markings will be made just prior to surgery. It is a good idea to wear your preferred underwear so that the best incision sites can be chosen.

After surgery, you will be taken to the recovery area, where you will be monitored before returning to the ward. You will be placed in a compression garment, which helps to reduce swelling and makes the post-operative experience more comfortable. After this, the drains will be removed from the surgical areas and you will be encouraged to walk as soon as possible. A follow-up appointment will be arranged for 10–14 days after surgery, which is important for our medical team to check that you are healing properly. You will be able to resume most activities within a couple of weeks, except for strenuous activities that would place pressure on your abdominal wall. After 8 weeks, you will be able to begin all your regular activities as normal.

As with all surgery there are inherent risks of complications. These include infection, postoperative bleeding, asymmetry, scarring and leg blood clots. Dr Farhadieh will discuss all the details of the procedure and all its possible complications with you. Postoperative bleeding, although not common, may happen from time to time. If it does happen, it will require a return to theatre. This is one of the biggest reasons Dr Farhadieh chooses to have the surgery done in hospital, as it offers the safest and best-controlled environment if something were to go wrong.

Our medical team have extensive experience in their fields and offer dedicated care to each patient. All implants used by Panthea are of the highest quality (Mentor) and come with their lifetime guarantee. From beginning to end, our Sydney and Canberra Panthea Clinics keeps your safety and wellbeing as the top priority.

Before proceeding make sure that you have read all the information sheets and have your questions answered.Please remember results vary from patient to patient based on many variables including age, genetics, diet and exercise regime.