Sheila Magazine

sheila I health I n a world dominated by advertising and editorial images of perfection, it is little wonder that every day people are increasingly seeking out ways to improve their body image and self esteem. Many women feel their femininity is linked to having a what society seems to deem as the perfect figure, and with that comes the need for a great bust. And while it is entirely possible to run, squat, skip and lift your way to a great body in general, no amount of exercise can provide a full and firm bust line. Often the only solution to restore a bust to its pre-baby form or to give it a little boost is to go under the knife. And with the number of women having cosmetic breast surgery doubling in the last three years, a group of leading plastic surgeons is coming together to open Perth's first dedicated breast clinic. According to The Western Australian Plastic Surgery Centre, the number of breast augmentation procedures increased by 340 per cent and breast reductions by 136 per cent between 2008 and 2011. Located in Subiaco's St John of God Hospital, the Assure Breast Centre will hopefully put an end to the anxiety and confusion which often surrounds a woman's decision to have breast surgery. Assure Breast Centre co-director and plastic surgeon Vij Vijayasekaran says the most common reasons for women wanting breast surgery relate to a desire to change their size or shape, or to counter sagging or loss of firmness due to age or following pregnancy. "The decision to have breast surgery can be daunting and uncomfortable for many women. This is exasperated by a lot of misinformation out there, which often creates confusion and leads women in the wrong direction when making important decisions about surgery," he says. of exercise can LEAD to a FIRM BUST NO AMOUNT One of the most important considerations is in selecting a surgeon and Dr Vijayasekaran says the risks associated with travelling overseas for surgery are alarming. "Some of the worst complications we have seen from cosmetic breast surgery have regulation of the industry in places like Asia, so consequently, the risk of post operative problems is much higher. "A lot of these patients with botched jobs end up in the public sector because they return home and they have no insurance to cover them. One of the biggest problems is that people commonly return home with infections." He says cosmetic holidays often appear to be a cheaper way to have procedures performed but in reality surgery," he says. "There is no But he says following the road to safe and appropriate surgery is not always easy. when all costs were considered, the price was comparable to having the job done in a local hospital. "There are a lot of hidden costs and this in itself can be very confusing for people," he says. The other benefit to having procedures performed locally was that in the very rare case something did go wrong, there is easy and ready access to the same doctors and carers that performed the initial procedure. J occurred in patients who have travelled overseas for ill Brady, a specialist cosmetic breast nurse who will also work at the new centre, says achieving a good result with the most amount of comfort, also comes down to the level of overall care provided before and after surgery. Ms Brady will provide the first point of contact for women who attend the new centre's free initial consultations. "The decision to have breast surgery can be daunting and uncomfortable for many women. Just the thought of surgery is scary for most people, but the decision-making that goes into breast surgery is often even more complex, because it is so personal and emotional," she says. Ms Brady says the good news is that unwanted side effects and complications arising from breast surgery are relatively low. "Some bruising and swelling can be expected for a few weeks following surgery," she says. "You can resume your normal routine around three weeks after surgery, but returning to strenuous exercise may take a little longer. With augmentation, side effects include one implant becoming fixed in a slightly higher or lower SHEILA MAY 2012 91

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