See the amazing transformation this patient underwent as Dr McCluskey performs a breast augmentation with 300cc saline breast implants!
If you have any questions or would like to book a consultation with Dr McCluskey, call 404-255-3555 today!
For more information on services offered by Dr McCluskey and the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta, visit http://sexualaesthetics.com/
We are so excited to bring you our first video from inside the operating room! Watch Dr McCluskey perform a periareolar lift and augmentation with saline breast implants.
If you have any questions on this of any of our other procedures don’t hesitate to ask! Call today: 404-255-3555
For information on other procedures offered by Dr McCluskey and the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta visit http://sexualaesthetics.com/
Capsulectomy is a corrective surgery that involves removal of the capsule surrounding a breast implant following capsular contracture. I’m often asked if I charge for capsulectomy surgery. Yes. If one of my own patients presents with capsular contracture after surgery I do everything in my power to resolve the condition medically. But if the patient is refractory to medical treatment then I must proceed with capsulectomy surgery. This is a very difficult procedure that requires careful removal of the capsular scar tissue while preserving the normal muscle and breast tissue. Rates of capsular contracture recurrence are much lower when the implant is replaced so after the capsular tissue is removed and the breast pocket is washed with antibiotic solution, I place a new implant of equal size to the other breast.
While a breast augmentation surgery typically takes me between 30-50 minutes, capsulectomy with implant exhange often requires over an hour of surgery time. If capsular contracture affects both breasts, that time is doubled. So despite the fact that this condition is affecting one of my own patients, capsulectomy requires significant surgical time and resources (including a new implant). There will be a charge for the procedure but we keep these fees very low. Our primary goal in capsulectomy surgery is to resolve the condition without capsular contracture recurring.
A wise man once said that the only surgeon without complications is one that doesn’t operate. There is no greater teacher than experience and experience teaches us as surgeons that this statement is 100% true. I’ve heard world-famous surgeons profess to having zero complications and those of us who operate on large numbers of patients know that it is simply impossible to avoid complications. The question is not whether or not you as a surgeon will have complications, it’s how you handle them when they arise.
I do everything in my power to achieve a patient’s desired results and to avoid complications. But if I do the identical procedure on 100 patients using identical tools, sutures, equipment, the same nursing and anesthesia staff, and identical postoperative instructions then a few of these patients will inevitably experience some minor complications. Everyone heals differently . Everyone scars differently. Everyone is asymmetrical before surgery and they will be asymmetrical after surgery despite my efforts as a surgeon to make asymmetries less noticeable.
Did you know that you have a choice in breast implant placement?
Breast implants can either be placed or above the pectoralis muscle and beneath the breast tissue, known as sub glandular placement shown on the left of the picture below, or beneath the pectoralis muscle, sub muscularly, as shown on the right. The benefits and risks of implant placement above or below the muscle have been studied extensively by comparing hundreds of thousands of breast augmentation cases and the findings overwhelmingly support submuscular placement of breast implants.
Dr McCluskey will individually assess each patient to decide which implant placement is most suited to each patient’s needs and aesthetic.
For more information on services offered by Dr McCluskey and the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta visit http://sexualaesthetics.com/
Here at the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta we are always excited to answer any questions you may have! A woman reached out to us through our Instagram page (@drpaulmccluskey) to ask which incision is better for a breast lift, a “donut” or a “lollipop”, so Dr McCluskey decided to put together this short video to explain the difference!
If you ever have any questions, don’t hesitate to let us know! You can comment below or reach us through our Facebook page ( www.facebook.com/paulmccluskeymd ) and we will be happy to help.
For more information on services offered by the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta, visit http://sexualaesthetics.com/
One of our patients kindly decided to describe her breast augmentation experience at the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta.
“I debated for years before I finally decided to undergo a breast augmentation with Dr. McCluskey. Plastic surgery was not something I felt desperate for, nor did I think it would change my life. I was always unhappy with my breast size. As a kid I was made fun of by my childhood friends for not developing when they did. As a cheerleader I used to stuff my sports bra so that I wouldn’t look weird in my uniform. Thankfully, these insecurities never caused me to fear going out in public like other women I have seen undergo breast augmentation. As I got older I was confident enough with my body yet I wanted breasts. Not huge breasts but larger ones that could give me an added curve to my body on top. Even pregnancy did not enlarge my breasts. Pregnancy was the one thing I thought for sure would take me out of my training bra finally into a bra for the adult female. Go figure. During my consult with Dr. McCluskey I felt extremely comfortable and he was so kind to answer all of my questions. My experiences with other offices weren’t as easy. I felt a lot of the doctors seemed rushed. I was able to get all the information available about implants from the different kinds (saline and silicone gel) to what my post op experience would be. The day of my surgery could not have gone more smoothly. Dr. McCluskey’s entire staff was extremely helpful and attentive to my needs. Any surgical procedure is scary and it was wonderful having the kind of patient care his staff gives.
I went with an implant size (350cc Hi Profile Gel) that looked more natural. I did not want many people to know I even had the surgery done. The fake look was not my goal. I just wanted to finally wear that Victoria’s Secret 34C bra I eyed for so long. And four weeks after my surgery when I tried on that bra in the VS dressing room I was satisfied. I continue to be in love and happy with my breasts. My fiancé loves them too!! Thank you Dr. McCluskey and the entire staff at the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta!”
For more information on procedures offered by Dr McCluskey and the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta visit http://sexualaesthetics.com/
Breast implant placement has a huge effect on the final results of a breast augmentation surgery. Patients have a choice between submuscular (below the pectoral muscle) and subglandular (above the pectoral muscle) placement depending on what suits their needs and the look they wish to achieve. Here, Dr McCluskey explains the importance of breast implant placement:
“Breast implants can either be placed beneath the pectoralis muscle or above the pectoralis muscle. The benefits and risks of implant placement above or below the muscle have been studied extensively by comparing hundreds of thousands of breast augmentation cases and the findings overwhelmingly support submuscular placement of breast implants. Placing implants beneath the muscle, in a pocket created between the chest wall and the pectoralis muscle carries many advantages and reduces risks of complications. It’s difficult to rank these advantages in order of importance but submusclar placement has the following pro’s: 1. reduces the risk of capsular contracture, 2. allows for mammograms to be performed and read (ie doesn’t interfere with early detection of breast cancer or other problems), 3. theoretically patients can still breast feed if they choose to do so, and 4. submuscular implant placement has a more natural appearance and contour in the upper chest.”
For more information on services offered by Dr McCluskey go to sexualaesthetics.com
Breast lifts (or Augmentation-Mastopexy) are common among women who have lost the youthful shape of their breasts for a number of reasons. This could be due to weight change, breastfeeding and childbearing, or simply the natural aging process and gravity taking their toll. Through a breast lift, Dr McCluskey can both lift and increase the firmness of the breasts. A breast lift alone can not increase the fullness of the breasts or significantly change their size. If you are interested in breast reduction, or breast augmentation along with a breast lift, Dr McCluskey will work with you to create the results that you desire!
“There are entire textbooks written about breast lifts. I have in fact contributed chapters to some of these textbooks. A mastopexy procedure, or breast lift, is the best option for rejuvenating sagging, droopy, or deflated breasts. The plastic s
urgeon word for sagging is ptosis (the ‘p’ is silent) so when a plastic surgeon tells you that you have a slightly ptotic breast, it’s a gentle way of saying you have a droopy or saggy breast. Why are there so many textbooks written about breast lift techniques? Like many procedures in plastic surgery, a breast lift can be performed using many different techniques.
When I discuss breast lift with a patient I take a number of measurements and I demonstrate for the patient how I will lift the nipple to a natural position (at the level of the breast fold, and in the center of the breast). Almost every patient with
In a breast lift consultation, I always draw out the typical improvements that can be expected and I diagram the incision patterns on the drawing. The incisions are effectively named a circle, a lollipop, and an anchor. The circle describes an incision around the nipple, or a periareolar breast lift. This is the most basic form of breast lift and can really only achieve a few centimeters of lift. But in many patients a periareolar mastopexy not only provides adequate lift but allows for the creation of a smaller (less wide) areola in patients with larger areolae.whom I discuss breast lifting with is concerned about the incision scars. It’s a valid concern as there will be some scars after a breast lift, but it’s a tradeoff. A thin scar that will fade over the next few months is a fair exchange for a more youthful, well-shaped breast with more fullness in the upper chest.
The lollipop style of incision characterizes the most common style of breast lift that I perform. This is a vertical breast lift whereby the nipple is lifted and the skin and breast tissue beneath the nipple is tightened and lifted. Patients are often afraid of this vertical scar on the breast but (and I say this with complete honesty) this vertical incision typically heals beautifully and is often nearly invisible 2-3 weeks after surgery.
In patients with larger or wider breasts I often use the anchor style incision by removing excess breast tissue along the underside of the breast, in the inframammary fold. Regardless of the lift technique or the incision pattern, a breast lift offers a wonderful change to patients with mild to severe ptosis. A breast lift is similar to a reduction in that the incisions used are often the same, but a breast reduction involves removing a large volume of breast tissue and re-shaping the breast.” – Dr. Paul McCluskey
For more information on procedures offered by Dr McCluskey visit http://sexualaesthetics.com
“Gummy bear” implants were recently approved by the FDA and provide a more cohesive silicone gel implant compared with traditional silicone breast implants. This firmer gel is thought to cause less wrinkling and rippling and create a firmness that some women may find more desirable. As with all implants, cohesive gel implants do have risks such as rotation, and larger incisions are needed for their insertions due to their added firmness. Here is Dr McCluskey’s take on cohesive gel implants:
“The breast implant manufacturers such as Mentor Corp, Allergan Natrelle, and Sientra have been touting cohesive gel or gummy bear implants for a long time. These companies created buzz over these new implants, driving patients to plastic surgery offices requesting cohesive gel implants. I performed a number of breast augmentation cases with cohesive gel implants after they were FDA approved, but the results and patient satisfaction ratings were mixed. A number of the patients complained that the implants were too firm & that they didn’t have the softer feel of natural breast tissue. In two cases my patients asked that I remove the cohesive gel implants and replace them with standard silicone gel implants. In both of those cases the patients were much happier after I exchanged the implants. From my experience silicone gel implants have a soft, natural feel and the newer cohesive gel implants are more firm and do not offer an advantage over standard silicone gel implants.”
During your consultation, Dr McCluskey will assess which type of implant is right for you and the look you are trying to achieve.
A Silicone Implant
Choosing between the two competing types of breast implants can be a difficult task, but help is at hand! At the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta, helping you to achieve the look you desire in the best and safest way possible is our priority. The two choices available to you are saline and silicone implants. Both have a silicone casing, but it’s what’s inside that counts! The number of silicone implants has been on the rise since their FDA approval in 2006 but plastic surgeons continue to use both as they each have their advantages.
Silicone implants are pre-filled with a cohesive silicone gel and resemble the natural feel of breast tissue. Although ruptures can still occur, with silicone implants they are usually undetectable with out use of an MRI, this is known as a “silent rupture”. The FDA recommends an MRI three years after insertion, and every two years after that to check for ruptures. Because they are prefilled, silicone implants (especially of the textured or ‘gummy’ variety) do require larger incisions for insertion.
Saline implants, however, are not prefilled and are filled after insertion by the surgeon, allowing for a smaller incision to be made. Saline implants are filled with saline solution (sterile salt water) similar to fluid already inside the body. In the case of a rupture, saline implants are a lot more noticeable as the saline solution will leak in to the body with out harm causing an obvious change in the size and shape of the breast(s).
“When a patient arrives for consultation I want to discuss her interest in breast augmentation – why does she want breast augmentation, what are her goals in terms of size, fullness, lifting, or correction of asymmetry? I then show my patients samples of both silicone gel and saline implants. The two types of implants have a distinctly different feel and it is important that the patient knows the difference. Silicone gel implants in my opinion feel more like natural breast tissue and it is less likely that the patient will be able to see or feel ripples. Rippling can occur with either saline or silicone gel breast implants and in many cases it is a result of the patient having very thin skin.
Patients typically arrive at a consultation with a preconceived idea of which type of implant they prefer. Some patients only want saline because that is what their friends have and their friends are very happy. Others like the feel of silicone gel implants and have no interest in a saline implant. Despite these preferences the patients still want to know my opinion about which implant is best for them. As stated above, one of the key deciding factors relates to the thickness of the skin and breast tissue. If the patient has very thin skin then I’d likely recommend a silicone gel implant to avoid rippling. If a patient is concerned about the appearance of the inframammary incision and she prefers the axillary (underarm) incision then I recommend saline implants. On that note, I consider both the axillary and the inframammary to be well-hidden, nearly invisible incisions.
Ultimately deciding between silicone gel and saline implants comes down to patient preference. The good news is that there is no wrong decision. Our experience with these implants shows that patients are typically highly satisfied with breast augmentation surgery regardless of implant style. That said, I’ve had many consultations end with the patient asking me this question: If I performed breast augmentation on my wife or girlfriend which implant would I choose? If left up to me I’d choose high profile silicone gel implants. They mimic the feel of natural breast tissue and I like the projection of high profile implants.”
For more information on other services Dr. McCluskey provides visit sexualaesthetics.com
